By: Ashley McCubbin

The last time the NASCAR Cup Series visited a road course, it was a dominating performance for one driver in particular. However last season is a good reminder of how well and dramatic the races can become in the closing stages. Based on history at Sonoma Raceway, we could be in for either type of show for the Toyota / Save Mart 350.

Sophomore Austin Cindric is looking to turn things around after finding himself in the headlines for the wrong reason following contact with Austin Dillon. Sonoma Raceway is the perfect place for him to do so, considering his background as a road racer which has led to success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has carried that over to Cup, scoring a fifth-place finish at the California road course in 2022 alongside a sixth earlier this year at the Circuit of the Americas.

Ryan Blaney enters the room with momentum on his side, having taken the points lead following a sixth-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway. Fortunately, he has scored three straight top-10 finishes at Sonoma with a best placement of third in 2019.

Daniel Suarez is at the opposite end of the playoff standings, currently holding down the last spot in 16th. It was Sonoma that he was able to punch his ticket last year, virtue of his first career series victory. However, you have to wonder if it’s a lucky break – considering it was his first top-10 in five appearances on the 11-turn course. Then again, he placed seventh at COTA so you can be the judge.

William Byron hopes to keep all four tires on the pavement in search of his second top-10 at Sonoma Raceway. Fortunately, he has momentum on his side, currently ranked second in points with six consecutive top-10 finishes including four top-five’s. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson may be a better bet, considering he was the race winner in 2021. However, he has only scored two top-10’s in eight career appearances there.

The other Kyle – Busch that is – may be someone to keep an eye on as well, considering he enters this weekend with momentum after winning at Gateway. He was also the runner-up at COTA earlier this year, and if you look past the 25th-place finish last season at Sonoma, he had put together a streak without any finishes within the top-seven, including a victory.

“The new Road Course King” Tyler Reddick hopes to put another notch on the resume after winning at COTA, as he has scored five consecutive road course results inside the top-eight, including a trio of victories.

Reddick’s team owner Denny Hamlin may be in the conversation for the win as he enters with momentum following a runner-up at Gateway, which was a great way to bounce back after wrecking at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Despite finishing 31st at Sonoma last season, he had scored a top-10 in each of the five previous events, including a runner-up in 2016.

Perhaps it is time to begin writing your perfect retirement paper for Kevin Harvick, as he has been strong at Sonoma with the third-best average finish (12.8) of active drivers at the course. He has also been solid this year, as well, with seven top-10 finishes in 15 races.

Martin Truex Jr. knows how to win at Sonoma Raceway, having done so on two occasions, followed by a third. We’ll ignore the 26th-place finish from last year, and remind you he’s riding back-to-back top-five finishes as he sits fourth in the standings.

Alex Bowman isn’t riding that same wave following a 26th-place finish at WWT Raceway. Fortunately, he has shown his ability on road courses as evident by a third-place finish at COTA.

Joey Logano, meanwhile, placed third at WWT Raceway, adding another chapter to the past rocky with just one other top-10 finish in the last six races. It matches the way Sonoma has treated him, with five top-10’s in 13 appearances.

Then there’s also HE’S BACK as Chase Elliott returns following his suspension due to wrecking Denny Hamlin at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s the perfect spot for him to return, considering he was – or could still be dubbed – the Road King of the Cup Series. With the fourth best average finish of active drivers at Sonoma, his last two appearances were a second and an eighth.