Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway… In 84 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, Richard Childress Racing owns two wins. Dale Earnhardt claimed the first win for the organization in 1995, leading the final two laps of the race to secure the victory. Earnhardt also won the pole for that same event, the first for the Welcome, N.C.-based team. Robby Gordon won at Sonoma in 2003, leading 81 of 110 laps and holding off Jeff Gordon for the win. RCR has racked up 15 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes since the NASCAR Cup Series made its debut at the track in 1989. The team has led 158 laps at the California road course and has completed 8,710 of a possible 8,844 laps (98.5 percent).
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Sonoma Raceway… In six NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, RCR has led 25 laps and earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
NASCAR’s $1 Million Showdown: The 2026 In-Season Challenge… The NASCAR In-Season Challenge kicks off this weekend at Sonoma Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series. The 32 qualifying drivers are seeded into a single-elimination bracket. Each race in the tournament reduces the field by half: from 32 to 16, then to eight, four, and finally two. The driver with the better finish in the final race is crowned the tournament champion. This weekend, Austin Dillon is paired against Ty Gibbs. The challenge will end on July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 at Sonoma Raceway will be televised live Saturday, June 27, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Friday afternoon’s practice and qualifying session will be shown for free on The CW App beginning at 4 p.m. ET.
Watch Us on TNT Sports… The NASCAR Cup Series’ Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway will be televised live on Sunday, June 28, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, the first of five consecutive races this season that will air on TNT Sports. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday afternoon’s practice and qualifying session will be shown live on truTV beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Supreme Long Range Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway… Austin Dillon has made 11 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, earning his best finish of 11th at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course in 2022. He has completed 93.9 percent of the laps run at the track. In addition to his NASCAR Cup Series starts, Dillon has made three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts at Sonoma Raceway, earning a best finish of third in 2019 among two top-10 finishes.
First Round Opponent… NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge begins Sunday, June 27 at Sonoma Raceway. The single-elimination tournament returns for the second season in a row. Dillon’s first-round opponent is Ty Gibbs. The $1 million-to-win bonus tournament will be contested over the next five weeks, culminating at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Tickets to the 2026 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… The Carolina Cowboys, a professional team in the PBR Teams Series, recently hosted a training camp for their roster of riders as they get set to defend their PBR Teams Series Championship ahead of the 2026 season. Dillon, who serves as general manager of the team, has been instrumental in all facets of the team, including training camp. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2026 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 18-20 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.com.
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Meet Dillon… On Sunday, June 28 at 9:15 a.m. Local Time, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs alongside his RCR teammate Austin Hill at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in Fan Midway at Sonoma Raceway.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How do you prepare for Sonoma Raceway?
“We prepare for Sonoma Raceway by spending a lot of hours on the Chevrolet simulator. I could probably run Sonoma in my sleep. We’ve put a lot of effort into this race. I can’t wait to get there in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops /Winchester Supreme Long Range Chevrolet. It’s a fun road course and the recent repave of the full course will test everyone’s setup during practice.”
What’s the most challenging part of the Sonoma Raceway layout for you—Turn 11 hairpin, the esses, or something else?
“Turn 11 has always been the most challenging aspect of Sonoma Raceway. You’ve got to have patience and make a really good arch on entry. You know that drivers are going to be attacking that corner, so you don’t know what’s going to happen at times. The best thing to do is to roll the curb as fast as you can and pick up the throttle early to get off the corner.”
How do you manage brake wear and overheating with all the heavy braking zones?
“You try not to overlap on two pedals and use the brakes efficiently. Sonoma Raceway is a track where you can overheat your brakes very fast, and there’s not much time to cool them down with the long runs we’ve seen over the last few races. You want to keep as much rear brake in the car as possible, and you can have a good day.”
Austin Hill and the No. 33 zone x am pm Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway… Austin Hill will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. The Winston, Georgia native has competed in three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events at the California road course, posting one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
Building Momentum… Last weekend at Naval Base Coronado, Hill posted top-10 speed in both practice and qualifying. Saturday’s 10th-place starting effort marked the 32-year-old’s career best qualifying result in the Cup Series. During the race, Hill was involved in a multi-car accident while running in the second position.
Did You Know… In 2025, Hill earned his first career Cup Series top-10 finish at the Chicago Street Race, crossing the finish line in the ninth position. During the event, Hill made 55 green flag passes – the most of any driver in the field.
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Meet Hill… On Sunday, June 28 at 9:15 a.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs alongside his RCR teammate Austin Dillon at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in Fan Midway at Sonoma Raceway.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
With back-to-back road course events, is there anything that can be taken from Naval Base Coronado and applied to Sonoma Raceway?
“The main thing is confidence. To finally get a road course win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, I have a lot of confidence going into another weekend turning left and right. We also showed a lot of speed and pace in the Cup Series last weekend, which was a boost for our entire group. When you don’t race on road courses often, it can take a little extra time – five or six laps – to get back accumulated to hitting your shifting marks. Because we just did a street course, that adjustment period should be short if non-existent. Sonoma is a great road course with elevation changes, and we have been putting in the work on the simulator to prep for this weekend. I flew home this week to spend extra time on the simulator and hopefully it pays off.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway… Jesse Love has made two career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Sonoma Raceway. In 2024, Love qualified in the sixth position and earned stage points, en route to a 12th-place result. The young gun has also competed in one ARCA Menards Series West event at the California road course (2021).
Last Week… After starting at the tail of the field in last Saturday’s race at Naval Base Coronado, Love and the No. 2 team employed strategy to gain track position. By the start of Stage 2, Love was inside the top-10. However, on lap 36, the 21-year-old sustained damage in a 25-car accident which forced the No. 2 team to make repairs. Quick repairs and speed allowed Love to finish in the sixth position, his best result since his runner-up effort at Charlotte Motor Speedway last month.
Road Courses in 2026… The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has had three road course events so far in the 2026 campaign, taking place at Circuit of The Americas in February, Watkins Glen International in May, and Naval Base Coronado last Saturday. Love finished fourth at COTA, nearly secured his first career road course victory with a runner-up result at Watkins Glen International, and a sixth-place result at Naval Base Coronado.
Consistency Continues… Love’s average finish of 10.8 is fourth-best among full-time drivers in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Get to the Points… Love remains second in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver championship point standings, 224 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and 14 points ahead of third-place Corey Day.
Coming Home… This weekend’s event at Sonoma Raceway marks a California homecoming for Love. The 21-year-old is a native of Menlo Park – a short one-hour drive from the 1.99-mile asphalt facility.
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Everyday Champion… You don’t have to wear a cape to be a hero. Sometimes, all it takes is a willingness to step forward, a commitment to others, and the determination to make a difference—day after day, year after year. That’s the spirit behind Whelen Engineering’s Everyday Champion program, which is now accepting nominations for 2026. Created to honor first responders and everyday citizens who rise to the occasion when it matters most, the program celebrates the quiet strength, compassion, and leadership that define true heroism. Each year, the Everyday Champion program recognizes those who go above and beyond - whether through a single act of heroism or a continued commitment to serving others. Past honorees have included law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedicine teams, and civilians whose actions made a life-saving difference.
Nominations are open from May 1 through August 14, 2026. Individuals can nominate a deserving hero by visiting whelen.com/everydaychampion and completing a brief submission form outlining their story. The selected 2026 Everyday Champion will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they will be honored during a special ceremony and inducted into the Whelen Hall of Champions. In addition, a generous donation will be made in their name to the charity of their choice.
Meet Love… On Saturday, June 27 at 11:35 a.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Midway at Sonoma Raceway. Stop by to meet Love and purchase No. 2 gear.
JESSE LOVE QUOTE:
What are your expectations this weekend at Sonoma Raceway?
“I’m excited for Sonoma Raceway, I thought we were pretty good there a couple years ago, and last year as well. Hopefully we can have a smooth weekend. We got the speed to be in contention, and hopefully we have the luck to go along with it.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway… Austin Hill has made three career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, earning one top-five and two top-10 finishes. The Winston, Georgia native secured an eighth-place result in 2023, before leading 21 laps and earning a fifth-place effort the following season in 2024. Hill has completed 100 percent of the laps competed (237) at the 1.99-mile road course.
Mission Accomplished… After qualifying in the fourth position for the inaugural event at Naval Base Coronado, Hill showed speed early by winning Stage 1 and capturing 10 stage points. The Winston, Georgia native would receive left side contact in the 25-car restart accident during Stage 2, but after repairs from the No. 21 team, Hill rallied to finish eighth in the segment. Hill remained in contention, running no worse than third in the closing laps, before passing Taylor Gray on the last lap to secure his first series road course victory.
Conquered Them All… While known for his drafting track abilities, Hill has now won at every style of track on the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule. The 32-year-old has 11 drafting track wins (4x Daytona International Speedway, 5x EchoPark Speedway, 2x Talladega Superspeedway), three intermediate victories (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Pocono Raceway), one short track win (Martinsville Speedway) and one road course victory (Naval Base Coronado).
Did You Know… Last Saturday marked Hill’s 16th career victory in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, tying the veteran racer with Joe Nemechek and Jeff Green for 23rd all-time in series wins.
Lefts and Rights in 2026… After claiming the checkered flag in San Diego, California, Hill has finished no worse than 11th in all three road course events in 2026 – second at Circuit of The Americas, 11th at Watkins Glen International (ran out of fuel while running third), and first at Naval Base Coronado.
Points Check… Following his victory at Naval Base Coronado, Hill currently holds fifth-place in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver championship point standings – 256 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and only 16 points behind fourth-place Sheldon Creed. Six regular season races remain before the Chase to crown a champion begins.
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AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
Coming off a win at Naval Base Coronado, what is the outlook for this weekend’s race at Sonoma Raceway?
“Now that we have finally got our first road course win, maybe we can do it again. I think it’s going to be a
great weekend. Sonoma is an awesome racetrack. Two years ago, we had a shot at winning. We were going head to head with SVG (Shane van Gisbergen) and it didn’t work out. Last year, we missed the balance a little bit with the car, but everything that we’ve learned this year on road course races has worked for my driving style. We’ve been able to apply it to all road courses this season and it’s shown. Our Chevrolets have been fast at every road course we have raced at so far. The biggest thing is making all of the laps and being there when it matters most.”
