Infineon Raceway (2.52 miles, Road Course) in Sonoma, California
The Infineon Raceway was built between 1967 and 1968, then 70 million dollars and contributed to the beginning of yet another name. Until the sale of naming rights in 2002 the track in Sonoma, Southern California was in fact known as "Sears Point Raceway." We have also gathered all the same popular name for the "road course" (about 15 km north of town) Sonoma, Sears Point (southernmost summit of Sonoma Mountain) and just "Infineon Raceway", where the first two fans in more popular are. Sonoma County is the way, right in the famous wine growing region, as well as one of the Napa Valley. In addition, 15 km east of the track Jeff Gordon to find birth and Vallejo in the south to get to only 40 km in the city of San Francisco, which is a huge catchment area for potential fans.
Thus, the Raceway is just a stone's throw away from the water, as 5 km southeast of the Raceway is the San Pablo Bay, which opens in San Francisco in the Pacific. This is happening in the story and the character of the route that is a role, otherwise the geography hour was not necessary. The situation in the hilly landscape makes the "road course" stand out on a real mountain and valley-orbit whose height differences on television does not usually Sun Sometimes it will be so confusing that you can not see what is waiting behind the crest of a - between the accident and Nelson Philippe Will Power was at the Indy cars in 2009 very clearly. The Indy cars go a different route than the way the NASCAR, namely a variant of the long version.
The NASCAR since 1989 in Sonoma road and had a practical reason: Once from 1987 to 1988 to and after each race at the historic Riverside International Raceway (also in California) were removed from the calendar, they sought compensation in the same state . Anyone who wants to look at satellite images, such as Riverside has since been seen, which is a layout of the track instead of just one can find "shopping mall" - this had the soft "road course" at that time. So NASCAR took a year from 1989 season opener at the Sears Point Raceway, beginning on the long version. Between 1998 and 2002 occurred more then once renovation work, which changed the "drag strip" and offered the NASCAR version, a shorter route.
First, they built an abbreviation of the Infields 1998, the so-called "Chute" (dt: slide), which bypasses the turns 4.5 and 6. After Turn 7, of which only the apex is straight over, then it goes back to the gym 7 a long version. At Wikipedia, there is a good image for routing , where it is readily apparent. 2001 "The Chute" is changing again, this was built in Turn 4, which regularly brings exciting camera shots of the densely along the wall rushing cars. 2002 they separated the "drag strip" still on the start-finish straight, which is now exclusively available for the circuit races are available. The former unity there can be still seen on the dividing line between the lanes. The best overtaking the NASCAR version is the hairpin "turn 11", where the race is always neat action.
The IndyCar variant is also used by motorcycles and waives the hairpin in favor of a longer run-off area, the turn to the finish line is just there earlier. Moreover, even the infield and part of the "drag strip" crossed in the heart of the race track. Overall, the space for 102,000 spectators Raceway, where only 47,000 of them are housed in permanent bleachers, grandstands includes the nature of one. Temporary seating will be set up especially for the bigger races. 2004, the complex was last expanded and thereby also the surrounding marshes (see location on the Pacific above) be integrated. Overall, the route is attractive for the fan, as you can see thanks to the many differences in height of nearly every seat full course.
Comments