Sonoma Raceway signed its agreement with the NHRA in 1987, with the inaugural event debuting in 1988 under the name California Nationals. The event was subsequently renamed the Sonoma Nationals to more directly reflect its host venue. The race is contested across all major professional NHRA classes, including Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, drawing tens of thousands of spectators each summer to the Sonoma Valley.
The only year the event did not take place was 2020, when the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty over rescheduling to a later date with different weather conditions led NHRA to cancel rather than attempt a postponement.
The 2004 edition marked a historic milestone when Angelle Sampey became the first woman to win at a Sonoma Nationals event. Sampey earned the victory in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category, adding to her reputation as one of the most dominant competitors in that class during the early 2000s.
The 2015 Sonoma Nationals delivered an unprecedented sweep: all four drivers who earned the number-one qualifying position in their respective professional categories went on to win the event. It was the first time in NHRA history that a complete top-qualifier sweep had occurred at a single national event.
That same 2015 race produced another record when Jack Beckman drove his Funny Car to 323.43 mph, setting what was at the time the quickest run in NHRA history. The record stood for two years before Robert Hight pushed the Sonoma Nationals into the history books once more in 2017, recording a speed of 339.87 mph in the Funny Car class.
The 2017 event was also notable for J.R. Todd's Funny Car victory, which represented the first time an African-American driver had won an NHRA national event in the Funny Car category.
The Sonoma Nationals has established itself as one of the more historically significant stops on the NHRA calendar. Multiple records and firsts have been set at the venue across its decades of competition, making it more than a regional draw. The combination of the wine-country setting, the consistent Northern California summer weather, and the track's technical character as a permanent purpose-built facility have helped it maintain its place as a reliable fixture in the annual NHRA schedule.
The event's record of milestone moments — from Sampey's barrier-breaking win, to Beckman and Hight's consecutive speed records, to Todd's historic Funny Car triumph — gives it a significance that extends beyond its geography. It is regarded as a venue where history tends to happen, a reputation that has only grown as the event moves further into its fourth decade.