The Cup Series will stay in California as they drive from SoCal to NorCal to race at Sonoma Raceway. Hopefully we get some better luck than what we had last week at Navy Base Coronado. Connor Zilisch was the pick in the games where we can use a driver once throughout the season. He was wrecked while leading the race and finished 37th. Shane van Gisbergen was the pick in games where we can use a driver more than once. He was also involved in the wreck up front while running 3rd. SVG finished 38th. That sucks. I am more confident in the picks this Sunday.
Here are the picks for the race for the race Sunday at Sonoma Raceway…
ONE & DONE CONTESTS
This pick is for games where you can only use a driver once throughout the season.
MICHAEL MCDOWELL will be my pick in games where you can use a driver once throughout the season. McDowell is one of the best road course drivers in the Cup Series and Sonoma is one of his best tracks. He finished 3rd, 7th, 2nd and 4th in his four races in the Gen-7 car at Sonoma. He also has a streak of five consecutive top-five finishes on the road courses going. McDowell should be a safe pick for your One & Done Contest Sunday.
ONE & DONE (REGULAR SEASON/PLAYOFF GAMES)
The picks for the Regular Season / Playoff Games are rest this week. There are some One & Done Contests that reset when the playoffs start. That means you only need to use 26 Drivers for the regular season and then 10 drivers for the playoffs. We can be more aggressive in these types of One & Done Contests.
MICHAEL MCDOWELL will be my pick in games that reset at the end of the regular season. McDowell is at his best on the road courses. I could save him for one of the Superspeedways, but his advantage over the field is greater on the road courses, so I will use McDowell in this format too.
ONE & DONE (USE A DRIVER MORE THAN ONCE)
There are some One & Done games that are not really “One & Done.” I play in a league where you can use a driver twice and another league where you can use a driver three times during the season. The picks posted below are for these types of contests (I am going to base these picks on being able to use a driver twice during the 2025 season).
TY GIBBS will be my pick in games where you can use a driver more than once during the 2025 season. Gibbs has been one of the best road course racers over the last year. He finished 4th at COTA and 3rd at Watkins Glen. The race at the base did not go his way last week, but Gibbs should bounce back at Sonoma. He finished 7th in wine country last year. I expect another top-10 finish from the No. 54 car Sunday.
NASCAR.COM 36 FOR 36 PICK
Good luck Sunday!
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