Infineon Raceway

Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a NASCAR sanctioned road course and drag strip in the hills of northern California, near Sonoma, north of San Francisco.

One Of Two NASCAR Road Courses

The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills. It is host to one of the only two NASCAR races each year that are run on road courses. It is also host to several other auto races and motorcycle races such as the American Federation of Motorcyclists series.

NASCAR On The West Coast

With the closure of Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California after the 1988 season, NASCAR, wanting a west coast road course event to replace it, chose the Sears Point facility. Riverside International was razed for a shopping center development.

In 2002, Sears Point Raceway was renamed after a corporation, Infineon. However, as with many renamings of sports complexes, many people still call it by its original name. Despite its name, it was in no ways affiliated with Sears.

The Chute

The standard road course at Infineon Raceway is a 2.52 mile, 12 turn course, however the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypasses turns 5 and 6, shortening course to 1.95 miles. The Chute is only used for NASCAR events such as the Dodge/Save Mart 350, and is criticised by many drivers, who prefer the full layout; most races, including the Grand American Road Racing Association's Grand Prix of Sonoma, use the full course, while American Motorcyclist Association and Indy Racing League events use a modified 2.22 mile, 12 turn course.

This layout, opened in 2003, skips much of the Esses and run from Turn 10 to Turn 11 (the hairpin) for additional safety for motorcyclists, including runoff available in the motorcycle Turn 11 (the main Turn 11 has no runoff, and is a very slow turn, similar to the Mirabeau hairpin at Monaco). The raceway also has a quarter mile drag strip used for NHRA drag racing events.

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Trivia

June 10, 1990: Rusty Wallace tames the field on the twisting road course in Sonoma, California for his 5th win in his last 7 starts on road courses. Mark Martin finishes 2nd as the race ends under the yellow flag.

June 24, 2001: Tony Stewart scoots past Robby Gordon with 11 laps remaining and scores a victory in the Dodge Save Mart 350 at the renamed Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Gordon is poised to grab his first NASCAR Winston Cup victory until the lapped car of Kevin Harvick pushes him out of the way.

June 23, 2002: Jerry Nadeau's rear-gearing failure in the final 3 laps opens the door for Ricky Rudd to win the 224-mile race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. The win is Rudd's first on a road course since 1990.

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