All posts by Luis Torres

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Everything seemed to be going Clint Bowyer’s way in Stage 1 during Sunday’s Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, leading 21 of the first 38 laps, but multiple pit road penalties halted his aspirations of scoring his third win of the season. While the recovery was slow, he went from two laps down to back on the lead lap by staying out longer than the leaders, and clawed his way back to a fifth-place finish for his sixth top-five this season. “Yeah, weRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Outside pole sitter Dalton Sargeant was poised for a turnaround, running inside the top-five for much of the night to keep his playoff hopes alive. That all changed on the 60th lap when a battle for third went awry, as Sargeant’s No. 25 Performance Plus Motor Oil Chevrolet Silverado ended up with the short straw in Friday’s Overton’s 225 at Chicagoland Speedway in Jolliet, Illinois. Exiting Turn 1, Sargeant was in a tight three-wide battle for third, battling against John Hunter Nemechek and Stewart Friesen.Read More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — For the second time in his career, Martin Truex, Jr. scored a win at Sonoma Raceway, ending the streak of nine different winners in nine years. After being heartbroken last year, Truex spoke about his two wins during the press conference, saying how he still recalls winning in 2013 for at the time, Michael Waltrip Racing, and treats each win as if it’ll be his last. “I remember that win like it was yesterday. It was huge,” said Truex. “I really feelRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — Banking on a late race caution to score his second straight win at Sonoma Raceway, Kevin Harvick didn’t get one and finished second in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, leading 35 of 110 laps. “We all make mistakes, and we all do things for a split second that you might be right after it all happens,” said Harvick. “These guys do a great job. Everyone on our Mobil 1 team has done a great job the last five years now.” Harvick said ratherRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — The quest for a hometown victory for Los Gatos native A.J. Allmendinger went up in smoke on Lap 34 during Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Allmendinger, who started fifth, is always a threat to win on the road courses and things were going well in the opening stage that after ten laps, he was trailing race leader Martin Truex, Jr. However, as the run went on, Allmendinger struggled finding speed to compete for the race lead. Then with three lapsRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — Second a year ago, winner this time around for 23-year-old Will Rodgers, who beat Aric Almirola by 4.420 seconds to score his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win of the season in Saturday’s Carneros 200 at Sonoma Raceway. On the final restart with 14 laps to go, the pole sitter made the pitch perfect move to get by Almirola in Turn 11, and dethroned the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regulars in the process. “That pass really came down to theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — For the second straight year in a row, Elk Grove native Kyle Larson will lead the field to the green flag for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Larson clocked in a time of 75.732 seconds (94.597 mph), earning him the Busch Pole Award for the sixth time in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career. In addition of scoring a pole, he’ll lead the Chevrolet banner as six out of the first eight fastest drivers represent the Camaro ZL1 brand.Read More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — Last year’s road racer surprise in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has now become the fastest man in ‘Wine Country’ as Will Rodgers put up a flying run of 1:19.081 (90.591 mph), and will lead the field to the green flag in Saturday’s Carneros 200 at Sonoma Raceway. Rodgers’s No. 7 Kelly & Assoc. Insurance Group Ford outperformed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie William Byron by 0.467 seconds (.532 mph), creating the “Will and Will Show” on Row 1. RodgersRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — Kurt Busch wasted no time during Friday’s final practice at Sonoma Raceway, scorching the fastest time of the session at 76.163 seconds (94.061 mph), edging Denny Hamlin by 0.040 seconds. Martin Truex, Jr., Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, Trevor Bayne, Aric Almirola, and Michael McDowell rounded out the top-10. Bayne, who was in the bottom eighth during morning practice, drastically improved this session and ended up eighth quickest. Sonoma marks Bayne’s his first start since Dover in May. WithRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — The era of “road ringers” are a thing of the past according to Justin Marks, who will be piloting the No. 15 Sufferfest Beer Company Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. “The ‘road course ringer’ is not really a thing anymore because every point and every race in the Cup Series are so important for these guys running for the championship that they spent a lot of time on the road course program,” Marks told Motorsports Tribune. “ItRead More