Fast Forward ~ The Toyota Save Mart 350 At Sonoma Fantasy Race Picks And Preview
“The future is like a corridor into which we can see only by the light coming from behind.”
–Edward Weyer, Jr.
The Track:
Location: Sonoma, California
Length: 1.99 mile, 10 turn road course
Banking: There are ten turns…good luck figuring that out.
Pit Road Speed: 35MPH
The Race:
110 Laps/ 350 Kilometers/ 218.9 Miles
Defending Champion: Martin Truex Jr., 76.658mph
Most recent winner: Martin Truex Jr., 76.658mph
Track Record: Clint Bowyer, 83.624 MPH, June 2012
Race Record: Clint Bowyer, 83.624 MPH, June 2012
Qualifying record: Marcos Ambrose, 95.262 MPH, June 2012
2014 Purse: $5,743,595
TV:TNT, 3:00PM EST 6/22/2014
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) Sirius XM 90; www.GOPRN.com
The History:
1968- Track opens as a 2.52 mile road course
June 11, 1989 – First Sprint Cup Series Race, won by Ricky Rudd, 76.088 MPH
1998-Distance increased from 300 to 350 kilometers
1998-Track was reconfigured to a distance of 1.949 miles. The reconfiguration removed a hairpin turn and placed a high speed chute between what was Turns 4 and 7.
June 27, 1999-Closest finish in track history. Jeff Gordon over Mark Martin, with a margin of victory of 0.197 seconds.
2001-Track was reconfigured and measured to 2.0 miles.
2002-Track was re-measured at 1.99 miles.
June 23, 2002-Ricky Rudd becomes the oldest winner at 45 years, 9 months, 11 days.
June 22, 2008-Kyle Busch becomes the youngest winner at 23 years, 1 month, 20 days.
The Contenders:
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Sonoma
Marcos Ambrose....................... 108.0
Kurt Busch................................ 107.8
Tony Stewart............................. 102.4
Jeff Gordon.............................. 101.6
Jimmie Johnson.......................... 97.3
Juan Pablo Montoya................... 95.5
Clint Bowyer............................... 95.2
Kyle Busch................................. 88.0
Ryan Newman............................. 88.0
Carl Edwards.............................. 86.8
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (nine total) among active drivers at Sonoma Raceway.
The Picks:
Welcome to Sonoma! As always, before we get into this week’s picks, let’s go back and take a look at how we did last week.
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
|
Mr. Pole |
4 |
44 |
605 |
649 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Mr. Seven |
88 |
38 |
599 |
637 |
-12 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mr. Winner |
16 |
24 |
600 |
624 |
-25 |
1 |
1 |
|
Vivian |
2 |
42 |
563 |
605 |
-44 |
2 |
2 |
|
Jim Fitzgerald |
4 |
44 |
541 |
585 |
-64 |
0 |
1 |
|
Nate |
88 |
38 |
530 |
568 |
-81 |
0 |
1 |
|
Darrell |
88 |
38 |
522 |
560 |
-89 |
2 |
2 |
|
PattyKay Lilley |
16 |
24 |
529 |
553 |
-96 |
1 |
0 |
|
Brian Marchetti |
20 |
31 |
501 |
532 |
-117 |
0 |
1 |
|
Barbara |
16 |
24 |
495 |
519 |
-130 |
1 |
2 |
|
Kevin Abraham |
88 |
38 |
469 |
507 |
-142 |
1 |
3 |
|
Alabama Fitz |
22 |
36 |
448 |
484 |
-165 |
1 |
3 |
|
If Playoff Started Today |
|
|||||||
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
Chase Pts |
Mr. Pole |
4 |
44 |
605 |
649 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2009 |
Vivian |
2 |
42 |
563 |
605 |
-44 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Darrell |
88 |
38 |
522 |
560 |
-89 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Mr. Winner |
16 |
24 |
600 |
624 |
-25 |
1 |
1 |
2003 |
PattyKay Lilley |
16 |
24 |
529 |
553 |
-96 |
1 |
0 |
2003 |
Barbara |
16 |
24 |
495 |
519 |
-130 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Kevin Abraham |
88 |
38 |
469 |
507 |
-142 |
1 |
3 |
2003 |
Alabama Fitz |
22 |
36 |
448 |
484 |
-165 |
1 |
3 |
2003 |
Mr. Seven |
88 |
38 |
599 |
637 |
-12 |
0 |
0 |
2000 |
Jim Fitzgerald |
4 |
44 |
541 |
585 |
-64 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
Nate |
88 |
38 |
530 |
568 |
-81 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
Brian Marchetti |
20 |
31 |
501 |
532 |
-117 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
And, because the cars will go the opposite direction on the track this week, we’re letting our fans choose first!
Barbara: I’m going to take Jeff Gordon to win this week at Sonoma.
Nate: I am going to take the “The Thunder From Down Under,” Marcos Ambrose.
Vivian: There must be at least 6 or 7 drivers who can win at Sears Point or as they now call it, Sonoma so it was hard narrowing it down to only one. What a track and what a location! I love the road courses and I have come to the conclusion that my racer, Tony Stewart will finally win and take that checkered flag on Sunday.
Darrell: I will take Gordon at the checkers this week. See ya all in Victory Lane!
JIM FITZGERALD: I can’t say I would disagree with any of those! Nice work, everyone!
PATTYKAY LILLEY: Ah yes, at long last, we get to a road course. What a shame we only race at two of these, as the racing is just so much better when right turns are involved. Of course, while the Cup guys are out with the whine and cheese crowd, the Nationwide kids will be at lovely Road America, where Mama sure does wish the Cup cars raced as well. All that aside, I briefly glanced at who has done well at Sonoma in the past, but I knew before I looked who my pick would be. Mama will be riding shotgun with our points leader, Jeff Gordon, who all but owns that twisty little devil at Sears Point. Seeya at the finish line guys and gals. The Tasmanian Devil may be second (He'll be on my Yahoo team, for sure), but Jeff takes the checkers and the bows come Sunday.
JIM FITZGERALD: That's a solid pick, and it may be a winning pick, Mama, but it is not my pick.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: I don't want YOUR pick Jim. I want MY pick... to win. I appear to be auditioning for a part in that Lifeline ad... "I've fallen, and I can't get up!"
ALABAMA FITZ: Gordon, it seems, could be the odds on pick this week as PattyKay has already chosen him. His record here is nothing less than sterling with his 5 wins. However, my driver has 6 Top 10 finishes in 8 races at Sonoma including 3 consecutive Top 5s and a win in 2012. If one was to pro-rate him against Gordon, it might be close and there might be more choices for him to take the checkers this week. If he wins, I just might break out into song with "I'm back in the saddle". I'm driving with the 15 car of Clint Bowyer. Happy trails everyone.
JIM FITZGERALD: I can't find any fault with that Bowyer pick, Fitz, except for the fact that it's not going to happen. That team did more than screw up Richmond and the Chase with that spin last year. I think they put themselves in a downward spiral that they have not been able to pull out of. However, if they can turn it around, this could be the place for it. This week as the cars and drivers will be making right turns as well as lefts, and speaking of right, my pick is a guy who has gotten it going in the right direction. He won here three years ago, and then backed it up with a third for James Finch the year after, then again with a fourth for Furniture Row last year. Now, with more solid equipment under him, look for a return to victory lane for the "kid" from Nevada. It's going to be Kurt Busch scoring win No. 2 on the year.
ALABAMA FITZ: Kurt is a definite threat here...or anywhere for that matter this year. He's run well several times and at different style tracks. That is why I looked at him even after I checked out Gordon and Bowyer. I'd say you have a better than even chance of being in the winners circle this week.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: I like both picks guys... Kurt and Clint. I just feel that Jeff is having the time of his slightly aging life, sitting atop those points, and we are going to one of his best tracks... ever. Neither my heart nor my brain would let me pick against him, so I'll have great fun cheering him on in his quest to become "5-Time."
ALABAMA FITZ: The ONLY thing I found wrong with Gordon is that it has been a few years since his last win at Sonoma. Otherwise, he scares me to death, "slightly aging" or not!
PATTYKAY LILLEY: Yeah but... they've all been top ten finishes. The man knows this track and loves it. Want a tip on who NOT to take? Junior. He hates the place and says so, loud and often. It shows in his finishes... when he does. Oh, Kevin…
KEVIN ABRAHAM: Marcos Ambrose is strong, but at the other road course. Michael McDowell is a decent road course driver but does not have the equipment. I am taking A. J. Allmendinger to earn his first win at this track. Bring us home, Brian.
BRIAN MARCHETTI: Looking at the numbers, I think it would be easier to pick a group of Top 10 finishes, than to narrow down to just one winner. I'm going to take Marcos Ambrose, following my old stats theory, even though I like Jeff Gordon on this track. The old road course ringers use to be my go to picks in Yahoo Fantasy, and Ambrose was one of those guys. Gordon always had his hat in the ring, and I hate not going with him, but I'm still inclined to follow my old format. Ambrose takes the Checkered Flag this week.
JIM FITZGERALD: Well, there you have it, folks. Three for Jeff Gordon, two for Marcos Ambrose, and then one each for Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, A. J. Allmendinger, and Clint Bowyer. Hope these picks help you with your fantasy leagues. We’ll be back next week to see how all of this turned out, but until then, keep the shiny side up!
Our Picks For This Week!
Kevin Abraham |
Alabama Fitz |
Jim Fitzgerald |
PattyKay Lilley |
Brian Marchetti |
Darrell |
Nate |
Who is YOUR pick to win this week?
Correctly choose the winner before the green flag drops on Sunday, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win some racing stuff!