NHRA Story » Star-studded lineup of NHRA legends set for Sonoma

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Star-studded lineup of NHRA legends set for Sonoma

Sunday, July 24, 2011

With three of NHRA’s most famous legends – “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, and Don “the Snake” Prudhomme – scheduled to be on hand to celebrate NHRA’s 60th Anniversary season visit to Infineon Raceway, the 2011 FRAM/Autolite NHRA Nationals promises to be a can’t-miss event for fans in the heart of Wine Country.

Set amid the beautiful rolling hills and vineyards of the Sonoma Valley, Infineon Raceway is already one of the most popular destination races for NHRA fans from around the country, so this year’s race (July 29-31) – featuring Muldowney and Garlits, nostalgia car displays throughout the weekend, and the induction of Prudhomme into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame on Sunday – will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for NHRA fans.

The impressive lineup of NHRA legends includes the No. 1 driver on NHRA’s list of all-time greatest drivers (Garlits), a three-time world champion who was a pioneer for women in all forms of motorsports (Muldowney), and a four-time world champion who defined “California Cool” in the 1960s and 1970s (Prudhomme).

Garlits and Muldowney will be available throughout the weekend for meet-and-greets and autograph sessions with fans, and they will participate in the increasingly popular Track Walk with a Legend on Sunday morning.

Infineon Raceway will also host other special events throughout the weekend, including the Nostalgia Get-Together, the Kickoff to the Countdown Party, and a special screening of Heart Like a Wheel. Infineon has also teamed with Don Schumacher Racing to provide fans with an opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at NHRA Drag Racing.

The 2nd annual Nostalgia Get-Together will feature more than 30 vintage racing machines and hot rods in the paddock behind the grandstand. Guests will get an opportunity to walk down memory lane as they check out front-engine Top Fuel dragsters, nostalgia Funny Cars, Gassers, and more. Entry to the Nostalgia Get-Together is included with the price of admission into the raceway.

The Kickoff to the Countdown Party, which begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the winner’s circle stage, will feature all of the drivers who have clinched a spot in the Countdown to the Championship performing the ceremonial hanging of their names on the official Countdown banner. Drivers will then stick around for a Q&A that is open to all fans. Fans who arrive early will have the chance to walk away with one of the Team GEICO giveaways.

The screening of Heart Like a Wheel will be a one-night-only affair at the Sebastiani Theatre in downtown Sonoma on Saturday evening, July 30. The event begins with a wine and cheese reception at 6 p.m. followed by the screening at 6:30 p.m. and a Q&A at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $50, and all proceeds will go to Speedway Children’s Charities and the Sebastiani Theatre Foundation. To order tickets while supplies last, log on to InfineonRaceway.com or call 800-870-RACE (7223).

Infineon Raceway and DSR are offering NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series fans a behind-the-ropes experience for the FRAM/Autolite NHRA Nationals. The DSR Fan Hospitality Package includes a seat in the main grandstand for Friday, July 29, access to the DSR hospitality area Friday, a chef-prepared meal, DSR driver appearances and autograph opportunities, and the chance to see how the crew of a Top Fuel dragster or nitro Funny Car tunes and rebuilds its machines between rounds. Packages are available while supplies last; log on to InfineonRaceway.com/NHRA or call 800-870-RACE (7223).

The FRAM/Autolite NHRA Nationals, July 29-31 at Infineon Raceway, will mark the 13th stop in a yearlong celebration that will pay homage to the evolution of the hot rod, the impact of the sport’s legendary racers, and the lifeblood provided by the many millions of loyal and passionate NHRA fans.

The celebration will continue throughout the year as the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series winds its way from Seattle to Dallas, Indianapolis to Pomona, and most everywhere between. NHRA Drag Racing fans from across the country will be treated to special events designed to give them the chance to personally interact with the men, women, and vehicles that have made the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series the great sport that it is today.

Race fans can frequent NHRA.com or simply Like the NHRA Facebook page to receive updated news regarding details of the many 60th-themed ticket promotions being offered and specific activities planned at each of the remaining events on the 2011 schedule.

The virtual tour through the first 60 years of NHRA Drag Racing will extend beyond the track to the desktops, laptops, and handheld devices of NHRA fans via the NHRA Facebook page. Throughout the 2011 season, NHRA will enlist the expertise of the fans of the NHRA Facebook page to help determine the greatest moments from the first 60 years of NHRA Drag Racing. Voting – based on Likes – has already begun and will continue throughout the season.

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