First time trip to Sonoma (1 Viewer)

Alan, definitely am going on Sat. all day. If you are gonna be there, pm me your phone # and I'll message you mine. To any other Sonoma vets, the weather for Sat is predicted to be a high of 85. Should we expect any good performances with that kind of temp??? Thanks to all who have contributed to my knowledge banks for the Sonoma trip.
 
I doubt the temp will be that high...I live about 15 minutes away and the wind has been blowing for 2 months. Local highs actually feel much cooler. I know that it has been said already, but I must reiterate that the wind coming off SF Bay is not cold, it is bone chilling and will send you running for your car once the sun goes down. We have had family from St Louis tell us that they have never been so cold as their summer in San Francisco.

I love the track, yes traffic can be a problem, lots of walking, but the location is breathtaking. Even the wineries just to the North are fabulous. One lament, the viewing area mentioned earlier that is now an additional fee, is right before the scoreboards at 1320ft. Used to be the best spot in the house on Friday night....sadly now the finish line is way up track and thus not a very good viewing spot anymore. The main grandstand is a bit far away, but it's not THAT far. The overall experience is much better than the wooden bleachers on the spectator side.....plus something no one has mentioned....when you sit there, there is an annoying chain link fence that you look through to see the racing. It is really off-putting for me. Plus the main stand has easy access, lots of food options, permanent bathrooms, shade during the hot afternoon (if no wind that is).

Enjoy your trip and try to take in some of the local sites....it's a great area! Post your experience for us to read.

ted
 
Ted, thanks for the info. We ended up in the grandstands in section F about halfway up. I'll certainly take the cool down info to heart...Sounds not unlike Bandimere as day becomes night. It can get pretty chilly on the mountain even in midsummer. Looking forward to attending the races and seeing the sights in the area. My son is pretty new to the area also (he lives right between Oakland and Berkeley and is Manager of The Gardens at Heather Farms near Walnut Creek. Yep, he's a horticulturalist motocrosser surfer) so we are going to do some sightseeing. Of course, being from Nebraska, the one item that turned up on both our "must do" lists is our first visit to In and Out Burger!
 
If you fly into Oakland, there is an In n Out right by the freeway, can't miss it! Highly recommend it.....3rd generation native Californian....never lived anywhere else, and I still love me a double double, animal style.

I take my kids to Heather Farms Park occasionally...it is a really neat experience. Your son is blessed!
 
Glad to hear you and your children enjoy the park. My son was quite pleased to hear your positive words about Heather Farms! I'm going to get to see it in person Friday. Really looking forward to this trip. Are you going to Sonoma this year, Ted?
 
Make sure you bring a jacket, because as soon as the sun goes down it can get pretty cool and breezy. I'm at the track right now and it is very cool.
 
Well we attended Sat Qualifying at Sonoma. Wow, what a track! I was amazed at the organization used in getting fans from the parking lots to the stands. FREE parking and FREE shuttle to the stands and back at the end of the day. Everyone we met involved with the track was courteous, friendly, and helpful. And the seats in the grandstands had BACKS! WooHoo!

I haven't been to any of the Bruton tracks, and I hear they are fantastic, but I was totally impressed with the whole Sonoma operation, especially the bathrooms!!!

As mentioned, the grandstand is a ways back, but the bonus there is they stage all the sportsman cars in front of the grandstands so you can see them up close before the runs.

Overall, my son and I had a grand time at Sonoma and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. And from where we sat it looked like a really good crowd. Curious to hear how it looked on tv. Thanks to all who gave us tips and info, and a big thank you to everyone involved with Sonoma Raceway. To put it in native Nebraskan, Ya done good!
 
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