NASCAR weekend arrives in Sonoma: Racing thrills with heat and traffic

Sonoma Raceway's NASCAR weekend has arrived, with the top stock-car drivers in the world converging to entertain and thrill the biggest sporting crowd of the year in Sonoma County.

It would not be an exaggeration to say the Monster Energy Cup Toyota/Save Mart 350 also generates the biggest traffic jam of the year on Sonoma County roads. Experienced race fans anticipate this with early departures and car pools or even chartered buses – all those seats already are reserved – but for the uninitiated the best advice is two simple words: Stay away. Traffic on Route 37, Arnold Drive and throughout the southeast corner of Sonoma County will be uncommonly thick all weekend.

Compounding the challenge for race fans will be what is expected to be excessive heat every day with high temperatures in the upper 90s. The track will provide 10 Portacool Cooling Stations throughout the property, including the seating areas as turns 2, 4, 7, 9 and 10, as wekk as at the Ticket Pit Stop information booth and main paddock shuttle stop.

Cars will be on the track Friday for practices, then racing begins Saturday with support events and qualifying for the Cup race on Sunday. The big race begins Sunday at noon.

For more information, go here.