SONOMA, Calif. (Dec. 15, 2016) -- High-speed drifting will take center stage at Sonoma Raceway this weekend at the Winter Jam drifting festival, Dec. 17-18.
Winter Jam, hosted by Sonoma Drift, will take place at six different locations around the facility, including two courses in the main paddock and courses at Turns 2-4, Turn 7, through the Esses of Turn 8 and around the hairpin at Turn 11 of the 12-turn road course. The weekend will also include a Supermoto Exhibition inside the Turn 10 island.
More than 150 drivers have registered for this weekend's event, which concludes the 2016 Sonoma Drift season. Highlights of the weekend include Saturday's Team Tandem competition at 3 p.m., in which three or more drivers drift side-by-side, coming mere inches from the wall and each other. Sunday features the fan-favorite Winter Jam Competition, which pits the top-16 drivers competing for the 2016 Winter Jam crown.
The weekend will include several professional drifters, including San Jose natives Matt Field and Jeff Wolfson, along with Peru's Alex Heilbrunn, Utah's Brandon Wicknick and Lithuania's Aurimas "ODI" Bakchis. These professionals will go toe-to-toe throughout the weekend with local amateur drifters looking to compete at the next level.
Drifting differs from traditional racing as the drivers work to control their high-horsepower car while it slides sideways at high speed. Drivers are judged on execution and style rather than who finishes the course fastest.
Drifting action spans from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Spectator admission is $10 per day; kids 12 and under are admitted free and parking is free. For more information, visit SonomaRaceway.com or call 800-870-RACE (7223).
