The NASCAR Cup Series heads to California’s wine country on Sunday for one of the most technical races of the season, the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.
MORE: NASCAR at Sonoma, starting lineup for 2026 Toyota/Save Mart 350
The race marks the beginning of NASCAR’s 2026 In-Season Challenge, a five-race, single-elimination tournament featuring 32 drivers competing for a $1 million prize. Sonoma’s 12-turn, 1.99-mile road course is expected to provide plenty of drama as drivers battle for both a race victory and advancement in the tournament.
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For fans wondering how to watch the Toyota/Save Mart 350, the race will air nationally on TNT and truTV, while cord-cutters can stream every lap live on DIRECTV.
How to Watch the Toyota/Save Mart 350
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Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026
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Track: Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, California)
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Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approximately 3:50 p.m. ET)
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 has long been one of NASCAR’s premier road-course events. Sonoma Raceway’s challenging layout features elevation changes, tight corners and heavy braking zones, rewarding drivers who excel at road-course racing. NASCAR legends such as Jeff Gordon have enjoyed tremendous success at Sonoma, while recent road-course standouts including Shane van Gisbergen, Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick enter Sunday’s race among the favorites.
Qualifying produced an exciting front row, with Ty Gibbs earning the pole position alongside Carson Hocevar. Local favorite Kyle Larson will start third as he looks to capture another victory in front of a home-state crowd.
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Sunday’s race also officially launches NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge, adding another layer of intrigue beyond the race win. Thirty-two drivers have been placed into a tournament-style bracket, with the highest-finishing driver in each head-to-head matchup advancing to the next round. The tournament will continue over the next five races before one driver claims the $1 million prize.
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As the playoff race begins to heat up, every point becomes increasingly valuable. Sonoma’s unique road course often produces surprise winners, strategy gambles and late-race chaos, making it one of the most unpredictable events on the NASCAR calendar.
Stream the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Live on DIRECTV
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Fans can watch the Toyota/Save Mart 350 live on TNT or stream the race on DIRECTV, which carries TNT, truTV and dozens of other sports channels, making it one of the easiest ways to follow NASCAR throughout the season.
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