Activities

There will be plenty for race fans to enjoy during race week and race weekend at the 20^th Anniversary FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals. From pre-event parties to a 20^th anniversary exhibit, there is sure to be something for everyone, including several tributes to the late Eric Medlen. The actual race weekend is set for July 27-29 at Infineon Raceway.

ERIC MEDLEN TRIBUTES

Eric Medlen Nitro Night at the Fior d'Italia - Thursday, July 26
The "Eric Medlen Nitro Night at the Fior Charity Dinner" will be held on Thursday, July 26, at the Fior d'Italia Restaurant (www.fior.com) in San Francisco. A number of NHRA drivers will be in attendance, including Funny Car drivers Robert Hight, Ashley Force, Ron Capps and Gary Scelzi and Top Fuel driver Cory McClenathan. Cost is $125, with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and a full program at 7:30 p.m. Space is limited; call Denise Silver at 707-933-3950 or email at dsilver@infineonraceway.com. All proceeds benefit Speedway Children's Charities, the charitable arm of Infineon Raceway.

Eric Medlen Photo Tribute - All Weekend
An Eric Medlen photo tribute will be on display in the downstairs room of the Infineon Technologies Business Center all weekend. Race fans are invited to take a look of some of Medlen's moments from past years at Infineon Raceway.

Eric Medlen Ice Cream Social - Sunday, July 29
Race fans are invited to walk along the world-famous Infineon Raceway quarter-mile drag strip just minutes after the final round of eliminations on Sunday to take part in an the inaugural "Eric Medlen Ice Cream Social" and celebrate the life of Eric Medlen. Race fans are also encouraged to make donations to the Infineon Raceway Eric Medlen Scholarship Fund. The raceway will match up to $5,000 of all donations raised, with the scholarship being awarded annually to an Infineon Raceway high school bracket drag racer. All the ice cream for this event has been generously donated by Dreyer's Ice Cream.

OTHER EVENTS

NHRA Burnout Bash Party - Wednesday, July 25
Race fans are invited to the "NHRA Burnout Bash Party" on Wednesday, July 25, at the historic Fior d'Italia Restaurant in San Francisco. This party, which will feature NHRA Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson and Max Naylor and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Karen Stoffer, will serve as the official kick-off party for the race weekend. Lamont & Tonelli, the popular morning show team from The Bone 107.7 FM, will also be at the party. Cost is $57 per person or $107 per couple, with no-host cocktails set for 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. An added bonus is that the first 17 seats sold to the kickoff party will include a free ticket to Saturday of the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals. For tickets or more information, call 800-870-RACE.

Thunder Alley at NHRA - All Weekend
Thunder Alley is the closest you can get to the ground-pounding action on-track. Located just below the main grandstand and parallel to the drag strip, Thunder Alley is sure to be the place real NHRA fans want to be. This area provides a one-of-a-kind race-watching experience with nothing between you and the sheer power of the quickest-accelerating machines on the planet. Tickets for Thunder Alley are just $10 for a daily pass or $30 for a weekend pass, with a paid admission ticket, and are available for purchase next to the Wine Country Winner's Circle.

20^th Anniversary Exhibit - All Weekend
Race fans can relive some of the best moments from the past 20 years of NHRA drag racing at Infineon Raceway with a display of pictures, videos and vintage race cars located in the H garage (closest to the Media Center). The display will be open free to race fans throughout the weekend.

Track Talk - Friday and Saturday
Race fans are invited to the Wine Country Winner's Circle during the race weekend for intimate question-and-answer sessions with top NHRA drivers. Sessions will be held on Friday at noon and 1 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

NHRA Driver Autograph Session - Saturday and Sunday
Fans will have a chance to meet many of the stars from the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at the annual driver autograph session. An autograph session with Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers is slated for Saturday, July 28, at 10 a.m. while Pro Stock Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors will be available on Sunday, July 29 at 10 a.m. This event will be held in the cold-pit area in front of the main grandstand and will be open to all fans.

Wall of Fame Ceremony - Sunday, July 29
Fresno native Gary Scelzi will be inducted into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame on Sunday, July 29, during pre-event ceremonies, making him the third NHRA driver to be enshrined. He'll join Pro Stock driver Warren Johnson (2005) and Funny Car driver John Force (2006) in the Wall of Fame, which was created in 2005.

Live Music by the Spazmatics - All Weekend
The Spazmatics are a hilariously cool science nerd 80's pop band that performs a variety of music by bands including Flock of Seagulls, Oingo Boingo, The Cure, INXS, Duran Duran, Madonna and more! This great band will perform behind the main grandstand throughout the weekend.

AAA Designated Driver Program
Come by the AAA Designated Driver Program booth to become a designated driver for your group. Just fill out a pledge card - under the direction of the AAA- and receive a free bottle of smartwater, which is also a sponsor of the program.

Speedway Children's Charities Booth
Visit the Speedway Children's Charities booth to learn more about the charitable arm of Infineon Raceway. Speedway Children's Charities is dedicated to raising money for needy youth organizations in Sonoma County, and has distributed more than $2.1 million since 2002.