Kyle Larson was the top qualifier and favored to win again at the famed Sonoma Wine Country road course (he won in 2021) at the 2022 Toyota/Save Mart 350 this past weekend. He won the first of the three race segments on Sunday, making it look easy, leading for 26 laps. But, his hopes to win the event were nullified when he lost the right front wheel on his race car, as he entered turn two. This brought out a yellow flag and he ended up driving the car the rest of the way around the 2.5-mile course on three wheels. Larson and his team were never able to recover from the pit stop error, finishing 15th.
Daniel Suarez, on the other hand, had a career day in his #99 Track House Racing Chevrolet Camaro, as he collected his first career NASCAR Cup Series win. Suarez led the final 47 laps (most by any driver on the day). He was followed by Chris Buescher and Michael McDowell. Joey Logano won the second stage segment and finished 17th. Like Larson, Chase Elliott also led 26 laps, but never the right one for a segment or event win.
For the first time in about 22 years the NASCAR Camping World Trucks competed at Sonoma Raceway in the DoorDash 250. Though the Cup Series drivers cannot compete in the season championship points, they can compete in the event, as it is held at the same track on Saturday as their Cup race is on Sunday.
These drivers often race in these other series events, like this one, to gain more seat time at the track they will be competing in the Cup series at and just for the fun of racing.
Kyle Busch s one of those drivers, as he took part on Saturday. Though his truck did not start out really fast, his team solved the problem during an out of sequence pit stop in the first segment of the event. He then won the second segment. In the third segment, he took the green flag in fifth, behind four other drivers, who chose to gain track position over tires. But, with fresh tries, Busch had the lead by the time they reached turn 7 and he never looked back. He ended up leading 45 of the 75 laps to claim his 62nd career Camping World Truck Series win.
Busch did not fare as well in the Cup race (Toyota/Save Mart 350). With a car that wasn’t quite running right early on, he and his team made some corrections and, with a strategic pit stop, he found himself in fifth position in the third and final segment, with a chance to go for the win. As he slowed, to avoid contact with cars in front of him, as they came into turn 7, his car brakes locked. His car then spun out, allowing the entire field to pass him.
In the end, Busch would finish a disappointing 30th on the day.
