The NASCAR Cup Series gears up for Sunday’s Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 13. This is another road course. That means Shane van Gisbergen is favored to win for the second straight week. SVG won in Chicago last week and will look to deliver again during his favorite part of the year. Continue reading to get my preview of this race, including my Toyota Save Mart 350 prediction.
Our Toyota Save Mart 350 Pick
- Pick: Christopher Bell
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
- Bonus Bets For the Race: Bonus Bets For the Game: Use BetMGM promo code ATSBONUS to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your first bet does not win!
Toyota Save Mart 350 Preview
Sonoma Raceway hosts one of only seven road course races for the Cup Series each season. With 12 turns, a 160‑foot elevation change, and tricky braking zones, the track puts a premium on driver skill, tire management, and pit‑stop strategy. Last year’s repave has made the surface smoother. That has reduced tire wear and shifted emphasis toward outright speed and pit timing.
This season, Christopher Bell has emerged as a dominant force, securing back‑to‑back wins at Atlanta, COTA, and Phoenix. But Shane van Gisbergen is the king of road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series. SVG won on the Chicago Road Course last week. And while Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott remain threats, it would take a lot from any driver to get a win over SVG.
Toyota Save Mart 350 Track Info
- Course: 1.99‑mile road course with 12 turns
- Elevation change: ~160 feet
- Configuration: Club layout with technical segments and heavy braking zones
- Strategy: Repave means longer stints on track. Pit timing and short‑run speed are key.
Betting Odds
The odds to win the Toyota Save Mart 350 are as follows:
- Shane van Gisbergen +130
- Kyle Larson +550
- Ty Gibbs +1100
- Michael McDowell +1100
- William Byron +1200
- Chris Buescher +1400
- Chase Elliott +1400
- Tyler Reddick +1400
- Christopher Bell +1400
- AJ Allmendinger +1800
Toyota Save Mart 350 Prediction
The temptation to take van Gisbergen on any road course is understandable. The guy simply knows how to navigate tracks like this one. But his pricing makes it hard to justify betting on him. Sports betting is about getting the best price available in the market and SVG is not the driver with the best chance relative to his price.
Instead, I think that Christopher Bell is the best value in the field for this race. Bell is not as good a road course driver as SVG. But he might be the second-best road course driver out of the options we have. At +1400, I think Bell has a great chance to come out on top. I’ll back Bell and hope that he has what it takes to outmaneuver van Gisbergen to take this race at a much better price.
