TOPEKA, Kan. (May 4, 2018) -- The highly anticipated 2018 Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ® National Championship Runoffs®, taking place Oct. 16-21 at Sonoma Raceway in California, is rapidly approaching.  Three fantastic days of racing are preceded by three days of intense qualifying to identify Tire Rack Pole Award winners.  And before “official” festivities begin, there are three very important test days where drivers and teams have a chance to hone racecars before the big event.

The full 2018 Runoffs can be found online, as well as the . In 2018, Runoffs race days are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19-Oct. 21, with the first race beginning at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time each day.  The race schedule for car classes that will battle for 20 laps or 40 minutes, whichever comes first, is as follows: 

Friday, Oct. 19
GT1, FC, GTL, FV, HP, FM, AS, FE/FE2

Saturday, Oct. 20
STU, P2, GT2, FF/F500, SM, T1, FP, T4/B-Spec

Sunday, Oct. 21
T3, EP, P1, STL, SRF3, T2, GT3, FA/FB

Qualifying will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 16-18, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time.  Each car class will get 20 minutes of qualifying time on course each day. Test Days will occur Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Oct. 13-Oct. 15, with multiple run groups each day.  Fees to participate in Test Days vary, as well as the duration of sessions. Competitors should review the online at the 2018 Sonoma Runoffs event page for specifics.  Information about event registration and for the Sonoma Runoffs is also available at the event webpage.

The 55th running of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Runoffs will again crown national champions in 28 separate classes. For 2018, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ will use Sonoma Raceway’s traditional 12-turn, 2.52-mile course layout. The configuration is the same that made Sonoma a favorite of drivers, starting with the venue’s first-ever race, an Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ enduro held Dec. 1, 1968.

The National Championship Runoffs has evolved into what is now commonly agreed to be the pinnacle of American motorsports.  Since 1964, the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ has crowned Road Racing’s National Champions at the winner-take-all, single race Runoffs format through dozens of separate races over three days.  As host of the 55th Runoffs in 2018, Sonoma Raceway will become the third California track to host the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ’s National Championship, joining Riverside International Raceway and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, Sonoma Raceway’s road course features more than 160 feet of elevation change. With track activity scheduled an average of 340 days a year, it is one of North America's most complete and versatile motorsports complexes and home to one of the nation's only high-performance automotive industrial parks with approximately 75 tenants.

The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ®, Inc., founded in 1944, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both Club and professional levels. With headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 116 Regions and subsidiary divisions. Much of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ’s activities are made possible with support from the following Official Partners: Chevrolet, the Official Truck of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ; Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ; Mobil 1, the Official Oil of Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ. To learn more, please visit .