Tune in for
all the action!

Track Facts:
Turns: 12
Distance: 1.99 miles
Shape: Road course

Toyota/Save Mart 350
Sunday, June 22
Infineon Raceway
Sonoma, California
Sunday, 5:00 p.m. EST

Schedule
Practice
3:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. EST, Friday, June 20
12:30 p.m. 1:15 p.m. EST, Friday, June 20
1:15 p.m. 2:50 p.m. EST, Final Practice Saturday, June 21

Qualifying
2:00 p.m. EST, Friday, June 20, One lap all positions

Race Day Sunday, June 22
5:00 p.m. EST Sunday
TV: TNT 5:00 p.m.
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), XM Radio
2007 winner: Juan Montoya

Check the SPEED Channel schedule (speedtv.com) for various programs on the race this weekend.

Race Preview

Quotes from Terry Labonte:
 
“Sonoma has always been one of my favorite race tracks.  It comes at just the right time on the schedule.  You start getting into a grind after the 600 at Lowe’s.  Sonoma gives you a little bit of a jolt.  I hope we keep both of the road courses on the schedule because we are losing a lot of our unique race tracks.  Road course racing is definitely unique.  It’s some of the most fun you can have racing because you’re constantly working the steering wheel.”    
 
“Both the 43 and 45 teams went to the Virginia International Raceway earlier in the month to get ready for the road courses.  I was happy with how the test went and I think we definitely learned a few things that will help us this weekend.  We should be able go out to Sonoma and run competitively.  I ran this race last year, so I’m familiar with the new car and how it drives on road courses.”
 
“Road course racing remains one of my favorite racing disciplines.  I’m fortunate that I’ve had success on all of the road courses that I’ve competed on.  The third-place finish that I got at Sonoma two years ago was one of the brighter highlights of my last few seasons of racing.  I never worried about the teams that brought in road course ‘ringers’.  That’s how you have to look at it.  You can’t let them intimidate you.  If you do, you have already given up too much.”

Race Results

1. Kyle Busch, Toyota
2. David Gilliland, Ford
3. Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
4. Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet
5. Casey Mears, Chevrolet
17. Terry Labonte, No. 45 Dodge
39. Bobby Labonte, No. 43 Dodge

Kyle Busch picked up his series-leading fifth victory of 2008 in dominating fashion in Sunday’s Save Mart 350 for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the Infineon Raceway. Busch led 78 of the 112 laps in a race that ran over the scheduled length by two laps due to a late race red flag period. David Gilliland finished second for his career-best Sprint Cup finish.

Sixteen states and four countries were represented in Sunday’s 43 car field. Many of the new faces came in the form of road course “ringers,” or drivers that were hired because of their extensive road racing history and skill level. However, none of the “hired guns” were able to crack the top-25 in the finishing order.

Terry Labonte and the No. 45 Dodge team finished the Save Mart 350 in the 17th position. Labonte began the race from the 11th position after posting the best qualifying laps of the season for the No. 45 team. When the green flag dropped, T. Labonte had trouble getting the car to turn getting into the corner and lacked grip coming off each of the ten turns. Crew chief Stewart Cooper made several air pressure adjustments and the car became more comfortable for Labonte. Labonte was able to drive through the field to give the No. 45 Dodge its first top-20 finish of the season. The finish also helped the No. 45 Dodge improve one spot in the Sprint Cup owner’s point standings.

“It was tough to find grip out there today,” said T. Labonte. “It wasn’t very hot, but the rear tires would not hook up coming off of the corners. Stewart did a great job in adjusting the air pressure. Sometimes you want to make a bigger change than what is needed. A few pounds of air can make a big difference. We just had a smart, clean race. It was an honor to drive the Wells Fargo Dodge today because they have such a big presence on the West Coast.”

Bobby Labonte and the No. 43 Dodge team finished 39th in Sunday’s event. Labonte began the race from the fourth position, which was also his best start of 2008. Like his older brother, B. Labonte was also fighting a lack of grip. On lap two he spun coming off of the final turn on the course, which is a 180-degree “hairpin” turn. He was able to fight back and eventually drove up to the 8th position. On lap 87 B. Labonte had one of the fastest cars on the racetrack, but he began to fall victim to a dead battery. After switching to the backup battery, B. Labonte was able to make it to lap 105 before it expired as well.

“Evidently we had something that was drawing all of our power and it used up both of our batteries,” sounded B. Labonte. “I hate it for all of the guys because we had a fast racecar after the early spin. Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened. It was going to be a really good day for the Dodge, but we’ll just have to regroup and go to Loudon.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will head to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway next weekend for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. Qualifying for the event will be held on Friday. It will be televised on the Speed Channel and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius channel 128.

Kyle Petty name and/or likeness used under license by Petty Marketing Company, L.L.C.
Richard Petty name and/or likeness used under license by Petty Marketing Company, L.L.C.