The NASCAR Cup Series continues today with the 2021 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Read on below to see my prediction for who will win the race, as well as my top 10, dark horse, and driver to fade predictions.
Winner: Kevin Harvick- Harvick has quietly had a great season, with 11 top 10 finishes in 15 starts, including 4 top 5 results. Harvick is a California native and has had quite a bit of success at Sonoma in his career, with 1 win, 6 top 5’s, and 10 top 10’s in 19 career starts. I predict that today is the day everything will finally click for Harvick and that he will bring home his first victory of the season.
Top 10: Chase Elliott- Elliott has been on a heater of late, finishing in the top 5 in 4 of his last 5 starts, including a victory at COTA and a runner-up showing in the Coca-Cola 600. Elliott is always the man to beat on a road course, but he hasn’t had a lot of success at Sonoma, with just 1 top 5 and 2 top 10’s in 4 starts. Elliott will definitely be in the hunt today, but I believe a top 10 is certain for him today.
Dark horse: Ross Chastain- Chastain has found his niche in recent weeks, finishing in the top 20 in 9 of his last 11 starts, including a career best 4th place showing at COTA. Chastain is improving each week and is definitely turning into a regular dark horse on road courses. A win is unlikely, but I believe Ross Chastain will be in the top 12 at the end of the day.
Driver to fade: Bubba Wallace- Wallace has struggled at road courses in his career, earning 0 top 20 finishes in 10 road course starts. Wallace has finished 29th and 26th in 2 career Sonoma starts and I predict he will finish outside the top 20 again today.