PREVIEW: The return of both Josh Williams and Will Rodgers among the storylines for Sears Point
by Brock Beard / LASTCAR.info Editor-in-Chief
IMAGE: Jordan Anderson Racing, @JARnascar
LASTCAR TRACKSIDE COVERAGE
This website’s trackside coverage rolls on for a second-straight week as the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series travels up the coast from San Diego to Sonoma. Joining me will be Ben Schneider, our ARCA correspondent, so be sure to follow both of our accounts this weekend at @LASTCARonBROCK and @bcschneider53
Saturday, June 27, 2026 (Green Flag 5:40 P.M. ET, CW)
O’REILLY Race 19 of 33
Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 at Sears Point (Sonoma)
2025 Last-Place Finisher: Jesse Love
ENTRY LIST
There are 38 drivers entered for as many starting spots, so all will qualify for Saturday’s race.
DRIVER CHANGE: #1-JR Motorsports
DRIVER SWAP: #92-DGM Racing x JIM
RETURNING: #9-JR Motorsports
Following a disastrous wreck last Sunday in San Diego, Connor Zilisch looks to defend his dramatic victory in this race last year, where he and Shane Van Gisbergen battled for the win in the final laps. Zilisch’s path to defend will again come through teammate Van Gisbergen, who will likewise race in the returning #9 JRM entry with SuperFile as sponsor. Zilisch will pilot the #1 with which he’s won both at Bristol and Watkins Glen, again with Roto-Rooter as sponsor. Zilisch’s return bumps Carson Kvapil back to Mario Gosselin’s #91 which he last ran at Charlotte, taking 14th, replacing 25th-place Jesse Iwuji.
DRIVER CHANGE: #32-Jordan Anderson Racing
Also among the Cup regulars in Saturday’s field will be Ross Chastain, who carries two agricultural sponsors in both the Western Watermelon Association and the Almond Board of California. He’ll pilot Jordan Anderson’s #32, taking the place of Andrew Patterson, who finished in the 14th spot at San Diego.
DRIVER CHANGE: #42-Young’s Motorsports
Will Rodgers returns to the O’Reilly garage for only the second time this season, his first since a 20th-place showing in Watkins Glen for this same Randy Young team. This time, he takes the place of 33rd-place San Diego finisher Baltazar Leguizamon, who lost the engine midway through the race on the base. Kelly Benefits is the listed sponsor.
TEAM UPDATE: #48-Big Machine Racing
After challenging for a top-ten finish last week in San Diego before a flat tire spoiled his effort, Dr. Patrick Staropoli will run double-duty this weekend with today’s ARCA Menards Series West race, driving the #20 American Cattle Company / Tractor Supply Chevrolet for the McAnally team.
MISSING: #50-Pardus Racing
Not making the trip north is the Pardus team, one week after Preston Pardus survived the chaos to finish in the 18th spot with his family’s team. Pardus finished 25th in his only previous series start at Sears Point back in 2024.
DRIVER CHANGE: #53-Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen
A late announcement as driver of the #53 in place of 23rd-place San Diego finisher Joey Gase is Kyle Kelley, who this week makes his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start since August 17, 2013 at Mid-Ohio, when he finished 32nd in his family’s #87 entry. This will be Kelley’s 12th series start. His last start in NASCAR came at this Sears Point track on June 27, 2015, when he finished last after first-lap electrical issues in the ARCA West Series race.
RETURNING / DRIVER SWAP: #71-DGM Racing x JIM
DRIVER CHANGE: #92-DGM Racing x JIM
After being out of his ride in the #92 for these last six consecutive races, Josh Williams returns to action in the #92 for the Mario Gosselin team, marking his 260th career series start and first since his 18th-place showing in Texas. Rejoining as sponsor is OACEUS, which backed Williams at Portland last summer. Williams’ return bumps 26th-place San Diego finisher Leland Honeyman, Jr. to a returning third DGM entry, the #71 piloted last season by Ryan Ellis. DPR Construction sponsors the Honeyman effort.
CUP INVADERS: #1-Connor Zilisch, #9-Shane Van Gisbergen, #32-Ross Chastain
Sunday, June 28, 2026 (Green Flag 3:50 P.M. ET, TNT)
CUP Race 18 of 36
Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sears Point (Sonoma)
2025 Last-Place Finisher: Noah Gragson
ENTRY LIST
There are only the 36 Chartered entries making the trip to the Bay Area this weekend, marking the 16th short field in 18 races this season, the eighth in a row, and only the second time that only 36 drivers entered the race - the other was Las Vegas in March.
TEAM UPDATE: #16-Kaulig Racing
A.J. Allmendinger is set to make his 500th career Cup start at one of his best tracks, one week after a strong 5th-place performance in San Diego, his best of the season so far.
MISSING: #67-23XI Racing
MISSING: #84-Legacy Motor Club
MISSING: #91-Trackhouse Racing “Project 91”
None of the three “open” entries from Naval Base Coronado are entered, including race winner Corey Heim in the #67, 27th-place debutant Kevin Magnussen, who put up the fastest lap of last Sunday’s race, and 28th-place finisher Jimmie Johnson, who plans to make his last scheduled Cup start in the 2027 Daytona 500.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
TRUCKS Race 14 of 25
LiUNA 150 at Lime Rock Park
2025 Last-Place Finisher: Alex Labbe
The Truck Series returns to action two weeks from Saturday for their own road course race in Lime Rock Park.
TODAY IN LASTCAR HISTORY (June 26, 1993): Dave Rezendes picked up the 3rd last-place finish of his NASCAR Busch Grand National Series career in the Fay’s 150 at Watkins Glen International when his #79 K.R. Rezendes Ford wrecked on the backstretch after 12 laps.
