The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series kicks off a doubleheader weekend for some road course racing in California wine country at Sonoma Raceway for the Pit Boss 250.

At Navel Base Coronado, only Series drivers were allowed to participate in each race; this week there are no such restrictions Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen joining the O’Reilly Series cars on the nearly two-mile course.

Thirty-eight teams brought trucks to Sonoma for 38 starting spots

The drivers get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run on a cool and windy day.

Sam Mayer turns 23 today and he would love to give himself a birthday present and put his 41 car on the pole; but admits he and Sonoma don’t get along.

Brent Crews does a little agricultural racing during his practice run; while Shane van Gisbergen hits the track and puts the JR Motorsports number nine car at the top of the leaderboard in lap time. 

This week Justin Allgaier’s number seven car is sporting wine grapes on the car.

Josh Bilicki’s spotter Will Rodgers is in the race this week.

This is the first time that Brent Crews has been on the course at Sonoma in an O’Reilly’s Series car; but he has been there before.

Sheldon Creed reports a brake issue; saying that his pedal just went to the floor and he thinks he smelled brake fluid.

Austin Green has a big crash into the tire barrier wall, destroying it.  Green exits the car and walks to the ambulance.  It appeared that Green had a brake or mechanical issue when he hit the barrier.  Reports are he had a brake issue.

Out of the care center, Austin Green said that he had no warning.

Brent Crews described his car as a “floppy fish”.

It took two tow trucks to get Austin Green’s car off the track.

At the end of practice, Corey Day topped the leaderboard in single lap tines with 76.800 seconds.

Three of the top five spots on the leaderboard are JRM drivers.

The drivers have been divided into two groups for a 20 minute qualifying session.

After his big crash, Austin Green is moving to a backup car and will not a qualifying run.  He will start the race from the back of the field.

Brad Perez has a mechanical issue in his car and will not make a  qualifying run.

With a time of 75.029 seconds Shane van Gisbergen put his number nine car on the pole for his third straight pole with Brent Crews alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the Pit Boss / Food Max 250:
Shane van Gisbergen
Brent Crews
Taylor Gray
Anthony Alfredo
Parker Retzlaff
Corey Day
Jesse Love
Justin Allgaier
Sam Mayer
Austin Hill
Sheldon Creed
William Sawalich
Sammy Smith
Brandon Jones
Ross Chastain
Carson Kvapil
Dean Thompson
Josh Bilicki
Harrison Burton
Will Rodgers
Rajah Caruth
Jeb Burton
Jeremy Clements
Alex Labbe
Ryan Sieg
Josh Williams
Blaine Perkins
Kyle Sieg
Ryan Ellis
Connor Zilisch
Lavar Scott
Brennan Poole
Leland Honeyman
Patrick Staropoli
Kyle Kelley
Dawson Cram
Austin Green
Brad Perez

Lap one is 20 laps, stage two is 25 laps, and stage three is 34 laps for a total of 79 laps around the 1.99 mile track.

With less than 15 minutes before race start, Brad Perez is waiting for his car to make it on the grid.  Having a bit of fun, he is sitting on the ground with the steering wheel in his hands.

During practice on Friday Austin Green smashed hard into the tire barrier destroying his car.  The backup car he is driving is the RCR backup for Austin Hilland Jesse Love.  Even the RCR crew jumped in to help get the car prepared for the race.

Brad Perez, Austin Green, Kyle Kelley, Brennan Pool, Connor Zilisch, and Ryan Ellis will all have to move to the back of the field.  Austin Green is in a backup car with the remainder of the drivers having crews make unapproved adjustments to the cars.

AJ Allmendinger joins Adam Alexander and Parker Kligerman in the broadcast booth.

Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Brent Crews alongside.  Van Gisbergen edges out in front for the lead with Brent Crews in second; Anthony Alfredo, Taylor Gray, and Parker Retzlaff round out the top five.

Blaine Perkins spins out and makes contact with another driver.

Brad Perez never made it out on the track for race start.

Lap three, Shane van Gisbergen has a third of a second lead on Brent Crews; Anthony Alfredo, Taylor Gray, and Parker Retlaff round out the top five.

Brandon Jones gets into the dirt but gets moving again.

Lap four, since race start, Connor Zilisch has moved up 12 spots.

Connor Zilisch got loose on the track but saved the car.

Lavar Scott spins out and makes contact with Kyle Sieg but get the car moving again and the track stays green.

Lap eight, the first caution flag of the race comes out for debris on the track for debris on the track – a tire carcass.  Contact from Lavar Scott’s car caused a  flat tire on Kyle Sieg’s car and the tire carcass came loose.

The teams all have three sets of sticker tires in the pits.

A few drivers from the back of the field come down pit road.

Brandon Jones was charged with pitting before pit road was open and will have to restart the race from the back of the longest line.

Kyle Kelley ran over the choose box and will have to restart from the back of the field.

Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag restart with Brent Crews alongside on lap eleven.  Van Gisbergen jumps out in front to hold on to the lead.  Anthony Alfredo passes Brent Crews for second.  Parker Retzlaff passes Taylor Gray ofr fourth.

Jesse Love locks up a tire.

Justin Allgaier battles with Corey Day for sixth.

Lap 12, the top five are Shane van Gisbergen, Anthony Alfredo, Brent Crews, Parker Retzlaff, and Taylor Gray.

Connor Zilisch is up to 16th.

Jeb Burton gets off into the dirt and does a bit of agricultural racing, but gets the car back on the track and the track stays green.

Dean Thompson spins out.

With seven laps remaining in stage one, Shane van Gisbergen has a near one second lead on Anthony Alfredo.

Brandon Jones is slowed on the track but makes it to pit road.  Reports are a possible transmission issue.  Jones reports that the car just “shut off”.

Five laps remain in  stage one, Shane van Gisbergen has a second and a half lead on Anthony Alfredo.

Brandon Jones takes his car to the garage.

Connor Zilisch comes down pit road to flip the stage with four laps remaining in the stage.  Carson Kvapil also short pits the end of the stage.

Connor Zilisch was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.

Sheldon Creed lead several drivers down pit road to short pit the end of the stage.

Shane van Gisbergen gives up the lead to flip the stage.  Anthony Alfredo is the new leader.

Shane van Gisbergen reports that he was just “managing” the first stage.

Brad Perez is out of the race with fuel pump issues.

Anthony Alfredo wins stage one for his first stage win.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Anthony Alfredo
Brent Crews
Parker Retzlaff
Taylor Gray
Corey Day
Austin Hill
Ross Chastain
Will Rodgers
Josh Bilicki
Alex Labbe

Drivers come down pit road for service but some of them flipped the end of the stage and stay out on the track.  Taylor Gray wins the race off of pit road.

Harrison Burton is the new leader.

Harrison Burton brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Blaine Perkins alongside on lap 25.  Shane van Gisbergen is in third place behind Burton.  Burton jumps out in front for the lead.

Justin Allgaier spins out and gets into the dirst but gets moving again.

Lap 25, Shane van Gisbergen passes Harrison Burton for the lead.

The top five are Shane van Gisbergen, Jesse Love, Harrison Burton, Sam Mayer, and Sheldon Creed.

Justin Allgaier reports that the tires are “killed”.

Sammy Smith passes Sheldon Creed for fifth.  Austin Green and Connor Zilisch have moved up 28 spots since the race start.  Both drivers are in the top 10.

Blaine Perkins spins out but gets moving again on lap 28.

Connor Zilisch has entered the top five.

Lap 28, Connor Zilisch passes Harrison Burton for fourth.  Harrison Burton gets off the course and into the dirt.

Lap 29 Ross Chastain has some flames under his car and got airborne on the curb.

The caution flag comes out for fluid on the track from Ross Chastain’s car.

Brandon Jones is back on the track 13 laps down.

Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag restart with Jesse Love alongside on lap 34.  Jesse Love edged out for the lead but Shane van Gisbergen pulled up to retake the lead.

The top five are Shane van Gisbergen, Jesse Love, Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, and Sammy Smith.

Lap 35, Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch battle for second.

Ten laps remain in stage two with Shane van Gisbergen over a second out in front of Connor Zilisch; Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, and Sammy Smith round out the top five.

With seven laps remaining in stage two, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of nearly two seconds on Connor Zilisch; Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, and Sammy Smith round out the top five.

Sammy Smith and Sam Mayer battle for fourth with Sheldon Creed behind them.

Sheldon Creed passes Sam Mayer for fifth; Sammy Smith is in fourth.

Sam Mayer and Brent Crews battle for sixth.

Five laps remain in stage two with Shane van Gisbergen over a second and a half in front of Connor Zilisch; Jesse Love, Sammy Smith, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.

Drivers are beginning to flip the stage and come down pit road.

Leader Shane van Gisbergen comes down pit road and gives the lead over to Connor Zilisch.

Connor Zilisch wins stage two.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Connor Zilisch
Sammy Smith
Sheldon Creed
Brent Crews
Carson Kvapil
Sam Mayer
Rajah Caruth
Ryan Sieg
Alex Labbe
Will Rodgers

Drivers come down pit road for service but several drivers flipped the stage and stay out on the track. 

Sammy Smith had to back up into his pit stall after a tire came loose.

Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Jesse Love alongside on lap 50.  After going side by side, van Gisbergen gets out in front for the lead with Anthony Aflredo taking third; Taylor Gray and Corey Day round out the top five.

Ross Chastain returns to the track 21 laps down.

After returning to the track, Ross Chastain takes his car back to the garage.

Lap 51, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of over a second on Jesse Love; Anthony Alfredo, Corey Day, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.

Dean Thompson spins out after some on track contact but gets the car moving again.

Twenty-five laps remain in the race with Shane van Gisbergen over two seconds out in front of Jesse Love; Anthony Alfredo, Connor Zilisch, and Corey Day round out the top five.

Lap 55, Shane van Gisbergen has increased his lead to over two and a half seconds on Jesse Love.

With 23 laps to go, Shane van Gisbergen continues to increase his lead and is now over three seconds out in front of Jesse Love.

With 22 laps remaining in the race, Shane van Gisbergen has pulled out to a lead of over four seconds on Connor Zilisch; Jesse Love, Anthony Alfredo, and Corey Day round out the top five.

Now in second place, Connor Zilisch has begun to cut into Shane van Gisbergen’s lead which is now under four seconds.

Taylor Gray passes Corey Day for fifth.

Lap 61, Shane van Gisbergen has a three and a half second lead on Connor Zilisch; Jesse Love, Anthony Alfredo, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.

Brent Crews passes Corey Day for sixth.

Justin Allgaier gets off the course again but gets the car moving again.

Lap 63, Shane van Gisbergen ha pulled out to a four second lead on Connor Zilisch.  Van Gisbergen has just run his fastest lap of the race.

Ross Chastain is out of the race with rear end issues.

Just 14 laps to go, Connor Zilsch has closed the gap on Shane van Gisbergen to under four seconds; Jesse Love, Anthony Alfredo, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.

Twelve laps to go, Shane van Gisbergen’s lead is back up to four seconds on Connor Zilisch.

Just eleven laps to go, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of over four seconds on Connor Zilisch; but there is a seven second difference between second and third.

Austin Hill makes an unscheduled trip down pit road.

Ten to go, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of over four seconds on Connor Zilisch; Jesse Love and Anthony Alfredo, and Brent Crews round out the top five.

Brent Crews makes it a three wide battle with Anthony Alfredo taking third, Brent Crews in fourth, nd Jesse Love in fifth.

Taylor Gray psses Jesse Love for fifth.

Eight laps to go, Connor Zilisch has closed the gap on Shane van Gisbergen to under four seconds.

Leland Honeyman is off the pace but makes it to pit road.

Six to go, Shane van Gisbergen has increased his lead to nearly five seconds on Connor Zilisch with third place driver Anthony Alfredo over 15 seconds back.

Four to go, Shane van Gisbergen’s crew told him to run at 80% to save fuel.  He has a lead of over four seconds on teammate Connor Zilisch as bossman Dale Earnhardt Jr looks on.

Trying to save fuel, Anthony Alfredo drops to fifth; Brent Crews is in third with Taylor Gray in fourth.

Shane van Gisbergen takes the white flag.

Shane van Gisbergen wins the race with Connor Zilisch in second.  This is his second win at Sonoma.

This is the twelfth of 13 road course wins for JR Motorsports.

Taylor Gray runs out of fuel just short of the finish line.

Shane van Gisbergen called the car a great one after kicking the rugby ball high enough to bounce off the roof of a viewing stand.

JR Motorsports owner Dale Earnhardt Jr and daughter Isla hitch a ride with Shane van Gisbergen to victory lane!

The unofficial results of the Pit Boss 250:
Shane van Gisbergen
Connor Zilisch
Brent Crews
Anthony Alfredo
Parker Retzlaff
Carson Kvapil
Corey Day
Sam Mayer
Jesse Love
Sheldon Creed
Sammy Smith
Austin Green
William Sawalich
Rajah Caruth
Ryan Sieg
Josh Bilicki
Will Rodgers
Harrison Burton
Alex Labbe
Jeremy Clements
Jeb Burton
Austin Hill
Ryan Ellis
Brennan Poole
Patrick Staropoli
Justin Allgaier
Josh Williams
Dean Thompson
Taylor Gray
Blaine Perkins
Kyle Sieg
Lavar Scott
Dawson Cram
Kyle Kelley
Leland Honeyman
Brandon Jones
Ross Chastain
Brad Perez