Showing posts with label toyoya save mart 350. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toyoya save mart 350. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Odds to win 2019 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma

Is this week Kevin Harvick finally gets his first win of 2019
WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
ODDS TO WIN 2019 TOYOTA/SAVE MART 350
SONOMA RACEWAY
SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2019 - 3:20 PM ET

Kevin HARVICK 7/2
Martin TRUEX JR 9/2
Clint BOWYER 6/1
Kyle BUSCH 6/1
Chase ELLIOTT 6/1
Kurt BUSCH 10/1
Joey LOGANO 10/1
Denny HAMLIN 14/1
Brad KESELOWSKI 18/1
Jimmie JOHNSON 25/1
Ryan BLANEY 25/1
Daniel SUAREZ 25/1
Erik JONES 40/1
Kyle LARSON 40/1
Aric ALMIROLA 60/1
Daniel HEMRIC 60/1
Chris BUESCHER 100/1
Alex BOWMAN 100/1
Michael McDOWELL 100/1
Ryan NEWMAN 100/1
Paul MENARD 100/1
William BYRON 100/1
Matt TIFFT 300/1
Austin DILLON 300/1
Ricky STENHOUSE JR 500/1
Matt DIBENEDETTO 500/1
Ryan PREECE 1000/1
David RAGAN 2000/1
Ty DILLON 2000/1
FIELD (all others) 300/1

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Jimmie Johnson has second-best loop data at Sonoma

Jimmie Johnson is 8/1 to win at Sonoma.
Jimmie Johnson on racing at Sonoma
“Sonoma is tricky. Track position is important and there are all kinds of different strategies going on throughout the field, which keeps the engineers on their toes. We hope to qualify well and if you can save fuel, it usually creates more opportunities toward the end of the race. As a native of California, I’m always happy to get back there. It’s a great area with a lot to do.”

ICYMI JOHNSON EXTENDS CONTRACT: Hendrick Motorsports and defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson announced last week that they have agreed to a three-year extension that will keep Johnson behind the wheel of the No. 48 Chevrolet SS through 2020. In addition, Lowe’s Companies Inc. has extended its longstanding relationship with Hendrick Motorsports after signing an agreement that will continue its full-season, 38-race primary sponsorship of Johnson and the No. 48 team through 2018. Click here to see some of Johnson’s "storybook" accomplishments.

ONE WIN IN SONOMA: Johnson has been able to sip wine in Victory Lane one time at Sonoma Raceway over the course of his career. His win at the 1.99-mile road course came on June 20, 2010, when he led 55 of 110 laps en route to the victory. In 2015, Johnson led 45 laps before finishing sixth.

SONOMA DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics since 2005, Johnson has the second-best driver rating at Sonoma with an average score of 99.9 at the track during that span. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

CALIFORNIA CREW MEMBER: No. 48 team race engineer Julian Pena hails from Aliso Viejo, California, and graduated from Stanford University with a degree in mechanical engineering.

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER: As part of an ongoing photography project designed to showcase life at the track with a unique perspective, Johnson has invited photographer Victor Cobian to Sonoma Raceway. Cobian is an up-and-coming photographer who was recommended for the program by Lyle Owerko, who photographed Johnson's 2017 Daytona 500 weekend. As part of Johnson’s 2017 photography project, several amateur photographers will be invited to the track as a guest of Johnson and the 48 team with the potential to win a grant to further their art and photography career. With a social media takeover on Johnson’s handles (@JimmieJohnson on Instagram & Twitter, Jimmie Johnson on Facebook), Cobian’s work will be highlighted for all NASCAR fans to enjoy.

MALEC WINS AT ROAD AMERICA: No. 48 team car chief Ron Malec was absent from Michigan last week as he took his first weekend off of his NASCAR Cup Series career, which spans over 17 years. Instead, Malec spent his weekend at Road America, a road course racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, racing as a competitor in the Chicago Region SCCA June Sprints. Malec participated in two events, finishing second on Saturday and then winning the GT-1 class on Sunday.

 

2017 Season

  • 8th in standings
  • 15 starts
  • 3 race wins
  • 0 stage wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 3 top-five finishes
  • 6 top-10 finishes
  • 172 laps led
 
 

Career

  • 558 starts
  • 83 wins
  • 35 pole positions
  • 221 top-five finishes
  • 336 top-10 finishes
  • 18,618 laps led
 
 

Track Career 

  • 15 starts
  • 1 win
  • 0 pole positions
  • 4 top-five finishes
  • 9 top-10 finishes
  • 131 laps led
 

Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook posts Truex Jr as Sonoma favorite

Martin Truex Jr. won at Sonoma Raceway in 2013.
WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
ODDS TO WIN TOYOTA/SAVE MART 350
SONOMA RACEWAY
SUNDAY, JUNE 25. 2017 - 3:16 PM ET


Martin TRUEX JR 9/2
Kyle BUSCH 5/1
Kevin HARVICK 7/1
Kurt BUSCH 7/1
Jimmie JOHNSON 8/1
Clint BOWYER 8/1
AJ ALLMENDINGER 8/1
Kyle LARSON 12/1
Denny HAMLIN 18/1
Joey LOGANO 18/1
Jamie McMURRAY 25/1
Brad KESELOWSKI 25/1
Chase ELLIOTT 30/1
Dale EARNHARDT JR 40/1
Kasey KAHNE 40/1
Ryan NEWMAN 50/1
Billy JOHNSON 60/1
Ryan BLANEY 80/1
Matt KENSETH 80/1
Paul MENARD 80/1
Daniel SUAREZ 100/1
Erik JONES 100/1
Austin DILLON 100/1
Trevor BAYNE 200/1
Ricky STENHOUSE JR 200/1
Chris BUESCHER 300/1
Ty DILLON 300/1
Michael McDOWELL 300/1
Danica PATRICK 500/1
FIELD (all others) 100/1

Sunday, June 26, 2016

This is pretty cool: Stewart wins at Sonoma to end 84 race winless drought

Tony Stewart wins for first time in 84 races and is close in points to making Chase in his final season.
Tony Stewart won the drama-filled Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, increasing his chances of making the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup despite missing the first eight races of the season.

"It's special, trust me," Stewart said after ending an 84-race winless streak with his 49th career Cup win.

The closing laps were intense as Stewart worked hard to hold off the rest of the field in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, with Martin Truex Jr. andDenny Hamlin stalking him.

But Truex and Hamlin kept battling each other hard, which helped Stewart increase his lead. With eight laps to go, Stewart's lead was close to two seconds over Hamlin, who finally made the pass for second on Truex one lap earlier.

By five to go, Stewart's lead was down to less than a second.

Read More Here..........Fox Sports

Final Results



Fast Facts - Sonoma Raceway:
* Tony Stewart won the 28th Annual Toyota/Save Mart 350, his 49th victory in 598 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
* This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 2016.
* This is his third victory and 10th top-10 finish in 18 races at Sonoma Raceway.
* Stewart's last win was at Dover on June 2, 2013. There have been 110 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races since then; Stewart has started 84 of those races.
* Stewart is now 32nd in the point standings, nine points out of 30th place and a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
* Denny Hamlin (second) posted his third top-10 finish in 11 races at Sonoma Raceway. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2016.
* Joey Logano (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Sonoma Raceway.
* Chase Elliott (21st) was the highest finishing rookie.
* Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 35 points over Kurt Busch.

Now, Stewart has 10 races remaining to climb into the top 30 in points - a requirement for anyone seeking to qualify for the 16-driver, 10-race Chase. He is currently 32nd, nine out of 30th place. NASCAR can grant Stewart an injury waiver that would excuse him from missing the first eight events. The sanctioning body did the same last season for Busch, who sat out the first 11 races while recovering in 2015 before winning at Sonoma. He followed that with wins at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis, before climbing into the top 30 in points with a runner-up finish at Watkins Glen, the 22nd of 26 regular-season races. (USA Today)

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Final Sonoma Practice Notes: Kurt Busch looks like the best of several quality candidates

Kevin Harvick could make it 10 straight different drivers to win at Sonoma
What a breath of fresh air it is to talk about road course racing this week, not only because it’s a treat to see so many drivers out of their element making right and left turns, but also because we have an entirely new cast of quality candidates to win which would break Hendrick Motorsports five race winning streak.

There have been nine different winners at Sonoma Raceway the past nine seasons, and Sunday’s race could easily be the 10th straight as we have Kevin Harvick and Marcos Ambrose rated as two of the top-four candidates to win Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350.

For the past five races, all the talk has been about horsepower and how the Hendrick Chevy engines have the most of it, but when monitoring the speeds from Friday’s two practice sessions and Saturday’s qualifying, the four Hendrick cars aren’t in the conversation much.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was surprisingly good on Friday for a driver that didn’t do any road course testing prior to this weeks race, but no top-10 finishes in 14 career starts at Sonoma make him somewhat of a leper at the sports books. Jeff Gordon has finished second in two of the past three Sonoma events, but the last of his NASCAR-best nine road course wins came in 2006. Jimmie Johnson, winner of three of the past four Cup races and 2010 Sonoma winner, was surprisingly slow on Friday with his fastest lap only being 21st best.

There are more drivers than ever that have a chance at winning Sunday, and most of them can be found from a top-10 starting positing where 18 of the 25 (72%) Sonoma races have been won from. Eight of those 25 races have been won from the front row. The furthest a driver has started to win at Sonoma is 32nd by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007.

Of course, the double-file restarts have given drivers in the back a better opportunity to move up quicker in recent years, but with passing so difficult and only a few key sports on the 1.99-mile 10 turn course to make those passes, being near the front gives drivers the best opportunity to win just like we see in most Formula-1 races.

The driver that stands out the most based on what happened Friday and Saturday is Kurt Busch, who is making his third straight Sonoma start with a different team. It hasn’t mattered what car Busch has been in, whether it’s been the No. 97 Ford, the No. 2 Dodge, No. 78 Chevy or the No. 41 Chevy, Busch has a great feel for the track and has had the second best Loop Rating (107.8) since NASCAR began collecting loads of data at each track in 2005.

Busch won in 2011, meaning if he won Sunday, it would halt Sonoma’s different winner streak at nine. In 2012, he came close with a third-place finish and last season he was fourth. It’s quite possible that his Stewart-Haas car he’s using this week is better than all of the cars he used the past three seasons.

Clint Bowyer might have been the top-rated driver to win this week had he qualified better than 25th on Saturday. Despite the poor start, Bowyer should be one of those cars that moves up quickly, and if he can stay out dangers way while bunched up with the lesser cars in the middle of the pack, he should be competing for the win with less than 20 laps to go. His poor starting position should offer some great value at the sports books.

We left off our list a few of the fastest drivers in qualifying such as Jamie McMurray, A.J. Allmendinger and Kyle Larson only because their past history at Sonoma didn’t merit being ahead of anyone in our top-10. Allmendinger, however, is very adept on the roads and you couldn’t be faulted for taking a shot with him at the bet window if getting decent odds.

Another long shot to seriously consider that would make it 10 straight different winners at Sonoma is Bowyer’s teammate Brian Vickers. The Michael Waltrip Racing program has won the past two seasons at Sonoma and both Bowyer and Vickers appear to have similar winning type of set-ups. The big difference between the two teams is that Vickers has a much more favorable start position (8th).

Read More Here.......Final Sonoma Driver Ratings

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Sonoma Driver Chassis Selections: 2014 Toyota/Save Mart 350

4 wins in 5 races? Johnson is using 2013 Watkins Glen chassis this week

#2-Brad Keselowski: Primary Chassis for Sonoma is PRS-901, which last raced at Martinsville and finished 38th. The Backup Chassis is PRS-853 which was last used as a backup at Dover.

#3-Austin Dillon: will pilot Chassis No. 469 in the Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. This is the first time that Dillon will race this Dow Powerhouse Solar Chevrolet this season. Dillon has never competed at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course and has never competed in a road course race on the Sprint Cup Series circuit. However, the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion has six road course races to his credit in the Nationwide Series, earning two top-10 finishes, including a career-high ninth at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2012 and 10th at Road America in 2013.

#4-Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 873 in Sunday's race at Sonoma - a new chassis from the SHR shop. Harvick and the team tested the car last month at Virginia International Raceway, a road-course facility located in Alton, VA. Harvick has 13 prior NSCS starts at Sonoma. During that span, he has earned three top fives and five top-10 finishes and has an average start of 16.3 and an average finish of 15.6.

#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-876 for Sunday's race at Sonoma. This is a brand new chassis that has never been raced before. In 10 Sprint Cup starts at Sonoma, Kahne has one win, two top-five finishes, three top-10s and has completed 98.2 percent of all laps attempted at the track (1,087 of 1,107 total). The driver of the No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet SS has started in the top 10 six times in his last eight races at the 1.99-mile road course, including two pole positions in 2008 and 2010. Kahne visited Sonoma's Victory Lane in June 2009, when he started from the fifth position and led 37 laps en route to his sole career victory at the California track.

#10-Danica Patrick will pilot Chassis No. 10-759 which was first used by Patrick in June 2013 at Sonoma Raceway, where she started 31st and finished 29th. It was then used in August at Watkins Glen, where she started 35th and finished 20th.

#12-Ryan Blaney: Primary Chassis for Michigan is PRS-919, which is a new chassis.

#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-874 is a brand-new racecar. However, it was tested May 27 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, in preparation for this weekend's event at Sonoma. Stewart has a pole, two wins, three second-place finishes, five top-fives, nine top-10s and has led a total of 82 laps in his 15 career Sprint Cup starts at Sonoma. His average start at the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course is 11.1, his average finish is 12.0 and he has a lap completion rate of 98.7 percent.

#15-Clint Bowyer: Chassis No. 767 serves as the primary chassis for Bowyer at Sonoma Raceway. He raced it to a fifth-place finish at Sonoma and a sixth-place finish at Watkins Glen in 2013. Chassis No. 770 serves as the back-up chassis and hasn't been raced. Since February 2012 Clint Bowyer owns the best average finish among NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers at road courses (4.0) as well as the best average finish at Sonoma (3.0). Bowyer holds the second-best average finish among drivers, 9.1, to Jeff Gordon's 8.2.

#16-Greg Biffle: and the Matt Puccia led #16 3M team will run chassis RK-916 which is a brand new chassis. The backup chassis RK-764 has been with the team for a few years, first hitting the track in 2011. Biffle has 11 Sprint Cup career starts at Sonoma, earning two top-five and five top-10 finishes. His average finish at Sonoma is 14.3 from an average starting position of 15.3. Biffle has finished on the lead lap in all but one start at Sonoma, and that was his very first start back in 2003.

#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: and the #17 Ecopower Re-Refined Oil Ford Fusion team will be using primary chassis RK- 919 at Sonoma, which is a brand new chassis. The backup chassis is RK- 758 which was the back-up chassis for road course races in 2013. Last year despite never running a single lap at the 1.99-mile 11-turn road course, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fought his way to a 27th-place finish in Sunday's Save-mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Stenhouse Jr. will have extra seat time this weekend as he will be running the #99 machine in the K&N West race.

#22-Joey Logano: Primary Chassis is PRS-902 for Sonoma, which last raced at Martinsville and finished 4th. The Backup Chassis is PRS-858 which was last used as a backup at Dover.

#24-Jeff Gordon: crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 24-878 for this Sunday's race. This is a new chassis that has not been raced. The native of Vallejo, California, tops the following statistical categories at the serpentine track: wins (five), poles (five), top-five finishes (13), top-10s (17), laps led (454) and average finish (8.2). Gordon is the all-time leader in NASCAR road course victories with nine. Along with five wins at Sonoma, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has visited Victory Lane four times at Watkins Glen International in New York.

#27-Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 470 in the 218.9-mile event at Sonoma Raceway. This #27 Richmond / Menards Chevrolet SS is a new addition to the Richard Childress Racing stable in 2014. Menard has six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway. His best start of third came in 2011 and best finish of 14th came in 2013. The Wisconsin native has completed 666 of 667 laps attempted (99.9 percent).

#31-Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 471 on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. Chassis No. 471 is brand new and will take to the track during Friday's two scheduled practice sessions. In 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course, Newman owns two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He has led 11 laps and completed all 1,327 laps of competition. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 13th and average finish of 13th. In the last six races at the road course, the RCR driver ranks fifth in most points earned.

#41-Kurt Busch will pilot Chassis No. 661 in Sunday's SaveMart 350k at Sonoma Raceway. Chassis No. 661 served as a backup chassis at both Sonoma and Watkins Glen in 2013 as a #39 Chevrolet driven by former SHR driver Ryan Newman.

#48-Jimmie Johnson: Crew chief Chad Knaus has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 48-875, which is a brand new car. The backup car is Chassis No. 48-801, which Johnson most recently raced in last season at Watkins Glen International. In 12 starts at Sonoma, Johnson has one win, four top-five finishes and seven top-10s. The driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet SS has led 85 circuits around the 1.99-mile track.

#55-Brian Vickers: Primary 772 never raced but Vickers tested this car at Sonoma on March 25 & 26. Backup 771 never raced.

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: crew chief Steve Letarte and the #88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-747. Earnhardt most recently raced this chassis at Watkins Glen International in August 2013. In 14 Sprint Cup starts at Sonoma Raceway, Earnhardt has posted six top-15 finishes and completed 94.3 percent of all the laps he's attempted (1,463 laps of 1,551 total). He has scored a career-best 11th-place finish three times at the 1.99-mile road course and last recorded this result in 2010. Earnhardt most recently rallied from a 26th starting position to finish 12th at the California track in June 2013.

#95-Michael McDowell: will drive Chassis No. PRS-834 in the Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. This Ford Fusion is new to the Wally Rogers-led team.

#99-Carl Edwards the #99 Aflac Ford team will unload primary chassis RK-917 which is a new chassis. The backup chassis is RK-853 which was last run at Watkins Glen in 2013, finishing in fourth. Edwards is looking for his first win at the road course. He has a career-high finish of third in both 2011 and 2013. Edwards has 9 Sprint Cup starts at Sonoma with an average start of 17.8 and an average finish of 15.6. Edwards has finished in the top-five two times and in the top-ten four times.
- compiled by Jayski.com

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Greg Biffle looking to continue upward progression at Sonoma

Greg Biffle is 50/1 to win Sunday at Sonoma
Greg Biffle – Sonoma Advance
Team: No. 16 3M Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Matt Puccia
Primary Chassis: RK-916 Brand new chassis

ADVANCE NOTES
Biffle at Sonoma
o Biffle has 11 Sprint Cup career starts at Sonoma, earning two top-five and five top-10 finishes.
o His average finish at Sonoma is 14.3 from an average starting position of 15.3.
o Biffle has finished on the lead lap in all but one start at Sonoma, and that was his very first start back in 2003.
The Car
o Chassis RK-916 is a brand new chassis.
o The backup chassis RK-764 has been with the team for a few years, first hitting the track in 2011.

Biffle on Sonoma:
“I’m looking forward to some road racing at Sonoma, something different this weekend. We tested a little while ago at VIR and also did some schooling out at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. The keys to Sonoma are staying on the race track, gas mileage, taking care of the brakes and transmission. If you can do all those things then you can come out of there with a good run and possibly a win, I’m looking forward to it.”

Puccia on Sonoma:
“Sonoma is a little bit of change of pace for us being the first road course of the year. We’ve had a lot of success over the years at road courses and finished well the last two years at Sonoma. We did some road course testing a few weeks ago and we are looking to get out to Sonoma and having a good run.”

- Roush Fenway Racing

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Driver Chassis Selections: 2013 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma

It should be interesting watching the Gen-6 car in action this weekend
#2-Brad Keselowski: Primary Chassis: PRS-837. Last Raced - Martinsville (finished sixth). Backup Chassis: PRS-834. Last Raced: Backup at several races (not raced)

#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-802 for the Sonoma race. This is a new chassis, but Kahne tested it at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C., earlier this month.

#9-Marcos Ambrose: The No. 9 team prepared chassis No. 761 for Sonoma. The team tested this chassis at Sonoma in May.

#10-Danica Patrick: Chassis No. 10-759 is a new car that has not been used previously.

#13-Casey Mears: Chassis 660 gets the nod for primary duties at Sonoma. The road-course chassis joined the Germain Racing ranks in 2012 and is making its second appearance at Sonoma for the team.

#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-731: This car debuted in impressive fashion last June at Sonoma as Stewart took Chassis No. 14-731 from its 24th-place starting spot and rallied it to a strong second-place finish. Its second and final start of 2012 came at Watkins Glen in August. It qualified ninth and Stewart wheeled it up to second, but on lap 71, he spun off the final corner of the 2.45-mile, 11-turn road course and backed into the Armco barrier lining the inside of pit road, sustaining heavy damage. Several trips to the pits allowed the crew the opportunity to repair the car enough to finish the race, and that's just what Stewart did, rallying from 29th on lap 74 to finish 19th when the checkered flag dropped after lap 90. With 2013 Chevrolet SS bodywork covering it, Chassis No. 14-731 returns to site of its debut race when it competes in this weekend's Toyota/SaveMart 350k.

#16-Greg Biffle: RK-764 - Last ran Watkins Glen finished 6th. Chassis RK-764 is the same car that Biffle drove a seventh-place finish a year ago at Sonoma.

#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Primary Chassis: RK-816 - last raced at Watkins Glen by the No. 99 - finished 14th. Backup Chassis: RK- 758 back-up chassis for road course races in 2012.

#19-Alex Kennedy: chassis No. 318, which was last raced by Jason Leffler at Pocono Raceway.

#22-Joey Logano: Primary Chassis: PRS-835. Last Raced - Backup at several races (not raced). Backup Chassis: PRS-836. Last Raced: Backup at several races (not raced)

#27-Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 358 at Sonoma Raceway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS was previously raced by Menard at Sonoma in 2011 and 2012.

#29-Kevin Harvick: will pilot chassis No. 395 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Save Mart 350. Most recently, the California native raced this Chevrolet to a 15th-place result at Watkins Glen International in August 2012.

#31-Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 357 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. This No. 31 Chevrolet, built during the 2011 season specifically for road course racing, was driven by Burton last season at Sonoma and Watkins Glen International where he piloted the machine to 11th and 30th-place finishes, respectively. RCR teammate Kevin Harvick also drove this chassis in 2011 at Sonoma where he finished ninth.

#39-Ryan Newman: Chassis No. 39-545: This chassis first saw action for the No. 39 team at both road-course races in 2009. At Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway that season, Newman qualified seventh and was marching toward a top-10 finish before getting spun in the latter stages of the event. He finished 17th. At Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Newman qualified sixth. However, Newman's No. 39 Chevrolet was plagued with alternator issues, which caused the car to run at only about 75 percent throughout most of the race, leading to a 21st-place finish. The car also ran both road-course events in 2010. At Sonoma, it qualified 13th and finished 16th after picking up 10 laps in the final 15 laps of the event. At Watkins Glen, the team used pit strategy during the race to earn a 12th-place finish. Its most recent track activity came when the No. 39 team tested June 13 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton.

#43-Aric Almirola:: The No. 43 team has prepared chassis No. 760 for Sonoma.

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: This weekend, crew chief Steve Letarte and the #88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-747. Earnhardt most recently raced this chassis at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in August last year.

#99-Carl Edwards: RK - 853 new chassis. Backup: RK - 771 last ran at Watkins Glen

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Kurt Busch is 10-to-1 to win for second time at Sonoma

Kurt Busch won in 2011 for Penske and was 3rd in 2012 for James Finch
DENVER, Colo. (June 19, 2013) – Kurt Busch’s road racing skills at Sonoma Raceway have been well documented as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.

But when the Furniture Row Racing driver gets asked which race at the 1.99-mile road course in Northern California’s wine country initially stands out, he has a surprising answer.

One would expect the 34-year-old former NASCAR champion to say his Cup victory in 2011 or last year’s incredible performance when he was contending for the win before a suspension problem dropped him to third in a Phoenix Racing entry.

His answer came without hesitation.

“It was my win in the Southwest Series during 1999 NASCAR weekend,” said Busch. “That victory put me on the map and fast-tracked my racing career.”

Busch, a native of Las Vegas, took advantage of a golden opportunity since more NASCAR Cup drivers and owners were intently watching the Saturday race to strategically learn more about the new track design.

“My Southwest Series win at Sonoma was the year the track was reconfigured,” explained Busch. “It was the first time it didn’t have the carousel; they had what they call the chute. So that was a direct straightaway from Turn 4 to Turn 7.

“I think a lot of Cup teams were interested to see how the race was going to play out and they watched the Southwest Tour race with more strategic thought that year. After winning the race it seemed like things moved a lot of easier in my racing career and I have the Sonoma track to thank for that.”

Busch, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet SS, is looking to give another tip of the hat and a thank you nod to the Sonoma track on Sunday for the 25th running of the Toyota/Save Mart 350. It will be his first road race with the single car, Denver-based Furniture Row Racing team.

“We tested at VIR (Virginia International Raceway) in preparation for this race and feel the road course package that Furniture Row Racing had and that I had give us two avenues to look at when we show up for the race,” noted Busch. “Sonoma is a demanding race on a very technical road course. You have to be patient and have the right pit strategy.”

At the previous Sprint Cup race in Michigan, Busch was one of the prerace favorites, qualifying second and posting the fastest times in Saturday’s two practice sessions. He led the first 21 laps, but a few laps later his car broke loose, hit the wall and suffered major damage. He was able to finish the race, limping home to a 35th-place result.

“Our Furniture Row team needs a strong performance this weekend,” stated Busch, who dropped from 15th to 20th in points following Michigan. “We threw away a bunch of points in Michigan last week after having a really fast race car. We need to rebound and get some of those points back.”

Busch’s overall Sprint Cup record at Sonoma Raceway includes 12 starts, one win, five top-fives, five top-10s, one pole and 139 laps led. He has completed 1,312 of 1,329 laps for a 98.7 percentage. He also has the best driver rating at Sonoma of 107.8 and the best average running position of 9.2.

- DMF Communications for Furniture Row Racing

Monday, June 17, 2013

2013 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Track Facts

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2013 Top 12 at Sonoma Raceway
 DriverRacesPolesWinsTop FivesTop 10sDNFsAverage FinishDriver Rating
1Jimmie Johnson110146113.896.6
2Carl Edwards80013017.184.9
3Clint Bowyer7014509.793.3
4Kevin Harvick120034016.182.2
5Matt Kenseth130001020.874.9
6Kyle Busch80112018.692.8
7Dale Earnhardt Jr.130000122.265.3
8Greg Biffle100024114.979.3
9Brad Keselowski30001119.075.6
10Tony Stewart141259110.9107.5
11Paul Menard50000022.857.7
12Kasey Kahne92122022.081.1
* – Based on last eight races at Sonoma Raceway.
 
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2013 Wild Card Standings following Michigan:
    Pts Pts From     
RankDriverWinsPosPoints10thStartsPolesT5sT10sDNFs
1KaseyKahne112407-10150562
2PaulMenard011415-2150040
3MartinTruex Jr.013405-12150361
4JoeyLogano014405-12150472
5AricAlmirola015404-13150042
6JeffGordon016398-19150344
7JeffBurton017390-27150131
8RyanNewman018389-28150274
9RickyStenhouse019389-28150000
10KurtBusch020384-33151352
11DavidRagan128265-152150113
The top-10 drivers will make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Positions 11 and 12 in the 12-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup are Wild Cards, and will go to drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, as long as they are ranked in the top 20 in points. If multiple drivers outside the top 10 tie for wins, the tie-breaker will go to the race winner with the highest points position.
At Sonoma Raceway:
History
·         The track opened as a 2.52-mile road course and drag strip in 1968.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 11, 1989 – won by Ricky Rudd at a speed of 76.088 mph.
·         The first nine races were 300 kilometers and switched to a 350k format in 1998.
·         The track was reconfigured to 1.949 miles in 1998 with the installation of an 890-foot chute between the original Turns 4 and 7.
·         The track was reconfigured to 2.0 miles in 2001 and re-measured at 1.99 miles in 2002. 
Sonoma Raceway Data
Season Race #: 16 of 36 (06-23-13)
Track Size: 1.99-miles
Number of Turns: 12
Race Length: 110 laps / 219 miles / 350 Kilometers
Top 12 Driver Rating at Sonoma
Kurt Busch107.8
Tony Stewart107.5
Marcos Ambrose106.8
Jeff Gordon101.1
Juan Pablo Montoya97.8
Jimmie Johnson96.6
Clint Bowyer93.3
Kyle Busch92.8
Ryan Newman89.9
Carl Edwards84.9
Elliott Sadler84.9
Jamie McMurray84.4
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (eight total) among active drivers at Sonoma Raceway.
 
Qualifying/Race Data
2012 pole winner: Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 95.262 mph, 75.203 secs. 6-22-12
 
2012 race winner: Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 83.624 mph, (02:39:55), 6-24-12
 
Track qualifying record: Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 95.262 mph, 75.203 secs. 6-22-12
 
Track race record: Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 83.624 mph, (02:39:55), 6-24-12
Notebook
·         There have been 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma Raceway since the first race there in 1989 – one race per season.
·         184 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Sonoma Raceway; 131 in more than one.
·         Mark Martin and Terry Labonte lead the series in starts at Sonoma with 21 each; followed by Bobby Labonteand Jeff Gordon with 20 each.
·         Rusty Wallace won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Sonoma in 1989 with a speed of 90.041 mph.
·         15 drivers have Coors Light poles at Sonoma, led by Jeff Gordon with five.
·         Two drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Sonoma Ricky Rudd and Jeff Gordon. Ricky Ruddholds the record for most consecutive poles at Sonoma with three; fall 1990 through 1992.
·         Jeff Gordon is the only active driver to have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Sonoma: 1998-‘99 and 2004-’05.
·         Youngest Sonoma pole winner: Joey Logano (6/26/2011 – 21 years, 1 month, 2 days).
·         Oldest Sonoma pole winner: Rusty Wallace (6/25/2000 – 43 years, 10 months, 11 days).
·         16 different NSCS drivers have won at Sonoma Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with five wins. Tony Stewart has the second most wins (two) among active drivers at Sonoma.
·         Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in road course wins with nine (Sonoma, five; Watkins Glen, four); Tony Stewart has the second most road course wins all-time with seven (Watkins Glen, five; Sonoma, two).
·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record for the most wins (six) at a single road course track - Riverside International Raceway.
·         Jeff Gordon is the only driver to post consecutive wins (three total) at Sonoma Raceway (1988 and 1989 each from the pole and 2000 from the fifth starting position).
·         Youngest Sonoma winner: Kyle Busch (6/22/2008 – 23 years, 1 month, 20 days).
·         Oldest Sonoma winner: Ricky Rudd (6/23/2002 – 45 years, 9 months, 11 days).
·         Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Sonoma in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with six: Jeff Gordon(five) and Jimmie Johnson (one).
·         Six different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Sonoma; led by Chevrolet with 10 victories; followed byFord with six.
·         Five of the 24 (20.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jeff Gordon in 2004. Gordon is the only NSCS driver to win from the pole at Sonoma more than once.
·         The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more wins (five) than any other starting position at Sonoma Raceway.
·         Eight of the 24 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma have been won from the front row: five from the pole and three from second place.
·         18 of the 24 (75.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma have been won from a top-10 starting position.
·         Two of the 24 (8.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Michigan was 32nd, by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007.
·         Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Sonoma with four; followed by Jeff Gordon and TonyStewart with three each.
·         Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Sonoma with 12; followed by Ricky Rudd with 10.
·         Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at Sonoma with 16; followed by Mark Martin with 13.
·         Marcos Ambrose leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Sonoma with a 5.000.
·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Sonoma with an 8.550. Clint Bowyer (9.714) is the only other active driver with an average finish in the top 10.
·         All but one of the nine active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners at Sonoma Raceway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Juan Pablo Montoya won at Sonoma in his rookie season and his first appearance at the 1.99-mile track, the fewest previous starts among the active NSCS winners.
·         Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin competed at Sonoma Raceway eight times each before visiting Victory in Lane; the longest span of any the nine active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners. Johnson won in 2010 and Martin won in 1997.
·         Terry Labonte leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Sonoma without visiting Victory Lane at 21.
·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway was the June 27, 1999 race won by Jeff Gordon over Mark Martin with a MOV of 0.197 second.
·         There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup races resulting in a green-white-checkered finish at Sonoma Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2008 (110/112); 2009 (110/113) and 2012 (110/112).
·         None of the 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
·         Qualifying has never been cancelled in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway.   
·         Boris Said posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Sonoma Raceway (6/22/2003).
·         Juan Pablo Montoya posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway (6/24/2007).
·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Sonoma with 450 laps led in 20 starts.
·         Danica Patrick will attempt to become the first female driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to compete at Sonoma Raceway.
·         Patty Moise is the only female driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on a road course:
Track
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
Watkins Glen
Patty Moise
30
33
8/10/1987
Watkins Glen
Patty Moise
33
30
8/14/1988
 
NASCAR in California
·         There have been 134 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in California.
Track NameCityNSCS
Riverside International RacewayRiverside48
Auto Club SpeedwayFontana24
Sonoma RacewaySonoma24
Ontario Motor SpeedwayOntario9
California State FairgroundsSacramento6
Carrell SpeedwayGardena4
Ascot StadiumLos Angeles3
Bay Meadows Race TrackSan Mateo3
Marchbanks SpeedwayHanford3
Oakland StadiumOakland3
Redwood SpeedwayEureka2
Willow Springs SpeedwayLancaster2
Capitol SpeedwaySacramento1
Merced FairgroundsMerced1
Santa Clara FairgroundsSan Jose1
·         427 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as California.

DriverNSCSNNSNCWTS
Jeff Gordon8750
Jimmie Johnson6310
Kevin Harvick213914
Marvin Panch1700
Ernie Irvan1530
Dick Rathmann1300
Dan Gurney500
Eddie Gray400
Parnelli Jones400
Eddie Pagan400
Robby Gordon310
Ray Elder200
Danny Letner200
Marvin Porter200
Dick Brooks100
Marvin Burke100
Jim Cook100
Lou Figaro100
Danny Graves100
Johnny Mantz100
Casey Mears110
Bill Norton100
John Soares100
Danny Weinberg100
Ron Hornaday Jr0451
Jason Leffler021
David Gilliland010
Joe Ruttman0113
Boris Said011
Mike Skinner0128
Matt Crafton003
Kyle Larson001
Justin Lofton001
Scott Speed001
Brandon Whitt001