Ty Gibbs led the way at Sonoma Raceway on Friday night, but the bigger scene sat across Highway 121. At 50 Acres, campers turned a 50-acre lot into a mini city during NASCAR's June visit.
Sam Corry won the General Tire 150, then fans streamed back to RVs and tents at 50 Acres. The campground kept filling with flags for Kyle Larson, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, a simple sign that the race weekend stretches well past the finish line.
Josh Eele at Sonoma Raceway
Josh Eele made the trip from Gresham, Oregon, for his sixth year camping at the raceway. He was there with Rob Hartman and Nathan Hughes, who came from Carson City, Nevada, and the group settled into the same rhythm that repeats each June at Sonoma Raceway.
Hughes wore a straw hat decorated with pins from tracks he has visited, including Charlotte, Phoenix and Vegas. The campground is still a place to gather, but it has changed from earlier years, when campers reportedly used to set up a full-service bar and hot tubs and dirt bikes roared around the camp.
50 Acres and Monday
No off-road vehicles are allowed at the campground now, and that has made the scene more subdued. Even so, the 50-acre lot still functions like a temporary town, with RVs and tents filling the space until Monday.
That schedule leaves two kinds of departures after Sunday’s marquee race: some campers clear out quickly, while others stay through Monday. For fans who want the full Sonoma experience, 50 Acres remains the place where the race weekend keeps going after the track goes quiet.
