Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse-Chevrolet) makes himself the first Cup winner from Mexico on the circuit in Sonoma – bad luck for pole-sitter Kyle Larson and Co.
Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse-Chevrolet) won the Toyota / Save Mart 350 at hilly Sonoma Raceway in California to capture the first victory of his NASCAR Cup Series career since 2017.
With the win, Suarez, 30, of Monterrey, Mexico, became the first Mexican to make it to a race win in NASCAR’s top division. And this victory came 15 years after Juan Pablo Montoya became the first Cup race winner from Colombia, also in Sonoma.
With the next-gen car (Gen7), which has been in production since the start of the 2022 season, Sonoma was the second circuit race after the one at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin at the end of March. At the time, Suarez’s Trackhouse teammate Ross Chastain had landed his first Cup win.
In Sonoma, Suarez was in control for large portions of the final race segment. He eventually took his maiden win by nearly four seconds over the returning Chris Buescher (RFK-Ford). Buescher had had to skip the previous race weekend (St. Louis) due to a positive coronata test. Third place went to Michael McDowell (Front Row Ford).
The big winner, however, is Daniel Suarez. “It’s been a long road to get here,” said the Mexican, whose redemptive Cup-level debut win came in the 195th race. “Many thanks to Justin Marks and everyone at Trackhouse Racing, and of course to my family. You all have always believed in me from day one. And that’s the reward now. “
Pole and Stage 1 win for Kyle Larson
Defending champion, last year’s winner and local hero Kyle Larson (Hendrick-Chevrolet) started from the pole after setting the fastest time in qualifying on Saturday. It was Larson’s fourth Sonoma pole in a row after 2018, 2019 and 2020. Last year he also started from the best grid position. But on that occasion, the calculation formula applied, no qualifying.
Under heavily overcast skies, Larson led the field into the race ahead of Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott. There were 110 laps on the programme. Contrary to my preview text (which had been wrong for days and has since been corrected), the short circuit was run again this year, not the entire track.
Green flag with a view pic.twitter.com/sy0UX4s6UJ
– NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 12, 2022
In the first segment of the race, Larson led all 25 laps and took the Stage 1 win without a problem. He was one of the few to complete the entire segment without a pit stop. Most of the competition had made a stop under green, but then dispensed with it in the stage caution. Larson, who filled up with fuel and changed tyres in the stage caution, dropped back accordingly (and predictably).
Stage 2 win for Joey Logano on penalty to Chase Elliott
The restart that opened the decisive third race segment was led by Chris Buescher. He was back in action after his one missed race weekend and presented strongly. Buescher had finished the first two segments both in the top 10, collecting bonus points.
Pit road woes for @chaseelliott and the No. 9 team. pic.twitter.com/5pxKK3pYEh
– NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 12, 2022
Elliott also stopped under green, but things went wrong for him. Because the central wheel nut on the left rear wheel was fixed outside the pit area, there was a drive-through penalty. The Stage 2 win ultimately went to Joey Logano (Penske-Ford), who was one of the few to forgo a green flag stop in this event.
Stage 3: Chris Buescher loses lead to Daniel Suarez
The restart that opened the decisive third race segment was led by Chris Buescher. He was back in action after missing a weekend of racing (St. Louis with a positive Coronatest) and presented strongly. Buescher had finished the first two segments both in the top 10, earning bonus points.
Shortly after the restart for Stage 3, however, Buescher made a crucial mistake. He missed the braking point in turn 4 and thus lost the lead. Beneficiary number one was Daniel Suarez, who did not ask twice. Michael McDowell and Kevin Harvick (Stewart/Haas-Ford) also got past Buescher – but the latter two only temporarily.
New leader: @Daniel_SuarezG pic.twitter.com/vBA8d05Q0H
– NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 12, 2022
Meanwhile, Kyle Larson boarded the top 10 for the first time since his Stage 1 win at the start of Stage 3. And by starting a sweep of green flag stops in this crucial segment (55 laps), the race went into the decisive final stages.
Loose wheel deprives Kyle Larson of all chances
But with 28 laps to go, in the middle of the pit stop cycle, there was a yellow. The trigger was Kyle Larson, of all people, whose Hendrick Chevrolet’s right front wheel had come loose immediately after the pit stop. Larson brought the Camaro back to the pits as a three-wheeler. With four wheels again, the race continued, but only in 22nd place.
The victory was decided by others. Daniel Suarez led at the final restart ahead of Chris Buescher, with Ryan Blaney (Penske-Ford) and Michael McDowell on the second row, and Kyle Busch and Austin Cindric (Penske-Ford) on the third row.
Suarez immediately charged up and away, while Buescher struggled to hold on to second. Kyle Busch, whose tyres were comparatively old, spun in the middle of the field in turn 5 and dropped to the rear of the field.
Suarez brings the lead home safely
18 laps from the end, things got exciting. After his relatively subdued restart, Buescher had meanwhile regained the rear of leader Suarez. However, the Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing driver could not find a way past. In the final laps, Suarez not only managed his lead with aplomb, but even extended it and crossed the finish line in first place with a lead of 3.8 seconds.
Take in the moment @Daniel_SuarezG pic.twitter.com/MZidrhfCrL
– NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 12, 2022
Behind premiere winner Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher in P2 and Michael McDowell in P3, Kevin Harvick finished fourth despite a far from ideal final pit stop. Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric finished fifth.
A.J. Allmendinger (Kaulig-Chevrolet) was one of four drivers who were moved to the back of the grid. Until the penultimate lap, the Californian was on course for the top 10 despite a power steering failure at the end. However, a ride-out threw him back to P19 in the final result. Nevertheless, Allemndinger was still the one with the most gained positions.
Kyle Busch, on the other hand, was only P30 in the final result after his late spin. And Kyle Larson? The pole setter and Stage 1 winner still managed to finish 15th after losing his wheel.
The only (almost) free weekend of 2022 is coming up
This coming weekend is the only race-free weekend on the 2022 NASCAR Cup calendar, starting on 26 June at Nashville Superspeedway, which was visited by NASCAR’s top league for the first time last year. And from then on, it’s one weekend after the other until the season finale (6 November in Phoenix).
However, the coming weekend is not completely NASCAR-free – and certainly not stock car-free. The Knoxville Raceway, the most famous dirt track in the US state of Iowa, will host the Truck Series on Saturday evening (18 June). And also on Saturday evening, the Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola (Florida) will host the kick-off of the second season of the popular Superstar Racing Experience (SRX).
