Toyota/SaveMart 350 Advance Notes

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Advance Notes

RACE SETUP

Race:                             Toyota/Save Mart 350 – 110 laps/218.9 miles #TSM350
Track:                            Sonoma Raceway (1.99 mile road course) @RaceSonoma
Drivers:                        @jamiemcmurray, @KyleLarsonRacin
Cars:                             No. 1 Cessna Patriotic Chevrolet SS, No. 42 Viva Vantage Chevrolet SS
Television:   Sunday, June 22 FOX Sports 1 (3:00 p.m. ET)
Social:                           @CGRnascar #Cessna1 #TeamTarget #TeamGanassi

I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT

Season Finale for FOX: After covering each NASCAR race this season, FOX will air their final race of the year this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. Beginning the following week, new NASCAR television partner NBC Sports will beginning airing the race each week, beginning with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Let Me Clear My Throat: Not one to chatter much on the radio, Larson will be letting his voice be heard on Wednesday night in San Francisco when he helps to lead the the crowd at AT&T Park in singing “Take me Out to the Ballgame” as the Giants take on the San Diego Padres. This will be Larson’s second trip to a baseball game this season. He previously threw out the first pitch during a Los Angeles Dodgers spring training game while NASCAR was in Phoenix.

Sonoma Strong: Jamie McMurray has failed to finish on the lead lap at Sonoma Raceway on only one occasion, in 12 career starts. The only time that he did not finish on the lead lap he ran out of gas while running second with just two laps to go, finishing one lap down to eventual race winner and former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.

#TEAMGANASSI

Follow CGR on Twitter:  Be sure to follow CGR on the official team Twitter page.  Find in-race updates and weekly news on the No.1 and No.42 teams throughout the 2014 season by following @CGRnascar. You can also connect in the social conversation throughout the season with team hashtags – #TeamTarget #Cessna1 #TeamGanassi

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR SONOMA RACEWAY

Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Cessna Patriotic Team

Michigan Recap: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season made the first of two annual visits to the Irish Hills of Michigan and the Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Jamie McMurray started from the 25th position and the McDonald’s team adjusted on the car in the early stages of the race to keep McMurray competitive before taking advantage of pit strategy to capture a seventh-place finish in a rain-shortened the Quicken Loans 400.

Sonoma Stats: This weekend’s race will be McMurray’s 13th start at Sonoma Raceway. McMurray has completed 1,326 out of a possible 1,327  laps (99.9%) and has zero DNF’s (did not finish) at the track.  He has two top-five and two top-10 finishes.  The driver of the No. 1 Cessna Patriotic Chevrolet SS has qualified on the pole three times at Sonoma Raceway, 2007, 2013 and 2014, he has also led 41 laps.  McMurray’s best finish at Sonoma is second in 2004, where he also has an average start of 12.7 and average finish of 16.7.

California Poles: Jamie McMurray, who has 11 career poles in the NSCS has captured the top starting spot at seven different tracks in six different states. Five of his 11 poles have come in the state of California at two different tracks, Sonoma Raceway and California Speedway. McMurray swept the top-spot in both 2010 races at California Speedway and at Sonoma Raceway in 2007, 2013 and 2014.

Lucky Sevens: McMurray and the No. 1 team are heading into the Sonoma race weekend with a string of three consecutive seventh-place finishes (Dover, Pocono and Michigan). While McMurray is also the highest driver in the NSCS point standings without a win, he maintains a seventh-place position in the points heading into the Toyota/Save Mart 350 this weekend.

Kyle Larson and No. 42 Viva Vantage Team

Michigan Recap: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) was at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) this weekend, where reviewing weather reports proved almost as important as reviewing race data. The weekend began with threatening skies that would ultimately pass before qualifying, and ended with heavy rains that brought an early close to the race after numerous delays. The Target Chevy looked strong leading into the race, and a late-race weather-related gamble on pit strategy nearly netted Kyle Larson with a victory when the race was red-flagged and called official with 62 laps remaining. Larson would ultimately finish in 17th place.

Larson at Sonoma: A native of Elk Grove, Calif., Larson will be making his second NSCS start at Sonoma this weekend, and only his third NSCS start on a road course. While this is only Larson’s second trip to Sonoma as a driver, he and his family attended races at Sears Point back when he was a kid. In one previous NSCS start, Larson qualified third and raced inside the top-10 through the first half of the race before mechanical issues shuffled him back for a 28th place finish. Larson does have one win on the road course, which he picked up last season in the K&N Pro Series West race.

Purple Power: This weekend Larson will be sporting a special paint scheme as Kimberly Clark brand Viva Vantage serves as the primary on the No. 42 Cevrolet SS. In addition to a special paint scheme, Larson will also be hosting a couple special guests at Sonoma for the race. Earlier in the year, Clorox and Viva Vantage challenged fans to put their products to the test to see how they handled the toughest mess. The lucky winner, who is from Indiana, will be joining the team at Sonoma for his first race and a very unique experience.

Lunch and Learn: Larson will be at his home track for the NSCS this weekend, and will be meeting with members of the media on Thursday for a lunch in San Francisco sponsored by Sonoma Raceway.

Off to Camp: Before hitting the track at Sonoma this weekend, Larson will be making a stop in San Francisco at the Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) to meet with participants of their Tomodachi Summer Program. The Tomodachi Summer Program is meant in part to help kids entering kindergarten to sixth-grade explore new interests, experience Japanese culture and learn about other cultures. The program also provides middle-school students with opportunities for personal development and leadership training. Larson, the only Asian-American in the NSCS should be able to provide the kids with a very unique perspective on racing and the culture of NASCAR, and hopefully gain a few new fans.

A Shopping Bullseye:  If you have made it to the race only to find out you’ve forgotten to pack a few necessities, there’s no need to worry. For all your last minute needs and forgotten items, Target has all of the essentials and more. Target is located at 200 Vintage Way. Novato, Calif. 94945 and can be reached at (415) 892-3313. Call ahead and make sure they have what you need.