What:
NASCAR visits the Sonoma Valley for the 21st consecutive year at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series event. This will mark the first of two road-course events on the NASCAR schedule, and NASCAR’s only stop in Northern California.
When:
June 19-21 (Father’s Day weekend)
Circuit/Race Length:
Infineon Raceway is a 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course for all NASCAR-sanctioned events. The Toyota/Save Mart 350 is measured in kilometers. The race distance is 218.9 miles or 110 laps around the 1.99-mile road course.
Entries:
Forty-six drivers will attempt to qualify for this year’s event. The starting field will feature 43 cars.
Purse:
Track-record purse of $5,635,918 in posted awards.
Schedule (All times Pacific):
Friday: Sprint Cup Series Practice, Noon-1:30 p.m.; NASCAR West Series Qualifying, 1:50 p.m.; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying, 3:35 p.m.
Saturday: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, 9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice, 10:50 a.m.-11:50 a.m.; Bennett Lane Winery 200, presented by Supercuts, NASCAR West Series Race, 12:30 p.m.
Sunday: Toyota/Save Mart 350, 2 p.m.
For a complete schedule, visit www.infineonraceway.com.
Television (All times Pacific):
Friday: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, Noon (SPEED); NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying, 3:30 p.m. (SPEED)
Saturday: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, 9:30 a.m. (SPEED); NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice, 10:30 a.m. (SPEED).
Sunday: Toyota/Save Mart 350, 12:30 p.m. pre-race, 2 p.m. green flag (TNT)
Local Radio Coverage (all provided by PRN):
KNBR 1050 AM (San Francisco): Sunday, June 21: Toyota/Save Mart 350 and Post-Race Show.
KHTK 1140 AM (Sacramento): Sunday, June 21: Toyota/Save Mart 350 and Post-Race Show.
KSRO 1350 AM (Santa Rosa): Sunday, June 21: Toyota/Save Mart 350 and Post-Race Show.
What To Expect:
Kyle Busch earned his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road-course victory when he took the checkers at Infineon Raceway in 2008. The win also marked Toyota’s first victory at Infineon Raceway. Busch came from a 30th-place starting position to take the win…. Jeff Gordon is the undisputed king of Infineon Raceway, with five victories (1998-2000, ’04, ‘06) and five pole positions (1998-99, ’01, ’04, ’05) – the most of any driver. Gordon is also the all-time NASCAR winner on road courses with nine victories…. Two-time winners at Infineon Raceway include Rusty Wallace (1990, ’96), Ernie Irvan (1992, ’94), Ricky Rudd (1989, 2002) and Tony Stewart (2001, ’05). Stewart will look for his first Sonoma victory as an owner-driver and third overall.… In 2008, eight of the top-15 finishers at Infineon Raceway started farther back than 20th. David Gilliland and Matt Kenseth, who started 31st and 33rd, respectively, both earned top-eight finishes…. Mark Martin holds the record for the most top-10 finishes at Infineon Raceway at 13, including one win (1997). Martin has had an outstanding season with three victories and is currently eighth in points…. There have been 55 lead changes combined over the last seven years of Cup Series competition at Infineon Raceway…. This is the first time the Sonoma race has fallen on Father’s Day.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Point Standings:
1. Tony Stewart (2189); 2. Jeff Gordon (2142); 3. Jimmie Johnson (2047); 4. Kurt Busch (1961); 5. Ryan Newman (1934); 6. Carl Edwards (1927); 7. Greg Biffle (1913); 8. Mark Martin (1868); 9. Kyle Busch (1860); 10. Denny Hamlin (1849); 11. Matt Kenseth (1848); 12. Jeff Burton (1810).
Qualifying/Race Records:
Qualifying: Jeff Gordon, June 24, 2005, 94.325 mph/1:15.950
Race: Ricky Rudd, June 23, 2002, 81.007 mph
In addition:
The weekend will also feature the Bennett Lane Winery 200, presented by Supercuts, NASCAR Camping World Series West race on Saturday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m. (Pacific). The race will span 64 laps and a handful of Sprint Cup Series regulars are expected to compete. Ontario’s Jason Bowles is the defending race winner. Hershel McGriff, 81, a four-time winner in the West Series in Sonoma, will also compete.
Tickets:
Call 800-870-RACE, visit www.infineonraceway.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
