Sonoma, CA, May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Velocity Invitational – North America’s premier car culture celebration – is bringing Hollywood star power to Sonoma wine country. Actor Sung Kang – star of countless Hollywood blockbusters including the Fast & Furious franchise – will make a guest appearance during Friday’s activities, and will co-host a special evening car meet with renowned automotive photographer Larry Chen. Attendees will be invited to Northern California’s first preview of Kang’s upcoming film DRIFTER.
Velocity Invitational kicks off Friday May 29 and runs through Sunday May 31, allowing gearheads to experience more than 100 years of historic vehicles in action on the Sonoma circuit or displayed proudly in the paddock. Sung will be on hand all Friday to meet fans, preview DRIFTER, and host a Q&A about the film and his car enthusiasm. When the sun drops at the beautiful California track, Sung will join Larry to bring the spirit of Tokyo’s Daikoku PA car meets to Sonoma in what promises to be a massive gathering of the Bay Area’s best JDM vehicles and so much more.
As the meet kicks off, former Formula DRIFT PRO Champion and stunt driver Dai Yoshihara will jump behind the wheel of Lola – Sung’s AE86 Toyota Corolla, which appears in DRIFTER – to showcase what made this iconic coupe a legendary drifting platform. Lola will be on display in the Velocity Invitational paddock all day Friday for fans to see up-close.
As the official photographer for Velocity Invitational, visitors will spot Larry Chen around the Sonoma track throughout the weekend, capturing the essence of Velocity Invitational. He’ll also come equipped to meet fans on Friday night, signing copies of his latest photographic book, Life at Shutter Speed.
“I love the Velocity Invitational,” Larry said. “And would like to expose a different kind of car enthusiast to this event — what better way than to host an epic car meet with Sung?!”
Ryan Turri, General Manager of Velocity Invitational had this to say about Sung and Larry joining the festivities: “Velocity Invitational has always embraced the full spectrum of car culture, from historic race cars to modern hypercars, rock crawlers, drift cars, classics, and more. Sung and Larry have spent their lives authentically documenting and celebrating their love of cars. So, having them kick-off our event on Friday, and host a Daikoku-style meet under the Sonoma lights is the perfect expression of what our event represents. This is what it looks like when car culture comes together!”
TICKETS & INFORMATION
Velocity Invitational kicks off at 9am on Friday, May 29 and won’t hit the brakes until 6pm on Sunday, May 31. Fans of Sung and Larry can enjoy all of Friday’s activities for $99, or come for the night meet after 5pm for only $20. Located at Sonoma Raceway, there are a variety of ticket options including single-day and weekend passes, family and couple’s bundles, luxury packages, plus add-ons such as VIP access, hospitality with wine tastings, vehicle ride-alongs, parking and camping. Visit viavelocity.com for info and purchases.
ABOUT VELOCITY INVITATIONAL
Velocity Invitational is North America’s premier motorsport and lifestyle festival held in the heart of California wine country. The event brings together world-class historic motorsport, modern hypercars, rare collections, and immersive car culture, all paired with exceptional culinary experiences, fine wines, and luxury hospitality. Designed to captivate lifelong enthusiasts and new enthusiasts, Velocity Invitational blends speed, design, craftsmanship, and community into a three-day celebration unlike any other in North America. For more information, visit viavelocity.com
Attachments
Jonathan Wong Velocity Invitational LLC jonathan@theidagency.com
