Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California going into the Toyota / Save Mart 350 on June 6 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Sonoma Raceway Data
Season Race #: 15 of 36 (06-06-21)
Track Size: 2.52-miles
Number of Turns: 12 varying
Track: Multi-Elevational Road Course
Race Length: 90 laps / 226.8 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 20 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 50 laps
Top 12 Sonoma Driver Ratings
Kurt Busch105.2Martin Truex Jr.96.8Kevin Harvick94.5Kyle Busch93.7Chase Elliott89.4Ryan Newman85.7Denny Hamlin84.9Kyle Larson83.0Joey Logano82.7Brad Keselowski78.9Ryan Blaney77.7Daniel Suarez74.9
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (15 total) among active drivers at Sonoma Raceway.
The NASCAR Cup Series 2021 Top 16 in the Driver Standings at Sonoma Raceway
RankDriverRacesPolesWinsTop FivesTop 10sDNFsAverage FinishDriver Rating1Denny Hamlin140046117.784.92Kyle Larson63001017.583.03William Byron20000022.072.64Chase Elliott40012117.589.45Joey Logano111024014.382.76Martin Truex Jr140345318.196.87Ryan Blaney40012017.277.78Kyle Busch150257015.393.79Kevin Harvick1901610012.794.510Brad Keselowski100012116.878.911Austin Dillon60000019.065.012Alex Bowman40001020.860.513Tyler Reddick0000000.00.014Chris Buescher40000019.266.615Christopher Bell0000000.00.016Michael McDowell80000126.054.9
* — Based on last 15 races at Sonoma Raceway (Loop Data from 2005-Present).
2019 pole winner (last race):
Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
95.712 mph, 94.784 secs. 06-22-19
2019 race winner (last race):
Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
83.922 mph, (02:42:09), 06-23-19
At Sonoma Raceway:
HISTORY
The track opened as a 2.52-mile road course and drag strip in 1968.The first NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma Raceway was held on June 11, 1989, and was won by Ricky Rudd in a Buick at an average speed of 76.088 mph. He led 61 of 74 scheduled laps.The first nine NASCAR Cup Series races at Sonoma were 300 kilometers and switched to a 350k format in 1998.The track was reconfigured to 1.949-miles in 1998 with the installation of an 890-foot chute between the original Turns 4 and 7.The track was reconfigured to 2.0 miles in 2001 and re-measured at 1.99 miles in 2002.In 2019, the track was reconfigured back to the original 2.52-mile configuration; the event will be 90 laps — 226.8 miles.There have been 31 NASCAR Cup Series races at Sonoma Raceway since the first race there in 1989 — one race per season until last year due to the pandemic the series did not compete at Sonoma Raceway.
STARTS
A total of 225 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway; 156 have competed in more than one.NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Sonoma Raceway with 23 starts.Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in the series in starts at Sonoma with 19 each.A total of 48 different drivers have made their first series start at Sonoma Raceway.Kyle Larson (seven starts) leads the series in average starting position at Sonoma with a 2.5.
Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Sonoma Raceway (All-Time and Active)
RankAll-Time DriversAvg. StartRacesRankActive DriversAvg StartRaces1Kyle Larson2.50071Kyle Larson2.50072William Byron5.00032William Byron5.00033Rusty Wallace6.941173Chase Elliott7.75054Marcos Ambrose7.14374Kurt Busch10.421205Jeff Gordon7.696235Daniel Suarez10.66746Chase Elliott7.75056Joey Logano11.273127Ricky Rudd9.056187Martin Truex Jr12.643158Mark Martin9.952218Ryan Blaney13.25059Kurt Busch10.421209Ryan Newman13.6111910Alan Kulwicki10.500410Kyle Busch13.93316
POLES
A total of 18 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at least one pole at Sonoma Raceway.Three active NASCAR Cup Series Sonoma pole winners are entered this weekend.Active Sonoma Pole WinnersPolesSeasonsKyle Larson32019, 2018, 2017Joey Logano12011Kurt Busch12006NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in poles at Sonoma Raceway with five (1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005).Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in poles at Sonoma Raceway with three (2017, 2018, 2019).NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace won the inaugural pole at Sonoma in 1989 with a speed of 90.041 mph driving a Pontiac.Four drivers have won consecutive series poles at Sonoma: Ricky Rudd (three: 1990, 1991, 1992), Jeff Gordon (1998, 1999 and 2004, 2005), Jamie McMurray (2013, 2014) and Kyle Larson (three: 2017, 2018, 2019).Youngest series Sonoma pole winner: Joey Logano (June 26, 2011 — 21 years, 1 month, 2 days).Oldest series Sonoma pole winner: Rusty Wallace (June 25, 2000 — 43 years, 10 months, 11 days).Only one NASCAR Cup Series driver has posted his first series career pole at Sonoma – Boris Said (June 22, 2003).Four drivers have won Busch poles at Sonoma in two different manufacturers; see chart below:DriversPolesRicky Rudd3 (Chevrolet)1 (Ford)Jamie McMurray2 (Chevrolet)1 (Ford)Kasey Kahne1 (Dodge)1 (Ford)Rusty Wallace1 (Ford)1 (Pontiac)Five different manufacturers in the NASCAR Cup Series have won a pole at Sonoma Raceway — Chevrolet (16 poles), Ford (seven), Pontiac (three), Toyota (three) and Dodge (two).NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the series in road course poles (all-time) with nine Busch Pole Awards — all at Riverside International Raceway (1980, three-race sweep in 1981, 1982, two races in 1983, 1985 and 1986).
WINS
A total of 19 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Sonoma Raceway.Four NASCAR Cup Series active Sonoma winner are entered this weekend.Active Sonoma Race WinnersWinsSeasonsMartin Truex Jr32019, 2018, 2013Kyle Busch22015, 2008Kevin Harvick12017Kurt Busch12011NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in wins at Sonoma Raceway with five victories (1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006).Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Martin Truex Jr. (2013, 2018, 2019) leads all active drivers in wins at Sonoma Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series with three victories.Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in road course wins with nine (Sonoma, five; Watkins Glen, four); Tony Stewart has the second most road course wins all-time with eight (Watkins Glen, five; Sonoma, three).Chase Elliott leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in road course wins with six victories (Watkins Glen, two; Charlotte ROVAL, two; Daytona RC, COTA).NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for the most wins at a single road course track — with six victories at Riverside International Raceway.Only two drivers have posted consecutive NASCAR Cup Series wins at Sonoma Raceway: Jeff Gordon (1998 and 1999 were each from the pole and the 2000 win was from the fifth starting position). Martin Truex Jr. (2018 was from the outside front row and 2019 was from eighth starting position).Youngest series Sonoma winner: Kyle Busch (June 22, 2008 — 23 years, 1 month, 20 days).Oldest series Sonoma winner: Ricky Rudd (June 23, 2002 — 45 years, 9 months, 11 days).Five of the 31 (16.13%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Sonoma Raceway have been won from the pole; the most recent was Jeff Gordon in 2004.Jeff Gordon leads the series in wins from the pole at Sonoma with three (1998, 1999 and 2004).The pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more series wins (five) than any other starting position at Sonoma Raceway.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Sonoma Raceway
Starting PositionWinsWinning %Starting PositionWinsWinning %1516.13%1013.23%2412.90%11412.90%326.45%1213.23%439.68%1313.23%526.45%1413.23%613.23%3013.23%739.68%3213.23%813.23%StatsWinning %WinsWinning from the First Starting Position:16.13%5Winning from the Front Row:29.03%9Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:51.61%16Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:70.97%22Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:6.45%2The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Sonoma is 32nd, by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007.Only one other time has a NASCAR Cup Series race been won from a starting position outside the top 15 at Sonoma Raceway — Kyle Busch‘s 2008 win; he started from 30th.Juan Pablo Montoya is the only NASCAR Cup Series driver to post his first career win at Sonoma Raceway (2007).Four drivers have won in two different manufacturers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma; see chart below:DriversWinsTony Stewart2 (Chevrolet)1 (Pontiac)Ricky Rudd1 (Buick)1 (Ford)Ernie Irvan1 (Chevrolet)1 (Ford)Rusty Wallace1 (Ford)1 (Pontiac)Ryan Newman leads the series among active drivers this weekend with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma without visiting Victory Lane at 17.In total 15 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway; eight are active this weekend.RankActive OrganizationsSonoma Wins1Hendrick Motorsports62Joe Gibbs Racing53Richard Childress Racing24Team Penske25Roush Fenway Racing26Stewart-Haas Racing27Chip Ganassi Racing18Richard Petty Motorsports1Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Sonoma with six victories (Jeff Gordon with five and Jimmie Johnson with one).Six different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma; led by Chevrolet with 11 victories; followed by Ford with eight, Toyota (five), Dodge (three), Pontiac (two) and Buick (one).
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
A total of 19 drivers have finished runner-up in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in runner-up finishes with five.Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in the series in runner-up finishes at Sonoma with two.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Sonoma Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversRunner-UpsRankActive DriversRunner-Ups1Jeff Gordon51Kevin Harvick22Mark Martin42Denny Hamlin13Tony Stewart3Kurt Busch14Kevin Harvick2Kyle Busch1Ricky Rudd2Ryan Newman1Robby Gordon2
Top-Five Finishes:
A total of 52 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Sonoma.NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Sonoma with 14 top fives.Kurt Busch leads all active series drivers in top-five finishes at Sonoma with seven.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Sonoma Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversTop FivesRankActive DriversTop Fives1Jeff Gordon141Kurt Busch72Ricky Rudd102Kevin Harvick63Rusty Wallace93Kyle Busch54Clint Bowyer84Denny Hamlin45Kurt Busch75Martin Truex Jr4Mark Martin7
Top-10 Finishes:
A total of 76 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Sonoma.NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at Sonoma with 18.Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in top 10s at Sonoma with 10 each.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Sonoma Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversTop 10sRankActive DriversTop 10s1Jeff Gordon181Kevin Harvick102Mark Martin132Kurt Busch103Ricky Rudd113Ryan Newman84Rusty Wallace114Kyle Busch75Clint Bowyer105Denny Hamlin6Kevin Harvick10Kurt Busch10Tony Stewart10
Average Finishes:
Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Sonoma with an 8.3.Clint Bowyer leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in average finish at Sonoma with a 10.077.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Positions at Sonoma Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriverAvg FinishRacesRankActive DriversAvg FinishRaces1Jeff Gordon8.304231Kevin Harvick12.737202Dale Earnhardt8.583122Ryan Newman12.833193Clint Bowyer10.143143Erik Jones13.33344Rick Wilson10.50044Kurt Busch13.579205Marcos Ambrose11.28675Joey Logano14.273126Ricky Rudd11.722186Kyle Busch15.267167Tony Stewart11.778187Daniel Suarez16.00048Mark Martin11.857218Brad Keselowski16.800119Jimmie Johnson12.389189Ryan Blaney17.250510Kevin Harvick12.7372010Chase Elliott17.5005
LAP LEADERS
A total of 74 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have led at least one lap at Sonoma Raceway.Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Sonoma Raceway with 457 laps led in 23 starts.Martin Truex Jr. leads all active Cup drivers with 213 laps led in 15 Sonoma Raceway starts.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Positions at Sonoma Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversLedCompleted% Led1Jeff Gordon457234320%2Martin Truex Jr213138015%3Kurt Busch198206210%4Rusty Wallace171151611%5Mark Martin16119758%6Robby Gordon158149911%7Jimmie Johnson14319607%8Ricky Rudd13416378%9Kyle Busch11315897%10Tony Stewart10419715%RankActive DriversLedCompleted% Led1Martin Truex Jr213138015%2Kurt Busch198206210%3Kyle Busch11315897%4Denny Hamlin10014957%5Kevin Harvick9520785%6Brad Keselowski2410742%7William Byron2119911%8Joey Logano1811932%9Kyle Larson116392%10Ryan Newman1119661%NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon has led the most laps at Sonoma Raceway in a single NASCAR Cup Series race and won with 92 laps led of the scheduled 110 laps (83.6%) on June 27, 2004.NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin led the most laps at Sonoma Raceway in a single NASCAR Cup Series race and did not win (finished second) after leading 66 of the 74 scheduled laps (89.1%) on May 7, 1995.The fewest laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series winner at Sonoma Raceway is two laps and it has happened twice; in 1991 Davey Allison led just two laps en route to the win at Sonoma and in 1995 Dale Earnhardt led just two laps en route to the win.
TRACK SPECIFIC STATS
Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway is the June 27, 1999 race won by Jeff Gordon over Mark Martin with a margin of victory of 0.197 second.
Top Five Closest Margins of Victory at Sonoma Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series
Margin of VictoryDateRace WinnerRunner-Up0.1976/27/1999Jeff GordonMark Martin0.3205/7/1995Dale EarnhardtMark Martin0.4605/5/1996Rusty WallaceMark Martin0.5326/28/2015Kyle BuschKurt Busch0.5536/22/2003Robby GordonJeff GordonQualifying has never been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway. But this weekend‘s event will have the starting lineups determined by Metric Qualifying.None of the 31 NASCAR Cup Series races at Sonoma Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions.None of the 31 NASCAR Cup Series races at Sonoma Raceway have been postponed to a later date.There have been three NASCAR Cup Series races resulting in NASCAR Overtime at Sonoma Raceway:DateActual No. of LapsScheduled No. of LapsNASCAR Overtime LapsRace Winner6/24/20121121102Clint Bowyer6/21/20091131103Kasey Kahne6/22/20081121102Kyle Busch
FEMALE COMPETITORS
Danica Patrick is the only female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to compete at Sonoma Raceway.DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDriver RatingDateDanica Patrick61766.56/25/2017Danica Patrick111969.86/26/2016Danica Patrick212461.66/28/2015Danica Patrick111869.66/22/2014Danica Patrick312943.06/23/2013Averages16.021.462.1
NASCAR IN CALIFORNIA
There has been a total of 206 NASCAR national series races held in the state of California among 17 different tracks.Tracks in CaliforniaTrack NameCityCupXfinityTruckTotal RacesYearsAuto Club SpeedwayFontana313113751997Riverside International RacewayRiverside4800481958Sonoma RacewaySonoma3104351989Mesa Marin RacewayBakersfield00991995Ontario Motor SpeedwayOntario90091971California State FairgroundsSacramento60061956Carrell SpeedwayGardena40041951Ascot StadiumLos Angeles30031957Bay Meadows Race TrackSan Mateo30031954Marchbanks SpeedwayHanford30031951Oakland StadiumOakland30031951Redwood SpeedwayEureka20021956Willow Springs SpeedwayLancaster20021956Capitol SpeedwaySacramento10011957Merced FairgroundsMerced10011956Santa Clara FairgroundsSan Jose10011957Saugus SpeedwaySaugus00111995Totals1483127206The first NASCAR national series event held in the state of California was a NASCAR Cup Series race on April 8, 1951 at Carrell Speedway. The race was won by Marshall Teague (Hudson).
CALIFORNIA DRIVERS IN NASCAR
A total of 450 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as California.43 of the 450 Californian drivers in NASCAR have posted at least one win in one of NASCAR‘s three national series. The list of winners is below:Drivers from CaliforniaDriversCupXfinityTruckCombinedJeff Gordon935098Jimmie Johnson831084Kevin Harvick584714119Marvin Panch170017Ernie Irvan153018Dick Rathmann130013Kyle Larson812222Dan Gurney5005Eddie Gray4004Parnelli Jones4004Eddie Pagan4004Robby Gordon3104Ray Elder2002Danny Letner2002Marvin Porter2002AJ Allmendinger1607Dick Brooks1001Marvin Burke1001Jim Cook1001Cole Custer19212Lou Figaro1001Danny Graves1001Johnny Mantz1001Casey Mears1102Bill Norton1001John Soares1001Danny Weinberg1001Tyler Reddick09312Ron Hornaday Jr045155Jason Leffler0213Ryan Reed0202David Gilliland0101Justin Marks0101Joe Ruttman011314Boris Said0112Mike Skinner012829Matt Crafton001515Sheldon Creed0066Zane Smith0022Tyler Ankrum0011Justin Lofton0011Scott Speed0011Brandon Whitt0011Totals325107142574
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