By Jacqueline Steuer
With the roar of vintage cars racing around the track, Sonoma Overlook Trail (SOT) Stewards and our supporters got off to a quick start. The air was cool, and the sky was filled with a mix of clouds ahead of an incoming storm: perfect hiking weather. One hundred adventurous hikers chose between three and five mile hikes. Current Sonoma Raceway manager, Brian Flynn, and former Raceway manager, Steve Page, joined Karen Collins , founding member of SOT, as well as our SOT Chair in leading the hikes. Along the way, we learned about how the raceway manages this sprawling 1,600 acre Sonoma County property, and we got a peak inside the raceway itself.
Everyone enjoyed the expansive views from the raceway–including Sonoma County’s gently rolling hills, Contra Costa County’s Mt. Diablo and Marin County’s Mt. Tamalpais. The Wooly Weeders made an appearance as well. These sheep graze to keep down the vegetation, and they provide the soil with much needed fertilizer at the same time. A big win all the way around!
The raceway was built in 1968. It is only 2.52 miles long, and a 12 turn road course with a quarter mile drag strip. It is host to one of the few NASCAR Cup Series races each year that are run on road courses, thus it is much beloved by the drivers.
The raceway generously hosted us and provided a light lunch following the hikes. We relaxed with our meal on a hillside overlooking the raceway as the vintage cars began their race. Vroom! We thank the raceway management for excellent support and coordination of the event, and all of our hikers for your devotion and support as well.
Sonoma Raceway invited the SOT Stewards and our supporters back next year. Watch for updates here; we hope to see you then!
Hello SOT devotees! Heads up: the upper trail on Sonoma Overlook Trail, from the Toyon Trail connection and higher, is closed from March 5th through May 21st as a specialized crew undertakes some dearly needed trail bed maintenance. Some of the remaining rocky sections will be smoothed and additional sections of steps installed, so you can look forward to a much nicer cruise up the trail.
Sonoma Overlook Trail • Montini Open Space Preserve 