Petaluma’s Tyler O’Hara in top 10 at Sonoma Raceway

Roseville's Cameron Beaubier swept both MotoAmerica Superbike class races this past weekend at Sonoma Raceway, taking his first double feature of the season.

Beaubier dominated both races, including a 7.2-second victory on Sunday. Toni Elias finished second to Beaubier on both days.

Petaluma's Tyler O'Hara finished sixth in the first SuperStock 1000 class race on Saturday and seventh in the second race on Sunday.

LOCAL DRIVER GETS BIG SHOT

Sonoma's Dana Cameron will be racing for team owner Roger Penske next year. Cameron has been selected to team up with Juan Pablo Montoya to race an Acura sports car in the Daytona prototype class for Penske Racing in the IMSA motorsports series.

The Daytona prototype is the top division of the IMSA series. Cameron formally raced a Cadillac for Action Sports Racing. He is also a two-time and defending WeatherTech SportsCar Series champion.

Penske Racing has race teams in several premier American motorsports series, including NASCAR and IndyCar, having won several races and championships under the guidance of Penske.

Juan Pablo Montoya is an internationally accomplished race car driver, having won some of the most premier races in the world including the Indianapolis 500 twice and the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monaco.

RACING SCHOOL

Simraceway Performance Driving Center is teaching at the Sonoma Raceway this week from Wednesday through Sunday. Fans can enroll in a class to learn how to operate a Formula One-type race car or high-end sports car for a certain fee. For more information on how you can attend the school, go to www.simracewaydrivingschool.com.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT THE TRACK

The Wednesday Night Drags program runs almost every Wednesday. Currently in its 29th year, it runs from March 15-Nov. 8. Fans can race their vehicles down the quarter-mile drag strip in a controlled-environment away from city streets. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing from 4-10 p.m.

Competitors must have a driver's license to compete, their car must pass a technical inspection and all vehicles must have mufflers. Up to 300 cars are allowed to enter.

Running alongside the drags will be Sonoma Drift, where pros and amateurs can swing wheels to perfect their drifting techniques. Speed is secondary as competitors are judged on the style and execution of their drift through a marked course in the raceway's paddock. Cars must pass a technical inspection before being allowed to drift.

Drifting starts at 4 p.m. Drivers can preregister for $40 or pay $50 at the gate. Spectators can watch for $10.

This week's Sonoma Drift event is a “Red Baron Fun Competition.” It'll highlight the more casual side of drifting, with other competitions including wall rides, table contests, backward entries and more. Winners of these events will get safety equipment from Red Baron Racing.

TOP THE COPS

High school students have an opportunity to race Bay Area law enforcement with the weekly Top The Cops program, which runs alongside the raceway's weekly Wednesday Night Drags program. Among the agencies that participate in this are the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, in addition to the Petaluma, Windsor and Sonoma police departments.

In its 23rd season, the raceway offers this as an alternative to street racing on Sonoma's quarter-mile drag strip. It also offers teenagers the opportunity to speak to officers about safe driving practices.