Thursday, June 23, 2011

Driver Chassis Selections For Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma

Note: Not All teams list their chassis selections in PR Release

Not everyone likes road course racing in NASCAR (Getty)
1. Carl Edwards: 18.8 average finish in six starts; Last of two top-10s (ninth) came in 2008; Seventh-best (12.5) average finish in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen); Will debut a new car (chassis No. 758) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350; This car was tested at Road America.

2. Kevin Harvick: Coming off third top five in 10 starts; 16.8 average finish and five laps led; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 357) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in 11 starts; Coming off best finish (11th) for the third time; 20.5 average finish and nine laps led; Will pilot a car (chassis No. 601) that Jeff Gordon finished 10th with at Watkins Glen last year.

4. Kyle Busch: Winner of the 2008 race; 20.7 average in three starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Most laps led (88) in the four races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 305) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

5. Jimmie Johnson: Coming off first win in nine starts; Win was second consecutive top five and fourth top 10; Fourth-best average finish (9.2) and second in laps led (83) in the four races with the COT; Sixth-best (11.2) average finish and second in laps led (59) in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 543) that he won with at Infineon and finished 28th with at Watkins Glen in 2010.

6. Matt Kenseth: Worst track on the schedule based on 22.2 average finish; Only top 10 (eighth) in 11 starts came in this event in 2008; Will debut a new chassis (No. 757) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

7. Kurt Busch: 21.2 average finish in five starts with Penske Racing; Last of three top-10s came in 2006 from the pole; 20.0 average finish in 10 starts; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 742) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350; This car was tested at Virginia International Raceway.

8. Ryan Newman: 16.5 average finish in two starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Posted five top-10s in previous seven starts with Penske Racing; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 661) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350; This car was tested at Virginia International Raceway.

9. Denny Hamlin: Two top-10s in five starts; Best finish came in 2009 in fifth; Sixth in laps led (33) in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen).

10. Clint Bowyer: Three top-10s in five starts; 12.6 average finish; Fifth-best average finish (11.8) in the four races with the COT; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 300) that he posted respective finishes of 31st and 32nd on the road courses in 2010.

Stewart has been on of the best on the roads (Getty)
11. Tony Stewart: 5.5 average finish in two starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Posted six top-10s, including two wins, in previous 10 starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Third-best average finish (6.8) in the four races with the COT; Second-best (4.8) average finish in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen); Will debut a new car (chassis No. 660) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350; This car was tested at Virginia International Raceway.

12. Jeff Gordon: Coming off fifth consecutive top 10; Five-time winner (last coming in 2006); 9.1 average finish in 18 starts; Second-best average finish (6.0) in the four races with the COT.

13. Greg Biffle: Coming off third top 10 in eight starts; Seventh-best average finish (12.8) in the four races with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 724) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

14. Mark Martin: 24.5 average finish in two starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Posted 13 top-10s, including one win, in previous 18 starts with Roush Racing; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 674) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

15. Juan Pablo Montoya: Best average finish (5.8) in the four races with the COT; Third-best (5.8) average finish and most laps led (74) in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1014) that he won with at Watkins Glen last year.

16. Paul Menard: Has yet to finish in the top 20 in three starts; Will pilot a new car (chassis No. 358) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

17. AJ Allmendinger: Finished seventh in 2009; Fourth-best (9.2) average finish in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen); Will drive the same car (chassis No. 760) that he tested at Virginia International Raceway.

18. David Ragan: has yet to finish in the top 20 in four starts; 27.8 average finish; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 773) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350; Tested a late model at Infineon last week to get more familiar with the course.

19. Kasey Kahne: Winner of the 2009 race; Won the pole and finished fourth last season; Fourth in laps led (41) in the four races with the COT; Fifth-best (9.8) average finish in the last four races on road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen); Will make track debut with Team Red Bull.

20. Martin Truex Jr: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in five starts; 33.5 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing.

- compiled by Jeff Wackerlin of MotorRacingNetwork.com

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