Vintage finale for Sonoma Raceway

For the 11th straight year, the Classic Sports Racing Group will hold its Charity Challenge weekend, which starts tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 4, and continues through Sunday, Oct. 5, and, once again, it will serve as the major event season finale for Sonoma Raceway’s

Taking place on the Valley’s famous 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course, nearly 300 vintage racecars will compete in the CSRG’s Charity Challenge, with proceeds benefiting the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of the raceway.

The event will feature nine race groups of road-racing cars, spanning Formula 1; prototype sports cars; and production sports cars mainly from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, and some from the ’30s. Qualifying and racing will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, highlighted by the premier historic F1 racing organization, Masters HGP, with more than 20 Formula 1 cars from the ’60s to the early ’80s, and the famous machines from Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus, Tyrrell and other companies.

One of the vintage car drivers racing over the weekend is Valley resident Bob Albright.

Also on tap at Sonoma Raceway are the annual charity rides, which are held midday on both Saturday and Sunday, with sign-ups beginning at 9 a.m.

For a $75 to $500 donation, depending upon the car chosen, fans can take a thrilling, three-lap ride around the road course in one of some 30 different participating race cars. Pace car rides and checkered flag waving opportunities are also available.

Also included in the race weekend will be a charity raffle – proceeds benefiting SCC – with tickets costing $10 each, $25 for three, and $50 for a “stretch” and prizes include racing memorabilia, gift cards and driver-autographed paraphernalia.

Raffle tickets can be purchased in the garages, adjacent to the Panasonic Technology Center.

Charity Challenge tickets can be purchased at the gate and are $25 each day or $40 for a two-day pass. High school and college students as well as military and veterans are admitted free with appropriate identification.

For more information on the Classic Sports Racing Group, visit csrgracing.org or visit CSRG’s Facebook page at facebook.com/csrgracing. For ticket deals, check Groupon, Living Social & Amazon Local.

••

For more details on the Charity Challenge, the Wednesday Night Drags or for general Sonoma Raceway information, call 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit csrgracing.org, racesonoma.com or ticketmaster.com. Camping is also available for all major events.