By RACER Staff - Apr 23, 2026, 9:19 AM ET

Trans Am Series event preview: Sonoma doubleheader 2026

TRANS AM SERIES EVENT PREVIEW: SONOMA DOUBLEHEADER 2026

VENUE: Sonoma Raceway
DATES: Thursday, April 23 to Sunday, April 26
TICKETS: AVAILABLE HERE
BROADCAST: RacingAmerica.TV, Racing America 24/7, and @TheTransAmSeries on YouTube

NEW for 2026, all TA Class and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series events will be broadcast for FREE on RacingAmerica.TV, Racing America 24/7, and the official Trans Am Series YouTube Channel. The Racing America 24/7 Streaming Channel is available on The Roku Channel, Prime Video, My Free DirecTV, LG Channels, and PLEX. REVTV will serve as the official broadcast partner of Trans Am in Canada.

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WEEKEND SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES LOCAL)

Thursday, April 23:
11:25 AM to 12:00 PM – TA / TAC / GT Classes Optional Test #1
12:05 PM to 12:40 PM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Optional Test #1
5:00 PM to 5:35 PM – TA / TAC / GT Classes Optional Test #2
5:40 PM to 6:15 PM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Optional Test #2

Friday, April 24:
9:35 AM to 10:00 AM – TA / TAC / GT Classes Practice
10:40 AM to 11:05 AM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Practice
2:40 PM to 2:55 PM – TA / GT1 / TAC Qualifying
3:00 PM to 3:15 PM – XGT / SGT / GT Qualifying
3:55 PM to 4:10 PM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Qualifying
4:15 PM to 4:30 PM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro Qualifying

Saturday, April 25:
9:45 AM – TA / TAC / GT Classes Race #1
1:30 PM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race #1

Sunday, April 26:
8:05 AM to 8:30 AM – TA / TAC / GT Classes Practice
10:10 AM to 10:35 AM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Practice
10:45 AM – TA / TAC / GT Classes Race #2
2:10 PM – CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race #2

SONOMA RACEWAY is a 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course located in the heart of America’s Wine Country (Sonoma, California) and is located about 35 miles to the north of a major city hub, San Francisco. The racetrack first opened its doors in 1969, and in its inaugural season, the Trans Am Series by Pirelli made its first appearance at the circuit.

Mark Donohue, a decorated driver in the Trans Am Series and a former competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series and FIA Formula One World Championship, won the first-ever Trans Am event at Sonoma Raceway on September 21, 1969, beating out Parnelli Jones and George Follmer.

The racetrack has also hosted several high-profile racing series throughout its 50-plus years in operation, including the NASCAR Cup Series (which still races at the venue to this day), the NTT IndyCar Series, the GT World Challenge America, and the Ferrari Challenge North America, just to name a few.

Sonoma has played host to 28 Trans Am Series by Pirelli events from 1969 to present, with Darin Brassfield (4), Willy T. Ribbs (3), and Greg Pickett (3), Tom Gloy (2), Wally Dallenbach, Jr. (2) being the division’s only multi-time race winners at the track.

The racetrack has also served as a staple on the Trans Am West Coast Championship schedule, hosting a total of 13 events since the series debuted in 2017. Greg Pickett (3), Will Rodgers (2), and Chris Dyson (2) have all collected multiple victories in the West Coast Championship events.

TALKING POINTS

52 CARS will be parked on the property for this weekend’s events at Sonoma Raceway to compete across four different divisions – TA, TAC, SGT, and TA2. The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series will have three different types of drivers within the field – those competing for the Pro Championship, those competing for the PRO/AM Championship, and those competing for the West Coast Championship.

With it being a doubleheader race weekend, all classes will be competing twice – once on Saturday and once on Sunday. Both events will be the traditional 40 laps, or 75 minutes, whichever comes first.

Of the drivers competing in this weekend’s events at Sonoma Raceway, only three have been to Victory Lane at Sonoma Raceway in the past.

PAUL MENARD (No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints / Menards Ford Mustang) is the defending race-winner for the Trans Am division at Sonoma Raceway, beating Chris Dyson and Tomy Drissi in a spirited battle last season. Menard, a former NASCAR Cup Series competitor, has a ton of experience at Sonoma, even if it was on another layout, and used that to dominate the event.

CHRIS DYSON (No. 20 RACER / Gymweed Ford Mustang) returns to the Trans Am Series by Pirelli this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, after not competing in the opening two rounds of the 2026 campaign. Dyson is the 2022 winner of a Trans Am / Trans Am West Coast combination event at Sonoma and won the April 2021 West Coast standalone event at the racetrack, as well.

RAFA MATOS No. 26 HP Tuners / Concord American Flag Pole Ford Mustang) is the only previous winner of the Trans Am CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series event at Sonoma to be in the field for this weekend’s CUBE 3 TA2 Series event at Sonoma – winning the May 2022 CUBE 3 TA2 / TA2 West Coast Championship combination event, beating Thomas Merrill. Brent Crews, Corey Heim, and Connor Zilisch were also in that event, all of whom now compete in NASCAR’s top two divisions.

MAD MAX MAKING TRANS AM DEBUT: Max Reaves, 16-year-old standout from the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Driver Development Program, will make his debut in the Trans Am Series by Pirelli this weekend at Sonoma Raceway – driving the No. 57 Cook Out / Coca-Cola Chevrolet for Silver Hare Racing in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. Prior to the announcement that Reaves would join the team, the Trinity, North Carolina-native did some testing, and impressed the Silver Hare Racing team. Reaves is currently competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East, while also adding races to his schedule in the ARCA Menards Series and zMAX CARS Tour.

MOVE WEST DRIVERS: This weekend’s doubleheader at Sonoma Raceway not only marks the third event on the 2026 Trans Am Series by Pirelli calendar but also marks the start of the season for the Trans Am West Coast Championship.

The division will come alive for the first (and second) of a five-race schedule, which also includes a doubleheader at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in October, and an event at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in November.

Brody Goble (TA2), Ken Sutherland (TA Cup), Simon Asselin (XGT), JD Koos (SGT), and Cole Bourdreau (TA) have not entered into the Trans Am West Coast Championship event at Sonoma Raceway this weekend, as of April 20, leaving things wide open for a new leader to take over.

Kyle Kelley (No. 80 UPRacing.com / PK&K Properties Ford Mustang), the runner-up in the TA2 West Coast Championship in 2025, is entered in the season-opener at Sonoma, and registered for the West Coast Championship.

Tim Lynn (No. 17 Roof Options Ford Mustang), Graham Jacobson (No. 19 Hertz Car Sales Chevrolet Camaro), Lanie Buice (No. 27 Sunoco / Guthrie’s Garage / SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro), Michael LaPaglia (No. 31 Papini’s Garage / North County Sand Ford Mustang), Bob Accardo (No. 39 Race Marketing / Guthrie’s Garage / Make-A-Wish Ford Mustang), Tim Carroll (No. 46 CRD MFG Inc. Chevrolet Camaro), John Moore (No. 127 JM Environmental / JM Racing Ford Mustang), JC Meynet (No. 128 B-Bar Ranch / Killer Shrimp Chevrolet Camaro), and Cole Moore (No. 199 JM Racing / Moore Motorsport Ford Mustang) are entered for a West Coast Championship bid, as well.

In the TA Cup West Coast Championship, John Moore (No. 27 JM Environmental / JM Racing Ford Mustang), Steve Goldman (No. 65 Life is Good Premium Boat Care Chevrolet Camaro), David Kunicki (No. 86 Kallberg Racing Dodge Challenger), and Cole Moore (No. 99 JMEnvironmental / Moore Motorsport Ford Mustang) are registered for a title bid.

Patrick Utt (No. 49 RaceQuip / Driven Racing Oil Chevrolet Camaro) is the only other driver registered for a West Coast Championship bid, doing so in the XGT Class.

MOORE RACING PLEASE: If you’re at Sonoma Raceway this weekend, taking in all the action for the Trans Am Series by Pirelli doubleheader at the iconic road course, you’re going to have to be hyper-vigilant and be on the lookout for two drivers sprinting down pit road between sessions.

John Moore, and his son, Cole Moore, have taken the planned doubleheader this weekend to a new extreme, as they’ll both be competing in the TA Cup Championship events on Saturday and Sunday, while also running the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series events on those same two days.

The Moore family is from Loomis, California, and is taking this hometown effort seriously.

Cole Moore is currently leading the TA Cup Championship standings after competing for Chris Evans Race Cars at Sebring and Road Atlanta. However, this weekend, he’ll jump into the No. 99 JM Environmental / Moore Motorsports Ford Mustang. His father, John, the runner-up in the TA Cup West Coast Championship in 2025, will also compete in the event, driving the No. 27 JM Environmental / JM Racing Ford Mustang.

As if that wasn’t already a busy enough weekend, John and Cole will be taking on the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series field on Saturday and Sunday, driving similarly numbered and sponsored entries in a much more packed field.

It’s likely going to be a difficult ask for John and Cole Moore this weekend, as there are some sessions between the two divisions that have a break of only five minutes in-between, but it’s clear that they’ll do anything for the hometown crowd.

LAST TIME OUT: It’s been a little over a month since the Trans Am Series by Pirelli went to Road Atlanta for its second event of the 2026 Championship, with the TA, TA Cup, XGT, SGR, GT, and GT1 Challenge Classes all on the racetrack, as well as the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series and TA2 PRO/AM Series.

MATTHEW BRABHAM went two-for-two to start the 2026 campaign for the TA Class, holding off a hard-charging Paul Menard for the overall victory. Jim Guthrie and Cole Moore had an epic clash throughout the entire duration of the TA Cup Championship portion of the event, with Guthrie coming out on top, despite losing his fastest qualifying lap and costing himself the pole.

BILLY GRIFFIN had some issues on the afternoon but was still able to get himself in Victory Lane in the XGT Class. His 13th Trans Am win, and his third in the Class. Chris Coffey (SGT), Jordan Bupp (GT1 Challenge), and Derric Carter (GT) also went to Victory Lane.

Then, in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, it was… surprise, surprise, Helio Meza who dominated the 40-lap contest, triumphing by a significant margin over one-off teammate Andres Perez de Lara and Alon Day, who drove from the back of the field after a practice crash to finish third.

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POINT STANDINGS UPDATE:

TA SERIES DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Matthew Brabham (211pts)
Paul Menard (-11pts)
Adam Andretti (-34pts)
Kaylee Bryson (-43pts)
Martin Ragginger (-43pts)

CUBE 3 TA2 SERIES DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Helio Meza (211pts)
Ethan Tovo (-39pts)
Eric Cayton (-55pts)
Noah Harmon (-64pts)
Alon Day (-67pts)
Stanton Barrett (-67pts)
Sam Corry (-67pts)
Adrian Wlostowski (-70pts)
Jackson Tovo (-83pts)
Tanner Reif (-88pts)

CUBE 3 TA2 SERIES PRO/AM DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Cale Phillips (193pts)
Jared Odrick (-1pts)
Doug Winston (-24pts)
Keith Prociuk (-27pts)
Christina Lam (-29pts)
Roberto Sabato (-33pts)
Matt Griffin (-37pts)
Patrick Paul (-63pts)
Jim Gallugher (-65pts)
Matt Gray (-65pts)

CUBE 3 TA2 SERIES ROOKIE DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Ethan Tovo (172pts)
Alon Day (-28pts)
Stanton Barrett (-28pts)
Jackson Tovo (-44pts)
Tanner Reif (-49pts)

SUNOCO YOUNG GUN DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP (CUBE 3 TA2)

Helio Meza (211pts)
Ethan Tovo (-39pts)
Noah Harmon (-64pts)
Sam Corry (-67pts)
Jackson Tovo (-83pts)

TA SPRINT DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

John Atwell (103pts)
Bruce Raymond (-5pts)
James Libecco (-10pts)
Rob Kacprowicz (-15pts)
Alan Davison (-20pts)

TA CUP DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Cole Moore (170pts)
Jim Guthrie (-12pts)
Ken Thwaits (-18pts)
Matt Crandall (-28pts)
Phil Fogg, Jr. (-86pts)

XGT DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Billy Griffin (100pts)

SGT DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Chris Coffey (193pts)
Patrick Utt (-17pts)
Milton Grant (-28pts)
Zach Arnold (-91pts)
Lee Saunders (-103pts)

GT DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Derric Carter (100pts)

GT1 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIP

Jordan Bupp (140pts)
Axel Rivera (-65pts)
David Jans (-70pts)
Paul Fix (-75pts)
Brent Goforth (-55pts)

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FINAL THOUGHTS – SONOMA:

TA2: With some new faces in the field this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, is Helio Meza going to be challenged for the victory? The 18-year-old native of Spring, Texas is looking to collect his fourth and fifth victories in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, in what would be his fourth and fifth start.

Keep an eye out for Max Reaves, who makes his CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series debut for Silver Hare Racing this weekend. It may take him a couple of laps to get up to speed, but it’ll be interesting to watch where he stacks up by the end of Sunday’s second race.

TA2 PRO/AM: Jared Odrick and Cale Phillips appear to be the drivers to beat in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series PRO/AM Class, right now, but problems for them in a crucial doubleheader weekend could bring some others into the fold – like Doug Winston or Keith Prociuk.

TA: With Chris Dyson returning to Trans Am for the first time in 2026, Saturday and Sunday is bound to feature some exciting battles. Dyson’s teammate, Matthew Brabham, has won each of the first two events of the year, with Paul Menard breathing down his neck. There’s no doubt that this weekend should add a third driver into the mix, with Dyson being a former Sonoma winner.

TAC: Cole Moore and Jim Guthrie put on a show last time out and are currently the frontrunners in the TA Cup Championship battle. However, this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, Moore is in a different race car. Will it make a difference? Moore definitely has some experience here, because of being a California-native (and his experience in ARCA), can he put it to good use?

SGT: Chris Coffey and Patrick Utt have the top two spots locked down in the SGT Driver’s Championship heading to Sonoma and are the only two drivers fighting for that class win this weekend. Coffey has been dominant, so if Utt wants to stay in title contention, he’ll have to put up a dramatic fight this weekend over the course of two events.

XGT, GT, and GT1 Classes will not have any on-track action this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, a major missed opportunity for a driver to take a substantial lead in the championship with two points scoring events on the docket for each.