Infineon Raceway

Located in the heart of California wine country at the intersection of Highways 37 and 121 in Sonoma, about 30 minutes north of San Francisco's famed Golden Gate Bridge, Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway before the influx of corporate dollars) offers Nextel Cup drivers their first opportunity of the year to turn right. The 2.0-mile circuit, which features changes in elevation that are foreign to oval racing, is one of two road courses that host annual Nextel Cup events.

NASCAR's elite division comes to Sonoma in June, but the Nextel Cup stars have plied their trade at Infineon Raceway only since 1989, when Ricky Rudd won the Banquet 300 in a Buick. Road races in California, however, have long been a NASCAR tradition, dating to the early days at now-defunct Riverside. Infineon Raceway, in fact, existed long before a Nextel Cup race ever took place there. Robert Marshall Jr. and Jim Coleman built the track as a 2.52-mile course on a 720-acre tract of land in 1968. Infineon has survived numerous changes in ownership and management over the years and now is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc.

For Nextel Cup racing, the course itself features 10 turns, the most exciting of which is the hairpin that represents a driver's last realistic chance to pass before the start/finish line. Jeff Gordon has won three races at Infineon, more than any other driver. Gordon also holds the track record of 93.699 mph, a mark he established during qualifying for the 2001 Dodge/Save Mart 350.

There are few road courses on the NASCAR circuit and its location makes Infineon one of the most attractive.

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