After a record-setting, 2021 season that saw drivers and teams venture to seven events, the 2022 United States Touring Car Championship season is set to expand to 12 events nationally. The return of the USTCC East Region means five new venues have been added to the season calendar. The racing kicks off at the lush green of Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia on April 2-3. The West Region’s competitors won’t have to wait much longer for their long-awaited season opener either. Racing begins right where it left off at last season’s dramatic finale at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows California on April 23-24.
The racing continues at one of the most popular circuits on the calendar, Sonoma Raceway on May 21-22 for the West Region. Round two of the East region will be held at the Lightning Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The fast 1.9-mile circuit is a favorite among drivers for the challenging nature of the course. Drivers and teams will then venture just outside of Los Angeles to Fontana, where Auto Club Speedway will host the third round of the West region’s calendar on June 11-12. The roval configuration will see competitors reach their highest speeds of the season, some topping out at more than 150 mph. July 23-24 will see the East Region make a return to the site of the season opener at Summit Point Raceway. August will see a race for the West Region at Sonoma Raceway on the 20th and 21st and on the 27th and 28th at Pittsburgh International Raceway for the East Region.
The highest-profile race of the season will be held September 9-11 at historic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where drivers will share the weekend with the NTT IndyCar series for the second consecutive season. Beautiful Monterey, Calif., will be the site of the season finale for the NTT IndyCar series, as well as a double header for the West Region. Tens of thousands of fans will be in attendance to see the hard-fighting that Touring Car racing provides.
As the season comes to a close, teams will see themselves headed to Buttonwillow Raceway for the penultimate round for the West Region on October 15-16. The season finale for the East Region will be held the following weekend at the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The layout features a half-mile straightaway as well as challenging and tight low-speed corners that will test the teams’ aerodynamic packages.
The final race of the season remains unchanged from the 2021 calendar at Thunderhill Raceway. The race is scheduled for November 12-13 and will provide the last chance for drivers and teams to make good on their goals for the 2022 season.
