RIO LINDA, CA – When many think of NASCAR, images of cars flying around banked ovals likely come to mind. But just down the road in wine country lies a different beast: Sonoma Raceway, a track that demands more than just speed, and one where a legendary driver with Rio Linda ties, Jeff Gordon, truly cemented his legacy.
Before he became a household name and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon spent formative years racing right here in the Rio Linda area, honing the skills that would make him a racing icon. And while Gordon conquered tracks across the country, Sonoma Raceway was his playground. With a record five Cup Series wins at this challenging road course, Gordon demonstrated the incredible finesse, strategy, and car control required to succeed where left and right turns rule the day.
Sonoma isn’t your typical NASCAR venue. Its twisting, 1.99-mile layout (sometimes using the 2.52-mile “Carousel” configuration) features 10 demanding turns and a significant 160-foot elevation change – the most on the NASCAR circuit. Forget simply mashing the gas; drivers here battle their 3,400-pound machines through sharp hairpins, technical esses, and elevation changes, requiring precision braking and masterful shifting more reminiscent of international sports car racing.
“Sonoma has always been a very technical flowing road course,” notes Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Toyota. Current drivers echo the sentiment, appreciating the unique challenge. “It’s a great racetrack and all the drivers and teams enjoy a changeup even from other road courses we have on the schedule,” adds Aric Almirola, who competes in the Xfinity Series…