Sonoma’s Infineon Raceway has teamed with the legendary Fior d’Italia Restaurant in San Francisco to give away $1,000,000 in gift certificates at the upcoming Motorola Indy 300 race weekend, Aug. 24 to 26.
The first 40,000 race fans to come through the gates on Sunday, Aug. 26, will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Fior d’Italia, America’s oldest Italian Restaurant, which first opened in 1886. Tony Kanaan offered a preview of the giveaway when he visited the Fior d’Italia on Monday, Aug. 6, to deliver the certificates and join executive chef Gianni Audieri in the kitchen.
Kanaan, dressed in an authentic chef’s coat, piloted a tricked-out Hummer under a California Highway Patrol escort to the restaurant. Along with the aid of two bodyguards and the CHP, he ceremoniously delivered the $1,000,000 in food certificates to the Fior d’Italia, where they will be locked in a safe until race day.
“This is a good deal the raceway is doing for the fans,” said Kanaan, who drives the Team 7-Eleven Honda for Andretti Green Racing. “They get to watch a great race in Sonoma and then come to the Fior for a great Italian meal.”
Audieri will also be at the raceway on Sunday, Aug. 26, performing a live cooking demonstration at the Raceway Club, which is located in the main paddock. The demonstration is designed to give fans an idea of what they can expect when they redeem their certificate.
In addition to the gift certificates, race fans will also be treated to the best in open-wheel racing, as well as sports-car racing. The day will also feature a 30-lap race for the Indy Pro Series, as well as the Historic Grand Prix, which will compete after the Motorola Indy 300. The Historic Grand Prix, which is based in nearby Corte Madera and has a coast-to-coast schedule in 2007, will feature vintage Formula One cars on the twisting road course.
Qualifying for the Motorola Indy 300, presented by Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, takes place on Saturday, Aug. 25, with the green flag set to drop on the 80-lap main event on Sunday, Aug. 26, at approximately 12:30 p.m. The weekend will also feature the Grand-Am Armed Forces 250 on Saturday at 2:45 p.m.
