While the trucks continue their mid-season break, the Xfinity and Cup teams headed west to hit the road again, this time on long-time road course in Sonoma. While the usual suspects were towards the front, several teams took their best shot as Trackhouse Racing’s best (SVG and Connor Zilisch in Xfinity).
Xfinity | PIT BOSS / FoodMaxx 250
Winner: Connor Zilisch
#18 William Sawalich: In a season that has likely left the Joe Gibbs Racing rookie scratching his head, results finally showed up in Sonoma. Having prior experience in ARCA at the track, the Toyota prospect had a strong showing. Qualifying his Toyota in 5th, Sawalich stayed mostly incident free and came home 3rd.
This was Sawalich’s best run in his Xfinity rookie season since a 6th place finish in Mexico City.
#91 Josh Bilicki: Bilicki had another strong run in DGM Racing’s #91 Chevrolet in Sonoma, following a strong Cup Series performance in Chicago. Starting 25th, Bilicki had a solid day and came home 14th. This finish ties a season best of 14th in Daytona.
Bilicki is one to keep an eye on while road course racing, having had strong runs in the past given a car capable.
#70 Will Rodgers: One of the bigger stories of Saturday was the return of Will Rodgers behind the wheel. Hired to drive Cope Family Racing’s #70 Chevrolet, Rodgers made the most of his opportunity and finished 16th after rolling off 36th.
Rodgers a veteran of the ARCA Menards East and West Series, has ten Xfinity starts to his credit, including a 14th at Nashville with Sam Hunt Racing in 2021.
Photo Credit: Jayski and Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
Cup Series | Toyota/Save Mart 350
Winner: Shane Van Gisbergen
#71 Michael McDowell: For the second week in a row, Spire Motorsports’ McDowell aimed to dethrone SVG on a road course. While he was not successful in winning, McDowell and his #71 Chevrolet had a presence at the front the entire event. Starting 2nd, McDowell was one of only a handful of drivers to lead laps (3), and finished 4th.
In McDowell’s first season with his new Spire crew, he has two top fives, three top tens, and a pole in the 20 races run. McDowell currently sits 23rd in points
#8 Kyle Busch: The struggles of Busch and his Richard Childress Racing team have been well documented already this season, but Sonoma proved again the 8 crew may have finally gotten that monkey off their back. While Busch was not dominant as in the past, Busch drove a smart race and finished 10th. This was his second straight top ten finish.
Photo Credit: Jayski and Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
#21 Josh Berry: Self-admitted, Berry is not a road course guy by any means. Sonoma provided a strong though, despite an altercation with Carson Hocevar late. Rolling off 25th, Berry placed his Ford in 13th by race’s end.
This is Berry’s second full time season in Cup, and while results have backed down a notch after a strong start, Sonoma is a testament to Berry and the Wood Brothers crew putting in the work to solidify themselves as a dark horse threat.