Go2Geiger Drag Racing News

The Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities distributed $273,072 to 38 qualified youth organizations in Sonoma County for the 2011 season.

The chapter's Board of Trustees recently approved the distribution of funds at its annual meeting. Speedway Children's Charities is the charitable arm of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which owns and operates Infineon Raceway.

The monies awarded in 2011 were generated through a combination of events held during the raceway’s major-event weekends, including the Children’s Champions Grand Marshal’s Banquet and the KFOX Race & Rock Charity Auction, which combined to raise more than $85,000. Both were held during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend in June. The 7th annual Classic Sports Racing Group’s (CSRG) Charity Challenge generated an additional $42,000.

The chapter has distributed more than $3.9 million since 2001. In all, the chapter hosted 11 events in 2011. 

Infineon Raceway distributed nearly 10,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH), St. Vincent de Paul Sonoma and the Redwood Empire Food Bank in Santa Rosa on Monday following the raceway's 11th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. 

In total, the raceway distributed 9,657 pounds of food, bringing the 11-year total to more than 37,500 pounds of non-perishable food items delivered to area food banks.

"With so many people out of work, we’re getting more and more calls for food," said Vicki Schnurpfeil, FISH volunteer coordinator. "This donation will help us get through the holidays and feed those who need it most."

FISH (www.friendsinsonomahelping.org) has been helping Sonoma Valley residents in times of need since 1970 and provides not only food, but clothing, transportation and emergency rental assistance to Sonoma Valley residents in need.

The Redwood Empire Food Bank's service has grown to meet the rising need for food assistance and has expanded to focus on providing as much healthy food as possible. The Food Bank, which opened in 1987 and assists more than 78,000 Sonoma County residents each month, also includes nutrition education as an integral part of many of its programs.

"The raceway delivered 2,920 pounds of food today, which will allow us to distribute 2,300 meals and make a huge difference this year," said Billy Bartz, food drive and events coordinator at the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

"We are so grateful to Infineon for the donation," said Diane Klauber of the St. Francis Solano Parish in Sonoma, which houses the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. "We have a line of people out the door already to receive food, and this made the difference between these people having food or not."

Infineon Raceway was not alone in its efforts. It was joined in the food drive by Innerstave; Pedroncelli Motorsports; Destination RKA in Windsor; Rodoni and Sons Trucking; and support from the STP Wednesday Night Drags and Sonoma Drift powered by NOS programs. Sonoma Gourmet of Cotati also made a generous donation of gourmet food items.

Six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein has turned the final page and closed the book on his career as a competitor and NHRA racing team owner.

Denied his first championship one year ago at this very race, Funny Car racer Matt Hagan is back at the Auto Club NHRA Finals with the points lead and a year's worth of agonizing unfilled dreams.

NHRA released its 2012 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series schedule Saturday, which features 43 events spread across the NHRA’s seven divisions.

NHRA Chief Starter Rick Stewart will hang up his iconic hat at the conclusion of this weekend’s Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.