The 5th Annual Velocity Invitational, held at Sonoma Raceway from October 4-6, 2024, was a spectacular gathering of automotive excellence and star-powered performances. This three-day motorsports and lifestyle event brought together an incredible mix of rare and historic cars, alongside a diverse roster of drivers from various racing disciplines.
The event featured an impressive collection of some of the world’s rarest and most iconic vehicles, including modern hypercars like the McLaren Senna, a 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Jaguar D-Type, a diverse assortment of historic NASCAR stock cars, and a variety of open-wheel race cars. Plus, there were eight historic racing groups on track throughout the weekend. There was something for everyone with a unique variety of cars from a Mercedes CLK GTR to a classic NASCAR stock car and a 1963 Ford Falcon GT1 to a Subaru GL Wagon drift car.
This year’s racing field featured notable stars including Indy Car driver Romain Grosjean, Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, Arrow McLaren Indycar Series Drivers Christian Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel who all tackled the challenging race course in a variety of historic sports cars. Professional drift drivers Ryan Tuerck and Travis Pastranathrilled the crowd with smoky and sideways demonstrations throughout the weekend. Pastrana showcased his skills in a 1983 Subaru GL Family Huckster and Tuerck drifting in his 650-horsepower 1966 Toyota Stout.
This year saw a few new additions to the event including the Velocity Invitational Hill Climb. The event featured 11 competitors tackling a challenging, steep course from the start/finish line up to Turn 4 at Sonoma Raceway. Notable competitors included: Romain Grosjean, James Kirkham, JR Hildebrand, and Tony Kanaan. Other weekend highlights were a lowrider parade and display, as well as a series of Women in Motorsport events celebrating the contributions of women in motorsports presented by Mobil, and cooking demonstrations by local celebrity chef Tyler Florence.
For fans of rallying, DirtFish brought a spectacular lineup of Group B rally cars, including a 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, a 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Corsa, and a 1986 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. Additionally, Subaru BRZs were used for demonstration laps and ridealongs on a custom-built gravel rally stage at Sonoma Raceway.
Looking ahead, the 6th Annual Velocity Invitational will return to Sonoma Raceway in 2025, taking place on a new weekend: June 6-8. Organizers have promised to continue delivering an exceptional event that combines world-class cars, thrilling racing, and entertainment.
For more details about the event, race results, or to purchase tickets for the 2025 event, you can visit the official website or follow the event on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
This year’s Velocity Invitational was an unforgettable celebration of motorsport, classic cars, and incredible talent, making it one of the most unique and thrilling events of the year. Don’t miss out on the 2025 edition!
