Continuing in its partnership with NASCAR that spans more than 30 years, Prevost welcomed a select group of customers to a Prevost Sonoma Weekend in late June. In the heart of wine country, this highly anticipated event offered a full-bodied blend of activities and a lasting finish that paired savory wine tasting with action-packed NASCAR racing.
Prevost Sonoma weekend festivities began with a Saturday morning coach ride to Napa Valley where Cliff Lede Vineyards welcomed the group for lunch and a tasting of its world class wines. That evening Silver Oak Cellars hosted the group for an evening reception and dinner at its Oakville winery. The evening included a tasting of the winery’s noted Cabernet Sauvignon and a tour of the facility including the iconic water tower and Glass House Library.
Sunday started early for guests in the Prevost Suite at Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, a western stop in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. NASCAR driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. of Richard Petty Motorsport, more often seen at the wheel of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro, dropped in for a meet and greet; as did multi-talented two-time winner of the NASCAR Daytona 500, Michael Waltrip.
Prior to the driver introductions, the group was led on a detailed tour through the NASCAR pit and garage areas before the green flag dropped and the race was underway.
The guest list included Royal Coach Tours, San Jose, California, a longstanding Prevost customer of 20 years. Services run the gamut from VIP customer service in Silicon Valley to chartered fun for group tours, all with high expectations of a polished coach experience. Royal Coach Tours President, Sandy Allen, says she was pleased to be on the receiving end over the weekend in Sonoma.
“While we routinely run wine country tours, my dream was at some point to visit Silver Oak Cellars for myself, so to do so with our Prevost partners was an absolute treat and it was thrilling to be treated like royalty for the weekend,” said Allen. “Our team is big on NASCAR, so we appreciated this opportunity to get a little closer to the action, visit with the drivers and go behind the scenes. The tour of the garage and pit area was especially interesting for our mechanics.”
Sayeed Chaudhury, senior director of commuter operations, loop transportation, San Francisco, California, had only recently become familiar with the Prevost brand, and found the Sonoma weekend the perfect venue to get better acquainted. His company is a division of Hallcon Inc., Lenexa, KS, which provides myriad VIP shuttle and contract bus transportation services nationwide.
“The weekend was casual and relaxed while Prevost made it very first class,” said Chaudhury. “Our day at the wineries was exceptional. Though I can’t say I am a NASCAR fan, there was no denying the energy and the atmosphere when we joined the group on Sunday in Prevost’s suite. I was captivated once the race started.”
Keith Hayward, Prevost Sales Director, Western Region, says such company events are a highlight for many. “We feel it necessary to host several occasions such as this each year to show our appreciation for the people we work with” he said. “NASCAR is a fantastic venue for a break from the normal course of business. With the Sonoma Raceway part of the western leg, our Sonoma weekend is becoming an annual event.”
