Getting merchandise signed by a NASCAR driver is exciting.

NASCAR drivers have scheduled autograph sessions while the sport is running at Sonoma Raceway with some big names breaking out the markers to give fans memories and add their names to fans’ gear.

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Here is the driver autograph schedule. NOTE: One signed item per guest.

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NASCAR Sonoma race autographs schedule

NASCAR drivers will be signing autographs in the souvenir trailers this weekend.

• Visit participating drivers NASCAR souvenir haulers for details on securing an autograph

• A wristband may be required to attend certain Driver Autograph Sessions

• Wristbands will be distributed by the souvenir trailers or appearance location and a purchase may be required

Saturday, July 12

Sammy Smith: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer

Justin Allgaier: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer

Carson Kvapil: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer

Conner Zilisch: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer

Cole Custer: 1 p.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer

Ryan Preece: 1:30 p.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer

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Sunday, July 13

Ross Chastain: 8:40 a.m. at Trackhouse Merchandise Trailer

Shane van Gisbergen: 9 a.m. at Trackhouse Merchandise Trailer

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 9 a.m. at NASCAR Classics Merchandise Trailer

Noah Gragson: 9 a.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer

Todd Gilliland: 9 a.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer

Zane Smith: 9 a.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer

Daniel Suarez: 9:20 a.m. at Trackhouse Merchandise Trailer

Alex Bowman: 9:20 a.m. Hendrick Merchandise Trailer

Chase Elliott: 9:20 a.m. Chase Elliott Merchandise Trailer

Ty Dillon: 9:45 a.m. at Chevrolet Racing Merchandise Trailer

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Michael McDowell: 9:45 at NASCAR Classics Merchandise Trailer

Kyle Busch: 10 a.m. at Merchandise Trailer

John Hunter Nemechek: 10:15 a.m. at NASCAR Classics Merchandise Trailer

When is NASCAR Sonoma race?

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 is set for 2:30 p.m. on July 13 at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California.

NASCAR Sonoma race TV channel

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sonoma race will be broadcast on TNT with Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte in the broadcast booth.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Sonoma race driver autograph schedule for 2025 event

INDY NXT by Firestone points leader Dennis Hauger will start from the No. 1 position for the INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway race after the qualifying session was rained out. The field for the 75-lap race will take the green flag based on entrant points entering the event.

SEE: Starting Lineup

Hauger had the third-fastest lap in Friday’s abbreviated practice, turning a lap of 165.073 mph in Andretti Global’s No. 28 Nammo entry. His lap was part of the Andretti organization’s strong start to the weekend. Four of the team-related drivers turned laps among the session’s top five.

Hauger will start from the top spot for the seventh time in nine races this season. He started second in the other two.

Salvador de Alba posted the fastest lap of the 30-minute session at 165.518 mph in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global. Myles Rowe was second driving the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine (165.421 mph).

“(A) shortened practice, but happy to be where we are,” de Alba said. “All the Andretti cars are pretty fast. We (turned) good laps at the very end with the used tires, so that gives us even more confidence.”

Ricardo Escotto was fourth in the No. 3 Frank’s Red Hot car of Andretti Cape Motorsports (164.623 mph). Rookie Lochie Hughes was fifth in Andretti Global’s No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship entry (164.291 mph).

Andretti Global’s James Roe, who won the pole for last year’s race at this .894-mile oval, had the eighth-fastest lap in the No. 29 Topcon entry (163.267 mph).

Jordan Missig had the session’s only spin, a lazy excursion off Turn 2. He did not make contact with the No. 48 Abel Motorsports car, enabling him to continue after pitting.

The field was expected to include Sebastian Murray in the No. 2 DREAM RACING DUBAI entry of Andrett Cape Motorsport, but he was not medically cleared to participate in the wake of last weekend’s accident with Escotto at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Saturday’s 75-lap race starts at 1:30 p.m. ET. FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network will have the broadcasts.

IndyNXT PR

It could take just one move to overturn the whole of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series lineup and Kyle Busch is the starting point of that move, according to veteran Corey LaJoie.

Busch has extended his contract with Richard Childress Racing until 2026, however the future is not certain as it might appear. He’s in the middle of one of the longest winless streaks of his career, almost 70 races, with just two top-five finishes and six top-10s so far in 2025. He’s also outside the Playoff picture for this season.

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The Next Gen car has been a problem for Busch and he has cited before the lack of practice in NASCAR as contributing to it. RCR says Busch is staying, though, but things could still change. And according to NASCAR veteran Corey LaJoie, it wouldn’t take much to cause a major shift in the garage.

“Some big dominoes are going to fall,” LaJoie said on Stacking Pennies. “It just takes Kyle Busch leaving, plugging Suárez in.”

Also Read:: Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR team just scored a massive multi-year deal with $22billion retail giant

Could Kyle Busch’s exit be the domino that reshapes the grid?

When Busch signed his extension, it quieted the exit rumors, at least temporarily. But as LaJoie pointed out, NASCAR contracts aren’t always set in stone. With the right legal moves, Busch could leave before 2026. That would open up the №8 Chevy and Suárez could be first in line for it.

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“He hasn’t exhibited that speed. But the truth of the matter is he hasn’t had the success over the last three or four years that we’re accustomed to seeing from Kyle Busch,” said NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, reflecting on Busch’s decline amid younger drivers passing him by.

And if that seat opens, Daniel Suárez makes a lot of sense. Even before Busch rumors picked up, Suárez’s place at Trackhouse was already looking uncertain. The team confirmed recently that he’ll be leaving after 2025.

Why the shift? It likely comes down to 18-year-old Connor Zilisch. He hasn’t officially been announced as the next driver of the №99, but he’s clearly the favorite. Zilisch already has wins in ARCA, Xfinity, and Truck, and he’s gotten Cup experience through Project91.

At 33, Suárez, former Xfinity champ, still has strong ties to Chevrolet and a valuable presence as a bilingual driver with a loyal fanbase. What he wants now is a solid, competitive ride, and Busch leaving could give him just that. And if Busch steps away, Suárez would be a natural fit for Richard Childress Racing.

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If Busch stays, Suárez’s options may be less ideal. He might have to look at mid-level Cup teams, consider a return to Xfinity, or wait for openings at places like Front Row or 23XI. But none of those routes carries the same upside as a Busch departure.

Everything could hinge on Kyle Busch’s next move. If he decides to walk, or RCR decides to cut ties early, it would open the door for Suárez, speed up Trackhouse’s youth movement, and kick off a much bigger shift across the Cup Series.

Also Read:: NASCAR gives its verdict: No Penalty for Ross Chastain after Joey Logano demands action

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The Sonoma Raceway has named celebrity chef and Food Network star Tyler Florence as the grand marshal for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

The South Carolina native has been a longtime fixture of the Bay Area culinary scene, with his flagship San Francisco restaurant Wayfare Tavern as well his steakhouse located at San Francisco’s Chase Center, Miller & Lux.

Sonoma Raceway highlighted Florence’s connection to Sonoma County in its Thursday announcement, citing Florence’s advocacy for the region’s farmers, winemakers and artisans often featured in his dishes and public appearances.

In his role this weekend as grand marshal, Florence will deliver the iconic command, “Drivers, start your engines,” ahead of Sunday’s main event at 12:30 p.m.

“Tyler’s infectious energy and deep-rooted connection to Sonoma County makes him a perfect fit to be a part of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and celebrate NASCAR’s return to wine country,” said Brian Flynn, executive vice president and general manager of Sonoma Raceway, in a news release.

As a television personality, Florence first gained fame in 2000 as the host of the Food Network program “Food 911,” where he traveled the country to help home cooks improve their dishes. He also hosted “Tyler’s Ultimate” in 2003, showcasing his take on classic dishes, and currently hosts “The Great Food Truck Race,” which debuts its 18th season next month. He has also appeared on “Worst Cooks in America” and “Iron Chef America.”

Another celebrity, ESPN personality Marty Smith will serve as grand marshal for Saturday’s Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the raceway announced earlier this week.

A longtime motor sports reporter, Smith co-hosts the popular ESPN radio show “Marty & McGee” and appears regularly to talk college football, basketball, golf and more on the network’s signature programs, including “SportsCenter” and “College GameDay.”

“Marty’s love for the sport and his authentic connection with fans make him the perfect person to kick off what promises to be an action-packed day at the track,” Flynn said in a Monday news release.

The jam-packed weekend also features live music, driver meet-and-greets and more in the Sonoma Raceway Fan Zone.

Get more information and tickets at sonomaraceway.com.

Friday was supposed to be a rather tame day at the track as the Sonoma race weekend got underway. There was practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Shane van Gisbergen earning pole position, ending the day with an ARCA West race.

Well, despite William Sawalich dominating most of the event, the race ended in one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen at the historic California road course.

When Kyle Keller stalled on the frontstretch, it pushed the race into overtime and set-up a one-lap dash to the checkered flag.

Sawalich was in control with Alon Day directly behind him. Day is an Israeli driver and a four-time champion of the NASCAR Euro Series, but this was just his second start in any ARCA event.

He shoved Sawalich off into the first corner, sending the race leader completely off the track. Day ended up following him into the dirt, skidding back across the track and slamming fenders with Christian Eckes.

Sawalich got back onto the pavement still in the lead, only to have both Day and Eckes split him, moving Eckes into the race lead. Day remained in hot pursuit for the rest of the lap, setting him up for what most thought was about to be a classic bump-and-run.

Instead, Day went to the outside as they approached the hairpin, drawing even with Eckes under braking. Sawalich, who had recovered from his off-track excursion at the start of the final lap, was right there with them. He got into the back of Eckes, pushing him wide and cutting under him as the trio exited the final corner in a contact-filled battle to the line.

Eckes and Sawalich slammed doors and both drivers got into the wall on opposite sides of the track. As they raced to the line, they fanned out in a thrilling three-wide photo finish for the ages.

Sawalich was ultimately victorious with Eckes second and Day finishing a very close third. 

Video of the finish

Sawalich, who competes full-time in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, now has four wins as an ARCA West driver. After the dramatic victory, he told Flo Racing: “That was definitely our race. It just sucks that it had to happen that way. We did what we could to to get our car into Victory Lane.”

When asked about the final lap, Sawalich added: “I don’t know what happened in (Turn) 1. I don’t know if I overshot it or — I’m pretty sure I got ran into. It is what it is. It was a good race.”

At the checkered flag, Sawalich was just 0.066s ahead of Eckes with Day within 0.156s of the win.