NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Kyle Larson led flag-to-flag in Saturday’s K&N West race at Sonoma Raceway. Larson won the pole for the race on Saturday morning and never looked back in the race by holding off many challenges from behind.
West regular Greg Pursley took the lead from Larson after a lap 51 restart, but the 21-year-old passed him back in turn 11 to return to the top spot.
During the first half of the race, Larson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran first and second. Stenhouse had to come down pit road for a flat tire during a lap 36 caution and would then battle his way back to the top-five. The two were part of five Cup drivers who entered the race for more track time. Other drivers included Cup rookies Michael Annett, Austin Dillon and Justin Allgaier.
Allgaier was running third on a green-white-checkered finish before going around in his No. 83 Admiraal Racing Chevrolet. Annett came home in sixth with Allgaier falling back to 14th and Dillon finishing 26th.
Pursley had the one brief chance at Larson for the lead but had to settle to second. Dylan Lupton finished third as Stenhouse and Brandon McReynolds rounded out the top-five. The race was also halted by five cautions for 16 laps.
Carneros 200 Top-Ten
#42 Kyle Larson
#26 Greg Pursley
#9 Dylan Lupton
#99 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
#16 Brandon McReynolds
#31 Michael Annett
#8 Johnny Borneman
#1 Jim Inglebright
#25 Tom Klauer
#41 Matt Tifft