Sonoma: Event schedule, notes of interest

NHRA Summit Sport Compact Nationals

Infineon Raceway will host the top import drag racers in the world Sept. 7-8 at the NHRA Tuned by Matrix GR Motorsports Sport Compact Nationals, presented by Wallstreet.com. The weekend will feature import drag racing in the following divisions: Pro, Pro V8, Modified, Hot Rod, Street Tire and All Motor. This marks the first-ever visit to Infineon Raceway by the series. Cars expected to compete include Mazda, Acura, Honda, Nissan and Toyota, among others.

Schedule:
Sept.7: Gates open at 8 a.m. E.T. time trials and qualifying 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Heads-Up Qualifying: 2, 4 and 6 p.m. Sept. 8: Gates open at 9 a.m. E.T. time trials from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Final eliminations: 1 p.m.

On TV:
ESPN2 will feature taped coverage on the following dates and times: Sept. 19, 8:30-9 p.m. and Sept. 28, 10:30-11 p.m. Both times are PDT.

Divisions:

Pro and Pro V8 Classes: These are the quickest categories in the series, featuring passes in the sub-7.50 second range. Tube chassis, rotary, six and eight cylinder engines are allowed. Turbos, nitrous oxide, full bodied cars and trucks are featured. Gasoline and methanol is allowed.

Modified: The typical pass in this class is in the eight-second range. Full-tube chassis front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and back-half rear wheel drive cars are allowed. Rotary, four, six and eight cylinder engines. Turbos and nitrous oxide are the power adders.

Hot Rod: This class features runs in the low nine-second range. Front wheel drive only with minimal modifications. Tube chassis prohibited. Four and six cylinder engines allowed. Turbos and nitrous oxide are the power adders. Gasoline and methanol is allowed.

Street Tire: This class features low-to-mid 10-second runs. Full bodied cars, street legal appearance and DOT Radials mandatory. Rotary, four, six and eight cylinder engines allowed. Turbos and nitrous oxide are power adders. Gasoline only.

All Motor: This class features runs in the 11-second range. Full bodies cars with no power adders. Rotary, four and six cylinder engines allowed. Gasoline and methanol is allowed.

It's a tight race in the premier Pro Division with John Lingenfelter (GMC Sonoma) holding a slim one-point lead over Grant Downing (Toyota Tundra). The top three drivers in the series are separated by just 121 points. * George Iannou leads Pro with two victories (Atco, N.J. and Reading, Penn.). * Matt Scranton (Pro V8) should provide the most speed at Infineon Raceway, evidenced by his run of 202.55 mph earlier this year. It was the first-ever 200 mph run in the series. His elapsed time of 7.036 seconds was also the best ever in the series. Scranton could top both those figures at Infineon Raceway, which is 15 feet above sea level and features a 660-foot concrete launch pad. * JoJo Callos (Acura Integra) has three victories this season in Hot Rod, giving him five over the last two years. He leads the division in points. * Jesus Padilla (All Motor) leads the entire NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series with five victories and holds the elapsed-time record for the class (10.43 seconds).

Tickets: General admission tickets are $15 Saturday, $25 Saturday and $30 for a weekend pass. Children 12 and under are free. Parking is free. Call 800-870-RACE or visit www.infineonraceway.com for more information.

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