Vintage Motorsport Newsletter 2/9/2017 by Scott and Cyndi Paceley
Sonoma Raceway Chosen to Host 2018 SCCA Runoffs
 
Topeka, KS -- The Sports Car Club of America's 2018 National Championship Runoffs will take place at the Northern California track for the first time. Dates are Oct. 16-21 at Sonoma Raceway.



2018 will see Sonoma celebrate its 50th year and hosting the Runoffs. photo: Sonoma Valley Sun

"We're excited to have the Runoffs again head west, continuing the Board of Directors' initiative to move the event around the country to iconic and challenging racetracks," SCCA VP and COO Eric Prill said.  "With its deep heritage, dramatic setting and inspired layout, Sonoma Raceway is certainly right at home on the list of Runoffs host venues."

About an hour's drive north of San Francisco, Sonoma Raceway's road course features more than 160 feet of elevation change. With track activity scheduled an average of 340 days a year, it is one of North America's most complete and versatile motorsports complexes and home to one of the nation's only high-performance automotive industrial parks with approximately 75 tenants. The facility's first official event at then-Sears Point Raceway was an SCCA Enduro on Dec. 1, 1968.

At the suggestion of participants, the 2018 Runoffs, including testing, qualifying and racing, will be shortened overall by two days from the 2015-2017 events. Use of both the Carousel and Esses at Sonoma are expected, but the specific track layout has yet to be finalized for the 2018 event.

The 2017 Runoffs will be held Sept. 25-Oct. 1 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track layout there will be a 15-turn challenge running 2.592 miles in a clockwise direction, a configuration that includes portions of the track previously utilized by Formula One for the U.S. Grand Prix and currently used by the Verizon IndyCar Series for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

Since 1964, the SCCA has crowned Club Racing National Champions at the winner-take-all, single-race Runoffs format through dozens of separate races over three days. As host of the 55th Runoffs in 2018, Sonoma Raceway will become the third California track to host the SCCA's National Championship, joining Riverside International Raceway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.