It is time for the annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway this weekend, as the NASCAR Truck Series also joins in on the fun in California. The ARCA Menards Series is also in action at Iowa Speedway.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NCWTS
Truex one to watch in Sonoma… Martin Truex Jr. continues to be one to watch at Sonoma Raceway. The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion has won three times at the track, including two of the last three races at Sonoma (2018, 2019). Truex finished third one season ago. With his seventh top-10 finish off the season at Gateway, Truex moved up to fifth in the Cup Series point standings – just 37 markers out of the lead.
Busch closes on the points lead… Kyle Busch is closing in on the overall Cup Series points lead after his third straight podium finish, and fifth top-three finish in the last seven events. The two-time champion is just nine points out of the lead heading into Sonoma. Busch will also compete in his final Truck Series race of the season on Saturday.
Bell on career best streak… Christopher Bell added another top-10 finish in Gateway as he crossed the line in ninth. The Oklahoma-native has now scored top-10 finishes in the last five events – which is the longest streak of his career. Bell scored his first Cup Series win at a road course in Daytona, and also owns an Xfinity Series road course win at Road America.
Rhodes back in the lead… Ben Rhodes took back the Truck Series points lead in Gateway after another stage win and top-10 finish. The reigning Truck Series champion owns an advantage of 17 points over fellow Toyota driver Chandler Smith with five races to go in the regular season. John Hunter Nemechek (fourth), Stewart Friesen (fifth) and Christian Eckes (sixth) are all within 34 points of the overall lead.
Nemechek looks to be one spot better on the road courses… John Hunter Nemechek was close to a Truck Series road course win last season but came up just short. At the Daytona road course in the spring, Nemechek finished third after leading 14 laps and improved to second in the series’ second road course of the season last year at Watkins Glen, coming up just short to former Toyota driver Austin Hill.
62 team returns… The second entry for Halmar Friesen Racing returns to the track this weekend with Todd Bodine’s fourth scheduled start of the season. The No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is scheduled to compete at the next three events with Bodine behind the wheel in Sonoma and Nashville, and Jessica Friesen competing at Knoxville Raceway.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA
Home race for Smith… Sammy Smith heads into his home race fresh off turning 18 and looking to extend his ARCA Menards Series East points lead. The Johnston, Iowa native leads the overall point standings by nine points. He made his Iowa debut one season ago and qualified fourth before a mechanical issue took him out of the race 97 laps into the event.
Jones looks to add another victory… Brandon Jones had a great return to the ARCA Menards Series in Charlotte as he won the pole and led the final 30 laps to score a dominating win. Jones is back in the No. 81 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend in his second of five scheduled starts in the ARCA series.
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