Round 17: GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. Sonoma, CA. September, 15 - 17.
So here we are again, as we go into the final round of the 2017 season, which has produced some excellent racing and a good season overall.
Originally known as Sears Point Raceway, the track was built in 1968 by attorney Robert Marshall Jr. and land developer Jim Coleman. The first official race, an SCCA event, was held on Dec. 1, that year. It was sold in 1969 to Filmways Corp., a Los Angeles based entertainment company. In April 1970, Sears Point hosted the 2nd round of the USAC Championship Car season, the Golden Gate 150, which was won by Dan Gurney in his AAR Eagle-Ford. This would be the first and last AOWR/IndyCar race for 35 years. With losses of $300,000 the venue closed in May 1970 and Filmways Corp., used it as a tax shelter. The track re-opened in 1973 and in 1974, it was leased to Bob Bondurant, owner of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and eventually bought by Black Mountain Inc., which included Bondurant.
In 1981, When Black Mountain Inc., defaulted on payments, the track was bought back by Filmways Corp., and then subsequently sold at auction to a business group that included the 1964 NHRA top-fuel drag racing champion, Jack Williams. The track came under the control of Brenda Raceway Corp., when business partners Dr. Frank N. Scott Jr. and Harvey "Skip" Berg came on board. It was sold in 1996 to current owners Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
In 2002, Infineon bought the naming rights in a 10 year deal, renaming the track Infineon Raceway. When the deal expired, the new name of Sonoma Raceway was chosen.
AOWR/IndyCar returned on August 28, 2005, after a 35 year absence, with Tony Kanaan wining the IRL's inaugural race at the venue, the Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix, for Andretti Green Racing in a Dallara IR05-Honda HI5R. Since then the race has been an IndyCar perennial and last year hosted the series finale for the first time.
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At the start of last year's race, pole sitter Pagenaud took the lead ahead of team mate Castroneves. There was contact between Kanaan and Aleshin at Turn 7, causing Aleshin to spin and Kanaan to stall. However, both drivers got going again before the field came around, so there was no full course caution.
The first round of pit stops took place between laps 10-15, during which Power leapfrogged Castroneves, putting him second place. However, Pagenaud continued to increase his lead. On lap 29, Castroneves pitted again in an attempt to opt for an alternate strategy.
On lap 36, a malfunctioning clutch, prevented Power from shifting gears, eventually forcing him into neutral and causing his car to grind to a halt, just before the pit entrance. He was eventually able to continue but with 8 laps down, his bid for the championship was over. This incident brought out the only caution of the race. Prior to that Pagenaud had pitted, allowing him to maintain his lead when the race resumed on lap 41, with Rahal and Kimble now second and third.
Pagenaud and Rahal made their final stops on lap 61. Castroneves, who was on the alternate strategy took the lead. However, he was on the alternative strategy and needed one more stop. By lap 67, Rahal had closed on Pagenaud to just over half a second and on lap 69, Castroneves came in for his final stop, giving the lead back to Pagenaud. Having saved enough of his push-to-passes, Pagenaud was able to pull ahead of Rahal to win the race and the IndyCar Series title in his second season with Team Penske. Penske also took the top three driver positions in the championship.
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Some trivia:
The driver with the most wins, 3, Scott Dixon, 2007, 2014, 2015. 3, Will Power: 2010, 2011, 2013.
The team with most wins, 6 Team Penske: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016.
Track Layout:
The full length road course, is 2.523 miles (4.060 km), with 12-turns and 160 feet change in elevation. It also has a quarter mile (402 m) dragstrip, which was originally part of the start/finish line straight. In 2001, the race track was separated from the drag strip. The venue also hosts rounds for other series, including AMA Superbikes, NASCAR Sprint Cup, NHRA Championship Drag Racing, SCCA and WTCC, as well as IndyCar and can accomodate different layouts for each series.
Since 2005 the IndyCar track layout has changed. From 2005 to 2007, IndyCar raced on a modified version of the 2.320 miles (3.733 km) layout used by the AMA. This layout was further revised, with the approach to Turn 7 straightened, which was then used from 2008 to 2011. The most notable change though, was in 2012. The section from Turn 10 to Turn 11 was extended by 200 feet, with the hairpin now at Turn 11B, increasing the track length to 2.385 miles (3.838 km) and giving drivers more space to out-brake each other and set up a passing opportunity, before going into Turn 12. The exit off Turn 9, the Bus Stop, was widened by 10 feet on the driver’s left, giving additional width to what was already a passing zone and Turn 7 became a u-turn similar to Turn 11B.
Original full circuit:
2005 - 2007 IndyCar circuit:
2008 - 2011 IndyCar circuit:
Current IndyCar circuit:
Length: 2.385 Miles (3.838 km)
Turns: 12
Lap record:
Simon Pagenaud, September 17, 2016. 01:16.2530, 112.599 mph (181.210 km/h). Team Penske, Dallara DW12-Chevrolet Indy V6. Verizon IndyCar Series.
Last year's winner:
Simon Pagenaud
Team Penske
Dallara DW12-Chevrolet Indy V6
Laps: 85
Distance: 195.755 Miles (315.010 km)
Race Time: 2:00:13
Average Speed: 101.181 mph (162.835 kmh)
Cautions:
1, laps 3.
TV Coverage:
NBCSN, 6:30pm EST.