When someone mentions the Sonoma area, you’d be forgiven for thinking of Napa Valley. Rolling vineyards, overachieving Cabernets, and enough rustic charm to sell out a year’s worth of fall weddings. Yet hidden among these same hills lies an entirely different world of similar sensory experience: the thunderous, adrenaline-fueled realm of Sonoma Raceway.

Discovering Racing’s Universal Appeal

This past month’s Fanatec GT World Challenge America event at the very same Sonoma Raceway offered a perfect lens through which to view motorsport’s unique ability to captivate both dedicated enthusiasts and complete newcomers. Being the “Motorsports Sommelier” of the group, I brought along a few friends who had never experienced live racing before and it revealed something profound about the sport’s universal appeal. Beneath the technical specifications and racing classifications lies something fundamentally human: the thrill of competition, artistry in motion, and community. Whether you’re deep into car culture or just learning what GT3 class racing means, the roar of the engines, the open paddock, and the high-stakes ballet of professional racing are enough to make anyone a believer.

The 2.52-mile Sonoma circuit, with its challenging 12 corners and dramatic 160-foot elevation changes, serves as more than just a venue; it’s an amphitheater where speed, skill, and strategy converge. If you have ever played Gran Turismo 4, then you will likely be very familiar. Known in the game as Infineon Raceway, Sonoma is one and the same. With multiple turn-ins, the legendary circuit maintains a much smaller footprint than others while still offering a full 2.52-mile track length. Unlike larger, more sprawling facilities, Sonoma’s intimate layout creates an immersive experience where spectators don’t just watch the action—they feel immersed within it.

Variety is the Spice of Life

What makes events like these truly special extends far beyond the on-track action. The weekend unfolds as a cultural festival celebrating velocity in all its forms—from the headlining GT World Challenge America series to the grassroots energy of the Toyota GR Cup. This diversity creates a rhythm to the weekend, alternating between different sonic signatures and racing philosophies, from the thunderous GT3 machines to the scrappy, door-banging spec cars.

While the Fanatec GT World Challenge America series is the main event, the real beauty of these weekends is the variety. Across three days, fans are treated to a buffet of racing:

• GT World Challenge America: Two-driver teams, pit stops, and a strategy-heavy format. This is where you see factory-supported efforts go head-to-head in GT3 class exclusively.
• GT America: Single-driver, 40-minute sprint races featuring GT2, GT3, and GT4 machinery. The sound alone is worth the price of admission.
• TC America: Think touring cars—hard braking, tight racing, and more door-to-door action than Thanksgiving dinner at your in-laws’.
• GT4 America: The sweet spot for many grassroots racers turned pros. GT4 cars are less aggressive than GT3s but no less fun to watch.
• Toyota GR Cup: A spec series with identically prepped GR86s. It’s young, scrappy, and delivers some of the closest battles on track.
• McLaren Trophy America: New for 2025. A single-make series using the McLaren Artura Trophy Evo featuring Pro-Am driver pairings with 50-minute races in a high-performance, brand-focused experience.

Forget Location; Access, Access, Access

The accessibility of these events deserves particular attention in our increasingly exclusive entertainment landscape. For less than the cost of a nice dinner, spectators receive an all-access experience that dissolves the traditional barriers between performers and the audience. The open paddock concept, perhaps racing’s best feature, transforms spectators from passive viewers to active participants in the weekend’s narrative.

Now, here’s the part I wish more people talked about, just how easy it is to experience an event like this. If you’ve never been to a race, the idea might feel overwhelming: expensive tickets, confusing logistics, or the fear of “not knowing enough.” But the Fanatec GT weekend in Sonoma dismantles all those barriers.

• Tickets are affordable. A general admission day pass goes for an astonishingly low price (I paid $170 for 5 Sunday Tickets). Kids often get in free. That’s movie-night money for all-day, multi-class racing, so bring the fam.
• Parking is free and plentiful. Unlike some circuits that hit you with hidden fees and shuttle lines from hell, Sonoma’s lot is steps from the gate if you get there early. If you end up in one of the further lots, they offer free shuttles if you don’t feel like hoofing it uphill. I recommend taking the shuttle in and walking back via the west side of the circuit.
• Open paddock. This can’t be stressed enough: your ticket is a backstage pass. You can stand inches from a legit racecar being prepped, chat with team members and drivers, or watch a pit stop practice up close. For newcomers, it’s like discovering your favorite band and being handed a VIP pass to a soundcheck. Just keep an eye out, the teams and drivers are working so they can be hyper-focused, making them seem stern. Don’t be afraid to say hello, just don’t expect full open-arms hugs, these men and women are at work.
• No bad seats. This race is open seating so you can walk nearly the entire perimeter, finding new perspectives on the racing action all day. No doubt the best views are across the bridge at The Point, with views of Turn 1, 6, and 8-10. Not to mention, you stand just under the giant tower with the position board. You really can’t beat it. Although, I strongly encourage venturing around to see what spots you can find. There really isn’t a bad one at Sonoma.

Rediscovering Wonder Through Fresh Eyes

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of experiencing motorsport with newcomers is the chance to rediscover what drew us to racing in the first place. Through their wide-eyed reactions, whether to the physical sensation of an Aston Martin V12 engine firing up mere feet from you, the impossible proximity of cars at speed, or the casual curiosity about the human elements of racing. We are reminded of racing’s raw emotional power.

These moments of connection transcend the results sheet. Years from now, what will resonate isn’t necessarily who stood on the podium, but rather the sensory tapestry of the experience: sunlight glinting off carbon fiber and metallic paint, the complex aromatics of race fuel mingling with trackside concessions, and most importantly, the shared experience of witnessing something extraordinary alongside good friends. Don’t wait, just get in the car and go. When you are on your deathbed, these are the moments you’ll remember. But in order to remember them, you have to get up off the couch and make them.

An Invitation to Experience

Motorsport, at its best, isn’t an exclusive club but rather an open invitation to experience something visceral and authentic. The Sonoma weekend exemplified how racing brings people together, no matter their background, through a shared love of speed, skill, and spectacle.

For those who have never ventured trackside, or for enthusiasts looking to share their passion, events like the GT World Challenge America weekend at Sonoma offer the perfect gateway. The combination of accessibility, variety, and immersion creates an environment where new fans are born not through explanation, but through experience. No encyclopedic knowledge about racing is required to enjoy yourself—you just need to show up.

And once you do? The sound, the speed, and the community will do the rest.

We’ll see you trackside. Bring earplugs—and your friends.