2014 Toyota/SaveMart 350(k) at Sonoma Raceway Weekend Discussion

[ShadowKnight508]

Discuss the 2014 Toyota/SaveMart 350 race weekend here. The Camping World Truck Series is off for the weekend as both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series tackle two fantastic road courses. The Nationwide Series heads off to the high-speed confines of Road America for their race while the Sprint Cup Series tackles the twists and turns of Sonoma Raceway. In 2013, Martin Truex Jr. wheeled his #56 NAPA Auto Parts Camry to the win, outlasting the field down the stretch as several contenders fell by the wayside. Race weekend info, TV listings, and entry lists below credit to Jayski:

Race Weekend Schedule

Thursday, June 19
6:00 PM NSCS HAULERS ENTER

Friday, June 20
7:00 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS & INSPECTION BEGINS
11:00 AM NSCS ROOKIE & SPOTTER MEETINGS & RANDOM DRAWING
11:30 AM-1:00 PM Gardner Denver 200 PRACTICE
12:00 - 1:50 PM Toyota/SaveMart 350(k) PRACTICE (FS1)
1:30 PM 2:55 PM Gardner Denver 200 FINAL PRACTICE
3:30 - 5:00 PM Toyota/SaveMart 350(k) FINAL PRACTICE (FS1)
6:30 PM NSCS GARAGE CLOSES

Saturday, June 21
6:30 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS
10:40 AM (11:40 AM/ET) Gardner Denver 200 QUALIFYING (ESPN2)
10:40 AM Toyota/SaveMart 350(k) QUALIFYING (FS1)
1:45 PM (2:45 PM/ET) 2014 Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up By Johnsonville (ABC)
3:00 PM NSCS GARAGE CLOSES

Sunday, June 22
6:00 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS
10:00 AM NSCS DRIVER/CREW CHIEF MEETING
11:30 AM NSCS DRIVERS INTRODUCTION
12:00 PM 2014 Toyota/SaveMart 350(k) (TNT)

ALL POSTED TIMES LOCAL TO RESPECTIVE TRACKS

Entry Lists

2014 Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up By Johnsonville (37 Drivers)
Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - Charlotte Nationwide Series Entry List

2014 Toyota/SaveMart 350(k) (43 Drivers)
Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - Sonoma Entry List

Highlights: 2013 Toyota/SaveMart 350(k)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EFd0GMPFv8]NASCAR Highlights | Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma 2013 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[4WideRacing]

That was the beginning of spingate.

 

[KyleBuschFan18]

Looking forward to Road America I love that track.

 

[hammeredman]

Shame we won't see JPM. Regardless of if you like the guy or not, he certainly put a show on driving these stock cars on road courses.

 

[Devin41]

Just to note...Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Michael Annett are all entered to run the K&N Pro Series West race at Sonoma on Saturday.

 

[Relly]

Also worth noting, going by entry lists Landon Cassill, Josh Wise, JJ Yeley & Joe Nemechek running the Sonoma/Road America double.

 

[labontefanboy]

I really wish there were more road course ringers running, especially in NNS. Whether you like them or not, they certainly made things interesting, and yes, that includes Villeneuve.

 

[timnsr72]

I really enjoy seeing the ringers in the Nationwide race, but their usually not a factor in the Cup races the last few years.

 

[MewChamp151]

I noticed that Andy Lally is running the race at Road America in the 55

 

[Sgt Slaughter]

Goodyear is bringing rain tires to Road America...

This should be a wild weekend!

 

[AMLNet49]

Weird that they let all the rookies run the Cup race. In the past when there were a ton of rookies, most of them would be replaced by ringers but for some reason owners don't love the ringers anymore. Maybe it's the rookie of the year battle or the new Chase rules where you have to enter every race, but if that was the case ony Larson, Allgair and Dillon would stay in because they are the only ones in good enough equipment to win.

 

[BigXBartlet]

Love the road courses. Road America is always interesting. Should be a great weekend.

 

[nascarlugnut24]

I'm surprised there's only 37 on the Nationwide Entry list.
The only ringers on the Cup list are Boris Said in the #32 and Alex Kennedy in the #33.

Quite a few more ringers in the Nationwide Series, though:
Kenny Habul in the #20, Alex Tagliani in the #22, Justin Marks in the #31 (Kwasniewski in the #42 this week), Carlos Contreras in the #44, Bobby Reuse in the #74.

 

[CarlEdwardsRulz]

I'm surprised there's only 37 on the Nationwide Entry list.
The only ringers on the Cup list are Boris Said in the #32 and Alex Kennedy in the #33.

Quite a few more ringers in the Nationwide Series, though:
Kenny Habul in the #20, Alex Tagliani in the #22, Justin Marks in the #31 (Kwasniewski in the #42 this week), Carlos Contreras in the #44, Bobby Reuse in the #74.

I believe it's proof of just how much better most of the regular Cup series drivers have become on road courses in the last 10 years. To me, it seems that the ringers use to have better chances/results running at sonoma or the glen in a Cup car 15 years ago or so... but aside from a run here or there by a ringer in the last 10 years, most of the Cup guys seem to finish at the top half of the field.

 

[ChadVSO]

Kenny Habul in the #20

Finally, Habul got a great car to race at Road America.

 

[nascarlugnut24]

Now, if Kenny Habul can avoid the advertising banners, everything will be alright.

 

[ShadowKnight508]

NASCAR News and Updates (Credit to Jayski):

7-Eleven, AmeriGas Join Go FAS Racing as Sponsors, Will Sponsor Boris Said at Sonoma

7-Eleven, Inc. with AmeriGas will be the primary sponsor on the #32 car owned by Go FAS Racing and driven by Boris Said in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road course race at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 22. "I'm thrilled to be back in a car sponsored by 7-Eleven," commented Said. "We were partners at the 2008 Sonoma race with 7-Eleven and Slurpee on the car and I am pleased to be able to continue that partnership again this year with 7-Eleven and AmeriGas. I'm looking forward to having a great weekend back on the track. I've always enjoyed Sonoma and have had some solid top-10 finishes there. I'm looking forward to adding to that number on Sunday." Said has competed in 14 Sprint Cup races at Sonoma, earning one pole position and five top-10 finishes. In 47 career Sprint Cup Series starts, Said has earned two top-five finishes, eight top-10s and two pole positions (Sonoma in June 2003 and Daytona Beach, Fla., in July 2006). A native of Carlsbad, Calif., Said continues to compete on road course races several times a year. When he isn't turning left and right, Said is managing his BMW of Murrieta dealership in California.

"AmeriGas is excited to partner with 7-Eleven for this sponsorship in Sonoma with Go FAS Racing," said Andy Patton, AmeriGas' vice president of corporate development. "This is a way to market our partnership together to NASCAR fans around the country. Fans everywhere are using our product for grilling and camping at races and 7-Eleven provides for quick and easy propane exchange."

"Ever since Boris and I started together in 2006, we have had a shot to win in Sonoma. I know with Boris in the car this weekend we will have another opportunity to compete for a win," said Frank Stoddard, owner of Go Fas Racing. "We've been working over the past few years to have 7-Eleven back with us and with the support of AmeriGas this year we were able to bring it all together. We're all looking forward to the race weekend and hopefully some great results for 7-Eleven and AmeriGas."

Tony Stewart Crashes During Goodyear Tire Testing at Indianapolis

Six drivers hit the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday afternoon for a tire test ahead of July's Brickyard 400. During the closed portion of the test, #14-Tony Stewart made contact with the Turn 1 wall. He was not transported by paramedics, according to IMS officials. He is, however, in contact with NASCAR medical personnel. In addition to Stewart, #31-Ryan Newman, #15-Clint Bowyer, #22-Joey Logano, #18-Kyle Busch and #16-Greg Biffle were part of the test. Drivers go through tire tests all the time throughout the year, and Bowyer candidly summed up what the drivers get out of them. "Testing sucks, I'm not going to beat around the bush about it," said Bowyer, laughing. "It's so much more fun to come here and compete...You go out there as a driver and make a few laps, and come back in and complain about it, it wasn't very good, or it may have been good. Then, you make more changes and go back out and try again." Newman, who won the Brickyard in 2013, was just happy to be home in Indiana. "It always will be a special place. Not just because I won here, but I have family here," said Newman. "We went over and played some putt-putt last night, rode some go-carts. That type of thing I don't get to do very often. Just in general, the Speedway is a special place."

Toyota Signs Multi-Year Sponsorship Extension with Sonoma Raceway

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. and the Northern California Toyota Dealers have signed a multi-year agreement to continue as co-title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway. Toyota has served as co-title sponsor of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 since 2007, as well as the raceway's official vehicle. The three-year extension will mark 10 years of sponsorship with Sonoma Raceway. The 2014 season marks Toyota's 10th anniversary participating in NASCAR national series competition. "Sonoma Raceway is one of the premier motor-sports venues on the West Coast and our partnership enables us to showcase the freshest line up of cars, trucks and SUVs in the industry," said Henry Hansel, president of the Northern California Toyota Dealer Advertising Association.

Toyota will also continue as title sponsor of the raceway's annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 preview show on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. The 30-minute special, which airs a minimum of six times during the month of June, has been nominated for a sports Emmy award in past years. The agreement also includes hospitality, extensive signage, promotional rights and other assets during major event weekends in Sonoma, including comprehensive, interactive displays for race fans during the June NASCAR event. "We could not be more proud of our association with the Toyota brand, their terrific lineup of cars and trucks and the outstanding group of dealers in our region," said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager. "We are grateful for their support of the raceway and the NASCAR event and look forward to working together for many years to come."

 

[ThatOneShredder]

Am I the only person that misses Robby Gordon? I only think about him once we get to the road courses, but he was always a threat with ballsy strategies.

 

[nascarlugnut24]

Am I the only person that misses Robby Gordon? I only think about him once we get to the road courses, but he was always a threat with ballsy strategies.

No, you're not. I remember in 2010(?) when Marcos Ambrose had that engine blooper Robby almost beat Jimmie Johnson.

 

[ChadVSO]

Tomy Drissi will race at Sonoma in the #66.

Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - Sonoma Entry List