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NASCAR - Sprint Cup - Toyota/Save Mart 350 Preview

DateSunday, June 23SiteSonoma Raceway -- Sonoma, Calif.
Track1.99-mile, 12-turn road courseCapacity47,000 (Grandstand Seating)
Annual25thTelevisionTNT
AnnouncersRadioPerformance Racing Network (PRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
Start Time3 p.m. ETLaps110
Miles219 (350 kilometers)  
Pick to WinPick to Win - Marcos AmbroseDarkhorse
Last Week's Pick to Win (Greg Biffle) - finished 1
Defending ChampionClint BowyerRunner UpTony Stewart
Last Year's Pole WinnerMarcos Ambrose (finished 8)  

Records

Qualifying RecordsMarcos Ambrose, 2012 (95.262 mph)Race RecordClint Bowyer, 2012 (83.624 mph)
Total PursePayouts

2012 Finish

FinishDriverStart
1Clint Bowyer6
6Jeff Gordon2
2Tony Stewart24
7Greg Biffle4
3Kurt Busch8
8Marcos Ambrose1
4Brian Vickers21
9A.J. Allmendinger17
5Jimmie Johnson3
10Joey Logano14

Facts and Figures

Average Speed83.624 mphTime of Race2 hrs., 39 mins., 55 secs.
Margin of Victory0.829 secs.Caution Flags2 for 7 laps
Lead Changes8 among 5 driversPole WinnerMarcos Ambrose (95.262 mph)

Past Winners

YearDriverCarSpeed Time
2012Clint BowyerToyota83.624 mph
2011Kurt BuschDodge75.411 mph
2010Jimmie JohnsonChevrolet74.357 mph
2009Kasey KahneDodge71.012 mph
2008Kyle BuschToyota76.445 mph
2007Juan Pablo MontoyaDodge74.547 mph
2006Jeff GordonChevrolet73.953 mph
2005Tony StewartChevrolet72.845 mph
2004Jeff GordonChevrolet77.456 mph
2003Robby GordonChevrolet73.821 mph
2002Ricky RuddFord81.007 mph
2001Tony StewartPontiac75.889 mph
2000Jeff GordonChevrolet78.789 mph
1999Jeff GordonChevrolet70.378 mph
1998Jeff GordonChevrolet72.387 mph
1997Mark MartinFord75.788 mph
1996Rusty WallaceFord77.673 mph
1995Dale EarnhardtChevrolet70.681 mph
1994Ernie IrvanFord77.458 mph
1993Geoff BodineFord77.013 mph
1992Ernie IrvanChevrolet81.412 mph
1991Davey AllisonFord72.970 mph
1990Rusty WallacePontiac69.245 mph
1989Ricky RuddBuick76.088 mph

Past Pole Winners

YearDriverFinish
2012Marcos Ambrose8
2011Joey Logano6
2010Kasey Kahne4
2009Brian Vickers16
2008Kasey Kahne33
2007Jamie McMurray37
2006Kurt Busch5
2005Jeff Gordon33
2004Jeff Gordon1
2003Boris Said6
2002Tony Stewart2
2001Jeff Gordon3
2000Rusty Wallace26
1999Jeff Gordon1
1998Jeff Gordon1
1997Mark Martin1
1996Terry Labonte5
1995Ricky Rudd4
1994Ernie Irvan1
1993Dale Earnhardt6
1992Ricky Rudd4
1991Ricky Rudd2
1990Ricky Rudd3
1989Rusty Wallace2

Last Race Results

Quicken Loans 400 (June 16)

SiteMichigan International Speedway -- Brooklyn, Mich.Miles400
Laps200Pole WinnerCarl Edwards (finished 8)
Time of Race2 hrs., 52 mins., 19 secs.Average Speed139.278 mph
Margin of Victory2.989 secs.Caution Flags8 for 38 laps
Lead Changes22 among 13 drivers  
Lap Leaders: C. Edwards - pole; Kurt Busch 1-21; J. Yeley 22; D. Ragan 23; M. C. Edwards - pole; Kurt Busch 1-21; J. Yeley 22; D. Ragan 23; M. McDowell 24; C. Edwards 25; J. Logano 26-42; J. McMurray 43-63; J. Johnson 64-76; D. Earnhardt Jr. 77; C. Mears 78-79; D. Earnhardt Jr. 80-89; K. Kahne 90-103; J. Johnson 104; D. Earnhardt Jr. 105-127; J. Johnson 128-131; G. Biffle 132; T. Kvapil 133-134; J. Logano 135; C. Edwards 136-150; G. Biffle 151-165; J. Logano 166-168; G. Biffle 169-200.
Winner: Greg Biffle
Second: Kevin Harvick
Third: Martin Truex Jr.
Fourth: Kyle Busch
Fifth: Tony Stewart

Entry List

NoDriverHometownTeam
1Jamie McMurray(Joplin, MO)Chevrolet/Cessna
2Brad Keselowski(Rochester Hills, MI)Ford/Miller Lite
5Kasey Kahne(Enumclaw, WA)Chevrolet/Farmers Insurance
7Dave Blaney(Hartford, OH)Chevrolet/GoPro
9Marcos Ambrose(Launceston, Australia)Ford/Stanley
10Danica Patrick(Roscoe, IL)Chevrolet/GoDaddy.com
11Denny Hamlin(Chesterfield, VA)Toyota/FedEx Freight
13Casey Mears(Bakersfield, CA)Ford/GEICO
14Tony Stewart(Columbus, IN)Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1
15 *Clint Bowyer(Emporia, KS)Toyota/5-Hour Energy
16Greg Biffle(Vancouver, WA)Ford/3M
17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.(Olive Branch, MS)Ford/Roush Fenway Racing
18Kyle Busch(Las Vegas, NV)Toyota/M&M's
19Alex Kennedy(Aztec, NM)Toyota/Media Master
20Matt Kenseth(Cambridge, WI)Toyota/Home Depot
22Joey Logano(Middletown, CT)Ford/Shell/Pennzoil
24Jeff Gordon(Vallejo, CA)Chevrolet/Drive to End Hunger
27Paul Menard(Eau Claire, WI)Chevrolet/Menards/Moen
29Kevin Harvick(Bakersfield, CA)Chevrolet/Rheem
30David Stremme(South Bend, IN)Toyota/Lean 1/Swan Energy
31Jeff Burton(South Boston, VA)Chevrolet/Utility Trailers
32To Be AnnouncedFord/TBA
33Ron Fellows(Toronto, Canada)Chevrolet/Canadian Tire
34David Ragan(Unadilla, GA)Ford/Taco Bell
35Josh Wise(Riverside, CA)Ford/MDS Transport
36Victor Gonzalez Jr.(Puerto Rico)Chevrolet/TBA
37J.J. Yeley(Phoenix, AZ)Chevrolet/TBA
38David Gilliland(Riverside, CA)Ford/Long John Silver's
39Ryan Newman(South Bend, IN)Chevrolet/Haas Automation
42Juan Pablo Montoya(Bogota, Colombia)Chevrolet/Target
43Aric Almirola(Tampa, FL)Ford/Farmland
47Bobby Labonte(Corpus Christi, TX)Toyota/Kingsford
48Jimmie Johnson(El Cajon, CA)Chevrolet/Lowe's
51Jacques Villeneuve(Canada)Chevrolet/Phoenix Construction
52Paulie Harraka(Wayne, NJ)Ford/TBA
55Brian Vickers(Thomasville, NC)Toyota/RK Motors Charlotte
56Martin Truex Jr.(Mayetta, NJ)Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts
78Kurt Busch(Las Vegas, NV)Chevrolet/Furniture Row
83David Reutimann(Zephyrhills, FL)Toyota/Burger King/Dr. Pepper
87Joe Nemechek(Lakeland, FL)Toyota/TBA
88Dale Earnhardt Jr.(Kannapolis, NC)Chevrolet/National Guard
93Travis Kvapil(Janesville, WI)Toyota/Burger King/Dr. Pepper
99Carl Edwards(Columbia, MO)Ford/Aflac

Leading Contenders

Driver200420052006200720082009201020112012
Clint Bowyer------16448314Won
Tony Stewart15Won2861029392
Kurt Busch363522321532Won3
Brian Vickers223414---1416---364
Jimmie Johnson5361017154Won75
Jeff GordonWon33Won739526
Greg Biffle13144511287237
Marcos Ambrose------------423658
Joey Logano---------------1933610
Brad Keselowski------------------351012
Matt Kenseth20111734818301413
Kasey Kahne314172333Won42014
Kevin Harvick123724230293916
Kyle Busch---40118Won22391117
Ryan Newman149220717162518
Carl Edwards---3861891329321
Martin Truex Jr.------1524162542822
Dale Earnhardt Jr114226131226114123
Juan Pablo Montoya---------Won66102234
Denny Hamlin------1210275343735
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California is the 16th race on the 2013 Sprint Cup Series schedule. Located about 30 miles north of San Francisco, Sonoma Raceway opened as a 2.52-mile road course and drag strip in 1968. The first NASCAR Cup Series race at this track was held on June 11, 1989 - won by Ricky Rudd. The first nine races there were 300 kilometers but the distance switched to 350 km in 1998. Sonoma was reconfigured to 1.949 miles in '98, with the installation of an 890-foot chute between the original turns 4 and 7. The track was reconfigured again in 2001 to 2.0 miles and then remeasured at 1.99 miles in 2002. This track was formerly called Sears Point Raceway (1981-2001) and Infineon Raceway (2002-12). There have been 24 Cup races held at Sonoma -- one each year since 1989. Terry Labonte and Mark Martin share the record for most starts at Sonoma with 21 each. Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte are next in line with 20 starts there. Terry Labonte and Martin are not competing in this year's race. Gordon leads all drivers with most wins (5), poles (5), top-5 finishes (12) and top-10s (16) at Sonoma. He also is the only driver with consecutive victories at this track -- winning three in a row from 1998-2000. Rick Hendrick has the most car owner wins at Sonoma with six. Jimmie Johnson gave Hendrick his sixth victory there in 2010. The race winner at Sonoma has started from the pole five times, which is more than any other starting position there. However, a race at this track has not been won from the pole since Gordon did it in 2004. Since NASCAR began using electronic timing and scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in a Cup race at Sonoma occurred on June 27, 1999 when Gordon beat Martin to the finish line by 0.197 seconds. The furthest back a driver has started and won a Cup race at Sonoma is 32nd, accomplished by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007. Montoya is the only driver who won his first race in the series at this track. Two drivers entered in this race made their Cup debuts at Sonoma: David Gilliland (2006) and Marcos Ambrose (2008). Kyle Busch holds the record as the youngest driver to win a race at Sonoma. Busch took the checkered flag there on June 22, 2008 when he was 23 years, 1 month and 20 days old. When Ricky Rudd was 45 years, 9 months and 11 days old, he became the oldest driver to win at this track on June 23, 2002. The next race is the June 29 Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Brad Keselowski won last year's event there.
 
 
 
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