NASCAR at Sonoma: How to watch, schedule, predictions for Toyota/Save Mart 350

NASCAR at Sonoma: How to watch, schedule, predictions for Toyota/Save Mart 350 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NASCAR is staying in California for the second straight week, but it’s now heading up the Pacific Coast Highway.

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After a thrilling event at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego last Sunday, the Cup Series will visit Sonoma Raceway in Wine Country for another road race.

The Northern California track is a staple on the NASCAR schedule, holding races at the venue since 1989. NASCAR legends like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt were past winners at Sonoma, but stars like Kyle Larson and Shane van Gisbergen are leading the field these days.

So, what’s in store for Sonoma? What’s the TV schedule for the weekend? And who could contend for the win on Sunday? Here’s everything to know for the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

When is the NASCAR race this weekend at Sonoma?

Green flag for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 is set for Sunday, June 28, at 3:50 p.m. ET/12:50 p.m. PT.

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Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying on Saturday. The 36 drivers will be split into two groups, with each group getting 25 minutes of free practice. For qualifying, each group has 20 minutes to set their fastest lap, with the starting order set based on single-lap speed for the two groups combined.

NASCAR TV schedule this weekend for Sonoma

Adam Alexander (play-by-play), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for TNT/truTV, with seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray and Marty Smith providing pre- and post-race coverage.

Here’s the full schedule for Sonoma:

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Saturday, June 27 (truTV, HBO Max)

• Practice: 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, truTV and HBO Max

• Qualifying: 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT, truTV and HBO Max

Sunday, June 28 (TNT, truTV, HBO Max)

• NASCAR Nation Pre-Race: 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT, TNT, truTV and HBO Max

• Toyota/Save Mart 350: 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT, TNT, truTV and HBO Max

Who is racing at Sonoma? Here’s the entry list

Thirty-six drivers will race at Sonoma — the 36 full-timers, with no part-time entries. Austin Hill will continue to fill in at Richard Childress Racing for Kyle Busch, as he has since the former champion died in May due to sepsis.

Here’s the full entry list for Sonoma:

NASCAR In-Season Challenge bracket and matchups for Sonoma

Sonoma marks the return of the In-Season Challenge, which is back for a second season.

Taking a page out of the NBA’s book, NASCAR added the In-Season Challenge with a knockout-style bracket and a cash prize for the winner after five weeks. Thirty-two drivers are in the bracket, with 16 head-to-head matchups at Sonoma. Drivers who finish better in their matchup at Sonoma will advance, and the bracket will continue over five races with the final at Indianapolis on July 26.

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Here’s the bracket and matchups for Sonoma:

NASCAR Sonoma picks and predictions

Shane van Gisbergen is the premier road course driver in NASCAR, winning six of the last eight races at this track type.

This year, though, SVG is just one for three — including a 38th-place finish at Coronado after a shocking crash ended his day early. Still, he’s the heavy favorite to repeat at Sonoma for the second straight year.

Beyond SVG, keep an eye on two Northern California natives in Kyle Larson (Elk Grove) and Tyler Reddick (Corning). Larson is a two-time Sonoma winner, plus he finished third at Coronado last week. Reddick has four career road course wins and nearly added another at Coronado before a late incident.

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If you’re looking for a sleeper, rookie phenom Connor Zilisch is the pick. Oddsmakers have him second behind SVG, even though he’s never finished in the top 10 in a Cup race. The 19-year-old rookie dominated road courses in the second-tier O’Reilly Series last year and was leading at Coronado when he was wrecked out.

NASCAR past winners, race history for Sonoma

Just three of the 36 drivers in the field are past winners at Sonoma.

Larson (2021 and 2024) is the only multi-time winner, with Suárez (2022) and van Gisbergen (2025) winning once each.