NASCAR CUP SERIES
SONOMA RACEWAY
TOYOTA / SAVE MART 350
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
JUNE 9, 2024
Larson Scores Home Track Victory at Sonoma Raceway
- Elk Grove, California, native Kyle Larson closed out a visit to his home track of Sonoma Raceway with a trip to lane in his No. 5 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 – the Team Chevy driver’s second career NASCAR Cup Series victory at the 1.99-mile Northern California circuit.
- Larson delivered Chevrolet its eighth NASCAR Cup Series victory this season; the manufacturer’s 14th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory at Sonoma Raceway; and it’s 859th all-time victory in NASCAR’s premier series – all of which are series-leading feats.
- The victory, Larson’s 26th all-time in NASCAR’s premier series, marks his fifth trip to victory lane on a road course – the third most among the series’ active drivers.
- The win came after a fifth-place qualifying effort for the No. 5 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 team. Earning top-five points in Stage One, pit strategy quickly came into play in the early portion of the 110-lap race. Crew Chief Cliff Daniels called Larson to pit for the team’s final stop during a green-flag run in the final stage, and after rejoining the field in the seventh position, Larson’s fresh set of tires gave the Team Chevy driver to click-off laps towards the lead – ultimately taking the top position on lap 102 en route to the victory.
- Larson led Chevrolet to four top-six finishing results, with the former series’ champion leading Chase Elliott in fourth, Ross Chastain in fifth and AJ Allmendinger in sixth.
- The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Iowa Speedway with the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol on Sunday, June 16, at 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway:
- In 35 NCS races at Sonoma Raceway, Chevrolet leads the series with 14 all-time victories. • Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway:
Kyle Larson – two wins (2021, 2024)
Kyle Busch – two wins (2015, 2008)
Daniel Suarez – one win (2022)
Chevrolet on Road Courses in the NASCAR Cup Series:
- Chevrolet has earned 19 victories in the past 24 NASCAR Cup Series road course events.
- In 13 NASCAR Cup Series road course races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet continues to lead the series with nine victories – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.
- Chevrolet has recorded 66 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins on road courses – starting with Buck Baker at Watkins Glen International in 1957.
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Valvoline Camaro ZL1
Finished: 1st
Kyle Larson, getting congratulations from his team. Down here on the frontstretch, from nearby Elk Grove, California, you get your second win at your home racetrack. The final segment of the race you come out in eighth place with about 29 laps to go. How did you find a way to catchall those guys and pass them and still have something left in the tank?
“Yeah, I didn’t know what we were doing as far as strategy. I was just out there banging laps away. I don’t know.. we study all the strategy, but it’s like doing homework. I don’t really know what I’m looking at.
Yeah, I was like – well, man, these guys are going to have to pit another time maybe. Then we said we had to go race and pass these guys, I got a bit nervous. I knew I’d be quick from the get go, but I thought once the tires would come up to temp, it would even off too much.
Thankful that we had enough grip. Thankful, too, that those guys got racing and Martin (Truex Jr.) never got clear really to where I could get stuck in third and that really saved the race. I thought, too, once he got the lead, I’m like – man, I hope he doesn’t have somebody to judge off of here into (turn) 4 and he misses apex. And sure enough, he did, and I had a big run.
Just an awesome, awesome race car. Valvoline, every time we have Valvoline on the car, I feel like we’re really fast. Thanks to Valvoline, HENDRICKCARS.COM, Chevrolet, Jinya Ramen Bar, Prime.
Just cool to win at home – drink some wine here in a little bit and go celebrate.”
Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Gold Filters Camaro ZL1
Finished: 4th
Elliott on his run on the repaved Sonoma Raceway:
“It was a normal road course race. I felt like we were on the right strategy, I just lost too much time there early in the race. I fell back a few rows and felt like our group that we were racing against were who we were probably going to be racing for the win. Fell behind there early; lost a couple of rows and just never could get it back. I’m not sure I had the pace Kyle (Larson, race winner) had, but thought we were a solid top-three to five car and that’s where we finished. We’ll try again next week.”
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Kubota Camaro ZL1
Finished: 5th
Describe the racing, overall, here at Sonoma Raceway.
“Confusing. I’m not sure how the No. 5 (Kyle Larson) won, or how I got back to fifth.. I don’t really know. I don’t now how the lap times worked out. I didn’t feel very good in the second or third set of tires for awhile, but it worked out somehow to get back up here.
I’m super proud of the effort by this No. 1 Kubota Chevy team. It’s so good to be in a fast race car. I’m in them most weeks, but to be able to put it together and finish fifth is really, really rewarding.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Cirkul Camaro ZL1
Finished: 6th
“We had a really fast Cirkul Chevy. Travis [Mack] did a great job with strategy with everything that happened adversity wise. I thought overall we maximized our day. If everything fell right, we could have and a top-five finish, but we’re happy with the result.”
Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1
Finished: 28th
“We had a good day going for us, until my tires went away there at the end and I spun with about 10 to go. It’s unfortunate to finish the day like this after such a solid run, but I’m proud of the No. 31 team for finding a good bit of speed from where we started the weekend in practice.”
About Chevrolet
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