By Friday night, Sonoma Raceway had already started to feel less like a track and more like a small city. Fans streamed out after the General Tire 150, won by Sam Corry, and many went back to the RVs and tents they had claimed for the weekend at 50 Acres, the giant lot across Highway 121.
The scene explains why people keep searching what channel is the NASCAR race on today when Sonoma comes around in June: the race is only part of the weekend. Vehicles at the campground carried flags for Kyle Larson, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, while Josh Eele, who came from Gresham, Oregon, was back for his sixth year camping at the raceway. Rob Hartman and Nathan Hughes traveled from Carson City, Nevada, and Hughes wore a straw hat pinned with tracks from Charlotte, Phoenix and Vegas.
That makes 50 Acres a draw in its own right. Sonoma Raceway allows campers to stay until Monday, so the crowd does not vanish when the cars stop on Sunday. Some leave right after the marquee race ends, but others stretch the weekend out a little longer, turning the lot into a place where the racing day ends and the camping day keeps going.
The campground has changed with that routine. Years ago, longtime attendees said campers would set up a full-service bar and hot tubs, and dirt bikes would roar around the camp. Now, no off-road vehicles are allowed, and the setup is stripped down to portable showers and bathrooms. The looseness is still there, but it is boxed in by rules that make the lot quieter than it used to be.
That is what gives Sonoma’s June NASCAR weekend its own rhythm. The track action brings people in, but the camping keeps them there, and Monday is still part of the plan for anyone who wants one more night across Highway 121 before heading home.
