AR1 in California

Brian Carroccio will be at Sonoma Raceway this weekend covering the Toyota/Save Mart 350

Greetings everyone. Brian C. writing you from a very hot and very dry Woodbridge, CA, where I've spent the past few days visiting family. For those of you wondering, this would be family of the in-law variety as my wife is a California native.

Of course, both the Verizon IndyCar Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are in the Golden State this weekend. IndyCar is at Auto Club Speedway for the MAVTV 500. Lucille Dust, who is currently en route to Southern California on the AR1 Gulfstream, will have you covered this weekend on the IndyCar side.

As for me, tomorrow I'll be relocating about an hour and a half east to Sonoma Raceway to cover the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. AR1 NASCAR correspondent Pete McCole believes this is the first time in this great publication's history we have had a credentialed deadline media member on site for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road race. The AR1 Project Research division is currently hard at work seeking to confirm if this is true. We will report back.

Carl Edwards celebrating last year's win at Sonoma

Anyway, last year's race was won by Carl Edwards then of Roush Fenway Racing. It was Edwards' first career Cup road course victory. The 24-time Sprint Cup winner of course switched teams to Joe Gibbs Racing in the offseason. Although not often thought of as a great road racer, Edwards recent record on the twisties has been impressive. And this being a NASCAR race weekend get used to some stats being thrown at you. However, the driver of the #19 Stanley Toyota has recorded top-5 finishes in his 7 of his last 11 road races, and each of the last 4. Edwards certainly enters this weekend as one of the favorites.

For a list of odds see this AR1 link courtesy of Bovada Sports Book LV.

Jeff Gordon

Another of the favorites is five-time Sonoma winner Jeff Gordon, who made a fierce charge on Edwards last year in the closing laps and finished second. Since arriving in Northern California on Tuesday I've heard the occasional radio report, seen a few local television previews of the event, and checked out a few of the local newspapers. And the two most-discussed racing subjects have been:

1. The anticipated traffic problems in Sonoma this weekend (that's another story I'll try to get to at some point. But if you plan on going to Sonoma get to the track early).

2. The final race at Sonoma for Gordon, who is retiring from full-season Sprint Cup competition after this season.

Gordon, of course, was born in Vallejo, CA about 12 miles from the track. Although the 92-time Sprint Cup race winner isn't having what one would call a storybook final season as yet, the grace and dignity in which he has embraced his ambassadorial role for the sport has been in my opinion very commendable.

Someone who is having a good season is 2013 Sonoma winner Martin Truex Jr. Again, be ready for stats, but with his third-place two weeks ago at Michigan Truex became the first driver since Richard Petty in 1969 to score 14 top-10 finishes in the season's first 15 races.

Truex and Edwards winning the last two seasons also mean that 10 different drivers have won the last 10 Sonoma races.

Martin Truex Jr. won the 2013 Sonoma race

2014-Carl Edwards
2013-Martin Truex Jr.
2012-Clint Bowyer
2011-Kurt Busch
2010-Jimmie Johnson
2009-Kasey Kahne
2008-Kyle Busch
2007-Juan Pablo Montoya
2006-Jeff Gordon
2005-Tony Stewart

Joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma will be Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA Presented by Discount Tire. Will Hardeman won both races of the series' first 2015 race weekend in April at Circuit of the Americas, and will look to continue his winning ways at Sonoma.

Saturday afternoon the Carneros 200 NASCAR Pro Series West Race will take place after Coors Light Pole qualifying for the NASCAR boys. Twenty-six year old Colorado native Chris Eggleston leads the series standings having won at both Irwindale and Shasta earlier this year.

I'll have more later.

Brian C. reporting from Northern California