Tucson Dragway

SONOMA, Calif. (March  3, 2007) — Forty lucky race fans  not only got to mingle with top stars from the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing  Series on Saturday, but they also supported a great cause at the sold-out 5th  annual NHRA Tour de Charity at the Infineon Raceway Karting Center. The event, which coupled race fans  with top NHRA drivers for a day of karting on the raceway’s challenging  course, raised $13,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities, bringing the  five-year total for the event to more than $50,000. Speedway Children’s  Charities is the charitable arm of Infineon Raceway, with all proceeds raised  during the year benefiting qualified youth organizations in Sonoma County.   Star NHRA drivers Ron Capps (Brut  Dodge Funny Car), Cory McClenathan (Carrier Boyz FRAM Boost Top Fuel Dragster),  Gary Scelzi (Mopar/Oakley Dodge Funny Car) and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt  Guidera (Rocklin Harley-Davidson Buell) swapped paint with the fans over the  challenging road course. Capps took bragging rights among  the NHRA drivers, turning the best lap over the 16-turn, three-quarter mile circuit  at 55.006 seconds. He was  followed by Guidera (55.377), McClenathan (56.009) and Scelzi (56.125). Capps  has been dubbed King of the Track four of the event’s five years, with  McClenathan taking the honor in 2004.   “This is one of my favorite  events of the year,” Capps said. “We get to hang out with the  fans, race karts and it all benefits Speedway Children’s Charities.  It’s a win-win for everyone. I’ll definitely be back.”   Race fan Nancee March, from El  Dorado Hills, had a great time at the event.   “This is a great way to help  out the charity, and we’re also having a lot of fun,” March said.  “This is a beautiful course and I’ve had a great time out here racing  today.”   Added race fan Sean Humphrey, from  Rohnert Park: “This is my fourth year  coming out here and I love it. It’s not something I get to do on an  every-day basis.”   The Jim Russell Racing Schools and  Infinity Karting provided the karts, racesuits, classroom instruction and  on-track pointers for all competitors. NHRA drivers were coupled with race  fans during the day of racing, and they also signed autographs and donated  memorabilia for a raffle. “I’ll keep coming  every year if they’ll have me,” McClenathan said. “I always  look forward to this and it gets better and better each year.”  Race  fans also had their own private 10-lap feature race at the end of the day,  with Windsor’s Jaime Faulkner taking top  honors at 54.788.