Chase Elliott to race twice at Sonoma Raceway

BROOKLYN, MI - JUNE 10: Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 11, 2016 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/NASCAR via Getty Images)

You know that old slogan about practice makes perfect?

Evidently, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie star Chase Elliott does.

Next weekend at Sonoma Raceway in picturesque Northern California wine country, Elliott will race in Saturday's Chevys Fresh Mex 200 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West as a prelude to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Cup race on Sunday.

By competing on Saturday, Elliott can gain some valuable track time around the challenging Sonoma road course.

Elliott isn't the son of a racer in the event, either.

One of the favorites will be 16-year-old Todd Gilliland, the son of long-time Cup driver David Gilliland.

Todd, who drives for Bill McAnally Racing, already has tied a record set by the legendary Dan Gurney by winning his first four career K&N Pro Series starts. Sonoma will be Gilliland's first series road course start.

Race weekend will feature two Chevys Fresh Mex 200 practice sessions on Friday, with qualifying on Saturday morning before the green flags falls on the 64-lap feature at 1 p.m. local time.