The 2021 Toyota/Save Mart 350 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on June 6, 2021, at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. Contested over 92 laps—extended from 90 laps due to an overtime finish, on the road course, it was the 16th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Sonoma Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway and Infineon Raceway is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains in Sonoma, California, USA. The road course features 12 turns on a hilly course with of total elevation change. It is host to one of only seven NASCAR Cup Series races each year that are run on road courses. It is also host to the NTT IndyCar Series and several other auto races and motorcycle races such as the American Federation of Motorcyclists series. Sonoma Raceway continues to host amateur, or club racing events which may or may not be open to the general public. The largest such car club is the Sports Car Club of America.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 77 Ben Rhodes (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Scott Heckert Live Fast Motorsports Ford 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Kyle Larson was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 4 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 7 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 10 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 11 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 12 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 13 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 14 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 15 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 16 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 17 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 18 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 22 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 23 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 24 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 25 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 26 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 28 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 30 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 31 77 Ben Rhodes (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 32 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 33 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 34 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 35 78 Scott Heckert Live Fast Motorsports Ford 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 20
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 57 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 39 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 210 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 20
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 93 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 39 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 50
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 92 602 2 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 92 503 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 92 414 13 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 92 425 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 92 446 30 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 92 417 29 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 92 308 4 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 92 319 7 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 92 4210 11 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 92 2711 18 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 92 2712 16 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 92 2513 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 92 2914 15 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 92 2315 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 92 2516 12 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 92 2117 25 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 92 2018 22 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 92 1919 10 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 92 2220 23 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 92 1721 27 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 92 1622 8 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 92 1523 17 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 92 1624 20 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 92 1425 32 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 92 1226 35 78 Scott Heckert Live Fast Motorsports Ford 92 1127 26 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 92 1028 21 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 92 929 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 92 830 31 77 Ben Rhodes (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 92 031 28 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 92 632 34 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 92 033 24 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 92 434 37 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 84 035 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 76 736 33 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 69 137 14 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 40 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 13 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 18 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 14 minutes and 42 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox NASCAR televised the race in the United States on FS1 for the fifth year. Mike Joy was the lap-by-lap announcer, while six-time Sonoma winner Jeff Gordon and 2012 winner Clint Bowyer were the color commentators. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
FS1Booth announcersPit reportersIn-race analyst Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Jeff GordonColor-commentator: Clint Bowyer Jamie LittleRegan Smith Larry McReynolds
Radio Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by the Performance Racing Network. PRN's broadcast of the race was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow announced the race in the booth while the field was racing on the pit straightaway. Pat Patterson called the race from a stand outside of turn 2 when the field was racing up turns 2, 3 and 3a. Brad Gillie called the race from a stand outside of turn 7a when the field was racing through turns 4a and 7a. Nick Yeoman called the race when the field raced thru turns 8 and 9. Rob Albright called the race from a billboard outside turn 11 when the field was racing through turns 10 and 11. Heather DeBeaux, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini reported from pit lane during the race.
PRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 2, 3 & 3a: Pat PattersonTurns 4a & 7a: Brad GillieTurns 8 & 9: Nick Yeoman Turns 10 & 11: Rob Albright Heather DeBeauxBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 664 2 Kyle Larson 617 (–47) 1 3 Chase Elliott 591 (–73) 1 4 William Byron 564 (–100) 5 Joey Logano 548 (–116) 6 Martin Truex Jr. 527 (–137) 1 7 Kyle Busch 520 (–144) 1 8 Ryan Blaney 509 (–155) 9 Kevin Harvick 483 (–181) 10 Brad Keselowski 473 (–191) 1 11 Alex Bowman 447 (–217) 1 12 Austin Dillon 436 (–228) 13 Tyler Reddick 398 (–266) 14 Chris Buescher 391 (–273) 15 Christopher Bell 364 (–300) 16 Michael McDowell 355 (–309)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 587 2 Ford 556 (–31) 3 Toyota 547 (–40)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References