Category: NASCAR Cup PR

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
TOYOTA / SAVE MART 350
SONOMA RACEWAY
SONOMA, CA
JUNE 23, 2019

BOWTIE BULLETS:
IN THE ROLE OF FAVORITES:
Chevrolet drivers Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, and Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, will be considered favorites to win at Sonoma Raceway. In 14 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races each on the road course since 2005, Busch and Johnson are at the top of the MENCS chart of active drivers with an average finish of 11.0 (Busch has an average starting position of 9.4 and Johnson 13.6). Johnson won at the track in 2010 in his Chevrolet and Busch won the next year.

CHEVY LEADS THE WAY IN VICTORY CIRCLE VISITS:
Sonoma Raceway is marking its 50th anniversary with a return to the 2.52-mile, 12-turn full track layout used for MENCS races from 1989-97. The 1.95-mile, 11-turn layout was utilized from 1998-2000, and a 1.99-mile circuit was in place from 2001-18. Chevrolet leads all MENCS manufacturers with 11 wins in 30 events at the racetrack in the heart of wine country.

DILLON AMONG INDUCTEES INTO HALL OF EXCELLENCE:
Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Dow Coatings Camaro ZL1, is among the 2019 inductees into the Little League Hall of Excellence. Dillon and his Southwest Forsyth County (North Carolina) teammates played in the 2002 Little League World Series. “The coach that we had taught us the importance of fundamentals and hard work, and that’s something you can take in everything you do. I still use a lot of those team philosophies that we used in Little League in everything I do today,” Dillon said.

GORDEN TOUGH TO BEAT:
Career-long Chevrolet driver and California native Jeff Gordon leads almost all statistical categories at Sonoma Raceway. He has the most wins (5) ­– including three in a row from 1998-2000 — most poles (5), most top fives (14) and most top 10s (18).

TUNE-IN:
FS1 will telecast the Toyota/Save Mart 350 live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, June 23. Live coverage can also be found on PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Toyota/Save Mart 350 wins by current Team Chevy drivers:
  Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, has one win (2010).
  Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, has one win (2011).
• Chevrolet drivers have 62 top-five and 117 top-10 finishes at Sonoma Raceway.
• Chevrolet drivers have started from the pole 15 times at Sonoma Raceway.
• Busch leads active drivers in laps led with 167 and is tied for first with 10 top-10 finishes.
• Northern California native Kyle Larson, No. 42 Credit One Bank Camaro ZL1, is a two-time pole winner at the track and has an average starting position of 2.8. He has donated 100 tickets to firefighters and first responders to attend the race.
• Chevrolet has won 39 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships.
• Team Chevy drivers have scored 780 wins and 707 poles in MENCS competition.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 – 10th IN STANDINGS
“Honestly, sometimes I never know if I like road course racing or not! Last year, Greg (Ives, crew chief) and the guys brought a great Camaro ZL1 to the track. I was able to learn a lot about the track and we ended up with a top-10 finish. I was able to run a few laps on the simulator prior to this weekend and test out the addition of the carousel to this weekend’s event. I think our Axalta team will bring another great car this weekend and look forward to continue our streak of good finishes.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 – 15th IN STANDINGS
“I always look forward to getting out to Sonoma. I grew up not too far from there, so this weekend is always a good time to see family and friends, and take in some what the area has to offer. Our Chevy has always been fast there for qualifying, and I seem to be able to get around the track pretty good on Saturday. We haven’t had the finishes there yet that we’d like, but I think it’s a place where we should be able to compete. I’m looking forward to racing the new layout, which should be a challenge but also hopefully open up another opportunity for some passing. I had a chance to see the track in the simulator last week, but I’m excited to get in the car in Friday and see it in person.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 – 16th IN STANDINGS
“I grew up on the West Coast, watched a lot of races at Sonoma Raceway that included the Carousel, and I even did a driving school and learned how to drive that track as a teenager with the Carousel. Then I showed up on the NASCAR circuit and they didn’t have the Carousel (laughs). So naturally, I am really excited that they are now opening that back up to us and we will be running through there this time around.”

CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 37 HELLMANN’S CAMARO ZL1 – 22nd IN STANDINGS
“I’m really looking forward to getting to our first road course race of the season. Road course racing is certainly not my background, but I really enjoy it and enjoy the shake-up that it brings to our schedule. I’ve been fortunate to learn a lot about road racing through my career, even getting a win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and we’ve had some really strong runs there in the past. We’ve also had some great momentum these last few weeks at JTG Daugherty Racing, and I know this weekend will only add to that. We have a lot of Kroger guests coming, and this weekend is going to be a lot of fun to put on a great show for them in our No. 37 Hellmann’s Camaro ZL1.”

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO MILIARY CAMARO ZL1 – 23rd IN STANDINGS
“I spent some time in the GM simulator to get used to the new track configuration that we will have this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. It was tough to get into a rhythm since I’ve worked so much over the past two years learning the old layout. It was good, though. I was mentally able to get back into the thought processes of shifting. Road-course racing is such a different mindset that comes with a whole different set of mental checklists that you’re constantly going through over the course of the weekend. We only visit Sonoma once a year, so it’s definitely a challenge. But, I enjoy the challenge of road-course racing. Our GEICO Military team always performs well at these tracks, but we have just run into some bad luck. I’m looking forward to getting on track this weekend. The new configuration will make it exciting, and it will sort of be a great equalizer for the field as everyone adjusts to it.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 POPPY BANK CAMARO ZL1 – 24th IN STANDINGS
YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE YOUR FIRST CAREER START AT SONOMA RACEWAY THIS WEEKEND IN THE POPPY BANK CHEVROLET. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THAT STYLE OF RACING AT A TRACK YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE?
“It’s probably a good thing that I have never been to Sonoma, considering it will be somewhat new for everybody for the change in configuration this year and the Cup Series running the carousel. This may sound crazy, but I remember going to Watkins Glen for the first time and the only time I had ever seen it was in video games. Because of that I felt like I knew the racetrack. With all of the technology that RCR and GM has available, it does a great job providing myself, Austin Dillon and all of the Chevrolet drivers the tools to go to tracks we’ve never been to before. I am pumped to get there with this No. 8 Poppy Bank Chevrolet. Everybody tells me Sonoma is like Darlington but a road course, from a grip standpoint – which will be a challenge in and of itself. I enjoy road course racing, so I look forward to going out there for the first time.”

RYAN PREECE, NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 – 25th IN STANDINGS
“Heading to my first Sonoma Raceway race, I’m not really sure what to expect. Fortunately, most of the drivers will be in the same boat with the addition of the carousel this year to the course. I enjoy road racing and have seen some success at Watkins Glen International in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Knowing this is a totally different beast is fun and exciting. I’m also running the NASCAR K&N West race there to gain additional experience, and I think that will help put our No. 47 Kroger Camaro ZL1 in a great position for Sunday. JTG Daugherty Racing has had a lot of experience and success at road courses, and I’m going to lean on Chris (Buescher) for help navigating the course.”

Chevrolet Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships
Total (1949 – 2018): 39
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-2015)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Drivers Championships
Total (1949 – 2018): 31
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005 – ’11)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016

Event Victories
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 – (in 2007)

2019 STATISTICS:
Wins: 1
Poles: 8
Laps Led: 997
Top-five finishes: 17
Top-10 finishes: 47

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 780 (1949 – to date)
Poles Won to Date: 707
Laps Led to Date: 233,252
Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,986
Top-10 Finishes to Date: 8,219

Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date

GM: 1,114
Chevrolet: 780
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65

Ford: 782
Ford: 681
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4

Chrysler: 466
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 190
Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 131

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Roush Fenway Readies to Turn Left AND Right in Sonoma

Roush Fenway Racing makes the long trek West this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) converges on Sonoma Raceway for the first of two road course races this summer. RFR has three wins at the Napa Valley track, including two in the Cup series (1997, 2014).

Sonoma Raceway

Sunday, June 23 | 3 p.m. ET

FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

·         Ryan Newman, No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang

·         Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Fastenal/Thanks DW Ford Mustang

Looking for the Hat Trick in the ‘Golden State’
In 102 MENCS starts at Sonoma, Roush Fenway has recorded two wins, 14 top-five finishes, 33 top-10 finishes and has led 274 laps. Former Roush Fenway driver Carl Edwards earned the organization’s most recent victory at the road course in 2014.

Hasta La Vista Baby

Roush Fenway has left the California road course victorious on two occasions in the MENCS with former drivers Mark Martin and Carl Edwards. Martin earned the victory in 1997 after starting from the pole and leading 69 laps, while Edwards started fourth and led 26 laps in the 2014 running of this event.

Road Racing Success

As an organization, Roush Fenway has made 344 starts on road courses across NASCAR’s major touring series and has recorded 15 wins, 68 top-fives, 132 top-10s, 11 poles and 879 laps led. Roush Fenway has earned the most road course victories in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (six) followed by five in the MENCS and four in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

California Dreamin’

In 227 MENCS starts in the state of California, Roush Fenway has scored nine wins, 44 top-fives, 86 top-10s and has led 1,715 laps at the tracks of Sonoma, Auto Club Speedway and Riverside International Raceway.

‘The Carousel’ Is Back

Sonoma Raceway will bring back the circuit’s historic 12-turn, 2.52-mile road-course layout for Sunday’s race in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The blast from the past includes the signature sweeping, downhill left-hand corner coined “The Carousel,” implemented for the first time since 1998.

Where They Rank

Fresh off Michigan and an off week, Ryan Newman ranks 17th in points, just one spot outside the playoff picture. Just three points separate he and Jimmie Johnson (16th), and overall only 12 points separate positions 15th through 18th. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., is 20th in points.

Roush Fenway Sonoma Wins

1997       Martin  Cup

1997       Ruttman Truck

2014       Edwards Cup

By the Numbers at Michigan International Speedway

Race      Win       T5           T10         Pole       Laps       Led        AvSt      AvFn     Miles

102         2              14           33           2              10417    274         18.4        18.3        26250.84

0              0              0              0              0              0              0              0.0          0.0          0

5              1              3              3              0              322         4              12.4        8.6          811.44

107         3              17           36           2              10739    278         18.1        17.8        27062.28

Toyota Racing
This Week in Motorsports – June 17 – 23, 2019

Toyota Racing On-Track this Week

·         MENCS/NKNPSW: Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, California) – June 22-23

·         NGOTS/ARCA: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (Madison, Illinois) – June 21-22

·         NHRA: Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park (Norwalk, Ohio) – June 21-23

NASCAR National Series – MENCS/NGOTS

Toyota and Sonoma… For the 13th consecutive season, Toyota has supported the Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway: the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Toyota began the entitlement sponsorship of the race in its debut Cup season of 2007, and the partnership has continued to flourish.

Last Season in Sonoma… At last year’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, Martin Truex Jr. scored his second Sonoma win. Truex started from the second position and took the lead for the first time on lap three. Despite some varying pit strategy, Truex was able to retake the top spot with 20 laps to go and drove to victory. He also won at Sonoma in 2013.

Busch Strong on the Road Courses… Kyle Busch has continued to showcase his road course talents. Busch scored Toyota’s first road course win at Sonoma in 2008 and scored another Toyota/Save Mart 350 victory in 2015. Busch has two additional Cup Series road course victories at Watkins Glen in 2008 and 2013.

California Dreamin’…. California native Matt DiBenedetto is back at Sonoma Raceway for his fifth-career race at the picturesque track. DiBenedetto, a Grass Valley, California native, scored his track-best result of 17th one season ago at the Northern California road course.

Career-Best Finish… Todd Gilliland is back at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway one year after his career-best second-place finish. Gilliland started eighth, led a lap and finished second, less than one second behind the race winner.

First Race at Gateway… After solid finishes in Iowa, Harrison Burton and Chandler Smith make their first NGOTS starts at Gateway. Burton has scored top-five finishes at the last two NGOTS events. Smith made his debut NGOTS debut in Iowa where he led 55 laps and finished eighth.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Winning in Norwalk… Toyota Top Fuel drivers have won six of the 10 races contested at the Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. Former Toyota drivers Larry Dixon (2009 and 2010), Del Worsham (2011) and Khalid alBalooshi (2013) claimed the early victories. Current Toyota drivers have also been successful with Antron Brown (2014) and Shawn Langdon (2016) claiming Top Fuel wins in Norwalk.

Counting Down… With just seven races remaining in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series regular season, all five Toyota drivers continue to be on pace to make the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Doug Kalitta continues to sit second in the Top Fuel standings, with Brown in fourth and Richie Crampton in eighth. In Funny Car, reigning champion J.R. Todd holds down sixth and Langdon is 10th in the point standings.

Regional Stock Car Racing – ARCA/NKNPSW

Continued Strong Performance… Halfway through the 20-race ARCA Menards Series season, Toyota has claimed eight wins. Smith scored his second ARCA win of the year last week in Madison. Michael Self leads the series with three victories, while Burton, Gilliland and Christian Eckes have one win each.

Looking Back on Gateway… Toyota claimed its first ARCA Menards Series win at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in 2018 in dominating fashion as Camry race teams led every lap and swept the top five finishing positions. Former Toyota driver and eventual ARCA champion Sheldon Creed scored the win.

Strong Start to the Season … Hailie Deegan is coming off her second win NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (NKNPSW) of the season at Colorado National Speedway. Deegan leads the NKNPSW with four top-five finishes in five events and has closed to within 12 points of the championship lead.

Stay Connected

ToyotaRacing.com   @ToyotaRacing.com  @ToyotaRacing  facebook.com/ToyotaRacing  ToyotaRacingMedia.com

SONOMA RACEWAY (2.52-MILE ROAD COURSE)
LOCATION: SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 16 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, JUNE 23 (FS1/PRN/SIRIUSXM)

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Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 23 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2019 Season
5th in standings
15 starts
1 win
2 pole positions
6 top-five finishes
7 top-10 finishes
403 laps led

Career
128 starts
4 wins
6 pole positions
39 top-five finishes
66 top-10 finishes
1,646 laps led

Track Career
3 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
2 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

ROAD COURSE RINGER: Chase Elliott proved his road course prowess in 2018 after collecting his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen International. The win made Elliott the ninth-youngest first-time winner in the Cup Series (22 years, eight months, eight days) and the youngest road course winner of all time. In 2018, he was one of only three drivers to finish inside the top 10 in all three road course races (Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Charlotte “roval”) and he also garnered the second-most laps led on road courses (52) behind only Martin Truex Jr. (71) last season. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native held the best average finish on road courses last season (3.67) and his 141 points collected on those tracks were 20 more points than any other driver.

SONOMA STATS: Elliott is set to make his fourth Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. In his previous Cup starts at the road course, the driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 hah an average starting position of 9.0 and finishing position of 11.0. The 23-year-old driver earned his first top-10 result at Sonoma in 2017 and followed it up last season, posting a fourth-place finish, his first top-five road-course result.

ROAD COURSE ROUNDUP: In his seven previous starts in the Cup Series at road courses, Elliott has collected two top-five finishes – including his win at Watkins Glen – and four top-10s. He has started in the top five in each of his last four road course races, and finished in the top six in the last three for an average finish of 3.67. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series (Road America, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio) the No. 9 Chevy driver finished inside the top 10 in all six starts and collected four top-five finishes. Elliott also garnered victories in both the NASCAR Truck Series (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, 2013) and K&N Pro Series West (Sonoma Raceway, 2016) at road courses.

GUSTAFSON AT ROAD COURSES: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 30th road course race from atop the pit box this weekend. In his previous 29 starts with five different drivers (Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Casey Mears and Kyle Busch), Gustafson has collected one win – with Elliott last season at Watkins Glen – one pole award, six top-five finishes and 12 top-10s.

LAST SIX: The driver of the No. 9 Chevy is currently on a streak of leading laps in six straight races, behind only Brad Keselowski’s active streak of eight straight. He has collected five top-five finishes (Talladega – first; Dover – fifth; Kansas – fourth; Charlotte – fourth; Pocono – fourth) in the last six events. Over those six races, he has averaged a starting position of 14.2 and finishing position of 6.3 while leading 281 laps.

DARLINGTON SCHEME REVEALED: Last week, the No. 9 team unveiled the Darlington throwback scheme via social media that will hit the track in September. The ride mirrors the fourth-ever NASCAR Cup Series car of Elliott’s father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott. He drove it while racing for his father, George Elliott, in the 1981 season. That year, Bill Elliott captured his first Cup Series pole at Darlington and earned seven top-10 finishes. Click here for a closer look at the throwback No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

HOOTERS PAGEANT: Before heading to Sonoma, Elliott will serve as a judge for the 23rd Annual Hooters International Pageant at Lake Tahoe on Thursday. The crowned pageant winner will also become a brand ambassador for Hooters that leads the #Hooters9 Crew in cheering on the No. 9 team. The pageant will also feature a special concert from award-winning country music singer-songwriter Lee Brice. For more information, click here.

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William Byron
No. 24 Hertz Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 21 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
14th in standings
15 starts
0 wins
3 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
4 top-10 finishes
150 laps led

Career
51 starts
0 wins
3 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
8 top-10 finishes
211 laps led

Track Career
1 start
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Hertz Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media on Friday, June 21, at 1:30 p.m. local time in the Sonoma Raceway media center.

STATS DON’T LIE: Coming out of the second off-weekend of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron has had impressive stats in the first 15 races of his sophomore season. In the last three races, Byron has propelled himself from 19th to 14th in the driver point standings. He has started on the front row six times – the most of any driver this season so far – and is tied for first with the most pole awards (three). Byron has led laps in five consecutive races – the third-longest active streak among Cup drivers this season. He has also improved his average finishing position to 15.7 in the initial 15 races of this year compared to 20.1 in the same number of races in 2018.

HEY THERE, HERTZ: Returning to the West Coast, this time for the first road course event of the season, Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry Hertz Corporation, one of the world’s largest vehicle rental companies, on board for the third time this season. The can’t-miss Hertz-yellow Camaro will hit the track this weekend and again at ISM Raceway in the fall. Earlier this week, the third installment of the Hertz Heroes at Hendrick Motorsports series was released featuring competition systems group engineer H.A. Mergen. Watch his interview with No. 24 team crew chief Chad Knaus here.

SONOMA STATS: Last year, Byron made his Sonoma Raceway debut in the Cup Series, qualifying eighth and finishing 25th after fighting handling issues for much of the 110-lap race. Before his Cup start, Byron had two previous starts at the road course, both coming in the K&N Pro Series. Byron’s first road course race in a stock car came at Sonoma Raceway in 2015 in the K&N Pro Series West race, qualifying second and racing to a fifth-place finish. Byron returned to Sonoma for the K&N Pro Series West race last year, tying his best qualifying effort of second and crossing the finish line in third.

KNAUS’ KEENNESS: Climbing on top of the pit box for the 16th time with Byron and the No. 24 team in 2019, Knaus will call the shots for his 19th Sonoma race as a crew chief this weekend. Out of his previous 18 races at the California road course, Knaus has four top-five finishes and nine top-10s, including one win – his only victory as a Cup Series crew chief on a road course.

MENTIONING MICHIGAN: The Cup Series last competed almost two weeks ago at Michigan International Speedway. Byron qualified 21st but had to wait an extra day before getting on track after rain postponed the event until Monday, June 10. Spending the initial laps adjusting to the new aero package, Byron steadily climbed his way into the top-15 running order throughout the race, finding himself 13th as a caution came out with four laps remaining. Restarting in the bottom lane in overtime, Byron lost momentum in the closing laps, finishing the race in 18th.

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Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 43 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
16th in standings
15 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
1 top-five finish
6 top-10 finishes
68 laps led

Career
630 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
225 top-five finishes
358 top-10 finishes
18,771 laps led

Track Career
17 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
9 top-10 finishes
143 laps led

CALIFORNIA KIDS: The “Golden State” is not only home to El Cajon, California, native Jimmie Johnson – the No. 48 team has two other members who also call California home. Race engineer Julian Pena hails from Aliso Viejo, California, and graduated from Stanford University with a degree in mechanical engineering. Interior mechanic Matt Philpott originally hails from nearby Tracy, California, which is roughly 90 miles from Sonoma.

FINDING VICTORY LANE: Johnson has been able to sip wine in Victory Lane one time at Sonoma Raceway over the course of his career. His win at the road course came June 20, 2010, when he led 55 of 110 laps en route to the victory. He has finished inside the top 10 nine times at the venue, including most recently in 2015, when he led 45 laps before finishing sixth.

SONOMA STATS: At Sonoma, the seven-time Cup Series champion has the second-best average running position of all current drivers, 11.34, and an average finish of 11.0. Johnson has spent 77 percent of all laps run in the top 15 and has led 143 circuits around the now 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course.

STREAKING AT SONOMA: Johnson has not finished outside of the top 15 at Sonoma Raceway since a 17th-place result in 2007. He has finished outside of the top 17 just twice in his career at the track. In his last 10 races at the road course, Johnson has earned a win, three top-five finishes, seven top-10s and most recently an 11th-place result.

PICKING UP POINTS: In 2018, Johnson earned the fifth-most points of all drivers at road course races, earning 101 between events at Sonoma, Watkins Glen and the Charlotte Motor Speedway “roval.”

EARL BARBAN Q&A: Longtime spotter for the No. 48 team Earl Barban will participate in a question-and-answer session Sunday, June 23, in the Save Mart/Lucky Breaking Zone at Sonoma Raceway at 9 a.m. local time.

OFF-WEEKEND FUN: Over the off-weekend break, Johnson, his wife Chandra and daughters Genevieve and Lydia enjoyed a vacation in Greece, traveling to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini.

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Alex Bowman
No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 26 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
10th in standings
15 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
94 laps led

Career
132 starts
0 wins
2 pole positions
6 top-five finishes
19 top-10 finishes
368 laps led

Track Career
3 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
0 laps led

AXALTA ON BOARD: This weekend marks the sixth of 12 events in which the Axalta colors will adorn Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Axalta will be on the No. 88 machine this weekend at Sonoma Raceway and again next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Last year, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Axalta signed a four-year contract extension that will take the partnership through 2022. The leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings unveiled a new Axalta Racing website last year that includes plenty of behind-the-scenes content, photos, and videos. Check out Bowman’s page here.

ALL ABOUT POINTS: In the last six races, Bowman and the No. 88 team have gone from 21st in the point standings to 10th. Within those six events, the driver has averaged a start of 11.2 and finish of 6.3. He is tied for the most top-10 finishes among all Cup Series drivers during that span with five.

BOWMAN TURNS LEFT AND RIGHT: Bowman will make his fourth start at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. The Tucson, Arizona, native’s first and only top-10 at the track came last season when he finished ninth at the conclusion of the 110-lap event. Out of 330 total laps run in his three races at the track, Bowman has completed 99.7 percent. Last year, Bowman made a start at the California-based track in the K&N Pro Series West, qualifying seventh before an engine issue relegated him to a 24th-place result.

FIRST WIN: If Bowman were to capture the victory this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, he would be the second driver to get his first win at the venue. The driver of the No. 88 Chevy would be a part of a group of 15 drivers to get their first career win at a road course, including teammate Elliott, who captured his first Cup win at Watkins Glen International last year.

IVES AT SONOMA: No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives has called the shots four times at Sonoma Raceway for Hendrick Motorsports. The Michigan native has three top-10 results at the track along with one 11th-place finish. Ives’ drivers have completed 100 percent of the total laps run during those four events. The crew chief’s best finish at the track came in 2017 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished sixth. Last season, Ives led Bowman and the No. 88 team to a ninth-place finish at Sonoma.

BY THE NUMBERS: Bowman earned an average finish of 9.0 on road courses last season, the sixth-best of all drivers. In addition, he ranked sixth on the list of drivers with the most points scored on road courses in 2018 with 97 points earned. The 26-year-old driver has led 94 laps this season, the sixth-most of drivers without a win in 2019.

DEAR DIARY: Bowman’s sixth diary piece for Motorsport.com came out last week and he discussed his off-weekend plans and what the past six races have meant to him and the entire No. 88 team. You can find Bowman’s June diary piece here.

PITCH TO WIN BIG: Small Business Week ran from May 5-11 and recognized small businesses everywhere. Nationwide and BlueVine are teaming up to give away up to $100,000 to one small business to help it grow. From now until June 30, small-business owners can visit www.pitchtowinbig.com to enter for a chance to win funds to achieve their business goals. Nationwide and BlueVine will select the contest finalists, who will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Nationwide’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, to pitch business leaders during a live “Pitch to Win” event. The winning pitch will win the $100,000 prize, with second place receiving $20,000 and third place taking home $10,000.

EYES SET FOR THE GLEN: On Monday, June 17, Hendrick Motorsports partner Axalta Coating Systems, along with Bowman, announced a joint branding initiative with CARSTAR for the upcoming race at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 4. CARSTAR is North America’s premier network of independently owned and operated collision repair facilities. The CARSTAR logo will be featured on the television panel and roof of the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Watkins Glen. In addition to the branding on the car, Bowman will also wear a special helmet designed through the “Accelerate the Cure” contest. Those affected by cystic fibrosis can design a helmet for Bowman in order to raise awareness for the disease. Those interested can visit the “Accelerate the Cure” website to submit an entry. The deadline to submit is July 5.

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Hendrick Motorsports

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT SONOMA: At Sonoma, Hendrick Motorsports has earned six victories, nine pole positions, six runner-up results, 31 top-five finishes, 54 top-10s and 650 laps led, all of which lead the NASCAR Cup Series all-time. The organization has secured at least one top-10 finish in all but two of the 29 races in which it has competed at Sonoma. At least one Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished inside the top 10 in all but two of the 30 races in which they have competed at the track, including each of the last 13 races at the California track, the longest active streak by a team. A Hendrick Motorsports driver has led at least one lap in 19 of the last 24 races at the road course.

ROAD COURSE WARRIORS: Hendrick Motorsports leads organizations all-time with 16 wins on road courses. Joe Gibbs is second with 11 wins on road courses, followed by Wood Brothers Racing with eight.

SPREADING THE LOVE: The organization’s 16 road course wins have come via six different drivers, which is tied with Team Penske for the most all-time. Jeff Gordon leads the way for Hendrick Motorsports with nine road course victories, followed by Tim Richmond with three and Chase Elliott, Geoff Bodine, Jimmie Johnson and Ricky Rudd with one apiece.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 12 championships, 253 race victories, 221 pole positions, 1,055 top-five finishes and 1,809 top-10s in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led more than 68,000 laps since 1984.

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QUOTABLE /
Chase Elliott on racing at Sonoma:
“I have enjoyed road racing in these cars. I think road course racing suits these cars well, which is fun. We don’t do it a whole lot and that makes it cool when we do have a chance. I’ve enjoyed it. Sonoma is a very tough racetrack and it’s been an extreme challenge for me to try and get around there at a decent pace. I always look forward to going out there. It’s a cool part of the country and since we only go there once a year, that’s what makes it special.”

Elliott on the difference between Sonoma and Watkins Glen:
“Everything. You are still road course racing, for sure, but your habits and tendencies that you’d have at Watkins Glen, you would just never get away with at Sonoma. It’s a lot more finesse, I feel like, at Sonoma, a lot more making sure you hit your marks and doing the right things to make your tires live. Watkins Glen, with the repave that happened a few years ago now, it’s kind of just everything you’ve got, every lap, and it’s very different. Obviously, the pace is polar opposite. Sonoma isn’t slow, but it is certainly not fast like Watkins Glen is.”

William Byron on the carousel at Sonoma:
“I haven’t experienced the carousel at Sonoma before. I think it’s going to be different for all of us this weekend. We were talking about that last week in the shop, there’s going to be a lot of differences such as the gearing ratio that we’ll use now. It’s going to create a new challenge for all of us, which I feel like evens the playing field some.”

Byron on road courses:
“I like them. I’ve done a lot of work with Max Papis to really improve on them throughout my career. I think my instincts for road course racing are really starting to show more and I think I’m becoming a quicker study at those places. I’m still working on learning what the car needs there or what I’m supposed to need for a race, which is the hard part. I feel like I can make a good lap time and get in a good rhythm, though, which is half the battle.”

Jimmie Johnson on the Carousel at Sonoma:
“I grew up on the West Coast, watched a lot of races at Sonoma Raceway that included the carousel, and I even did a driving school and learned how to drive that track as a teenager with the carousel. Then I showed up on the NASCAR circuit and they didn’t have the carousel (laughs). So, naturally, I am really excited that they are now opening that back up to us and we will be running through there this time around.”

Alex Bowman on road courses:
“Honestly, sometimes I never know if I like road course racing or not! Last year, (No. 88 team crew chief) Greg (Ives) and the guys brought a great Camaro ZL1 to the track. I was able to learn a lot about the track and we ended up with a top-10 finish. I was able to run a few laps on the simulator prior to this weekend and test out the addition of the carousel to this weekend’s event. I think our Axalta team will bring another great car this weekend and look forward to continue our streak of good finishes.”

Michael McDowell on Sonoma

50 Years in Wine Country … Both Richard Childress Racing and Sonoma Raceway are celebrating their 50th anniversaries in 2019. In 71 starts at the 10-turn stadium course, Richard Childress Racing owns a storied history with two wins (with Dale Earnhardt in 1995 and with Robby Gordon in 2003), one pole award (Earnhardt, 1995), 14 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.,-based team has led 140 laps at Sonoma Raceway, completed 7,443 of the 7,490 laps contested (99.4 percent) and has recorded just one DNF since the Cup Series made it’s debut at the track in 1989.

RCR in the MENCS … In 2,951 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 50 pole awards,108 wins, 489 top-five finishes and 1,071 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.2. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Menards Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.

Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3, @TylerReddick and @DanielHemric. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages –  http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3 and www.facebook.com/DanielHemric.

Catch the Action … The Sonoma 350 at Sonoma Raceway will be televised live Sunday, June 23 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s Dow Coatings Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Sonoma Raceway … Austin Dillon has five previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, earning his best finish at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course (16th) in 2018.

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Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A Session in the Breaking Zone, located in the main paddock, behind the grandstand, at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 23 at 8:45 a.m. Local Time

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
A lot of changes this year, one of them happens in Sonoma with the return of the carousel. What are your thoughts on the carousel, and have you watched videos from 20 years ago when the carousel was in play?
“I’m just trying to get into the simulator as much as I can and really get muscle memory into that corner because it definitely looks much different from how it previously looked. The first time I hit it will be the first time we get there, so I’m just trying to learn what I can from the simulator and hopefully it translates over to the track well. The loop that you carry speed through is very difficult because it comes on to a flat surface. Getting your car turned, I think it’ll give us another passing zone which will be nice.”

How do you prepare for Sonoma Raceway?
“A lot of simulator time. Get in the simulator and run a lot of laps. We’ve been finding some time to do that within the busy schedule.”

Do you find yourself doing a little bit more recreation when we are in Sonoma?
“Yeah, more just hanging out with the guys and going out with them when I can.”
Daniel Hemric and the No. 8 Poppy Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Sonoma Raceway … Daniel Hemric will be making his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway during this weekend’s 90-lap event. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native made one road course start in the Cup Series in 2018, starting 11th and finishing 23rd in the inaugural event at the Charlotte Roval. Hemric made a total of six road course starts during two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning three top-five finishes.

About Poppy Bank … Since opening their first branch in January 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to over $2 Billion in assets with branches across the San Francisco Bay Area, Roseville and Southern California. They also have loan production offices in Northern and Southern California, as well as in Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Their commitment to providing the best products and services has propelled their success and garnered national recognition of their performance. Poppy Bank is 5-star rated by BauerFinancial, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating firm, and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. The Bank is governed by a strong team of Executive Officers and a dedicated Board of Directors formed entirely by accomplished business leaders. Poppy Bank exists to meet the banking needs of their clients and to make a positive difference in the communities they serve.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings … Coming off his 12th-place run at Michigan International Speedway, Hemric continues to lead the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings, enjoying a 21-point lead over Ryan Preece and a 98-point gap over Matt Tifft.

Meet the Driver … Hemric will take part in a fan Q&A session in the Turn 7 RevZone on Sunday, June 23, starting at 8:50 a.m. local time.

DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
You are going to make your first career start at Sonoma Raceway this weekend in the Poppy Bank Chevrolet. How do you prepare for that style of racing at a track you have never been to before?
“It’s probably a good thing that I have never been to Sonoma Raceway, considering it will be somewhat new for everybody with a change in configuration this year with the Cup Series running the carousel. This may sound crazy, but I remember going to Watkins Glen International for the first time and the only time I had ever seen it was in video games. Because of that experience playing video games, I felt like I knew the racetrack. With all of the technology that RCR and GM have available, I feel like my teammate Austin Dillon and I have the tools we need to go to tracks we’ve never been to before and succeed. I am pumped to get to Sonoma Raceway with the No. 8 Poppy Bank Chevrolet. Everybody tells me Sonoma Raceway is similar to Darlington Raceway from a grip standpoint, which will be a challenge in and of itself. I enjoy road course racing, so I look forward to going out there for the first time.”

No. 38 Ford to Pay Homage to NASCAR Hall of Famer in Final Race with FOX Sports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 18, 2019) – The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang will run a special paint scheme for the “Toyota/Save Mart 350” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway this weekend in honor of Darrell Waltrip’s retirement, David Ragan announced on NASCAR Race Hub on FS1 today.

Elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012, Darrell Waltrip is a three-time NASCAR Cup series champion and retired from racing in 2000. He has been a staple of the FOX Sports booth since 2001. In April of this year, he announced that 2019 would be his last season as a broadcaster.

Inspired by Waltrip’s No. 17 Western Auto/Parts America Monte Carlo which he drove in the late 1990s, Ragan’s No. 38 Ford will feature a red and white design, complete with “#THANKSDW” messaging, Waltrip’s likeness on the hood and his signature “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity! Let’s go racing, boys!” catchphrase.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to run this scheme during Darrell Waltrip’s last race as a broadcaster with FOX,” said Ragan. “We’ve developed a great relationship over the years and he’s truly been an asset to our sport. It still gives me chills listening to replays of him calling my Talladega win in 2013. His enthusiasm for racing is unmatched and I know we will all miss seeing him up in the booth each week. All I can say is, ‘Thanks, DW.’”

The No. 38 “Darrell Waltrip Throwback” Ford Mustang will make its debut at Sonoma Raceway on Friday, June 21 for practice. The NASCAR world gears up for one final “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity” from Waltrip on Sunday, June 23 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 and PRN.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields three full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell, the No. 36 of Matt Tifft and the No. 38 of David Ragan – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. The team’s partnership base includes CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Ford Performance, Love’s Travel Stops, Select Blinds, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Tunity, Surface and Speedco. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Matt DiBenedetto – No. 95 Procore Thanks DW Throwback Toyota Camry Preview
Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway

No. 95 Procore Toyota Camry Notes:

·       JOIN THE PROCORE CREW: With a new car, new driver, and a new season ahead of us, now’s your chance to join our Procore crew. Become a member of the No. 95 Crew today to get your free, collectible Matt DiBenedetto 95 hero card. Plus, you can enter to win exclusive Procore No. 95 Car merchandise throughout the season.  Visit www.procore.com/95crew to enroll today.

·       DIBENEDETTO BY THE NUMBERS: In four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Sonoma Raceway, Matt DiBenedetto has an average start of 30.0 and an average finish of 25.0.  He’s completed 439 of 440 (99.8 percent) career laps at the Sonoma, California road course.  The series will return to the original 12-turn course for the first time since 1997 with no current MENCS driver having driven this configuration.

·       THANKING A LEGENDARY PERSONALITY: This weekend at Sonoma, the No. 95 Procore Toyota Camry will run a special paint scheme saluting the tremendous career of Darrell Waltrip.  Waltrip had a 29-year career in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series making 809 starts, with 35 of those career starts being in the No. 95.  Following his driving career, Waltrip seamlessly transitioned to the broadcast booth when he joined FOX Sports in 2001.  This weekend will be Waltrip’s last broadcast as he heads off into retirement leaving behind countless contributions both on the track and in the broadcast booth.  The No. 95 Procore Thanks DW Throwback Toyota Camry will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 19th during the FOX Sports “NASCAR Race Hub” broadcast.

·       RACE INFO: The Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway (2.52-mile road course) begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 23rd. The race will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1, Sirius XM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.

DiBenedetto’s Career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Sonoma:
Date                Event                                      S          F         Laps                Status
06/28/15          Toyota / Save Mart 350          30        29        109/110            Running
06/26/16          Toyota / Save Mart 350          33        31        110/110            Running
06/25/17          Toyota / Save Mart 350          27        23        110/110            Running
06/24/18          Toyota / Save Mart 350          30        17        110/110            Running

DiBenedetto’s Career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Sonoma:
Races     Wins     Top 5s    Top 10s       Poles
Cumulative         4            0             0               0                0

DiBenedetto’s 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats:
Starts         Wins        Top-5’s     Top-10’s       Poles          Laps Led            Avg. Start       Avg. Finish
15              0                 0                 0                  0                    50                     22.2                 24.5

DiBenedetto’s Career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Stats:
Starts         Wins        Top-5’s     Top-10’s         Poles        Laps Led            Avg. Start       Avg. Finish
155                0                  0              4                    0                  73                       30.3                 28.5

From the Driver’s Seat:

Matt DiBenedetto: “Road course racing, and short tracks, are my favorite tracks we go to all year.  Road courses are my favorite because they’re different than anything else we do, and Sonoma in particular is my favorite course on the circuit because I have family who live out in the area and it’s what I would call a short track of road courses.  Sonoma has lower speeds and is a slower pace for a road course, so it kind of mixes up the best of both worlds to me.  Sonoma is a more technical track than some other places, and that’s what makes it more fun to me to do the road racing, because it separates the drivers and makes their abilities stand out more.  I ran well there last year finishing 17th which was a good run for us on that deal.  I’ve learned a lot over the years when it comes to road courses just from experience.  I took to road courses quickly, and just loved them early on especially when I found speed at them.  Over the years I’ve learned how to be better and set up your race so that you can set up your passes and how to work on what I needed out of my car for those races.  I also look back at past year’s races as well as leaning on A.J. (Allmendinger) for information about what to do in certain areas and what I need the car to feel like since you’re focusing on different parts of the track to set up passing for somebody.  Having this year’s downforce on the cars will change them a bit for this weekend at Sonoma, but hopefully things are still similar to what we’ve seen in the past there.  Tires do wear out and that can allow teams to try some varied strategies.  Through the esses and Turn 10 will be areas that we’ll be learning about this weekend since those probably will see some faster speeds.  Turn 10 is an important turn since it sets up how you enter the passing zone and Turn 11, so it’ll be tough if you have more trouble this year following closely to a car in front of you.”

From the Pit Box:

Mike Wheeler: “The neat thing about going road course racing midseason is giving us a change of pace.  Sonoma is a nice racetrack because it’s always a good place to maximize your car and driver’s talent.  One of the main things you need to do well at the road courses is to make sure that you can handle all of the corners appropriately while making sure that you are better than all the other guys in the passing zones.  One of the biggest concerns with Sonoma is the curb strikes and how much impact load the suspension gets from those.  There can be a durability concern with a lot of the suspension parts from that, but fortunately, we’ve had decent success with that in the last few years in the JGR cars.  However, the new section could play into it being a new part of the course that we haven’t been on both for set-up and for durability.  Ultimately, tires fall off a lot at Sonoma which makes for varying strategies and passing opportunities and really makes for some good racing.  I would say that this year’s aero package is going to change some of the faster sections of the course; through the esses and through Turns 8 and 10, will be faster with the added downforce because it is a chunk more of downforce now.  Turn 4, Turn 7 and Turn 11 will most likely be just as slow as they used to be because at 45 m.p.h. the amount of downforce we are adding is minimal compared to the mechanical aspects of the car making the corner.  Ultimately, I think the fast sections could be faster than they have been in the past.”

No. 95 Procore Toyota Camry Team:
Driver: Matt DiBenedetto                   Crew Chief: Mike Wheeler
Car Chief: Greg Emmer                     Spotter: Doug Campbell
Engineer: J.R. Houston                     Engineer: Etienne Cliche
Mechanic: Bill Mares                         Mechanic: Matt Kimball
Shock Specialist: Sean Studer         Mechanic: Zach Marquardt
Tire Specialist: Tony Ramirez          Jackman: Charles Thacker
Fueler: Brian Eastland                       Rear Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Front Changer: Adam Hartman        Tire Carrier: Chris Hall
Hauler Driver: Damon Lopez

About Procore Technologies:

Procore is a leading provider of cloud-based applications for construction. Procore connects people, applications, and devices through a unified platform to help construction professionals manage risk and build quality projects—safely, on time, and within budget. Procore has a diversified business model with products for Project Management, Construction Financials, Quality & Safety, and Field Productivity. Headquartered in Carpinteria, California, with offices around the globe, Procore is used to manage billions of dollars in annual construction volume. For more information about Procore, visit procore.com.

Team: No. 17 Fastenal/ThanksDW Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie
Twitter: @Stenhouse17Team @Stenhousejr and @roushfenway

ADVANCE NOTES

Stenhouse Jr. at Sonoma Raceway

Stenhouse Jr. has six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Sonoma Raceway with an average starting position of 28.0 and average finishing position of 26.7.

Brian Pattie at Sonoma Raceway

Pattie will be atop the pit box for his 13th MENCS event at Sonoma this weekend. In 12 previous races, Pattie has an average finish of 15.6

Pattie has led multiple drivers to one win, three top five and six top-10 finishes.

One Year Ago at Sonoma

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. passed eventual race winner Martin Truex Jr. and picked up three more positions in the final three laps to bring his No. 17 Fastenal Ford Fusion home 18th in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway.

On the Car

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race in Sonoma will mark the end of an era in the sport, with legendary driver/announcer Darrell Waltrip hanging up his microphone after 19 years in the TV booth. In honor of Waltrip’s last call, Roush Fenway Racing and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will pay homage to the former driver and Hall of Famer with a special chrome numbered paint scheme on the No. 17 Ford Mustang.

Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Sonoma:

“Sonoma has always been a struggle for me so I spent some time on the Ford simulator last week trying to get some laps in on the new configuration with the new carousel. The key for me is to be patient and hit my marks. In the past, these races come down to pit strategy. Pattie has won at Sonoma before so he knows what strategy is needed to win. After a weekend off, I’m looking forward to getting on track Friday and hopefully we can leave Sonoma with a solid finish.”

CONCORD, N.C. (June 18, 2019) – Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race in Sonoma will mark the end of an era in the sport, with legendary driver/announcer Darrell Waltrip hanging up his microphone after 19 years in the TV booth. In honor of Waltrip’s last call, Roush Fenway Racing and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will pay homage to the former driver and Hall of Famer with a special chrome numbered paint scheme on the No. 17 Ford Mustang.

“Darrell Waltrip has meant a great deal to our sport as both a competitor and a member of the broadcast media,” said Jack Roush, a fellow member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “The thing that stands out to me about Darrell is that after I just announced I was starting the team with Mark Martin, I was invited into a driver’s meeting that season. Darrell Waltrip was one of the first to welcome me into the fold and say ‘come on in Jack, we are going to have a lot of fun with you’ and we sure have over the years.”

Waltrip piloted the No. 17 car in NASCAR’s premiere series from 1987 to 1998, sporting some of the most iconic paint schemes in the sports history.

Current No. 17 driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has long been a fan of Waltrip and this will mark the third time he has paid tribute to Waltrip on the No. 17, the first two coming at the Darlington throwback events.

“With as much as he’s done in the sport on and off the track, Darrell will definitely be missed,” Stenhouse said. “I have enjoyed all the sit-downs and seeing his passion that he has for the sport. I’ve gotten to pay homage to him with two Darlington throwback schemes so it will be extra special to drive his iconic paint scheme for his last appearance in the booth.”

In 2016 Stenhouse sported an orange and white Ford, with blue numbers that gave nod to Waltrip’s first winning car from 1975. The second came in 2017 with a car carrying the paint scheme from Waltrip’s 1997 NASCAR Cup season; one of Stenhouse’s favorite paint schemes along with the all-chrome variety Waltrip also ran that same season.

The Ford will also feature Roush Performance on the hood and Stenhouse’s primary sponsor Fastenal on the quarter panel and decklid.

Sunday’s race is set for 3:00 p.m. EST on FS1 and can also be heard on MRN and SIRIUSXM NASCAR Channel 90.