For the first time since 2019, Sonoma Raceway has a repeat NASCAR Cup Series winner. Shane van Gisbergen returned to victory lane Sunday, defending his Toyota/Save Mart 350 crown with a commanding — and at times uncomfortable — performance for Trackhouse Racing. Van Gisbergen led 59 laps on the 1.99‑mile road course, but despite the familiar result, the reigning Sonoma winner said the feel behind the wheel was anything but. After describing last year’s Chevrolet as “not perfect,” he expected the team’s new body style to smooth out lingering issues. Instead, he said, it amplified them. “It did the opposite. It made them worse,” van Gisbergen admitted. “We were really hanging on, and Chase Briscoe at the end was really fast driving. I’m lucky it wasn’t two laps longer. He might have got us.” Even so, the New Zealander kept the field at bay, including Elk Grove native Kyle Larson, who spent most of the afternoon inside the top five and ultimately finished fourth. “I knew he was there,” van Gisbergen said. “We had some great racing at the start with Kyle, and I had a bit of speed on him then, but he was quick all day.” Sonoma’s blend […]