PREVIEW: “Shane van Gisbergen versus the field” set to continue at Sears Point
by Brock Beard / LASTCAR.info Editor-in-Chief
IMAGE: JR Motorsports, @JRMotorsports
LASTCAR TRACKSIDE COVERAGE
It’s back to the home track this weekend, as I’ll be covering all three days of action at the Sonoma Raceway (Sears Point). This also happens to be the 30th time that LASTBRO and I have attended the Cup races at this track. Also working the track will be our Ben Schneider, who will cover the ARCA West race. Stay tuned to my Twitter @LASTCARonBROCK and to Ben’s at @bcschneider53 for more updates!
Saturday, July 12, 2025 (Green Flag X:XX P.M. ET, CW)
XFINITY Race 19 of 33
Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 at Sears Point
2024 Last-Place Finisher: Brandon Jones
ENTRY LIST
There are 39 drivers entered for 38 spots, meaning one will fail to qualify.
RETURNING: #17-Hendrick Motorsports
Corey Day’s fourth career XFINITY Series start and fist since an 11th-place showing in Nashville will come at his home track on the current calendar as the Clovis, California native brings back Hendricks’ #17 entry for the first time since Chase Elliott’s 4th-place showing in Pocono. This team was in each of the last two races with Kyle Larson and Boris Said behind the wheel. Day is also one of three drivers in this race who will also compete in this weekend’s ARCA Menards Series West race at the Sonoma track, joined by William Sawalich and Will Rodgers.
DRIVER CHANGE: #19-Joe Gibbs Racing
Along with Shane van Gisbergen, the only driver attempting double-duty at Sears Point in XFINITY and Cup is SVG’s fellow rookie of the year candidate Riley Herbst, who will get valuable track time in JGR’s #19 Toyota. Herbst takes the place of SuperCar star Jack Perkins, who had a rough day out at Chicago after backing into the wall early and finishing 32nd.
MISSING: #24-Sam Hunt Racing
The SHR team will only bring its flagship #26 entry west with rookie contender Dean Thompson. Left in the shop will be the team’s part-time #24 entry with which Kaz Grala earned a 22nd-place finish last Saturday on the streets of Chicago.
DRIVER CHANGE(?): #35-Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen
TBA in for Andre Castro, who finished 33rd after a stack-up damaged his car, followed by a hard crash.
MISSING: #50-Pardus Racing
Also not making the trip this week is Preston Pardus, whose family-owned team struggled late at Chicago for a 29th-place finish. Pardus and his road course-focused team raced in this Sears Point event last season, taking home 25th.
DRIVER CHANGE: #70-Cope Family Racing
Up to this point, the Cope team has continued to share its #70 between Leland Honeyman, Jr. and Thomas Annunziata, who recovered from a crash in Chicago to finish 17th. But with Annunziata competing in this weekend’s Trans-Am event at Watkins Glen in TA2, the driver will be Will Rodgers – the same driver that so impressed Kevin Harvick during their battle in the ARCA Menards West race at Sonoma in 2017. Rodgers has served as Erik Jones’ spotter this year, so Jones will now spot for Rodgers on Saturday.
CUP INVADERS: #9-Shane van Gisbergen, #19-Riley Herbst
Sunday, July 13, 2025 (Green Flag X:XX P.M. ET, TNT)
CUP Race 20 of 36
Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sears Point
2024 Last-Place Finisher: Denny Hamlin
ENTRY LIST
There are 37 drivers entered for 40 spots this Sunday, so all will qualify for the 16th short field in 20 races for 2025.
LASTCAR UPDATE: #11-Joe Gibbs Racing
This weekend, Denny Hamlin is in position to become only the second driver in NASCAR history to score three consecutive last-place finishes in the Cup race at Sears Point. He wrecked in 2023, then lost the engine in the early laps last year. With another finish, he’ll tie the mark set by Tom Hubert in 2004, 2005, and 2006. This week, Hamlin also debuts new sponsorship from AM/PM convenience stores.
MISSING: #13-Kaulig Racing
MISSING: #33-Richard Childress Racing
MISSING: #66-Garage 66
MISSING: #67-23XI Racing
While Katherine Legge will enter Sunday’s race with Live Fast Motorsports, looking to build on her 19th-place showing in Chicago, none of the other four “open” entries from Chicago will be making the trip – cars that fielded drivers Will Brown (#13), Austin Hill (#33), Josh Bilicki (#66), and Corey Heim (#67). Both Hill and Bilicki will still be competing in Saturday’s race with Hill coming off a career-best 9th and Bilicki in 21st, a team-best NextGen and road course performance for team owner Carl Long.
Friday, July 25, 2025
TRUCKS Race 16 of 25
TSport 200 at IRP
2024 Last-Place Finisher: Mason Massey
The Truck Series returns in two weeks at IRP.
TODAY IN LASTCAR HISTORY (July 11, 1981): Don Satterfield picked up the first last-place finish of his NASCAR Winston Cup Series career in the Busch Nashville 420 at the Nashville Fairgrounds when his #08 Satterfield Racing Chevrolet lost the brakes after one lap. The finish came in Satterfield’s first of only four Cup starts, and his #08 has only finished last in two other Cup races since then, and none since 2007. From 1997 through 2008, Satterfield made 143 starts in the Hooters Pro Cup Series, where he earned a pair of top-five finishes.
