Observe: Sonoma RacewayLocation: Sonoma, CaliforniaTrack size: 1.99 milesWhen: 3:30 p.m. ETWhere to tune in: TNT Sports activities, truTV, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioRace purse: $11,233,037Race distance: 110 laps | 218.9 milesSegments: 25 | 55 | 110Sunday’s beginning lineup| Cup Collection pit stall assignments
A clear Sunday, maximizing factors the important thing for Sonoma
SONOMA, Calif. — The month of July is true across the nook, and meaning simply two months stay till The Chase kicks off at Darlington Raceway.
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A swath of summer time tracks will possible be a figuring out consider who makes the highest 16 as Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 precedes races at Chicagoland, EchoPark Speedway and North Wilkesboro. How does a driver make noise within the standings with so many variables in play? Look no additional than Erik Jones, who has surged from twenty first to 14th in factors over the past 4 races.
One of many keys to Jones’ success and being on the precise aspect of The Chase bubble is conserving a clear automobile. He is accomplished all however 9 laps in 2026, which is third greatest amongst full-time Cup drivers.
MORE: Weekend schedule | At-track images: Sonoma
“We have had some good days in there, however we have not had any actual dangerous ones, and that is what’s type of leapfrogged us right here in factors, fairly far up the standings. Plenty of guys have simply had dangerous days — even Shane (van Gisbergen) final weekend wrecked in San Diego, Preece had just a few dangerous weeks, simply the fellows that we’re racing round have had struggles. We’ve not made lots of errors on both finish, on my finish or on the crew’s finish, and within the instances that we now have, we have been in a position to type of clear it up and salvage a time out of it. I feel that is one thing to be happy with.”
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Each Michael McDowell and Ross Chastain are amongst these on the skin trying in on The Chase bubble and wish to take Jones’ spot away.
The pair of Chevrolet drivers put down scorching laps in Saturday’s qualifying session, with McDowell set to roll off fourth and Chastain fifth. With each level counting for the pair, it is nonetheless up within the air on how they’ll play their methods Sunday and whether or not or not it will likely be value risking a superb chunk of stage factors to go for the large payday of victory.
“We’ll see tomorrow once we see how a lot tempo we now have and the way a lot fall-off we now have,” McDowell stated. “If we are able to win a race, we will attempt to win the race, however there’s a lot that may play out, too, on this race, so you have to make good selections, too.”
“That query is for Brandon McSwain (crew chief) and the higher group at Trackhouse and Chevy to determine what’s greatest for the 1 automobile,” Chastain stated. “I make lap time and allow them to determine the remainder. I can not strive any more durable. After we have been crashing and popping brake rotors and never ending races, I used to be placing in the identical work, so sure, the outcomes have got here, and the factors include outcomes. Past that, how we get essentially the most factors, I can management lap time, and lap time contains fenders on the automobile, in order that’s high of thoughts.”
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SONOMA, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 27: Michael McDowell, driver of the #71 Delaware Life Chevrolet, drives throughout apply for the NASCAR Cup Collection Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 27, 2026 in Sonoma, California. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photos)
Within the particulars …
The road-course ringers would be the foremost drivers to observe on Sunday, however there may be quite a lot of the Cup Collection’ greatest which have carried out properly at Sonoma within the Subsequent Gen period.
This is a have a look at energetic drivers with one of the best common end on the Northern California street course since 2022:
DRIVER
AVERAGE FINISH
Michael McDowell
4.0
Chase Elliott
5.0
Chris Buescher
6.3
Ross Chastain
11.5
AJ Allmendinger
12.3
Brad Keselowski
12.5
Joey Logano
12.5
Christopher Bell
12.5
Daniel Suárez
12.8
Velocity reads
Race-day necessities:
• Sonoma hub: Key info, pit stalls, further outcomes | Learn extra• Sunday Setup: Observe place key for In-Season Challange development | Learn extra• Paint Scheme Preview: Contemporary on-track seems for wine nation | View gallery• Hauler Discuss: Breaking down a busy San Diego inaugural | Pay attention now• Energy Rankings: Buescher bulls means into high 5 | This week’s ranks
