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Dodge/Save Mart 350 - Race Notes

Infineon Raceway

Track data
Race #: 16 of 36 (6-25-06)
Track Size: 1.99 Mile
Event: Dodge/Save Mart 350
Number of Laps: 110
Location: Sonoma, CA
Length of Event: 218.9 Miles
Length of Front Stretch: N/A
Length of Back Stretch: N/A
Degree of Banking in Corners: 12 Turns: Varies
Degree of Banking on Straights: Varies

Qualifying/Race data:
Last year's pole winner: Jeff Gordon 94.325 mph 6-24-05 75.950 seconds
Last year's event winner: Tony Stewart 72.845 mph 6-26-05 3 hr, 00 min, 18 sec
Track qualifying record: Jeff Gordon 94.325 mph 6-24-05 75.950 seconds
Track race record: Ricky Rudd 81.007 mph 6-23-02 2 hrs, 42 min, 08 sec
* Records based upon new track size and distance, re-measured in 2002

Historical data:
Previous winners at Sonoma:
Jeff Gordon (4) Ernie Irvan (2) Rusty Wallace (2) Ricky Rudd (2) Tony Stewart (2) Davey Allison (1) Geoffrey Bodine (1) Dale Earnhardt (1) Mark Martin (1) Robby Gordon (1)
Races won from the pole: 5 of 17 events (27%)
Races won from in top 10: 15 of 17 events (88%)
Races won from outside top 10: 2 of 17 events (12%)

Track Milestones

  • Rusty Wallace won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole at Infineon Raceway in 1989.
  • Ricky Rudd won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Infineon Raceway, the 1989 Banquet 300.
  • The track was originally a 2.52-mile road course. The race was increased from 74 to 112 laps in 1998.
  • The track was re-configured to 1.949 miles for the 1999 and 2000 races and then re-configured again in 2001 to a two-mile road course. An 890-foot chute was inserted between turns four and seven for use in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Craftsman Truck events only.
  • The track was re-measured at 1.99 miles in 2002 and the race length changed to 110 laps. The track also was re-named Infineon Raceway.
  • There has never been a caution-free nor a postponed race at Sonoma.

    Track Update
    The Bud Pole starting position has been the most productive at Infineon Raceway - producing five race winners and in 13 of the 17 races the pole winner has scored a top-five finish. The worst finish by a Bud Pole winner at Sonoma was a 33rd-place finish by Jeff Gordon in 2005.

    Manufacturer Update
    Chevrolet has posted eight victories in the 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup at Infineon Raceway, including six of the past eight. Ford has six victories there; Pontiac has two while Buick won the inaugural race in 1989. Dodge has posted five top-fives in its five years of competition at Sonoma (all since 2003) with the best Dodge finish being second by Jamie McMurray in 2005.

    Qualifying Update
    Tony Stewart has posted top-10 starts in six of his seven races at Infineon Raceway, including one in each of the top-four positions.

    Tire/Fuel Data
    Goodyear Tire Codes: Left-side - D4404; Right-side- D4404
    Other Tracks with Same Tire Configuration: Watkins Glen
    Estimated Pit Window: Every 36-38 Laps (based on fuel mileage)

    Would You Believe?
    Tony Stewart led three times for 39 laps in leading the most laps in the 2005 Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. He was the only driver to lead more than once.

    Sonoma Consistency
    Jeff Gordon (eight of 13) is the only active driver with more than one race at Infineon Raceway to score a top-five finish in at least half of his races there. Ricky Rudd (10/17) and Rusty Wallace (9/17) also posted a topfive finish in more than half of their Sonoma races.

    Not Here
    Dale Earnhardt Jr's, 11th-place finish in 2003 is his best finish in five races at Infineon Raceway. His average finish there is 22.83. Infineon is just one of two tracks currently run by NASCAR's premier series that Earnhardt Jr., has not posted a top-10 finish. He also has yet to finish in the top-10 at Homestead.

    Track Tidbits

  • The field will consist of 43 cars. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible owner.
  • One qualifying lap will be used to determine the starting positions with the adjustments made afterwards as required.
  • There have been 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Infineon Raceway since the track was added to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit in 1989.
  • Jeff Gordon is the defending Bud Pole winner for the Dodge/Save Mart 350.
  • Jeff Gordon (five), Ricky Rudd (four) and Rusty Wallace (two) have posted multiple Bud Poles at Infineon Raceway.
  • There have been nine different Bud Pole winners in the last 13 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Infineon Raceway. Jeff Gordon (1998, 1999, 2001, 2004 and 2005) is the only repeat Bud Pole winner there since 1993. Ricky Rudd posted three straight between 1990 and 1992.
  • The race at Infineon Raceway has been won from the Bud Pole five times. Ernie Irvan (1994), Mark Martin (1997) and Jeff Gordon (1998, 1999 and 2004).
  • Tony Stewart is the defending champion of the Dodge/Save Mart 350.
  • There have been 10 different race winners in the 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Sonoma. Ricky Rudd (1989 and 2002), Ernie Irvan (1992 and ?94), Rusty Wallace (1990 and '96), Jeff Gordon (1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004) and Tony Stewart (2001 and 2005) are the repeat race winners at Sonoma.
  • Ten different car owners have scored victories at Infineon Raceway, led by Hendrick Motorsports with four.
  • The furthest back a winner has started in the 16-race history at Infineon Raceway occurred when Davey Allison won the 1991 Banquet 300 from 13th.
  • Four of the five drivers who have won more than one race at Infineon Raceway did so in different car makes. Tony Stewart won in 2001 in a Pontiac and 2005 in a Chevrolet. Ricky Rudd won in a Buick in 1989 and a Ford in 2002. Rusty Wallace won in 1990 in a Pontiac and ?96 in a Ford. Ernie Irvan won in a Chevrolet in 1992 and in a Ford in ?94.

    Starting Up Front is Very Important at Infineon Raceway
    All 17 races at Infineon Raceway have been won from a top-15 starting position, all 13th or better. Seven of the 17 races at Infineon Raceway have been won a front-row starting position. Five were won from the Bud Pole.

    Infineon Pole Winner
    Jeff Gordon has won five of the last eight Bud Poles at Infineon Raceway. Gordon has won the Bud Pole in his last two races at Infineon Raceway (2004-2005).

    Streaks at Infineon Raceway

  • Jeff Gordon has posted top-15 starts in all 13 of his races at Infineon Raceway.
  • Jeff Gordon has posted 12 straight top-10 starts at Infineon Raceway, the longest current streak.
  • Elliott Sadler posted top-10 finishes in 2004 and 2005 at Infineon Raceway, the longest current streak.
  • Tony Stewart has posted seven straight top-15 finishes at Infineon Raceway, the longest current streak.

    No Owner Dominance at Infineon Raceway
    Four different car owners have scored a victory in the last four races at Infineon Raceway

    Owner Wins at Infineon Raceway
    Hendrick Motorsports leads all owners with four victories at Infineon Raceway, all scored by Jeff Gordon.

    Point Leader at Infineon Raceway
    Jimmie Johnson has scored only one top-15 finish at Infineon Raceway - fifth in 2004.

    Leading The Way at Infineon Raceway
    Jeff Gordon has led 393 laps in 13 races at Infineon Raceway, the most of all drivers. Retired driver Rusty Wallace ranks second leading 171 laps in 17 races. Mark Martin ranks third with 161 laps led in 17 races at Infineon Raceway.

    Would you Believe?
    A Dodge has never won a race at Infineon Raceway or at Watkins Glen International. The last road-course victory in a Dodge was when Richard Petty won the NAPA Riverside 400 at Riverside (CA) in June 1977.

    Infineon Standouts

  • Eight drivers have competed in all 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Infineon Raceway.
  • Jeff Gordon has scored five Bud Poles at Infineon Raceway, leading all other drivers.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with four victories at Infineon Raceway. No other driver has more than two wins there.
  • Ricky Rudd leads all drivers with 10 top-five finishes at Infineon Raceway.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all full time, active drivers with eight top-five finishes at Infineon Raceway.
  • Mark Martin has scored 13 top-10 finishes at Infineon Raceway, the most all drivers.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with a 4.384 starting average in 13 races at Infineon Raceway.
  • Tony Stewart has an 8.0 finishing average in his seven races at Infineon Raceway, the best of all drivers.

    Who's Hot

  • Jimmie Johnson has scored 10 straight top-15 finishes and has scored top-15 finishes in 14 of the 15 races in 2006.
  • Jeff Burton moved from 21st to seventh in the point standings from Martinsville to Dover. He has remained seventh in the points for last three races. One year ago he ranked 16th. Burton has scored seven top-10 finishes and nine straight top-15s since Martinsville.
  • Denny Hamlin has posted six straight top-15 finishes.
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. has scored six straight top-15 finishes.
  • Greg Biffle has scored six straight top-10 finishes, the longest top-10 streak of his career. After Talladega, Biffle was 232 points behind 10th. Biffle climbed from 23rd to 10th in the last six races and is just two points behind ninth-place Denny Hamlin.
  • Kasey Kahne has won four races in 2006, the most of all drivers. Kahne has scored four straight top-10 finishes.
  • Matt Kenseth is the only driver to score nine top-five finishes in the 15 races this season, including four of the last five races.
  • Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to score 12 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races of 2006.
  • Greg Biffle is the only driver to lead at least one lap in 13 of the 15 races this season.
  • Matt Kenseth ranks second in the point standings. After 15 races one year ago, he ranked 21st.

    Top 10 in Points at This Track
    PS Driver Starts Wins Best Top 5s Top 10s
    1st Johnson, Jimmie 4 *** 5 (1 Time) 1 1
    2nd Kenseth, Matt 6 *** 11 (1 Time) *** ***
    3rd Kahne, Kasey 2 *** 31 (1 Time) *** ***
    4th Earnhardt Jr., Dale 6 *** 11 (2 Times) *** ***
    5th Martin, Mark 17 1 1 (1 Time) 7 13
    6th Stewart, Tony 7 2 1 (2 Times) 3 4
    7th Burton, Jeff 12 *** 8 (1 Time) *** 3
    8th Harvick, Kevin 5 *** 3 (1 Time) 1 1
    9th Hamlin, Denny # *** *** *** ***
    10th Biffle, Greg 3 *** 13 (1 Time) *** ***

    First
    Jimmie Johnson finished sixth in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and remained first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. He is now 74 points ahead of second-place Matt Kenseth. Johnson scored his 12th top-10 finish in 15 races this season, the most of all drivers. Johnson's has three victories (Daytona, Las Vegas and Talladega) second only to Kasey Kahne who has four. In 2006, Johnson has scored 14 top-15s in the first 15 races, the only driver to do so. Johnson ranked first in the point standings after Race No. 15 in 2005 with a 49-point lead over then second-place Greg Biffle. Johnson has ranked among the top-10 for 84 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. He has competed in just four races at Infineon Raceway, scoring just one top-10 finish, a fifth-place finish in 2004. Johnson has a 23.25 average finish at Infineon Raceway. He finished 36th in this race one year ago, his worst finish at Infineon Raceway. He has never led a lap at Infineon Raceway. Johnson has finished on the lead lap in two of his four races at Infineon Raceway. He has never won a road-course race. Johnson has won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).

    Second
    Matt Kenseth finished 13th in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway scoring his 13th top-15 finish in 2006. Nine of his 10 top-10 finishes in 2006 are topfives. He has scored top-five finishes in four of his last five races. Kenseth scored his first victory of 2006 at California. Kenseth remained second in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for the fourth straight race. One year ago he ranked 21st in the point standings after 15 races. Kenseth has ranked among the top-five in the point standings since his victory in Race No. 2 at California. He has competed in six races at Infineon Raceway and has never scored a top-10 finish there. Kenseth has been running at the finish in all six of his race at Infineon Raceway. He has never won a road course race. He finished 11th in this race one year ago, his best finish at Infineon Raceway. Kenseth has a 22.833 finishing average at Infineon Raceway. He has never led in his six races at Infineon Raceway. Kenseth has failed to finish on the lead lap in two of his six races at Infineon Raceway. Kenseth has won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).

    Third
    Kasey Kahne finished first in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway scoring his 10th top-10 finish in 2006. He climbed from fifth to third in the point standings. Kahne has scored four victories (Atlanta, Texas, Lowe's and Michigan) in 2006, the most of all drivers. Kahne has scored 11 top-15 finishes in the first 15 races in 2006. One year ago he ranked 20th in the point standings. Kahne has competed in just two races at Infineon Raceway, finishing outside the top-30 in both. He finished 31st in his first race there in 2004 and finished 41st there one year ago. Kahne has a 36.0 average finish at Infineon Raceway. He has been running at the finish in both of his races at Infineon. Kahne has never finished on the lead lap at Infineon Raceway. He has never led a lap at Infineon Raceway. Kahne has won at least one race each season for two consecutive years (2005-2006).

    Fourth
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and climbed from sixth to fourth in the point standings. One year ago he ranked 17th in the point standings. Earnhardt Jr. has scored 12 top-15 finishes in the 15 races in 2006. His only victory in 2006 came at Richmond. He has competed in six races at Infineon Raceway and has never scored a top-10 finish. His best Infineon finish of 11th came there in 2003 and again in 2004. He finished 42nd in this race one year ago. Earnhardt has a 22.833 average finish at Infineon Raceway. He has led in just one of his six races at Infineon Raceway, leading nine laps in 2004. Earnhardt Jr. has finished on the lead lap in four of his six races at Infineon Raceway. Earnhardt Jr. has won at least one race seven consecutive years (2000-2006).

    Fifth
    Mark Martin finished 27th in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and dropped from third to fifth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. At this point one year ago he ranked fifth in the point standings. He has had only one DNF (Talladega in October 2005 - Accident) in the 40 races since Dover in June 2005. Martin has competed in 17 races at Infineon Raceway, scoring one victory, seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes there. His last victory at Infineon Raceway came in May 1997, nine Infineon races ago. He finished 15th in this race one year ago. Martin has a 9.882 average finish at Infineon Raceway. Martin has led in just five races at Infineon Raceway. He led the most laps in two of those five races. However, he has led just one lap in his last six races at Infineon Raceway. Martin has finished on the lead lap in all but two of his 17 races at Infineon Raceway. Martin has scored 32 top-10 finishes in 39 career road-course races, the most among all drivers, all time.

    Sixth
    Tony Stewart finished 41st in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway. He dropped from fourth to sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Stewart led at least one lap in 10 races in 2006. His 65 lap leader bonus points are second only to Biffle who has 85. Seven of his eight top-10 finishes in 2006 are top-fives. He has competed in seven races at Infineon Raceway scoring two victories and four top-10 finishes. Stewart has scored top-15 finishes in all seven of his races at Infineon Raceway. Stewart finished first in this race one year ago. His other victory there came in 2001. He has an 8.0 finishing average at Infineon Raceway, the best of all drivers. He has led in five of his seven races at Infineon but led the most laps in only one race there, doing so in this race one year ago. He has finished on the lead lap in all seven races of his races at Infineon Raceway. Stewart has five career road-course victories, the most among drivers ranked in the current top 10. His 7.7 finishing average in Stewart has won at least one race each season for eight consecutive years (1999-2006).

    Seventh
    Jeff Burton finished 11th in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and remained seventh in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for the third straight race. Burton remained at his highest points ranking in 2006 and is at his highest points ranking since he ranked fourth after Las Vegas in March 2003, 121 races ago. He has scored nine top-10 finishes in 15 races this season. One year ago he ranked 16th in the point standings. Burton has competed in 12 races at Infineon Raceway and has scored just three top-10 finishes. His last Infineon top 10 came there in 2004 when he finished ninth and is his only top-10 finish in his last four races there. He finished 30th in this race one year ago. He has led just three laps in one race at Infineon Raceway. Burton has a 21.750 average finish at Infineon Raceway. He has finished on the lead lap in nine of his 12 races at Infineon Raceway.

    Eighth
    Kevin Harvick finished 10th in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and remained eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for the last three races. Harvick has ranked among the top 10 in the last nine races, since Texas in April. One year ago he ranked 10th in the point standings. Harvick has scored seven top-10 finishes in 2006. He has competed in five races at Infineon Raceway posting just one top-10 finish, a third there in 2003. He finished 37th in this race one year ago his worst finish at Infineon Raceway. He has a 16.0 average finish at Infineon Raceway. He has never led at Infineon Raceway and has never posted a DNF there. Harvick has finished on the lead lap in four of his five races at Infineon Raceway.

    Ninth
    Denny Hamlin finished 12th in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and remained ninth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. This marked his second straight week in the top-10 in the point standings in his short 22-race career. It marked his sixth straight top-15 finish. He is now 486 points behind current point leader Johnson and just two points ahead of 10th-place Greg Biffle. Hamlin is the highest-ranking Raybestos Rookie-of-the–Year candidate. He is the only rookie to score top-15 finishes in 10 races this season. He leads all rookies becoming the highest finishing rookie in eight races this season. Hamlin has never competed in a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Infineon Raceway

    10th
    Greg Biffle finished fourth in the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway and climbed from 11th to 10th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Biffle has scored six straight top-10 finishes, the longest top-10 streak of his career. His previous best was when he scored five straight top-10 finishes between August and September 2005. Seven races ago Greg Biffle was 232 points behind 10th (after Talladega). With his fourth-place finish, Biffle is now 10th. Biffle has climbed from 23rd to 10th in points in the six races since Talladega. After 15 races in 2005, he ranked second in the point standings. Biffle is just two points behind ninth-place Denny Hamlin. He has competed in three races at Infineon Raceway, scoring top 15 finishes in two of his three races there. He finished 14th in this race one year ago. Biffle has been running at the finish in all three of his races at Infineon Raceway. He led eight laps in this race one year ago, his first laps led at Infineon.

    Road-Course History
    (Excludes the Daytona Beach & Road Course)

  • There have been 99 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup road-course races at 10 different courses since the first roadcourse event was held at Linden, New Jersey on June 13, 1954.
    * Riverside International Raceway - 48 * Watkins Glen International – 23 * Infineon Raceway – 17 * Bridgehampton, NY – 4 * Willow Springs Speedway - Lancaster, CA – 2 * Linden Airport – Linden, NJ – 1 * Cocoa Speedway - Titusville, FL – 1, * Augusta International Speedway - Augusta, GA – 1 * Road America - Elkhart Lakes, IL – 1 * Kitsap County Airport - Bremerton, WA – 1
  • Six hundred and ninety-two drivers have competed in a road-course event in NASCAR's premier series. One hundred and ninety-six have competed in five or more.
  • Richard Petty leads all other drivers with 60 road-course races.
  • Terry Labonte has competed in 56 road-course races, more than any other active driver.
  • Kyle Petty has competed in 48 road-course races, more than any other full-time driver.
  • Thirty-five different drivers have posted at least one Bud Pole on a road-course. Nineteen drivers have more than one road-course victory.
  • Darrell Waltrip leads all drivers with nine road-course Bud Poles; Terry Labonte and David Pearson had eight.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all full-time, active drivers with seven road-course Bud Poles.
  • Thirty-seven different drivers have posted at least one victory on a road-course. Twenty-one drivers have more than one road-course victory.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with eight road-course victories.
  • Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace all have six road-course victories.

    Road-Course Milestone
    The Dodge/SaveMart 350 will be the 100th road-course race in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup history. The first road-course race was held on an airstrip at Linden, New Jersey on June 13, 1954.

    Would You Believe?
    Buck Baker won the 100-mile road-course race at Watkins Glen on Aug. 4, 1957. Just hours later, Parnelli Jones won the 72-mile road-course race at Kitsap County Airport in Bremerton, Washington - the only time two road-course events were held by NASCAR's premier division on the same day.

    The Real Mr. Road-Course
    Dan Gurney competed in nine road-course races posting six top-10 finishes - five of which were victories. His 55.6 winning percentage is the best among drivers who competed in more than one road-course race.

    Road-Course Success

  • Three drivers won the only road-course race that they competed in: Tim Flock - Elkhart Lakes - Aug. 12, 1956; Al Keller - Linden Airport - June 13, 1954 and Chuck Stevenson - Lancaster - Nov. 20, 1955.

    Would You Believe?
    In spite of holding the all-time record for most victories on a road-course with eight, Jeff Gordon has had mixed results on road-courses. Gordon finished 11th, 31st and 37th in his first three road course races (1993-94). He then went until 2002 before he failed to post a top-10 finish in a road-course race, finishing 37th at Sonoma and 22nd at Watkins Glen. Gordon again failed to post a road-course top-10 in 2005 – finishing 33rd at Sonoma and 14th at Watkins Glen.

    Good and Not so Good
    In spite of road-course specialists finished in four of the top-five positions in the 2005 Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen, the employment of road-course specialists, prevalent in recent years, has not been an unqualified success. Boris Said, Scott Pruett, Ron Fellows are winless in a combined record of 32 races; posting just one Bud Pole and 12 top-10 finishes. The three have also racked up nine DNFs.

    Road-Course Consistency

  • Fireball Roberts was nine-for-nine, posting top-10 finishes in every one of his road-course appearances, including two victories: Cocoa Speedway - December 1956 and Augusta November 1963.
  • Buck Baker was nine-for-10; failing to finish in the top-10 only once: November Augusta November 1963. Baker won at Watkins Glen in 1957.
  • Mark Martin is third on the all-time road-course top-10 list of drivers with five or more road-course races at 32-for-39 (82 percent). He is the only active driver in the top-10.

    Road-Course Specialists - Not
    Three drivers have posted their only NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories on road courses: Dan Gurney, Ray Elder and Mark Donahue. None of the three competed exclusively in road-course races.



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