Tough Mudders tackle Sonoma Raceway while vintage cars race for charity

Sonoma Raceway is not just for drags and drifts, motorcycles and stock cars. The 50-year-old outdoor venue again plays host to the Tough Mudder NorCal, a series of obstacle-course runs to challenge the skills of the active fitness enthusiast, on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6.

There are two main Tough Mudder races, one the “8-10-mile loop of mud-soaked mayhem with 25 best-in-class obstacles” known as the Tough Mudder Classic, according to a press release from the Raceway, and the other – new this year – the Tough Mudder 5k, with 13 obstacles.

“Our new 5K distance has been a hit all season long and really opens the event to participants of all experience levels,” said Rabia Qari, senior vice president of marketing at Tough Mudder, Inc. “We think our NorCal Mudders are really going to enjoy it.”

The Tough Mudder organization has lowered the age restrictions for participants. Now competitors 13 and older can take part in the 5k, and “Mudders” 14 and older can challenge the Classic. This is the second year the Tough Mudder NorCal is being held at Sonoma Raceway. For more information, visit toughmudder.com.

While Tough Mudder will take place in the hills surrounding the raceway, the Classic Sports Racing Group’s Charity Challenge will be featured on the track, showcasing fine vintage race cars in the name of charity this weekend, Oct. 5-6.

More than 200 vintage race cars in nine race groups will hit the track for a full weekend of racing on the 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course. The event will feature vintage Formula 1 cars, Formula Fords, as well as prototype and production sports cars spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s.

Veteran racer John Morton, famous for driving Trans-Am, Can-Am, IMSA GTP, F5000 and many other race car types, will not only serve as Grand Marshal of the Charity Challenge, but will also race in the season finale of the Morton Trophy, a series created for small sedans from the 1960s and 1970s.

All race groups will hit the track for practice and qualifying races on Saturday and main events on Sunday.

Proceeds from the weekend will benefit Sonoma County youth groups through Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC), the charitable arm of Sonoma Raceway. CSRG has generously contributed more than $960,000 to SCC since 2004, and will race to raise that mark to $1 million over the course of the Charity Challenge.

In addition to the on-track action, race attendees are invited to take a close look at the race cars throughout the paddock and spectators are also allowed to walk amongst the cars as they are staged on-track before a select number of racing groups.

Tickets for the CSRG Charity Challenge can be purchased online at sonomaraceway.com for $16 per day or $28 for a two-day pass. Race weekend is a family-friendly event. Kids 12 years and under, students of all ages, as well as military and veterans are admitted free with appropriate identification and parking is free.