Expectations for 2022

Thunderhill Raceway Park expects to host over 1000 track days in 2022. Coming off of 2021 when the530-acre complex built in 1993 hosted 995 event days, 1000 would seem like an easy objective, but not according to track CEO David Vodden. “We are fortunate to have four paved surfaces and the beginnings of a RallyCross course in the dirt,” noted Vodden, but then added “that hosting 1000 event days would be a bit too much for the dozen or so full-time employees that staff the San Francisco SCCA-owned track. However this volume is possible because the track can host events simultaneously. “We have had five surfaces running simultaneously on several occasions,” Vodden said.

The breakdown of event days counted as single days on each of the surfaces at the park in 2021 is as follows: 321 days on the three-mile course; 261 on the two-mile course; 263 on the big skid pad and another 148 on the smaller skid pad. To this was added six days on the dirt for RallyCross.

The track was built to ensure that the SCCA would always have a track to use. Just recently this has included SCCA road racing, solo or autocross, Track Night in America, Time Trials and RallyCross. “It is great to see all facets of the San Francisco SCCA taking advantage of Thunderhill,” observed Michael Smith, Chairman of the Board of the track company known as San Francisco Region Properties, Inc. The stockholder of the track is the San Francisco Region of the Sports Car Club of America, Inc.

The track’s business includes most veteran car clubs such as SCCA, NASA, BMW, Shelby Club, and CSRG along with a host of new track renters in the form of Speed SF, On Grid, Turn 8, and many start up track renters who use Thunderhill's turnkey operations.

The track is also booked with just as many motorcycle events and has found a plethora of drifting groups to occupy the skid pads. “We are blessed to have some Silicon Valley AV and AEV companies using the park to develop their latest wares,” David said.

Thunderhill Park opened in October of 1993 in the County of Glenn California. Since then, the facility has been under constant expansion adding track surfaces, garages, buildings, asphalt pads and more. “This is a work in progress” noted Vodden who says that “Thunderhill Park is far from done”. The goal of the Park, according to Vodden, is to survive so that road racers and others will have a track to use for decades to come, long after other tracks have closed for all the normal reasons. Thunderhill can be reached through most social media platforms and also by accessing its web page at www.thunderhill.com. Date requests for 2022 are being accepted. 530-934-5588 x103.

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