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What drivers are saying about ‘The Carousel’ at Sonoma
By Chase Wilhelm | Published: June 17, 2019 8
Sonoma Raceway
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Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma Raceway will bring back the circuit's historic 12-turn, 2.52-mile road-course layout for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The blast from the past includes the signature sweeping, downhill left-hand corner coined "The Carousel," implemented for the first time since 1998. We caught up with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers to get their outlook on the addition and how they're preparing for its return.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
KURT BUSCH
Outlook: “The old carousel has quite a bit of difference and it has such a long left-handed corner effect now that the left handers will be more important than they have been in years past at Sonoma."
On racing the carousel in the past: “I never have. I'm not even old enough to have been on the carousel before. It'll be fun. I used to watch races all the time with them running the carousel and racing up the drag strip into Turn 7 is going to be a whole new element."
Outlook: “The old carousel has quite a bit of difference and it has such a long left-handed corner effect now that the left handers will be more important than they have been in years past at Sonoma."
On racing the carousel in the past: “I never have. I'm not even old enough to have been on the carousel before. It'll be fun. I used to watch races all the time with them running the carousel and racing up the drag strip into Turn 7 is going to be a whole new element."
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
MICHAEL MCDOWELL
Outlook: “The carousel is going to be fun. I think any time you add a level of difficulty or element to an already really challenging race track, it's going to create some opportunity for passing, braking zone ... all those things I think are good. Especially at Sonoma, it's so tight and twisty, a lot of times it can be challenging to pass somebody. So, now we've added a great passing opportunity going into Turn 7. Some areas for guys to make mistakes and create opportunities to pass."
Outlook: “The carousel is going to be fun. I think any time you add a level of difficulty or element to an already really challenging race track, it's going to create some opportunity for passing, braking zone ... all those things I think are good. Especially at Sonoma, it's so tight and twisty, a lot of times it can be challenging to pass somebody. So, now we've added a great passing opportunity going into Turn 7. Some areas for guys to make mistakes and create opportunities to pass."
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Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
CHASE ELLIOTT
Outlook: “Yeah, I'm really excited about Sonoma. Just a cool place. It's been a real challenge for me personally. I feel like it's been one of my worst places that we've gone. We've put a lot of emphasis on trying to be better there. We had our best run that we've ever had there last year and now the track is changing. Hopefully we can adapt quicker than others and try to have a good qualifying effort. That really seems to set up Sunday for you at that place."
On preparation for it: “Just go and do it. To me, there's no substitute for going and doing stuff. I think you can pick up bad habits in the SIM (simulator), especially for road racing. If everything's not just perfect, your brake markers and things, I think you can pick up bad habits. I'd rather just make good ones at the race track and hopefully we can figure it out there in the couple practices we have."
Outlook: “Yeah, I'm really excited about Sonoma. Just a cool place. It's been a real challenge for me personally. I feel like it's been one of my worst places that we've gone. We've put a lot of emphasis on trying to be better there. We had our best run that we've ever had there last year and now the track is changing. Hopefully we can adapt quicker than others and try to have a good qualifying effort. That really seems to set up Sunday for you at that place."
On preparation for it: “Just go and do it. To me, there's no substitute for going and doing stuff. I think you can pick up bad habits in the SIM (simulator), especially for road racing. If everything's not just perfect, your brake markers and things, I think you can pick up bad habits. I'd rather just make good ones at the race track and hopefully we can figure it out there in the couple practices we have."
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
ALEX BOWMAN
Outlook: “I think it'll be cool. I'm all for new stuff. I think the race is going to be longer than normal and probably a little more challenging, but I'm looking forward to it."
On preparation for it in the simulator: “I was a SIM guy three years ago. I ran five laps at Sonoma (in the simulator) and called it good. Just wanted to see what things look like."
Outlook: “I think it'll be cool. I'm all for new stuff. I think the race is going to be longer than normal and probably a little more challenging, but I'm looking forward to it."
On preparation for it in the simulator: “I was a SIM guy three years ago. I ran five laps at Sonoma (in the simulator) and called it good. Just wanted to see what things look like."
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
JIMMIE JOHNSON
Outlook: "I have driven the track in a Formula 4 years ago through the carousel, so I've at least seen it and know where the turns are, but we're talking years ago. Totally different vehicle and all that. We're all going to be learning together. ... I think the slower the speeds, the more aggressive we'll be and the carousel will be on the faster side of things. I don't know how rough we'll get with one another through there."
On preparation for it: "I don't have a good sensation of it. I really struggle driving the simulator on road courses. I've tried it a few times and I've only made a couple laps and had to get out and look for a sick bag. I won't use the simulator before I go. The simulator can get you close, but I don't think we have enough data to really sim it up correctly. I don't think any manufacturers do or anyone in NASCAR does. I'm just going to go out there and learn like everybody else."
Outlook: "I have driven the track in a Formula 4 years ago through the carousel, so I've at least seen it and know where the turns are, but we're talking years ago. Totally different vehicle and all that. We're all going to be learning together. ... I think the slower the speeds, the more aggressive we'll be and the carousel will be on the faster side of things. I don't know how rough we'll get with one another through there."
On preparation for it: "I don't have a good sensation of it. I really struggle driving the simulator on road courses. I've tried it a few times and I've only made a couple laps and had to get out and look for a sick bag. I won't use the simulator before I go. The simulator can get you close, but I don't think we have enough data to really sim it up correctly. I don't think any manufacturers do or anyone in NASCAR does. I'm just going to go out there and learn like everybody else."
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
DENNY HAMLIN
Outlook: “I won't change the strategy much. With the little bit of SIM work that's been done, the setups won't change a whole lot from the previous layout. Really, I think it's going to be about the same from what we had. As drivers, we have to figure out how to make best time there. We've really figured out how to make optimum time at all the other corners since we've been there so many times but adding the different corners definitely will throw a kink for us, at least the first few minutes of practice. With all the data and everything, they get things figured out pretty quick."
Outlook: “I won't change the strategy much. With the little bit of SIM work that's been done, the setups won't change a whole lot from the previous layout. Really, I think it's going to be about the same from what we had. As drivers, we have to figure out how to make best time there. We've really figured out how to make optimum time at all the other corners since we've been there so many times but adding the different corners definitely will throw a kink for us, at least the first few minutes of practice. With all the data and everything, they get things figured out pretty quick."
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
CHRIS BUESCHER
Outlook: “It kind of makes it, for the first time at Sonoma, turning left a little bit important. So, that has been so heavily biased toward all the right handers that you could really just afford to give up a lot through the left handers. Now you have a carousel that's a long, sweeping left hander into a really good passing zone."
"You're going to have to figure out where you draw the line; where you give up a little bit to gain some. I don't know the answer yet but looking forward to it. I like doing something different and this time we get to go do something different. It's road racing plus a track change. I'm a fan of it."
Outlook: “It kind of makes it, for the first time at Sonoma, turning left a little bit important. So, that has been so heavily biased toward all the right handers that you could really just afford to give up a lot through the left handers. Now you have a carousel that's a long, sweeping left hander into a really good passing zone."
"You're going to have to figure out where you draw the line; where you give up a little bit to gain some. I don't know the answer yet but looking forward to it. I like doing something different and this time we get to go do something different. It's road racing plus a track change. I'm a fan of it."