This week’s race: Toyota / Save Mart 350
Traditional Name: None
Other Notable Names: Dodge / SaveMart 350, Save Mart / Kragen 350, Save Mart Supermarkets 300, Banquet Frozen Foods 300
NASCAR’s focus has always been on oval racing. Dirt dominated the early seasons, paved short tracks slowly overtook their dusty rivals as the Modern Era dawned, and then speedways ruled supreme. Road course racing has never been emphasized, but it has always been a part of the schedule. Most of the stock car veterans learned to survive on the twisty tracks, but only a relatively small percentage were able to thrive.
During the course of history, more than 50 drivers have scored wins on a NASCAR road course; more than half of them—30 to be precise—scored only one win, which means there have been some dominant drivers along the way who monopolized Victory Lane. Two of these racers are still active: Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are the winningest and second-best driver in the history of the sport. Gordon’s nine wins and Stewart’s seven account for nearly 29 percent of all road course victories in the history of NASCAR.
Fulltime drivers could not afford to ignore the road courses when season-long points were on the line and even now they play a pivotal role during the age of the Chase. AJ Allmendinger qualified for the 2014 Chase based on his Watkins Glen International victory last year; the same thing could happen in 2015 at Sonoma Raceway.
10 best drivers at Sonoma
Over the past three races, these drivers have the best average finish on this track.1. Jeff Gordon
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 3.33
Career avg. finish: 8.0 in 22 attempts
In 22 starts at Sonoma, Gordon has finished outside the top 10 only four times; one of these was an 11th-place finish in his inaugural attempts and the other three were occasioned by misfortune. Gordon enters the weekend with a current nine-race, top-10 streak that was kicked off with his fifth track victory in 2006.
2. Clint Bowyer
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 5.33
Career avg. finish: 9.2 in 9 attempts
It is certainly too soon to predict this, but Bowyer could wind up with the same type of record as Gordon. He needs more wins and time to develop some long streaks, but he has only two sub-10th-place finishes in his career and one of these came in his first attempt in 2006. He is riding a four-race, top-10 streak that includes a 2012 win.
3. Kurt Busch
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 6.33
Career avg. finish: 15.7 in 14 attempts
Busch can be an erratic driver on many track types and for a long time that affected him at Sonoma. In his first 10 starts there he had three top-fives compared to six results outside the top-20. Four years ago he won the 2011 Toyota / Save Mart 350 and he has not finished worse than 12th since.
4. Jimmie Johnson
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 7.00
Career avg. finish: 12.9 in 13 attempts
Johnson enters the weekend with a six-race streak of top-10s that includes a victory in 2010, but this was not always one of his favorite tracks. His first seven efforts produced only two top-10s and an average finish of 19.3. Three of his last four races have been in the seventh-to-ninth-place range, so players should plan accordingly.
5. Greg Biffle
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 8.00
Career avg. finish: 13.8 in 12 attempts
Biffle has been a consistent value on road courses. This week with the focus shifting from horsepower to handling, he could be a solid contender once more. He has top-10s in four of his last five attempts and has finished worse than 15th only a handful of times at Sonoma during his career.
6. Carl Edwards
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 8.33
Career avg. finish: 14.1 in 10 attempts
Edwards’ victory last June and a third-place finish in 2013 are responsible for his inclusion on this list. He has another top-five in 2011, which is going to put him on a lot of radar screens. He deserves the notice because he has been running at the end of all but one race he started at Sonoma.
7. Kasey Kahne
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 8.67
Career avg. finish: 19.1 in 11 attempts
The theme for Kahne in 2015 has been consistency and that is mirrored in his record on many tracks; Sonoma is one of those. He is riding a current six-race, top-20 streak of which most results have been sixth or better. A victory in the 2009 Toyota / Save Mart 350 and a pole the previous year means that he fares well in the risk/reward equation.
8. Joey Logano
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 12.33
Career avg. finish: 15.8 in 6 attempts
Logano entered the 2013 Sonoma race with back-to-back top-10s, but crash damage dropped him just outside that mark that season. He was involved in another accident last year and barely missed the top 15. He started his two most recent races among the top 10, however, so he should be okay this week if he stays out of trouble.
9. Martin Truex Jr. (tied with Earnhardt)
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 12.67
Career avg. finish: 18.7 in 9 attempts
Truex’s inclusion in the list of top-10 drivers at Sonoma during the past three years is almost entirely attributable to his victory in 2013. That is one of only two top-10s during his career on this track, but he enters the weekend with a lot of momentum and should be able to get another single-digit result.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (tied with Truex)
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 12.67
Career avg. finish: 20.3 in 15 attempts
Earnhardt crashed out of the 2011 Sonoma race, but he has been slowly climbing back up the grid since. A 23rd-place finish the next year was followed by a 12th in 2013 and a third last June. He barely makes this week’s list, but a solid top-10 will insure he is included again in 2016.
Others of Note
11. Paul MenardLast three races average finish at Sonoma: 13.00
Career avg. finish: 25.1 in 9 attempts
The highs are a little lower than those for Truex and Earnhardt and a worst of 20th in 2012 is significant enough to drop Menard outside the top 10 at Sonoma. Then again, he is not nearly as expensive in salary cap games as his two compatriots, which makes Menard a better overall value.
14. Kevin Harvick
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 15.33
Career avg. finish: 15.9 in 14 attempts
Harvick has had sporadically strong runs at Sonoma, but he backed up one top-10 with another only once during his career. That pairing came in 2010/2011 and even if he manages to crack the top-10 barrier this week, his fans will have to wait until 2016 to see if the can go back-to-back again.
15. Jamie McMurray
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 16.00
Career avg. finish: 16.7 in 12 attempts
McMurray won the pole for the last two Toyota / Save Mart 350s. He fell back through the pack in 2013 to finish 25th, but fared much better last year with a fourth. Qualification has never been a problem for this driver as he currently has five front row gridings at Sonoma. His other three strong starts all ended outside the top 10.
18. Brad Keselowski
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 18.33
Career avg. finish: 20.0 in 5 attempts
Keselowski showed some promise in 2011 and 2012 with a 10th- and 12th-place finish respectively. Since then he failed to crack the top 20 in his last two starts, although he came close with a couple of low-20s results. That is not enough to get fantasy owners very excited.
24. Matt Kenseth
Last three races average finish at Sonoma: 24.67
Career avg. finish: 22.1 in 15 attempts
Kenseth currently sits eighth in the points’ standings with a nine-point advantage over Kahne. The driver of the No. 5 ranks seventh in three-year averages at Sonoma while Kenseth is 24th. It’s a good thing Kenseth has a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway to cement his position in the Chase.
Rank | Driver | 3 Yr. Avg. Finish | Attempts |
1. | 3.33 | 3 | |
2. | 5.33 | 3 | |
3. | 6.33 | 3 | |
4. | 7.00 | 3 | |
5. | 8.00 | 3 | |
6. | 8.33 | 3 | |
7. | 8.67 | 3 | |
8. | 12.33 | 3 | |
9. | 12.67 | 3 | |
9. | 12.67 | 3 | |
| |||
11. | 13.00 | 3 | |
12. | 14.67 | 3 | |
12. | 14.67 | 3 | |
14. | 15.33 | 3 | |
15. | 16.00 | 3 | |
16. | 16.33 | 3 | |
17. | 17.00 | 1 | |
18. | 18.33 | 3 | |
19. | 23.00 | 2 | |
20. | 23.50 | 2 | |
21. | 23.67 | 3 | |
21. | 23.67 | 3 | |
23. | 24.00 | 1 | |
24. | 24.67 | 3 | |
25. | 25.67 | 3 | |
26. | 26.50 | 2 | |
27. | 27.00 | 1 | |
28. | 27.33 | 3 | |
29. | 28.00 | 3 | |
29. | 28.00 | 1 | |
31. | 29.00 | 1 | |
31. | 29.00 | 2 | |
33. | 30.00 | 1 | |
33. | 30.00 | 1 | |
35. | 32.00 | 3 | |
36. | 33.00 | 1 | |
37. | 34.00 | 3 | |
38. | JJ Yeley | 36.33 | 3 |
39. | 37.00 | 2 | |
40. | 39.50 | 2 | |
Exercise Caution
Most caution flags: 9, 1990 Banquet Frozen Foods 300Fewest caution flags: 2, 2012 Toyota / Save Mart 350
Average number of caution flags per race: 5.4
Final Caution, last five races:
June 2014: lap 92 of 110: 2-car accident on frontstretch (Brian Vickers, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.)
June 2013: lap 83 of 110: 1-car accident in turn 8 (Kyle Busch)
June 2012: lap 108 of 112 (green-white-checkered) 1-car accident in turn 7 (Ryan Newman)
June 2011: lap 88 of 110: 2-car accident in turn 11 (Tony Stewart. Brian Vickers)
June 2010: lap 104 of 110: 1-ca spin in turn 7 (Brad Keselowski)
Most caution laps: 26, 1999 Save Mart / Kragen 350
Fewest caution laps: 7 (2 times), 2012 Toyota / Save Mart 350, 1992 Save Mart 300
Average number of caution laps per race: 14.8
Leading the way
Most leaders: 10, 1998 Save Mart / Kragen 350Fewest leaders: 3, 1989 Banquet Frozen Foods 300
Average number of leaders: 6.7
Most lead changes: 12 (2x), 2011 Toyota / Save Mart 350, 2010 Toyota / SaveMart 350
Fewest lead changes: 3, 1989 Banquet Frozen Foods 300k
Average number of lead changes: 8.4
Victory Lane
Last five winners at Sonoma (starting position):June 2014: Carl Edwards (4)
June 2013: Martin Truex Jr. (14)
June 2012: Clint Bowyer (6)
June 2011: Kurt Busch (11)
June 2010: Jimmie Johnson (2)
Worst starting position for race winner: Juan Pablo Montoya, 32nd Toyota / SaveMart 350
A race at Sonoma has been won by the pole sitter 5 times and from the front row 8 times in 26 races.
Active winners at Sonoma:
Jeff Gordon: 5
Tony Stewart: 2
Clint Bowyer: 1
Kurt Busch: 1
Kyle Busch: 1
Carl Edwards: 1
Jimmie Johnson: 1
Kasey Kahne: 1
Martin Truex Jr.: 1
Top-10 All-time Winners:
Jeff Gordon: 5
Ernie Irvan: 2
Ricky Rudd: 2
Tony Stewart: 2
Rusty Wallace: 2
Davey Allison, Geoff Bodine, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Martin Truex Jr. 1
Top 10 on all road courses all time:
Jeff Gordon: 9
Tony Stewart: 7
Richard Petty: 6
Bobby Allison: 6
Ricky Rudd: 6
Rusty Wallace: 6
Darrell Waltrip: 5
Dan Gurney: 5
Tim Richmond: 5
David Pearson: 4
Mark Martin: 4
First time winners at Sonoma:
2007: Juan Pablo Montoya, Toyota / SaveMart 350
Running at the End
The following active drivers have been running at the end of every Sonoma race they started:Jeff Gordon (22)
Kurt Busch (14)
Kevin Harvick (14)
Ryan Newman (13)
Jamie McMurray (12)
Kasey Kahne (11)
Casey Mears (11)
Kyle Busch (10)
Carl Edwards (10)
Clint Bowyer (9)
David Gilliland (9)
David Ragan (8)
Paul Menard (7)
AJ Allmendinger (6)
Joey Logano (6)
Travis Kvapil (5)
Aric Almirola (4)
Michael McDowell (3)
Sam Hornish Jr. (3)
Josh Wise (3)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2)
Danica Patrick (2)
Justin Allgaier (1)
Michael Annett (1)
Alex Bowman (1)
Austin Dillon (1)
Brendan Gaughan (1)
Kyle Larson (1)
Justin Marks (1)
Cole Whitt (1)
Greg Biffle had been running at the end of 11 races until he broke a fuel pump and failed to finish last year.
Jimmie Johnson had been running at the end of 12 races until he broke a rear end and failed to finish last year.
Matt Kenseth had been running at the end of 14 races until he crashed and failed to finish last year.
Brad Keselowski failed to finish in his inaugural attempt in 2010, but he has been running at the last four races.
Great Starts
Active drivers with top-10s in their first start on this track:Ryan Newman: 9 (2002)
Current Streaks
At SonomaJeff Gordon, nine top-10s
Jimmie Johnson, six top-10s
Clint Bowyer, four top-10s
Greg Biffle, three top-10s
Kasey Kahne, two top-10s
Carl Edwards, two top-fives
On road courses
Carl Edwards, four top-fives
Greg Biffle, two top-10s
In 2015
Martin Truex Jr., seven top-10s
Jamie McMurray, three top-10s
Kurt Busch, two top-fives
Joey Logano, two top-fives
Matt Kenseth, two top-10s
