Sonoma Raceway, located in the rolling hills of Sonoma County, attracts motorsport enthusiasts from the area and across the country. It hosts both NASCAR and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) events. Specific events catered to drag racing enthusiasts include “Wednesday Night Drags” and “Top the Cops”, in which racers line up to race in a safe and controlled environment. 

The Wednesday Night Drags are open to anybody looking to race an opponent. Top the Cops, on the other hand, specifically matches drivers with law enforcement officers to race. Top the Cops also includes practice runs to help participants prepare for head-to-head races against officers in patrol cars. Sonoma Raceway’s initiatives are intended to lower the risk of injury caused by illegal street racing and provide a safer, legal environment to race in. 

On Oct. 16, the drag strip opened for its usual Wednesday Night Drags. On a typical Wednesday during the summer, Sonoma Raceway would host the Top the Cops program during the Wednesday Night Drags. Unfortunately the Top the Cops program was unexpectedly canceled Oct. 16, but crowds still turned up to race non-law enforcement personnel. For Wednesday Night Drags, gates open at 4:00 p.m., races run from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and admission to race is affordable for students at 20 dollars with a school ID. This cost of admission includes vehicle safety checks needed to participate. 

Founded 29 years ago, the Top the Cops program offers students the opportunity to race against law enforcement officers, allowing them to interact with those officers outside of their role as law enforcement. The program aims to compel students to stop racing cars on the streets and discourage reckless driving. 

Archie Williams students are able to head to the drag strip on Wednesdays, bringing their cars to compete against law enforcement and other drivers. These students compete in a typical drag race distance, which is a quarter mile on a straight track. 

Archie Williams senior Anthony Skerrett has been racing with his friends at the drag strip for a couple of years. He grew up going to Sonoma Raceway and enjoying watching drag races from a young age. The experience of racing and watching others compete against cops has given Anthony a new view on law enforcement.

“[Racing cops] changes how I see [law enforcement], because I see how fast they are and how they are actually like in real life [as people],” Anthony said.

The Top the Cops program creates a space where drivers can view law enforcement as part of the community, by competing with them instead of encountering them normally on the roads. The program’s goal is to broaden the perspective of young drivers, who may view law enforcement as wanting to cause trouble for others. 

Street racing presents more danger than is often shown in mainstream media. Not only does street racing pose a threat to the driver, but it also puts others at risk. In a street racing environment, nonexistent safety precautions often result in legal repercussions and increased possibility for dangerous crashes not found on a closed race track. Involvement from law enforcement also can lead to high-speed chases and put even more lives at risk.  

“I think that [street racing] is really dangerous, but fun for certain people. I think that the raceway helps people race a lot more safely and more officially without the danger of hurting other people,” Anthony said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2022, there were 12,151 speeding deaths, and 35 percent of those were men 15-20 years old who were involved in fatal crashes. Driving education for teenagers is crucial, given that young drivers are more likely to engage in dangerous driving behaviors like speeding, texting while driving, and street racing (NHTSA). 

Programs like Top the Cops and Wednesday Night Drag aim to address these dangers by providing a controlled, legal space for young drivers to do what they love and learn how to race correctly. Additionally, these programs can reduce the appeal of street racing by allowing teenagers to pursue the thrill of racing in a safe environment, and by teaching teenage drivers valuable road skills.

Matthew Kern, a regular participant in the Wednesday Night Drag races and former street racer, believes these programs are a beneficial alternative to keeping young drivers off the streets. 

“Street racing is not safe. A lot of accidents can happen, especially [involving] innocent people … Programs like Top the Cops offer an alternative, showing drivers there’s a safer way to pursue their passion for speed,” Kern said.

Kern believes that Sonoma Raceway’s events deter drivers from illegal street racing.

“I think [the drag events] give you a chance to come out and [race] safely, and it does help prevent street racing, but you will never get everybody off the streets,” Kern said.

While not a complete solution, Kern believes that providing a safe space to participate in racing is a step in the right direction. 

Jose Bolanos, a former participant in the “Top the Cops” program and a routine racer at the Sonoma Raceway drag strip, has a similar view of street racing, as the track changed his perspective on spirited driving and the safety aspect of racing.  

“I believe street racing is incredibly dangerous, and I’ve always prioritized the safety of others and myself. The first time I came to Sonoma Raceway was 10 years ago, and I instantly fell in love with the program,” Bolanos said. 

By offering young drivers the chance to race in a safe, regulated setting, Sonoma Raceway’s Wednesday Night Drag and Top the Cops programs lowers the chances of reckless and illegal driving. This doesn’t completely eliminate the issues associated with street racing, but it provides a safer, accessible outlet for students to race and allows for a more cohesive relationship between racers and law enforcement. 

Though the Wednesday Night Drag and Top the Cops programs are done for the year, this monthly tradition will continue in 2025. The Sonoma Raceway will begin hosting these events again in the early spring.

This story was originally published on The Pitch on November 17, 2024.