SONOMA — For the first time in six years, top AMA riders will be greeted with two days of sunshine at this week’s Yamaha-sponsored test session at Infineon Raceway today and Friday.

Riders from top manufacturers like Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda are expected to traverse the twists and turns, attempting to gather valuable information for their return trip, May 18-20, for the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts. Suzuki’s Ben Spies is both the defending AMA Superbike champion and also the defending champion at Infineon Raceway. He will test the track on Friday.

The public is invited out on Friday as the day will include plenty of activities for fans, including Supermoto racing, freestyle demonstrations, Wall of Fame announcement and a question-and-answer session with top riders at the lunch break. For more information on the test session or the fan event on Friday, visit www.infineonraceway.com or call 800-870-RACE. Admission is free.

Rain has either canceled or limited the annual two-day test session each year since 2001, but the forecast calls for sunny skies and 70-degree temperatures for the Sonoma Valley. That bodes well for riders like Spies, six-time AMA Superbike champion Mat Mladin (Suzuki) and nine-time Infineon Raceway winner Miguel Duhamel (Honda).

Other riders expected to test this week include Jamie Hacking and Roger Hayden from Kawasaki, Petaluma High School graduates Eric and Ben Bostrom (Yamaha), San Francisco native Jake Zemke (San Francisco) and Jason Disalvo (Yamaha).

Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda are scheduled to test both days, while Suzuki will be at Infineon Raceway only on Friday.

The AMA began its season last month at Daytona Beach (Fla.) with Spies winning in both Superbike and Superstock. Hayden led the charge for Kawasaki with a win in Supersport, while Acalanes High School graduate Steve Rapp captured the prestigious Daytona 200. Rapp will not be attending the test session in Sonoma this week.

The second round of the AMA season is set for Birmingham (Ala.), April 20-22, followed by Fontana, April 27-29, before heading to Sonoma.

• IndyCar’s Fisher confirmed for Infineon Raceway event

Popular IndyCar Series driver Sarah Fisher has been confirmed to compete in all five IndyCar Series road course events in 2007, including the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (Aug. 24-26). Fisher had previously signed with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing to compete only on oval tracks for the 2007 season, and this will allow her to compete in all 17 events this year. 

Fisher has competed in five Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of 21st, and she became the only woman in IndyCar Series history to earn a podium finish when she took second at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001. She will join Danica Patrick (Andretti Green Racing) and Milka Duno (Citgo Racing) as one of three female drivers competing in the IndyCar Series this year.

• Ferrari Challenge Returns to Northern California

The North American Ferrari Challenge Series makes its way to the West Coast for its third race of the 2007 season, April 13-15, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Weekend festivities will include racing action in the F430 Challenge and the Ferrari Historic Challenge divisions. In all, more than 100 machines will grace the road course during the weekend, including vintage cars from Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa-Romeo (Ferrari Historic Challenge). 

The weekend will also be highlighted by racing demonstrations of the Ferrari FXX Supercar, one of only 29 in the world, and a selection of F1 vehicles. Spectators will also enjoy the open paddock and a festival of Ferrari machines throughout the weekend. 

Admission for the Ferrari Challenge weekend at Infineon Raceway is $20 each day or $40 for a weekend pass. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.ferrarichallenge.com or www.infineonraceway.com.