NASCAR

NASCAR in Sonoma: Watch info, TV schedule, favorites for Toyota/Save Mart 350

Here's all the info you need to know ahead of Sunday's race in Sonoma.

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The first race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off Feb. 18. Here are the keys dates for the upcoming season.v

The NASCAR Cup Series is rolling into Wine Country.

Sonoma Raceway, a 12-turn, 1.99-mile track in Northern California, will play host to the second road course race of the 2024 season – and there's an added twist this year. The entire surface was repaved with fresh asphalt over the offseason, which could present unknown obstacles this weekend.

Martin Truex Jr., the defending race winner, looks to pace the field again while a number of other challengers are thirsty to drink wine from Sonoma’s victory chalice on Sunday afternoon.

Here’s everything you need to know the 2024 Toyota/Save Mart 350:

NASCAR Sonoma entry list

Thirty-eight drivers will race at Sonoma – the 34 full-timers, plus four others.

Australian Supercars stars Will Brown and Cam Waters will both make their Cup debuts – hoping to follow in the footsteps of Shane van Gisbergen, a Superstars champion who won in his first NASCAR start last year. Brown will pilot the No. 33 for Richard Childress Racing, while Water is driving the No. 60 for RFK Racing.

Elsewhere, Kaz Grala will pilot the No. 15 for Rick Ware Racing as he continues his part-time effort. Then there’s AJ Allmendinger, a two-time road course winner who races part-time in the Cup Series for Kaulig Racing.

Here’s the full entry list for Sonoma:

Car numberDriverTeamSponsor
1Ross ChastainTrackhouse RacingKubota
2Austin CindricTeam PenskeAmerica's Tire
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingGet Bioethanol
4Josh BerryStewart-Haas RacingMobil 1
5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsValvoline
6Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingKing's Hawaiian
7Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsGainbridge
8Kyle BuschRichard Childress RacingZone
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsNAPA Gold Filters
10Noah GragsonStewart-Haas RacingOverstock
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingFedEx
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeMenards
14Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord Performance Racing School
15Kaz GralaRick Ware RacingN29 Capital Partners
16AJ AllmendingerKaulig RacingCirkul
17Chris BuescherRFK RacingBuildSubmarines.com
19Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingBass Pro Shops
20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingRheem
21Harrison BurtonWood Brothers RacingDEX Imaging
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeAutotrader
23Bubba Wallace23XI RacingColumbia Sportswear
24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsRaptorTough.com
31Daniel HemricKaulig RacingCirkul
33Will BrownRichard Childress RacingMobile X
34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsLove's Travel Stops
38Todd GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFrontline
41Ryan PreeceStewart-Haas RacingCaymus Vineyards
42John Hunter NemechekLegacy Motor ClubSave Mart
43Erik JonesLegacy Motor ClubDollar Tree
45Tyler Reddick23XI RacingMonster Energy
47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingKroger/Tylenol
48Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsAlly Pride
51Justin HaleyRick Ware RacingJacob Construction
54Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingHe Gets Us
60Cam WatersRFK RacingAUKUS/BuildSubmarines.com
71Zane SmithSpire MotorsportsWellcare
77Carson HocevarSpire MotorsportsDelaware Life
99Daniel SuarezTrackhouse RacingFreeway Insurance
2024 Toyota/Save Mart 350 entry list

When is the NASCAR race in Sonoma?

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 is set for Sunday, June 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Before the race on Sunday, there will be practice and qualifying sessions. All 38 drivers will get an hour of practice on Friday.

Then, the field will compete in two-round qualifying on Saturday. Here’s how it works:

  • The 38 drivers will be split into two groups (found here).
  • First round: 15 minutes for each group. Drivers can make unlimited laps.
  • The five fastest drivers from each group advance to the second round. Starting positions 11 through 38 are set based on speeds from the first round.
  • Second round: 10 minutes for the 10 drivers who advanced. Drivers can make unlimited laps. The top 10 starting positions are determined based on the best single-lap speeds from the second round.

What is the TV schedule for NASCAR in Sonoma?

Friday, June 7 (FS1 and streaming)

Saturday, June 8 (FS2 and streaming)

Sunday, June 9 (FOX and streaming)

NASCAR Sonoma past winners, race history

Truex is chasing history this weekend. The 2017 Cup champion is a four-time winner at Sonoma (2013, 2018-19, 2023), one shy of tying Jeff Gordon’s track record.

Aside from Truex, there are just three other past Sonoma winners racing on Sunday. Kyle Busch has won twice (2008, 2015), while Larson (2021) and Suarez (2022) have one victory each.

NASCAR Sonoma favorites, drivers to watch

Sonoma is unlike any other road course on the schedule.

The track is full of hills, elevation changes and vastly different corners. So, while it’s tempting to look at the typical road course winners as the favorites, it’s beneficial to look at this track as a standalone.

Chase Elliott, William Byron and Tyler Reddick have been the three best road races over the past few years, though none of the three have won at Sonoma.

But Elliott still leads all active drivers in Sonoma average finish (12.1 in seven starts), road course average (8.9 in 30 starts) and road course wins (7). Byron has won two of the last three road races (COTA 2024, Watkins Glen 2023), leading 108 of 158 laps in those two events.

Looking at Sonoma specifically, Truex is always a driver to watch. He’s led 264 laps in 17 starts, most of all active drivers. Chris Buescher (7.3), Joey Logano (8.0), Ross Chastain (8.0) and Larson (8.0) join Elliott (5.0) and Truex (10.0) with the best average finishes at Sonoma over the last three years.

What is the weather for NASCAR in Sonoma?

NBC Bay Area is predicting a beautiful weekend in Sonoma. Temperatures could reach 81 degrees on Sunday, with some clouds in the morning before a sunny afternoon and just a 2% chance of rain. Keep up to date with the latest forecast here.

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