Wine country usually suggests a certain level of sophisticated calm, but that wasn't the vibe at all in June 2019. If you were sitting in the dusty grandstands at Sonoma Raceway that weekend, you felt the heat. It was brutal. Everyone was talking about the return of "The Carousel." For the first time since 1997, NASCAR decided to bring back the sweeping, downhill plunging turn 4, 5, and 6 complex. It changed everything about the 2019 Toyota / Save Mart 350.
Martin Truex Jr. basically put on a clinic. He didn't just win; he manipulated the race track in a way that made elite drivers look like they were struggling with a Sunday morning grocery run.
Most people remember the result, but they forget how much the track layout messed with the teams' heads. Adding the Carousel increased the track length to 2.52 miles. It meant more shifting. It meant more brake heat. Honestly, it meant a lot more opportunities for guys to blow a corner and end up in the California dirt.
The Carousel Comeback: More Than Just Extra Pavement
NASCAR fans are nostalgic. When the news broke that the 50th anniversary of the track would feature the full circuit, people lost it. But for the drivers? Total headache. The Carousel is this long, sweeping left-hander that drops away from you. You can't see the exit. If you overcook it, you're done.
Kyle Busch was vocal about it. He’s always vocal, but he specifically pointed out how the change affected tire wear. You’re spending so much more time on the left side of the tire through that long arc. By the time the 2019 Toyota / Save Mart 350 hit the halfway point, the fall-off was massive. We're talking seconds per lap, not tenths.
Engineering-wise, the setups had to be completely overhauled. You couldn't just use the 2018 notes. The geometry was wrong. The gearing was off. Joe Gibbs Racing, however, seemed to have the "cheat code." Truex and his crew chief, James Small, figured out a balance that kept the car stable through the Carousel without sacrificing the drive off the hairpin at Turn 11. It was a masterclass in compromise.
How Truex Outsmarted the Field
Truex led 59 of the 90 laps. That sounds dominant because it was. But it wasn't easy. He had to hold off his own teammate, Kyle Busch, who was arguably faster on short runs.
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The strategy was risky.
Late in the race, a caution could have ruined everything. Because the pits at Sonoma are so tight and the pit window is so narrow, one bad stop or one poorly timed yellow flag usually dictates the winner. Truex stayed out when others flickered. He trusted the long-run speed of that No. 19 Furniture Row-turned-Gibbs machine.
Then there was the battle with Busch. Kyle was closing in. The gap went from three seconds to two, then one and a half. But Truex is a "rhythm" racer. Once he finds the line—especially in the technical sectors of a road course—he’s a machine. He hit his marks every single time. He didn't lock a brake once in the final ten laps.
Think about that.
Temperatures were in the high 80s, the cockpit was easily 130 degrees, and he’s wrestling a 3,400-pound stock car through 12 turns for two hours. One slip in the 2019 Toyota / Save Mart 350 would have handed the trophy to the 18 car. Truex didn't blink.
The Mid-Pack Chaos and the "Big Names" Who Struggled
While Truex was cruising, the rest of the field was a mess.
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Clint Bowyer, who usually thrives on road courses, had a day he’d probably like to delete from his memory. He finished 11th but fought the car the entire time. Ryan Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto actually had surprisingly strong runs, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively. For DiBenedetto, driving for Leavine Family Racing at the time, that 4th place finish was a huge "hey, look at me" moment for his career.
- The Big Disappointment: Chase Elliott. Everyone expected him to win. He’s the road course king, right? An engine failure ended his day on lap 60. It was a massive blow for the Hendrick camp.
- The Surprise: Chris Buescher. He dragged that JTG Daugherty car to a 16th place finish, which doesn't sound great, but if you watched the lap times, he was hanging with the top 10 for most of the second stage.
- The Strategy Gamble: Kevin Harvick. He won the first stage. He looked like the only guy who could touch the Toyotas. But a pit road penalty and some questionable strategy calls buried him in 6th.
Why the 2019 Race Was a Turning Point for NASCAR
This race was the beginning of the end for the "old" style of road racing. Before 2019, Sonoma was about survival. After the Carousel returned and the aero packages started shifting toward higher downforce, it became a sprint.
The 2019 Toyota / Save Mart 350 proved that the modern NASCAR driver is a world-class athlete. You can't just be a "circle track guy" anymore. You have to understand apexes, trail braking, and fuel mapping. Truex won because he approached Sonoma like a road racer, not a stock car driver who happened to be on a road course.
Also, we have to talk about the fans. The attendance was huge. People wanted to see the "real" Sonoma. It reminded everyone that the track layout matters just as much as the car. When you take away the short-cut and force these guys to drive the full technical circuit, the cream rises to the top.
Breaking Down the Final Standings
- Martin Truex Jr. (Winner) - Led the most laps, took the checkered by 1.8 seconds.
- Kyle Busch - Second place. Just didn't have the long-run longevity.
- Ryan Blaney - Best of the Fords.
- Matt DiBenedetto - The underdog story of the weekend.
- Denny Hamlin - Solid top 5, but never really a threat for the win.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking back at this race to understand why someone like Truex is so good at road courses, or if you're a sim-racer trying to master Sonoma, here are the takeaways.
Watch the turn 11 entry. In 2019, Truex was consistently wider on entry than Busch. This allowed him to get the car rotated earlier and put the power down sooner. It’s a tiny difference, maybe six inches, but over 90 laps, that’s where he found his two-second gap.
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Tire management is a lost art. Most modern races have so many cautions that you never see a full fuel run. The 2019 Toyota / Save Mart 350 had long green-flag stretches. If you want to see how to save the rear-right tire, go back and watch the onboard footage of the 19 car. He's incredibly smooth on the throttle.
The Carousel is a trap. Many drivers tried to gain time by diving deep into turn 4. They’d gain a car length on entry but lose three car lengths on the exit of turn 6. The lesson? Give up the entry to win the exit.
To really appreciate what happened, you have to look at the points standings afterward. This win propelled Truex into the playoff conversation as a legitimate title threat. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement of dominance in the face of a brand-new (old) challenge.
Next time you’re watching a race at Sonoma, look at the Carousel. Think about the 19 car in 2019. It was the perfect marriage of driver skill and mechanical preparation.
Next Steps for the NASCAR Enthusiast
Check out the official NASCAR YouTube channel for the "Race Rewind" of the 2019 Sonoma event. Specifically, look for the side-by-side comparison of Truex and Busch during the final 10 laps. Pay close attention to the steering inputs in the Carousel; you’ll see Truex making far fewer corrections, which explains why his tires lasted long enough to secure the trophy. For those interested in the technical side, search for the post-race "Scanner Sounds" to hear how James Small coached Truex through the fuel saving required to make it to the end without an extra stop.