The 2026 Sonoma Raceway weekend packs three full race programmes into three days. Friday belongs to the ARCA Menards Series West. Saturday gives the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity) its moment — only the fourth time ever this series has raced at Sonoma. Sunday is the main event: 110 laps of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 for the Cup Series, with the added weight of the In-Season Challenge kicking off.

All start times are Eastern Time (ET). For Pacific Time (PT): subtract 3 hours. For UK (BST): add 5 hours. For India (IST): add 9 hours 30 minutes. For Australia East (AEST): add 14 hours.

Sonoma Raceway sits in the southern Sonoma Mountains, about 30 miles north of the San Francisco Bay Area. The facility opened in 1969 and has operated under several names — Sears Point Raceway, Infineon Raceway — before settling on its current identity in 2012. For NASCAR, it represents something genuinely unlike anything else on the schedule: a flowing, multi-elevational road course where the hills are not a backdrop but a defining feature of every single lap.

The Cup Series runs the 1.99-mile configuration, which uses “the Chute” — a straight section installed in 1998 that bypasses the original Turns 5 and 6, known as the Carousel. This gives NASCAR a shorter, more overtaking-friendly layout while preserving the circuit’s essential character. The result is 12 turns over 1.99 miles with 160 feet of total elevation change — more than any other road course on the NASCAR schedule. Furthermore, the 750-horsepower engine package used at road courses in 2026 means these cars are significantly more powerful here than at the superspeedways. That power, combined with tight braking zones and off-camber turns, produces exactly the kind of chaotic, strategic racing Sonoma has always delivered.

The Corners That Define a Sonoma Lap

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 is the 37th running of this event at Sonoma Raceway and Race 18 of 36 in the 2026 Cup Series season. It is structured in three stages: Stage 1 runs 25 laps, Stage 2 runs 30 laps and ends on Lap 55, and the Final Stage runs 55 laps to the chequered flag on Lap 110. Stage points matter for playoff positioning, which makes the early laps here as competitive as the run to the finish. Moreover, as Race 1 of the In-Season Challenge, every result carries extra strategic significance for the bracket competition running parallel to the regular season.

The race covers a total of 218.9 miles. At Sonoma’s average competitive speed of around 75–80 mph — dictated by the road course layout rather than raw horsepower — that produces a race duration typically between two hours 45 minutes and three hours 15 minutes. Fuel strategy is therefore real. Teams calculate fuel windows carefully through Sonoma’s economy-friendly sections, and a well-timed caution can completely reshape the strategy picture. For a full breakdown of how to follow NASCAR races live, see our dedicated guide.

Race Format — Stages and Points

Sonoma is where road-course specialists get their moment. It is where NASCAR’s best oval racers either prove they can adapt — or are found out by the hairpins and elevation changes. The 2026 field includes several drivers who genuinely have the talent and track record to win here. However, the championship picture adds another dimension: the race for playoff positioning means even drivers without road-course pedigree are fully committed from the first green flag.

Shane van Gisbergen — Defending Champion

Van Gisbergen won the 2025 Toyota/Save Mart 350 in dominant fashion, leading 97 of 110 laps from pole position in the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. His international road-racing background — World Supercars champion in Australia before joining NASCAR — makes Sonoma his natural habitat. Furthermore, he struggled at the San Diego street circuit the previous weekend, which means he arrives at Sonoma motivated and fully focused on defending. The only question is whether the 2026 Chevrolet is as well-suited to this specific circuit’s demands as last year’s car.

Kyle Larson — The Local Who Knows This Track Cold

Kyle Larson grew up about 80 miles from Sonoma Raceway in Northern California. He is a two-time Cup Series winner here and consistently one of the fastest qualifiers and race drivers at this circuit. Moreover, Larson is the kind of road racer who can manage tyre life, fuel window, and setup compromise simultaneously — the exact combination Sonoma demands. He did not win the 2025 race, but he has the tools and the feel for this track to be dangerous at every stage. His recent form heading into the California swing confirms he is in title contention.

Chase Elliott — Road Course Royalty

Chase Elliott is one of the most accomplished road-course drivers in NASCAR history. Consequently, Sonoma is always where his name appears at the top of the contender list. He has not always converted that pace into the win here, which is precisely why 2026 carries an edge of pressure. Elliott understands every brake marker, every fuel window, and every moment where Sonoma punishes aggression. Furthermore, with his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet showing genuine pace across recent rounds, he arrives as a serious threat.

AJ Allmendinger — The Specialist Who Never Gives Up This Race

AJ Allmendinger is a Los Gatos, California native who has spent his entire career being dangerous at road courses regardless of his team’s overall resources. In 2026, his 500th career Cup Series start coincides with the Sonoma weekend — adding personal significance to a race he has always treated as a must-win event. Road-course finesse and local knowledge combine to make Allmendinger the ultimate dark horse whenever the Cup Series turns right. Moreover, never underestimate a driver racing at home with something to prove.

Tyler Reddick — Points Leader With a Problem

Tyler Reddick leads the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series points standings and arrives at Sonoma as the No. 1 seed in the In-Season Challenge bracket. However, a late-race tyre issue at San Diego cost him what looked like a strong result the previous weekend. Therefore, the focus here is damage control as much as victory hunting. Reddick is good on road courses — but good enough to beat van Gisbergen, Larson, and Elliott at the one track they collectively know best? That question will define his standing in the championship conversation. For the latest NASCAR 2026 points standings, see our tracker.

Road Course Threat Assessment — Sonoma 2026

The 2026 Sonoma Raceway weekend marks the start of TNT Sports’ portion of the NASCAR broadcast schedule. It is the first Cup Series race of the year on this network, which also means first-time viewers may need to find HBO Max as the associated streaming platform. Fortunately, the access options are broader than ever.

NASCAR Cup Series racing at Sonoma Raceway began on June 11, 1989, when Ricky Rudd drove a Kenny Bernstein Buick to victory, leading 61 of 74 scheduled laps at an average speed of 76.088 mph. Since that inaugural race, Sonoma has produced some of the sport’s most controversial moments, closest finishes, and defining road-course performances. Furthermore, it has historically been a leveller — a race where the right driver on the right day can beat a faster car through superior strategy and technique.

Most Cup Series Wins at Sonoma Raceway

Jeff Gordon’s five wins make Sonoma his most successful circuit outside of ovals. His 2004 performance remains one of the greatest — he led 92 of 110 laps, the second-most dominant display in the race’s history, topped only by van Gisbergen’s 97 of 110 in 2025. Tony Stewart’s 2016 win at Sonoma was the 49th and final victory of his NASCAR career, making it one of the most emotionally significant finishes in the circuit’s history. Additionally, Dale Earnhardt’s 1995 win here was notable as his only career road-course victory in Cup Series competition — a stat that always adds context to the list of Sonoma champions.

Sonoma Raceway is one of the most visually spectacular race venues in America. The circuit rolls through the Sonoma Mountains with vineyards visible from the grandstands and coastal foothills providing a backdrop unlike anything else on the NASCAR schedule. Attending in person adds a dimension no broadcast can fully reproduce: the smell of race fuel mixing with wine-country air, the sound of 750-horsepower engines bouncing off the hills, and the intimate scale of a road-course circuit where drivers are genuinely visible navigating technical corners at close range.

Tickets and Pricing

• NASCAR Weekend Pass: Covers all three series (ARCA West, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Cup Series) plus practice and qualifying. Best value for fans attending the full weekend.
• Cup Series race-day ticket: Starting prices for grandstand seats begin around the Turn 9 Terrace and Main Grandstand — verify current pricing at SonomaRaceway.com.
• Kids 12 and under: Free entry for ARCA West and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races with a ticketed adult. Cup Series race tickets for children are $10 with a ticketed adult (limit 2).
• College student special: $25 Turn 3 Terrace tickets with a valid school-issued .edu email address (limit 4 per email).
• All tickets are digital — download via the official Sonoma Raceway app before you arrive.

Best Viewing Spots at Sonoma

• Turn 7 Terrace: The hairpin is where most overtaking happens in the race. You will see side-by-side braking and drivers making bold moves into the slowest corner on the circuit. Ideal for watching genuine racing action.
• Main Grandstand: Covers pit road and the start/finish line. Best for strategy watchers who want to see pit stops, crew work, and the restart order. Additionally, the big screens keep you connected to the whole circuit.
• Turn 3 Club (Turn 3 Terrace): Trackside premium location overlooking the blind Turn 3 corner with vineyard and coastal foothills views behind the circuit. The most photogenic spectator vantage point at Sonoma.
• Trackside RV Terraces: Camping with panoramic views of the track and Sonoma Valley. The experience goes well beyond the racing — evenings here are something genuinely special.

What to Bring and What to Leave at Home

Getting to Sonoma Raceway

Sonoma Raceway is located at 29355 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, California, approximately 30 miles north of the San Francisco Bay Area via Highway 37 and Highway 121. Shuttle services run from multiple Bay Area points during race weekend. Parking on-site is available with advance booking. The venue officially opens its gates at 7:00 a.m. on race days — arriving early on Sunday avoids the worst traffic and gives you time to walk the circuit’s public areas before the start.