Road courses are all the rage nowadays.
The Cup Series roster is littered with road course ramblers, some of whom rank as the greatest to ever maneuver around tight turns. Chase Elliott has won seven such races in his career, three more than any other active driver. Kyle Larson regularly features near the top of the leaderboard. Tyler Reddick has three road course wins in the past two seasons, a figure he looks certain to add to as he continues to impress.
It's not an easy task to perform well on the road. High speeds are spurned for more precise turning. Not to mention, the uber-thin pathways lend themselves to multi-car pile ups. Nevertheless, it's easy to see why they've developed a glittering reputation since their introduction to NASCAR in 1954.
Sonoma offers another chance for drivers to add their name to the competition's legacy. With the likes of Elliott in desperate need of a win, it seems as good a time as any to carve chaos through the dust-splattered California track.
MORE: Watch the Toyota/Save Mart 350 live with Fubo (free trial)
With that, here's what you need to know about the results of Saturday's qualifying for the 2023 Toyota/Save Mart 350:
Who won the pole for Sonoma in 2023?
Denny Hamlin took the pole for Sunday's race, posting the fastest lap time in qualifying. He outpaced Tyler Reddick, who will join him in the front row. It's Hamlin's 38th career pole and second of the season.
MORE: Date, time, TV channels for every NASCAR Cup Series race in 2023
NASCAR at Sonoma starting lineup 2023
Leading the field for Sunday's race are Hamlin and Reddick on the front row. Chase Elliott returns to the No. 9 seat after missing last week's race due to suspension.
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 3 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 4 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 5 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 6 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7 | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing |
| 8 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 9 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 10 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 11 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 12 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 13 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 14 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 15 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 16 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 17 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 18 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 19 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 20 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 21 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 22 | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 23 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 24 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 25 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
| 26 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 27 | Ty Dillon | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 28 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 29 | Josh Bilicki | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 30 | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 31 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 32 | Todd Gilliland | 51 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 33 | Andy Lally | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 34 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 35 | Grant Enfinger | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 36 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
Zac Al-Khateeb contributed to this report.