If I order tickets for the race at Sonoma... (1 Viewer)

Rich

Nitro Member
...which seating areas should I try to get and which ones should I try to avoid? I remember some folks here talking about the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway last summer saying that there were some seating where it is difficult to see all the action on the track. I hate to drive 800+ miles only to be disappointed. I'd appreciate some input from a few folks who are familiar with Infineon.
 
Stay home, or go to Vegas instead... I am the one who started that thread, and will not go back as a spectator...
Unless I just go the magic spot I found, which most fans will not find as exciting as I do...

I will be interested in others thoughts as well however...
 
When I went to Sonoma I sat on the spectator side of the track at the starting line. I thought my seats were pretty good and they were close to the track. My only complaint was the fact you had to stand up on every fuel car pass because everyone around me was standing on the seat in front of them to see.
 
Rich you may want to stay home, I heard Sean Hannity will be out there in the area for a speaking engagement that weekend, lol.

I went to Sonoma the first year after the renovate and wasn't impressed! The Pit-side stands are almost 200' from the track, you damn near need Bino's to see who's running. Bruton's built some great tracks, too bad he ruined this one!
 
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I went to both Sonoma and Vegas for the first time last year, and Ray is right Vegas is definitely the better of the two. At Sonoma every ticket is a reserved seat, they will sell you general admission tickets, which is basically a pit pass and then if you want to watch the racing you must fork over an additional $10 for an "upgrade" and I use that term in the loosest possible manner. The large grandstands are a mile (well a mile is a slight exaggeration) from the track, the stands on the right side of the track are similar to Vegas. IF everybody sits down the right side stands are pretty good, they are much closer to the track than the big grandstands on the left side and closer to the parking lot at the end of the day. The big problem is at Sonoma everybody stands causing a chain reaction effect, this is not an issue in Vegas. All in all Sonoma is not a bad race to go to, especially if you center your vacation around the race, but it's not Vegas.
 
Even with the distance from the track, I will only sit in the pit side grandstands, and nowwhere else.
 
Rich you may want to stay home, I heard Sean Hannity will be out there in the area for a speaking engagement that weekend, lol.

G-xxlaugh.gif


Touche. I had that one coming. :D
 
... Bruton's built some great tracks, too bad he ruined this one!
Bruton didn't ruin anything. Sears Point is a 1000 times better than it was. Comparing it to other Bruton Smith facilities is apples to oranges. Vegas is a purpose built drag strip where as Sears Points is a multi-use facility. So of course it's not going to be absolutely ideal but they did the best they could!

Take it from someone who races there on a regular basis. There isn't a bad seat in the house. But as noted, the main grandstands are further from the racing surface than at most tracks due to the road course and pit row. I'd sit on the sportsman side pits which are temporary grandstands they install for the race. They are closer to the action but it's a little harder to get over to the pro pits.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'd love to go to Vegas but neither race there is presently an option for me due to my schedule. We will be attending the race in Seattle as we do every year, but we'd also like to attend a second race on an annual basis. Other than Sonoma, the season opener at Pomona would probably be our other option. Still, it would be easy to fit Sonoma in this year since I already have the time off.

Thanks again. You've been very helpful.
 
Bruton didn't ruin anything. Sears Point is a 1000 times better than it was. Comparing it to other Bruton Smith facilities is apples to oranges. Vegas is a purpose built drag strip where as Sears Points is a multi-use facility. So of course it's not going to be absolutely ideal but they did the best they could!

Take it from someone who races there on a regular basis. There isn't a bad seat in the house. But as noted, the main grandstands are further from the racing surface than at most tracks due to the road course and pit row. I'd sit on the sportsman side pits which are temporary grandstands they install for the race. They are closer to the action but it's a little harder to get over to the pro pits.

Greg, I'm sure it is 1000 times better...For Racers. For the fans it has No atmosphere. Sit in secs, B-C at Vegas Pitside you'll see and feel what I mean!
 
Take it from someone who races there on a regular basis. There isn't a bad seat in the house. But as noted, the main grandstands are further from the racing surface than at most tracks due to the road course and pit row. I'd sit on the sportsman side pits which are temporary grandstands they install for the race. They are closer to the action but it's a little harder to get over to the pro pits.

Last year was my first Sonoma experience, and I really enjoyed the pit side seating. The seating space is comfortable, and most of the time people were seated - even when they weren't, I could still see.

Sunday, we were right at the Christmas Tree on the sportsman side pits, and we could only see to about the 330" cone. :eek: We had to depend on watching the starting line crews' reactions to see who won. :mad: I would never go back to those seats for a national event. I'm sure for events with slightly smaller crowds, the proximity to the track would be wonderful, and in fact, I did get some fantastic starting line pictures for the first round - before we gave up on our seats. We ended up sitting in bleachers on a hillside where we couldn't see the starting line, but at least we had a better view of the rest of the track and the finish line. :rolleyes:

Overall, I was really impressed with the facilities in Sonoma - other than those horrible "temporary" bleachers. I'll have to agree with everyone about adding Vegas when at all possible - that's a fantastic track and facility, and it was a dream to visit. :D
 
Greg, I'm sure it is 1000 times better...For Racers. For the fans it has No atmosphere. Sit in secs, B-C at Vegas Pitside you'll see and feel what I mean!
Joe,

It's a 1000 times better for spectators... it's actually worse for the racers, at least the sportsman racers. Getting to and from the staging lanes from the sportsman pits on the west side of the track is a nightmare.

But once again... you're comparing apples and oranges! You can't compare a purpose built drag strip to a multi-use racing facility and have a fair comparison.

Rich asked what area to purchase tickets for the race at Sonoma. He wasn't looking for a condemnation of the facility because it's not as good as Vegas.
 
Even with the distance from the track, I will only sit in the pit side grandstands, and nowwhere else.

Same here. To me it is worth the money as the seats are fairly comfortable and we usually go for three days. My days of "enjoying" the hard bleachers with no backs ore over.

Sears Point is the only track I have been getting to for national events lately. Overall, I think it is great for the fans. The bathrooms are spacious, clean and permanent! ;) Pro pits are close and the turnout (in racers) is great. Sure there are problem areas. The sportsman pits are quite a hike but I still enjoy going through there. The walk to and from parking is brutal but there ARE shuttles if you are so inclined. Plus, as others have said, the pit side stands are set back. I wish they were closer but it is not a big deal for me. You leave your seat and the bathrooms are 20 feet away and the fuel pits are 100 feet away. Bingo.

I really want to go to Vegas now though...:D
 
Joe,

It's a 1000 times better for spectators... it's actually worse for the racers, at least the sportsman racers. Getting to and from the staging lanes from the sportsman pits on the west side of the track is a nightmare.

But once again... you're comparing apples and oranges! You can't compare a purpose built drag strip to a multi-use racing facility and have a fair comparison.

Rich asked what area to purchase tickets for the race at Sonoma. He wasn't looking for a condemnation of the facility because it's not as good as Vegas.

Greg you keep stating that it is a Multi-use racing facility which is absolutely true but the down side to it is they catered to the road corse and not for straightline racing.:mad:
It really sucks from a Drag Racing Fan's point of view.
The no general seating didn't go over to well also and is bull$hit in my point of view. I personally witnessed some very upset first time fans when they realized that there wasn't any general seating and the top end was reserved for competitors and wasn't even a quarter full for the whole weekend.:cool:
 
Bristol would be sweet! I have heard nothing but great things about that track. In fact I talked to a NASCAR fan not long ago who attended the drag races at Bristol for his first time last year. He's hooked and told me he's definitely going back.

Besides the NHRA Nationals in Seattle, this year we already have firm plans to attend the Division Six LODRS races at Mission Raceway Park, Pacific Raceways, and Woodburn Dragstip. And if I can get things co-ordinated correctly, we might even be able to take in the LODRS race at Yellowstone Drag Stip in Acton, Montana when we visit my parents in Billings. As much as I'd love to attend the races at Bristol, the race at Sonoma might be the only other race I can fit into my schedule this year.
 
(QUOTE=Alan Loder Even with the distance from the track, I will only sit in the pit side grandstands, and nowwhere else. QUOTE)

Same here. To me it is worth the money as the seats are fairly comfortable and we usually go for three days. My days of "enjoying" the hard bleachers with no backs ore over.

Sears Point is the only track I have been getting to for national events lately. Overall, I think it is great for the fans. The bathrooms are spacious, clean and permanent! ;) Pro pits are close and the turnout (in racers) is great. Sure there are problem areas. The sportsman pits are quite a hike but I still enjoy going through there. The walk to and from parking is brutal but there ARE shuttles if you are so inclined. Plus, as others have said, the pit side stands are set back. I wish they were closer but it is not a big deal for me. You leave your seat and the bathrooms are 20 feet away and the fuel pits are 100 feet away. Bingo.

Rich, I whole-heartedly concur with Alan, Jay, and my sweetie Lisa; go but spend the extra for the main (pro pit side) grandstand!!! The only negative is the distance to the lanes but I found it to not be a problem either! Another positive is that if you're up high enough, you'll get some shade from the sun. 2 years ago I did Friday only but it was hot!!! Last year we did all 3 days and the "heat wave" broke but it was still pretty warm and the shade was nice on Fri/Sat. There is NO shade on the sportsman pit side. :mad:

Yes, I'm a wimpy Seattlite and don't like the heat!!!:eek:
:D
 
I've never been to a Vegas race, but I have been going to Sears Point since its first national event. yes, the pit stands are a distance, but what I like about it is you can see the whole quarter-mile and shutdown without standing (even tho some still do). my dream is to go to Vegas or even Indy. but for the money and the excerise to the sportman pits, its not bad for a local event. I do the World finals every year, and to talk about packing a national event into a parking lot! now thats a race everyone should go to! all this talk about drag racing is making my throut itch, I need nitro...
 
I go to both Vegas and Sonoma. I never miss Sonoma. I like both tracks, and yes, the main grandstands are a little bit farther away from the track but not enough to cause me to NOT want to go to the event. I'm always there for Fri-Sun and have a killer hotel hookup 5 miles from the track. The hotel owner actually ALWAYS has the same rooms reserved for me every year.

Unfortunately I won't make the first Vegas date this year but already have my tix on order for Sonoma. Look forward to seeing as many maters there as possible.

T :D
 
Unfortunately I won't make the first Vegas date this year but already have my tix on order for Sonoma. Look forward to seeing as many maters there as possible.

T :D
Damn, we gonna keep missing each other again this year too? See ya at Vegas 2 then...and I`ll call ya next month while I`m sitting at our favorite little bar (right underneath the main grandstand at LVMS).
 
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