Get out your wine and cheese as you set your NASCAR DFS lineups for racing at Sonoma Raceway. This 2.5+ mile California road course opened up in 1968 and features more than 10 turns and 160 ft of elevation change. Sonoma Raceway winners include NASCAR legends like Jeff Gordon, Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt, and Ricky Rudd. The “Rainbow Warrior” Jeff Gordon holds track records for wins with five, most top fives with 14, most top 10s with 18, and most laps led with 457. Maybe Gordon can sprinkle some of that Sonoma magic on his Hendrick Motorsports cars for this weekend.
This week’s NASCAR DFS slate is pretty straight forward. Having said that, the 2022 NASCAR season has been anything but straight forward. So there are some questions to consider when setting your NASCAR lineups. Should you pay up for Hendrick Motorsports drivers? Can Toyota continue their recent strong performances? Will Ford drivers step it up and get back-to-back wins?
Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR DFS Picks:
NASCAR DFS Drivers to Pay Up For:
Kyle Larson (#5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports)
$10,600
The first Hendrick Motorsports driver to consider for Sonoma is Kyle Larson. The driver of the #5 Chevrolet has become one of the top road course drivers in NASCAR. Last season, Larson won road course races at Watkins Glen, the Charlotte ROVAL and this exact race at Sonoma. He also dominated the field leading 57 of 92 laps at this race last season. Larson’s 2022 season has been so-so for his standards, but he has already recorded a win back at Fontana. When he isn’t winning, he’s likely finishing in the top five like he has done in five of the last seven races. Hendrick Motorsports will be strong Sunday and Larson should be a driver you pay up for in NASCAR DFS.
Chase Elliott (#9 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports)
$10,400
The second driver from Hendrick Motorsports to pay up for is Chase Elliott. Although he has never won at Sonoma, he’s finished in the top five in two of his five starts, including last season’s 2nd place finish behind Larson. Chase Elliott has been one of the most consistent drivers of the 2022 season. The driver of the #9 Chevrolet has finished inside the top 10 in nine of the 13 races and has already visited victory lane back at Dover. NASCAR has only raced on one road course in the Next Gen car and Elliott finished in 4th when they visited COTA in Austin, Texas. Chase Elliott is known to be an incredible road course racer and therefore, he’s a driver to pay up for in your NASCAR DFS lineups.
Martin Truex Jr (#19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing)
$10,000
This hasn’t been Martin Truex Jr’s best season, but maybe a trip to Sonoma Raceway can change that for him. Truex has the most wins of any active driver at the road course in California with three (2013, 2018, 2019). In the last three races in wine country, he’s won two and finished 3rd, while leading over 60% of the laps in the two wins. Although the driver of the #19 Toyota hasn’t found victory lane in 2022, he’s been near the front in most races. Truex has seven top 10s on the season including two of the last three races. Like wine, Truex seems to be getting better with age and this is a weekend to pay up for him in your NASCAR DFS lineups.
NASCAR DFS Drivers to Consider:
AJ Allmendinger (#16 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing)
$8,800
They don’t call AJ Allmendinger the “Road Course Ringer” for nothing. AJ can straight up drive on the road courses. He showed that last week in the Xfinity Series’ first trip to Portland International Raceway where he won driving from the back of the field. While he hasn’t had the success at Sonoma, he’s proven that he always has to be considered a favorite. In 20 Xfinity starts on road courses, Allmendinger has won eight times. The driver of the #16 Chevrolet may not race every week in the Cup Series, but this is definitely a week to consider Allmendinger for your NASCAR DFS lineups.
Kurt Busch (#45 Toyota, 23XI Racing)
$8,200
The stats point to Kurt Busch being a driver to consider for this weekend’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. In 20 starts at Sonoma Raceway, the driver for the #45 Toyota has one win (2011) and has finished inside the top 10 55% of the time. In his last six starts in wine country, Busch has five top 10s. 2022 has been pretty good for Kurt as well. He got to victory lane in Kansas and has finished inside the top 10 six times, including two of the last three races. Kurt Busch has seemed to find his way to the front recently and he should find his way into your NASCAR DFS lineups.
NASCAR DFS Driver to Stay Away From:
Ricky Stenhouse Jr (#47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing)
$6,800
After his top 10 streak was snapped last weekend at Gateway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr is a driver that you should avoid at Sonoma. Stenhouse has had no success at the road course. He’s never finished inside the top 10 in his eight starts and his best finish has been 18th. In general, road courses and the driver of the #47 Chevrolet don’t mix well. Stenhouse has actually never recorded a top 10 in his 26 road course attempts. Maybe Ricky Stenhouse Jr will have a good time sipping on some aged grapes, but don’t expect him to have a good time on the track. NASCAR DFS owners should avoid playing him this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.
