Sonoma, Calif. – Team Flowmaster driver Carl Edwards drove his Aflac Ford Fusion to victory on Sunday in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway. It was his career first road course victory in the series, and marks the seventh-straight week the Flowmaster logo has visited victory lane.
“A moment I’ll never forget, to be here in victory lane and to have held off Jeff Gordon with all the success he’s had here in our sport,” is how Edwards summed up the afternoon. “I’m living proof that whatever it is you’re doing, keep doing it and don’t ever give up because something like this can work out.”
Pit strategy is often the key to road course success and certainly played into Edwards hands Sunday. A stop on lap 70 (of 110) for Edwards was followed by a caution on lap 71 – the perfect scenario. As every other car pitted under the caution Edwards, along with Marcos Ambrose and Clint Bowyer who also pitted on lap 70, stayed on the track and moved to the front of the field for the restart.
Edwards was able to wrestle the top spot from road-course ace Ambrose on lap 86 and fended off a last lap charge from Gordon to get the win. It was his 23rd career victory and second this season.
Gordon finished second with Dale Earnhardt Jr. getting his career-best Sonoma finish of third. Pole-winner Jamie McMurray was fourth and Paul Menard finished fifth.
While it was Edwards’ career first Sprint Cup Series win on a road course, he has three wins on road courses in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at three different courses: Road America, Montreal and Watkins Glen.
Flowmaster is the Exclusive Performance Exhaust of NASCAR and many of the top teams in the sport have the company’s decal on the side of their cars. To date, Team Flowmaster drivers have won 13 of the first 16 races this season as well as the Sprint Unlimited and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
Top-10 Finishers:
1. Carl Edwards**
2. Jeff Gordon**
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.**
4. Jamie McMurray**
5. Paul Menard
6. Kasey Kahne**
7. Jimmie Johnson**
8. Marcos Ambrose**
9. Greg Biffle**
10. Clint Bowyer
**Indicates Team Flowmaster Driver
Next Race: Quaker State 400, Kentucky Speedway
Saturday, June 28, 2014