06/07/2023

RFK Advance | Sonoma

Sonoma Event Info:
Track Info: Sonoma Raceway, 12-turn road course
Date: Sunday, June 11
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Sonoma, California
Format: 110 laps, 300 miles, Stages: 25-30-55
TV: FOX
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 5 p.m. ET, Practice (FS2, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 6 p.m. ET, Qualifying (FS2, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:30 p.m. ET, Race (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads to its second road course race of the season as Sonoma hosts the final race of the first half of the 2023 season.
• Jack Roush has three wins in Sonoma with two in the Cup Series.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: King’s Hawaiian

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fifth Third Bank

• Fifth Third Bank will feature Soapy Joe’s car wash on the decklid as part of the Fueled by Fifth Third Program.
• Soapy Joe’s is a locally owned family business with multiple locations serving San Diego County. Soapy Joe’s prides itself in its commitment to the environment, using advanced water reclamation systems, and earning the International Carwash Associations WaterSavers® designation. Over the past 12 years, Soapy Joe’s has donated more than $2M and 120,000 free washes, benefiting veterans, healthcare workers, schools, hospitals, firefighters, and more. The company’s innovation across technology, loyalty and experiential marketing helps them shine not only as a car wash, but as a brand of choice in San Diego.

Keselowski at Sonoma
Starts: 12
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

• Keselowski makes his 13^th Cup start in Sonoma this weekend, where in 12 starts prior he has three top-10s and a 16.1 average finish.
• His best-career finish at the 12-turn course came in 2017 when he ran third. Most recently he finished 10^th a year ago, and he also finished 10^th in the 2011 race, his second-ever at Sonoma.
• Keselowski has three top-10 qualifying efforts with a best of ninth in 2021, and an average of 16.9

Buescher at Sonoma
Starts: 6
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

• Buescher is in line for his seventh Cup start from Sonoma on Sunday, where he’s coming off his best career finish of second last season. He also has six-straight top-10s on road courses dating back to 2022. He finished sixth at the ROVAL last fall, ninth at Watkins Glen, 10^th at the Indy Road Course, sixth at Road America, second at Sonoma, and most recently ninth in COTA.
• In Sonoma, Buescher finished 12^th in 2018, his best finish outside of the P2 result last season.
• Buescher has three top-10 qualifying efforts – an average of 15.8 overall – with a best effort of third in 2022.
• On road courses overall, Buescher has 27 starts with eight top-10s and three top-five results.

RFK Historically at Sonoma
Cup Wins: 2 (Mark Martin, 1997; Carl Edwards, 2014)

• Looking for the Hat Trick in the ‘Golden State’: In 108 NCS starts at Sonoma, RFK has recorded two wins, 15 top-five finishes, 36 top-10 finishes and has led 281 laps. Former RFK driver Carl Edwards earned the organization’s most recent victory at the road course in 2014.
• Hasta La Vista Baby: RFK has left the California road course victorious on two occasions in the NCS with former drivers Mark Martin and Carl Edwards. Martin earned the victory in 1997 after starting from the pole and leading 69 laps, while Edwards started fourth and led 26 laps in the 2014 running of this event.
• RFK on the Road: As an organization, RFK has made 246 starts on road courses in the Cup Series with five wins, 86 top-10s and 40 finishes inside the top five with a 17.5 average finish.

RFK Sonoma Wins

1997       Martin  Cup
1997       Ruttman Truck
2014       Edwards Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Gateway: Chris Buescher bounced back for a 12^th-place finish at Gateway on Sunday, while Brad Keselowski endured mechanical troubles to unfortunately finish 28^th.

Points Standings (6: 11^th, 17: 13^th): Keselowski sits 11^th in points entering the weekend, while Buescher is 13^th. A 10-point gap separates positions 9-12.

By the Numbers at Sonoma

Race      Win       T5           T10         Pole       Laps       Led        AvSt      AvFn     Miles

108         2              15           36           2              11001    281         18.3        18.1        27722.5

 5              1              3              3              0              322         4              12.4        8.6          811.44

113         3              18           39           2              11323    285         17.9        17.7        28533.9