Sonoma Raceway’s charity raises $236,000 for local youth groups

More than $236,000 were raised for local youth organizations during charitable events at the recent Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Sonoma Raceway.

The money will benefit several youth groups through the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of the raceway. It has distributed more than $4.8 million to local nonprofits that serve kids since 2001, according to the raceway.

The track raised $150,000 alone from the Children’s Champions Grand Marshal’s Banquet at Cline Cellars in Sonoma, raceway officials said in a statement. The proceeds from the banquet will be split between the Speedway Children’s Charities and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, officials said.

Santa Rosa native Kevin Jorgeson, who free climbed El Capitan in Yosemite National Park earlier this year, was honored as the Grand Marshal at the event. The sold-out dinner also featured a race preview by FOX’s NASCAR broadcast team, including Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, and brothers Darrell and Michael Waltrip.

A special live auction for a “Ride of a Lifetime” experience with Jeff Gordon held the night of the banquet pulled in an additional $10,000. The top bidder got to take a slow-speed lap around the track with the NASCAR driver.

In addition to the money raised for the raceway’s charitable organization, 13 other nonprofits were able to teamed up with the official event caterer, Levy Restaurants. The nonprofits manned the concession stands throughout the NASCAR weekend in exchange for a portion of the sales. The groups that included Benicia High School Band Boosters, Vallejo Cheer and Air Force Sergeants Association received a total of more than $38,000, raceway officials said.