Posted on by Sean Montgomery

Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
(⏰ 4 p.m. ET | 📺 FS1 | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, the 16th regular-season event of the 2022 campaign.

Race-day info 📝

Where: Sonoma, California
Approximate start time: 4 p.m. ET | Full weekend schedule
TV/Radio: FS1, TSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio | Full TV schedule
Forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77 degrees, according to NOAA.gov | Weather tracker
Race distance: 110 laps | 218.9 miles
Stages: 25 | 55 | 110
Pit-road speed: 40 mph
Caution car speed: 45 mph
Grand marshals: The Bella Twins, WWE superstars
Pace car driver: Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers linebacker
The purse: $7,629,830
Sonoma 101: Get the full lowdown
Starting lineup: See where drivers will start
Pit stalls: See where drivers will pit

Key things to watch 🔑

Big story line

It’s no secret that the Next Gen car was built to be tough and versatile. Part of that versatility is geared toward increasing its prowess on road courses throughout the season. With a wider tire profile and a body composition that can withstand more beating and banging through the turns, the usual road-course specialists should have stiffer competition this weekend at Sonoma. During the first road-course race this season at the Circuit of The Americas, drivers with minimal experience with left-and-right turns were able to be more competitive and outrun some of the favorites. Routine front-runners like Chase Elliott, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr., who has dominated the field at Sonoma in his career, will have to battle through a larger and stronger group of contenders if they are going to win on Sunday. And oh, yeah. The Chute is back.

Who’s hot? Who’s not? 

Despite Chase Elliott’s historic dominance at road courses, it was Kyle Larson who had the hot hand for much of the 2021 season en route to his Cup Series championship. The California native has been on fire at Sonoma, starting on the pole in four consecutive races and leading a total of 68 laps. Larson has also won three of the last six races on road circuits, including last season’s showdown at Sonoma. Needing more consistent results to bolster his title defense, Larson and the No. 5 bunch could make Sunday the perfect time to jump-start a solid run.

Conversely, Aric Almirola has struggled almost as much as anyone on road courses. Almirola has 12 consecutive finishes of 12th or worse and has never led a lap in nine Sonoma starts. But looking at the numbers, the strategy hasn’t been that far off for the Stewart-Haas Racing Team at times, scoring stage points in three of six. But it will take a more complete effort for the No. 10 team to break their spiraling trend. Almirola finished 19th after starting 25th at Circuit of The Americas, suggesting that a better effort in qualifying could leave them with a solid chance at a top-10 run on Sunday.

Driving under the radar

If you just look at previous Cup Series starts as your metric, you won’t find rookie Austin Cindric among the favorites to win on Sunday. In fact, Saturday’s practice session will be the first laps for the No. 2 Team Penske driver at Sonoma. But Cindric is an accomplished road racer and would be an unsurprising winner if he can pull it off this weekend. He finished eighth at COTA and consistently ran at the front of the field in the Xfinity Series’ road-course races, including winning at the Daytona Road Course and Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Road Course. After winning the Daytona 500, Cindric’s inaugural season has been a rollercoaster. But with a heavy slate of road courses on the horizon, expect the No. 2 crew to once again make a statement.

Saturday’s sessions

Practice was a bit of a mixed bag for teams as they tried to dial in their car for qualifying and Sunday’s race. Sonoma is only the second road-course race of the year and it showed with a bit of rust and ironing out kinks in the Next Gen car. Unsurprisingly, AJ Allmendinger rose to the forefront of the leaderboard in Group A, while Kyle Larson continued his impressive run-of-form with a titanic effort in Group B. But it was Larson whose quick pace carried over to group qualifying, landing the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver his fourth consecutive pole in qualifying at Sonoma and fifth overall. A great start to the California native’s attempt to match his race-winning effort from 2021. | Full practice and qualifying recap | No. 51 team fails inspection, penalized

 

Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

Race-day staples ✅

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• Paint Scheme Preview: Cars dressed for the West Coast trip | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Will Bowman show out at Sonoma? | Updated drivers rankings
• Fantasy Fastlane: Martin Truex Jr. destined for a breakout run at Sonoma | Top plays, sleepers
• NASCAR betting: Best odds to win at Sonoma | Top dogs and underdogs
• Backseat Drivers: Rivalries heat up for Sonoma | Experts analyze the race

Catch the pack 💨

Read up on the top headlines from the week leading up to Sunday’s race.

• Chastain: Driver attempts to quell feuds, speaks to rivals | Full story
• Inspection: No. 51 Cup team fails multiple times, penalized by NASCAR | Learn more
• Pearn’s return: Cole Pearn serving as engineer on No. 19 JGR crew this weekend | Read more
• Twist-and-turn: Sonoma’s winding layout presents next challenge for Next Gen car | Read more
• Domino effect: Reddick on verge of first win, hoping for breakthrough at Sonoma | Read more
• Chastain vs. Hamlin: Officials set to monitor the feud | Read more
• Mark, Mamba & The Mayor: New podcast tackles Sonoma’s evolution, more | Listen here
• Chasing Smoke: Hamlin one win away from Stewart on all-time win list | Full analysis
• Le Mans: Kyle Larson drops subtle, playful hint at openness for 2023 race | Read more
• Byron blossoming: William Byron wins prestigious Super Late Model race | Race recap
• On standby: Daniel Suárez on standby for Carson Hocevar at Sonoma | Read more
• Strength in numbers: Justin Marks sticks up for Ross Chastain, welcomes competition | Read more
• Jack Ingram: Hickory Speedway set to honor NASCAR Hall of Famer | Learn more
• NDIP: NASCAR Diversity Internship Program welcomes 2022 class | See them here

Get in on the action 💰

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.

• BetMGM: Which driver’s stock is rising for Sunday? | Read more
• The Action Network: Featured matchup to bet on Sunday | Read more
• Play it LIVE: Full guide to 2022 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
• Going all the way: 2022 Cup Series championship odds | See them here

Wine and winding roads 🍷

Get a quick look at relevant history, including previous winners of this road-course showdown.

• Winning out west: All-time winners at Sonoma | See the list
• Do you remember? Most memorable moments at Sonoma | Relive them
• Ringers: Active Cup Series drivers with road-course wins | Who has the most?
• Turn 11: Biggest moments in Turn 11 at Sonoma | Watch the GIFs
• Sweet victory: A look at past Sonoma celebrations | Road-course laurels

Fast facts ⏩

Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• This will be the 28th race on the 1.99-mile, 11-turn layout and the first since 2018.
• Sonoma is the second of six road course races in 2022.
• The last four Sonoma races were won by four different organizations and Martin Truex Jr. won with both JGR and Furniture Row during that period.
• Stage 1 at Sonoma has never had more than one caution and was caution-free twice.
• Two of the last three Sonoma races had a final green-flag stretch of 46 or more laps, with the 2021 final stretch lasting only two laps.

Say what? 🎙

Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Sunday’s race.

• “I’ve always had some good speed at Sonoma (Raceway) and it’s my home track. It’s always fun to see my friends and family, and it was cool to get my first win at my home track last year. But that was with last year’s car and on the longer track. Hopefully, we can get another pole there this weekend, lead some laps and challenge for the win again.” — Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

• “This car definitely lends itself to road course racing, so I’m excited to go to Sonoma this weekend. That is always a fun track and a great area to go to. It’s a lot different than anywhere else that we go, so I know a lot of people look forward to going there. As far as the track, it will be fun to go back to the layout we ran for a long time. It will add a few extra passing zones, which you will also see quite a bit of dive-bombing into those turns. That will make for an exciting race. We just need to stay out of trouble and I feel like we can have a good day.” — Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

• “Sonoma is a fun road course and just a great market and experience for many folks who will experience their first race. I know we have a large contingent of our West Coast friends coming out for the weekend, as the area provides bucket-list experiences. I’ve been in the mix and close at Sonoma before, so figuring out the left and right-handers this weekend is key in getting our Kohler Power Reserve Ford primed and ready to go for Sunday.” — Brad Keselowski, owner/driver of the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford

Posted on by Staff Report

Ross Chastain is focused on moving forward at Sonoma Raceway this weekend after some chaotic excursions one week ago.

Chastain found himself at odds with Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott, among others, after aggressive driving from the No. 1 Chevrolet’s pilot resulted in separate incidents with Hamlin and Elliott at World Wide Technology Raceway.

RELATED: Sonoma starting lineup | Weekend schedule

Ahead of Cup Series practice at Sonoma on Saturday, Chastain confirmed he spoke with both drivers and is ready to move on.

“I’ve talked to all parties involved and yeah, I believe I should be in this car and I believe that I did make a mistake and I hit Denny too hard,” Chastain told FS1. “But I’m not the first guy to do that. I hit him way too hard. I hate that I took him out of the day. But we had a good conversation and whatever happens happens. I’m here to go fast and I feel like the best way that I can hurt their feelings more is to take our Worldwide Express car and just go fast.”

Hamlin told reporters he and Chastain did have a conversation but declined to elaborate on the extent of that discussion.

“I think he knows where I stand,” Hamlin said.

MORE: Chastain makes enemies at Gateway

Elliott, taken out of contention at Gateway after his spin was initiated by Chastain, waited for Chastain to reach out and was left satisfied with their talk.

“He is fast and they have a lot of pace,” Elliott said of Chastain. “And he’s gonna be just as successful with that pace that he has if he’s just a little more mindful of the positions he puts himself and others in at points of the race that don’t matter as much. That was really all I had to say.”

Whether things remain pleasant between the two drivers going forward, Elliott said, it’s Chastain’s decision.

“I think that’s up to him,” said Elliott, the 2020 Cup champion. “I tried to take the high road and talk to him as if I would want somebody to talk to me. I just tried to give him my opinion. He can take it or leave it or whatever he wants to do.”

Elliott will start second in Sunday’s Cup race at Sonoma with Chastain third. Hamlin rolls off 10th.

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson stormed to the Busch Light Pole Award in Saturday’s qualifying session at Sonoma Raceway.

RELATED: Starting lineup | Weekend schedule

Larson’s lap at 92.111 mph topped the charts ahead of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, meaning the dynamic duo will start Sunday’s race (4 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) exactly how they finished the 2021 event in northern California. Elliott’s lap time was just 0.02 seconds shy of Larson’s.

Larson, the defending series champion, will lead the field to the green flag at Sonoma for the fifth consecutive time, a streak dating back to 2017 that skips the 2020 hiatus. Four of the five pole awards came courtesy of qualifying, establishing the track record. His 2021 pole was awarded via metrics without on-track practice or qualifying.

“It was good, and I was a bit surprised, because I felt like I gave up a lot of time in Turns 4 and 7, so had I had those two corners back, I felt like I could have went quite a bit faster,” said the Elk Grove, California, native. “Thanks to everyone on our team. Excited about it.”

Chris Buescher, who returns to the No. 17 Ford after missing last week’s race due to COVID protocols, posted the third-fastest lap Saturday ahead of Michael McDowell and Tyler Reddick, who completed the top five for Sunday’s starting lineup. Cole Custer, Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top 10.

AJ Allmendinger was sixth fastest in Group A’s session, falling just 0.018 seconds short of Buescher, who held the final transfer position in Saturday’s opening round.

Larson is the only driver among the top-10 with a previous win at the track.

Three-time Sonoma winner Martin Truex Jr., the winningest active driver at the track, will roll off 28th in the No 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. His former championship-winning crew chief, Cole Pearn is working as an engineer this week for the No. 19 team.

His teammate, the only other active multi-time winner at Sonoma, two-time winner Kyle Busch just missed advancing to the final round of qualifying. He will start the No. 18 JGR Toyota in 11th place, right alongside his older brother Kurt Busch in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. Kurt is a former winner at Sonoma as well.

Renowned sports car racer Joey Hand qualified the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford in 17th in his second NASCAR Cup Series start of the season. Todd Gilliland was the fastest rookie and will start the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, 24th.

NASCAR Wire Service’s Holly Cain contributed to this report.

MORE: Larson surprised by pole win

Allmendinger, Larson lead practice at Sonoma

AJ Allmendinger and Kyle Larson posted the quickest laps in their respective practice groups on Saturday afternoon.

While Allmendinger’s lap at 89.898 mph was fastest in Group A, six drivers from Group B posted faster laps than him. Larson’s lap at 90.42 mph reigned supreme over Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch and Daniel Suárez.

Joining Allmendinger at the top of the charts in Group A was Chris Buescher, followed by Kevin Harvick, William Byron and Bubba Wallace.

RELATED: Practice results | At-track photos

The drivers atop the charts shouldn’t come as a surprise. Larson’s Sonoma win in 2021 was one of three road-course victories for him a season ago, and Allmendinger took the checkered flag at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course last August to accompany his 2014 Watkins Glen triumph. Seven of Elliott’s 14 career victories have come on road courses, but none of those were at Sonoma. Chastain won this year’s only road-course race so far at Circuit of The Americas.

The only notable off-road excursion in Saturday’s practice sessions came courtesy of Chase Briscoe, who found himself in the Turn 2 grass after a bobble on corner entry. The No. 14 Ford left a cloud of dust behind him but continued without issue.

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson met with the media Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, returning to his Northern California stomping grounds as the defending Cup Series race winner. The questions were customary about stage strategy, tire management, being back home, and his plans for the off weekend next week. But tacked onto the press conference was a burning question by a special guest, hinting at a special Garage 56 appearance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

RELATED: Twitter: @nascarg56 | Inside Garage 56 innovations

Boris Said, a former Sonoma race winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, took the microphone Saturday to also ask about Larson’s off-weekend plans — except for 2023, not this season.

“So if next year is an off weekend, would you spend it in France vacationing?” Said asked.

Larson laughed and said, “I would, yes,” as Said interjected: “At Le Mans?”

“If NASCAR would allow us, for sure,” Larson said.

“Cool,” was Said’s reply.

The playful exchange may have gently stoked speculation about the Garage 56 collaboration between NASCAR and Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports team, targeted for the 2023 endurance race next year. The driver lineup has not been announced for the Next Gen stock-car entry into the 24-hour classic, but the organization’s pool of drivers could be natural fits if the race coincides with an idle weekend on the to-be-released NASCAR schedule for 2023.

The 2022 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is this weekend. Dignitaries from both NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports are in attendance to experience the 90th running.

Said is on hand at Sonoma this weekend as the track honors the four previous winners of Camping World Truck Series races there. The tailgate tour is back at the 1.99-mile road course this season after a four-race run from 1995-98. Said is the most recent Sonoma truck winner, and was joined by fellow victors Ron Hornaday Jr. (1995), Dave Rezendes (1996) and Joe Ruttman (1997).

Posted on by Staff Report

The No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford failed Saturday’s pre-qualifying inspection four times, drawing multiple penalties from NASCAR Cup Series officials at Sonoma Raceway.

RELATED: Weekend schedule | At-track photos

NASCAR officials did not allow driver Cody Ware to participate in Saturday’s Busch Pole Qualifying, putting the No. 51 at the back of the field for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 (4 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM). Ware will also have to serve a pass-through penalty at the soonest opportunity after Sunday’s green flag. NASCAR also ejected No. 51 engineer Steve Gray for the remainder of the weekend.

Further penalties beyond the in-weekend punishment will be announced in next week’s penalty report. Those could include points deductions, fines, and/or team roster suspensions.

One other team had multiple inspection failures, as the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford for driver Scott Heckert failed twice. Officials ejected Chris Stanley, an engineer with the No. 78 team.

Posted on by Staff Report

Carson Hocevar, in his return from injury, led a 1-2 sweep for Niece Motorsports in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, just before crashing in his No. 42 Chevrolet at the end of his run at Sonoma Raceway.

RELATED: Starting lineup | Weekend schedule

Hocevar, hobbled by a final-lap wreck in last weekend’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway, qualified first at 91.135 mph to earn the top starting spot for Saturday’s DoorDash 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM). But Hocevar lost control in the final bend in the 1.99-mile track’s esses section, damaging his truck in the Turn 10 tire barrier.

2022 June11 Carson Hocevar 2 Main Image
Jennifer Fisher | NASCAR Digital Media

Hocevar’s truck was being tended to by his Niece Motorsports crew, which was attempting to fix the primary truck. The 19-year-old driver was evaluated and released from the track’s care center.

Teammate Ross Chastain qualified second in the Niece No. 41 entry at 90.492 mph. Fellow Cup Series regular Kyle Busch was third, with Ty Majeski fourth and Tyler Ankrum fifth.

Hocevar was cleared to race by NASCAR officials on Friday. He had undergone surgery earlier in the week to repair a broken bone in his right ankle, and has been navigating the garage area on crutches since his arrival at Sonoma Raceway.

Cup Series regular Daniel Suárez remains on standby for Hocevar this weekend. The Trackhouse Racing driver split time with Hocevar during Friday’s Truck Series practice session.

Posted on by Staff Report

Less than a week removed from his last-lap crash at World Wide Technology Raceway, Carson Hocevar appeared on Friday at Sonoma Raceway ready to race.

“I broke my tibia for sure,” Hocevar told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “(In surgery) they had to do a screw to basically hold it in on my right ankle.”

That was on Monday. Five days later, he was already behind the wheel and cranking out left- and right-hand turns on the 1.99-mile California circuit.

Hocevar and Daniel Suárez combined to finish seventh in the session, splitting seat time just in case complications arose throughout the weekend.

RELATED: Sonoma weekend schedule | Friday’s practice results | Niece lines up Suárez as reserve

“I’m moreso glad that I could get to here today,” Hocevar said. “They (NASCAR Officials) made me put on my suit, helmet, shoes, everything and get in and out a few times. Going through the approval process and luckily I’d done good enough that they approved me for practice for sure.”

However, there is a difference between competing part-time in a 50-minute practice session and handling the full task of a multi-hour race — a race for which Hocevar was indeed cleared for following practice.

Outside of the truck, he labored through the garage on crutches with his foot in a splint.

When asked how he is handling all of the pain and emotion this weekend, Hocevar said, “Adrenaline and everything is the easiest cure for any sort of pain.”

But he also knows there may be repercussions for perseverance in his push for playoff eligibility.

“My only goal is to go as fast as possible,” Hocevar said. “But at the same time, that’s not what the rest of the team or sponsors, everybody wants me to take it easy, and the racer in me just wants to get out there and try to put the biggest lap I can. Our goal is to be at Phoenix (Raceway), and it would be very selfish of me to try to push too hard for one race.”

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to California’s scenic wine country for its annual stop at Sonoma Raceway.

The surroundings feature plenty of winding roads through the hilly and twisting road course north of San Francisco.

Everything you need to know for the second road course on this year’s Cup schedule is right here:

GETTING FAMILIAR

A staple on the Cup schedule since 1989, Sonoma is no new territory for the Cup Series field.

However, some of today’s drivers have yet to compete on this weekend’s track configuration. Competitors will race using the Chute between Turns 4A and 7A on the 10-turn layout, eliminating the carousel course that had been featured in both 2019 and 2021 (NASCAR did not compete at Sonoma in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic).

2022june8 Sonoma Map

Longtime fans will remember the Chute layout as the Sonoma norm from 1998-2018. Teams will be separated into Groups A and B and allowed 20 minutes of practice per group on Saturday (4:35 p.m. ET, FS1) ahead of group qualifying to reacquaint themselves with the Chute as the Next Gen car debuts on the 1.99-mile course.

Qualifying will feature one 15-minute timed session per group. The five fastest in each group will then advance to the final round of qualifying, where those 10 drivers will fight for the pole in a 10-minute timed session. The driver who posts the fastest lap in that session will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: See this week’s groups here | Weekend schedule | Cup Series standings 

HISTORY IN WINE COUNTRY

– Sonoma Raceway was built on 800 acres in 1968 by an attorney from Point Reyes and a land developer from Kentfield. They got the idea of a race track while on a hunting trip. The property was a working farm called Sears Point Farm in the early 1900s.

– In 1969, the track was bought by Filmways Corp. of Los Angeles. The track had many different owners and operators over the next several years.

– In 1986, Harvey “Skip” Berg, owner of a real estate acquisition and development company, took control of the track and brought in professional management. Bruton Smith and Speedway Motorsports bought the track in 1996.

– Sonoma Raceway joined the Cup schedule in 1989, a race won by Ricky Rudd, who led 61 of the 74 laps on the “full” 2.52-mile, 12-turn course.

– The Chute was introduced in 1998, shortening the track to 10 turns at 1.99 miles.

– Winners of most major events at Sonoma celebrate with a sip from the Champion’s Goblet in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle. The goblet was introduced in 2006 incorporating the raceway’s rich wine country heritage and allowing the winner to toast the fans. The goblets are created by a local glass blower from Sonoma.

Source: Racing Insights

RELATED: See every driver who’s won at Sonoma

GOODYEAR TIRES

With sharp turns and heavy braking to come this weekend, the challenge is placed on Goodyear to provide a tire to handle those unique asks with the Next Gen car.

Heavy braking stresses the front tires while the rear tires are taxed with harsh acceleration on corner exit. An area of focus for Goodyear this weekend is the tire’s tread splice, which as the company notes is particularly stressed. The tread splice is the area of the tread that is joined together in the manufacturing process.

Because of that, Goodyear will run one tire for the NASCAR Cup cars at Sonoma with two different tire codes — one code for the left front and right rear, and another for the right front and left rear.

“We have a unique way of building and mounting tires for this week’s Cup race at Sonoma, with the ‘normal’ left-right tire codes making way to help get tires on the correct corner of the car,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “This directional mounting helps to protect the beveled splice of the tread component, insuring the splice is closed under the force of braking on both front tires, and closed under the force of acceleration on both rears.”

SONOMA STORY LINES 

– Kyle Larson started first for the last four races at Sonoma, winning the pole three times and earning the pole via metrics in 2021.

– Kyle Larson won three road course races in 2021, the most all-time in a single season.

– Sonoma is the second of five road course races in 2022; four of the next 10 Cup races are on road courses.

– Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 of the last 15 road course events and hasn’t gone more than one road course race without a win since 2019. Trackhouse Racing (Ross Chastain) won at Circuit of The Americas in March, the only Cup race on a road course completed this year.

– Christopher Bell has finished inside the top 10 in the last five races, his career longest streak.

– Kevin Harvick (2017) and Martin Truex Jr. (2018, ’19) have combined to win three of the last four Sonoma races. Both are winless in 2022, with Harvick on a 58-race winless streak.

– The pass for the win came in the final 10 laps in 12 of the 15 races in 2022.

– Kyle Busch was passed for the win in the final two laps in each of the last two races

Source: Racing Insights

RELATED: Why officials are monitoring Chastain, rivals

BACK TO THE FAVORITES

Whenever NASCAR heads to a road course, Chase Elliott’s name is the first that comes to mind.

He should be. Four of Elliott’s last seven wins have come on a road course, dating back to his 2020 victory on the Daytona International Speedway road course. The 2020 Cup champion enters as this week’s favorite at 9-2 odds, according to BetMGM.

But there is cause for pause with an Elliott pick: For all his road course success, Elliott has yet to win at Sonoma, posting a best finish of second last year to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Larson, always an excellent qualifier at Sonoma, is BetMGM’s next-best bet at 7-1 for Sunday’s race.

It’s also difficult to overlook AJ Allmendinger, who will pilot the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing this weekend. BetMGM lists Allmendinger at 12-1 odds, which might be a fantastic bet come Sunday. Allmendinger won last week’s Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway and was battling Ross Chastain for the win at COTA in March before Chastain sent Allmendinger spinning. Allmendinger drove Kaulig to Victory Lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course last summer and is likely to be a sure factor this weekend.

RELATED: Betting odds for Sonoma

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts by garaging a driver by the end of Stage 3, and there is a $25,000 prize for the winner.

The 2022 Fantasy Live points leaders are Chase Elliott (501), Kyle Busch (491) and Ross Chastain (479).

How to play: Fantasy Live | Set up a team today!

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

Posted on by Adam Fenwick

Jack Ingram is one of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ greatest stars.

From the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series season in 1982 to his final season in 1991, Ingram accomplished more than any other driver in the series at the time.

That doesn’t even include Ingram’s success at the local racing level. He local racing résumé includes two track championships at Hickory Motor Speedway, the location of Saturday’s inaugural Jack Ingram Memorial event.

Here’s a look at some of the incredible statistics Ingram put together during his tenure in NASCAR and at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Unknown – Because records from Jack Ingram’s heyday are incomplete, its unknown exactly how many races he won during his lengthy career.

2nd – Jack Ingram competed in 19 NASCAR Cup Series races from 1965 to 1981, earning a best finish of second at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1967. He finished one lap behind race winner Richard Petty.

8 – Of Jack Ingram’s 31 NASCAR Xfinity Series victories, eight of them came at Hickory Motor Speedway. His first came in 1982 and his last came in 1987. He is tied with Tommy Houston for the most Xfinity Series wins at Hickory.

50 – Jack Ingram was 50 years old when he captured his final NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1987.

1,256 – Jack Ingram led 1,256 laps in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Hickory Motor Speedway, more than any other driver.

2 – Jack Ingram won two Hickory Motor Speedway track championships. His first came in 1968, with the second coming in 1971.

12 – Counting his two track titles at Hickory Motor Speedway, Jack Ingram won a total of 12 track championships at a variety of race tracks during his career.

2014 – Jack Ingram was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014.

26 – In his 31 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Hickory Motor Speedway, he finished inside the top-10 26 times. The only driver with more top-10 finishes in Xfinity Series competition is Tommy Houston with 28.

3 – Before the NASCAR Xfinity Series was created, Jack Ingram won three-straight NASCAR Late Model Sportsman championships from 1972-74.

11 – Jack Ingram could usually be found driving his familiar No. 11 throughout the Southeast during his many years racing at local tracks and with the NASCAR Xfinity Series. All but one of his NASCAR Xfinity Series victories came in the No. 11.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

It’s a relief Tyler Reddick will have multiple opportunities to analyze Sonoma Raceway’s road course this weekend from the seat of his No. 8 Chevrolet. Last year, the first time he experienced the wine country’s asphalt was when he sped past the waving green flag. 

The 2021 race marked Reddick’s debut at Sonoma, not just at NASCAR’s top level but across all three series. Due to COVID-19 concerns, there was no practice or qualifying. He finished 19th, completing the full 92-lap distance without any prior track work. Thankfully for Reddick, he’ll have both pre-race opportunities Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1) to feel better prepared for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 (4 p.m. ET, FS1).

TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 23: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 BetMGM Chevrolet, waits on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 23, 2022 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) | Getty Images
James Gilbert | Getty Images

“That was pretty crazy,” Reddick told NASCAR.com. “I’m racing in a field of drivers that have ran that track – at least a majority of them – at least 10 times, a lot of laps there. So, I’m playing catch-up. I’m having to try and learn a new configuration again, a lot of the same corners but the priorities of what corners you want to be good in are going to be different, so I’m just trying to manage that as best I can.”

SONOMA: Weekend schedule | Betting odds | Paint schemes

Also unlike last year, Sunday’s feature will be run on the 1.99-mile layout rather than the 2.52-miler used for the last two races in 2019 and 2021 (COVID-19 canceled 2020) – aka ever since Reddick joined the premier series full-time. The shorter course was the go-to option from 1998-2018. And now it’s back.

In his third full-time season, Reddick holds four top fives, six top 10s and a total of 249 laps led, which is good for sixth most in the garage. Just last week, he came in 16th at World Wide Technology Raceway, and he was sixth two weeks ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Before that, he was 30th at Kansas Speedway and second at Darlington Raceway, building on a rather up-and-down trend through 15 races.

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - APRIL 17: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Mars Crunchy Cookie Toyota, takes the checkered flag ahead of Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, to win the NASCAR Cup Series Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 17, 2022 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Logan Riely | Getty Images

Reddick has two runner-up finishes this year (Darlington-1, Bristol Dirt Race). In his career, he has five — and only one driver all-time has ever had more without a win (G.C. Spencer with seven).

“We have lots of speed pretty much every single weekend. There’s only been maybe two or three where we’ve not had it,” Reddick said. “I mean, we’re up there racing against guys that go to Victory Lane, some of them we’ve been better than all day to get the job done. It’s frustrating to see it happen, but the last thing any of us want to do when we see that is to get mad, give up, quit or quit putting in the effort that we have been all year. It’s just motivating us even further.”

With 11 races left in the regular season, Reddick sits 16th on the playoff bubble with a two-point cushion above the cutline. Currently, he claims the final transfer spot and one of the five currently available to drivers based on points. The 11 different winners this season have earned provisional postseason berths.

Although the Richard Childress Racing team is conscious of its playoff placement, members haven’t given it any thought – “zero,” Reddick said. If anything, they’re circling repeat tracks and keeping detailed notes. Reddick notes there is a lot of racing still left. The belief is if he and his crew keep doing business as usual, a checkered flag will be captured and a playoff ticket will be punched. 

“I’d like it to be like dominos,” Reddick said. “That’d be great.”