“First of all, I’d like to say on behalf of my family, we’re keeping our fellow Floridians and everyone else affected by the recent hurricanes in our thoughts.
“I’m really looking forward to getting to Sonoma for the season finale. The DHL Honda has been strong there the last few years and the team is looking to keep the momentum rolling after last weekend’s podium. It’s our last chance to win this year so we’re going to give it our all and look to end the season on a high note.”
Track: Sonoma Raceway, a 2.385-mile permanent road course in Sonoma, California
Race distance: 85 laps / 202.7 miles
Push-to-pass parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation.
Firestone tire allotment: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires in the race.
Twitter: @RaceSonoma, @IndyCar, #IndyCar, #GoProGP
Event website: www.SonomaRaceway.com/
INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
2016 race winner: Simon Pagenaud
2016 Verizon P1 Award winner: Simon Pagenaud, 1 minute, 16.2565 seconds, 112.594 mph
Qualifying record: Simon Pagenaud, 1:16.2530, 112.599 mph, Sept. 17, 2016 (set in Round 1 of qualifying)
NBCSN telecasts: Practice 2, 5 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 15 (live); Qualifying, 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 16 (live); Race, 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 17 (live). Leigh Diffey is the lead announcer for NBCSN alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy. Pit reporters are Jon Beekhuis, Katie Hargitt, Kevin Lee and Robin Miller.
Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman (Turn 7) and Jake Query (Turn 9) are the turn announcers with Dave Furst, Rob Howden and Dan Rusanowsky reporting from the pits. All Verizon IndyCar Series races are broadcast live on network affiliates, Sirius 214, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app. All Verizon IndyCar Series practice and qualifying sessions are available on IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app.
Video streaming: All practice sessions not covered by television will stream live on RaceControl.IndyCar.com and on the INDYCAR YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/indycar)
INDYCAR Mobile app: Verizon’s INDYCAR Mobile app is available across all carriers. Exclusive features for Verizon Wireless customers will stream live through the app and include enhanced real-time leaderboard and car telemetry; live in-car camera video streaming for select drivers during Verizon IndyCar Series races; live driver and pit crew radio transmissions during races and live Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network audio streaming during all track activities.
At-track schedule (all times local):
Thursday, Sept. 14
10 a.m. – Noon – Verizon IndyCar Series open testing, RaceControl.IndyCar.com (timing only)
2 – 6 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series open testing, RaceControl.IndyCar.com (timing only)
Friday, Sept. 15
10 a.m. – 10:45 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice 1, RaceControl.IndyCar.com
2:15 – 3 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice 2, NBCSN (live)
3:05 – 3:20 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series pit stop practice
Saturday, Sept. 16
11 – 11:45 a.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice 3, RaceControl.IndyCar.com (live)
3:30 – 4:45 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying (three rounds of knockout qualifying), NBCSN (live)
Sunday, Sept. 17
11:30 a.m. – Noon – Verizon IndyCar Series warmup, RaceControl.IndyCar.com
3:10 p.m. – Driver introductions
3:30 p.m. – NBCSN on air
3:43 p.m. – Start engines command
3:50 p.m. – GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma (85 laps/202.7 miles), NBCSN (live)
CHAMPIONSHIP FACTS:
- Josef Newgarden leads the Verizon IndyCar Series championship with one race to go for the first time in his career. Newgarden took the championship lead for the first time in his career following his win at Mid-Ohio on July 30.
- Josef Newgarden leads Scott Dixon by three points with Helio Castroneves (-22) and Simon Pagenaud (-34) just behind. With 104 maximum points available this weekend, the championship could likely be a winner-take-all situation for any of the top four drivers.
- There are seven drivers mathematically eligible for the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series championship: Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Alexander Rossi and Graham Rahal. Dixon has won four Verizon IndyCar Series championships (2003, ’08. ’13, ’15), while Power and Pagenaud have each won the Verizon IndyCar Series championship once. Power won in 2014, while Pagenaud won in 2016. Newgarden, Castroneves, Rossi and Rahal have never won the championship.
- This is the 12th consecutive year that the Verizon IndyCar Series champion will be determined at the final race of the season.
- This is the 14th Indy car race at Sonoma. The winning driver at Sonoma has won the championship three times in the prior 13 races (Dario Franchitti in 2009, Scott Dixon in 2015 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016).
Key championship point statistic: This is the 12th straight season that the Verizon IndyCar Series
championship will be decided in the final race.
Point differential: The three points that separate Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon atop the standings is the closest margin with one race to go since 2007 when Dario Franchitti led Dixon by three points. The closest margin with one race to go was 2006, when Helio Castroneves led Sam Hornish Jr. by one point. The average deficit with one to go since 2006 is 19.6 points. The 22 points between Newgarden and third-place Helio Castroneves is the closest margin between first and third since 2009, when just eight points separated the top three.
Championship-eligible drivers results at Sonoma: Josef Newgarden has never finished in the top five at Sonoma. He recorded his best finish (sixth) in five starts in 2014; Scott Dixon has six top-five finishes in 12 starts, including wins in 2007, 2014 and 2015; Helio Castroneves has six top-five finishes in 12 starts, including a win in 2008; Simon Pagenaud has three top-five finishes in six starts, including his win in 2016; Will Power has four podium finishes in six starts, including wins in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
RACE NOTES:
- There have been 10 different winners in the 16 previous Verizon IndyCar Series races in 2017: Sebastien Bourdais (Streets of St. Petersburg), James Hinchcliffe (Streets of Long Beach), Josef Newgarden (Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Toronto, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Gateway Motorsports Park), Simon Pagenaud (Phoenix Raceway), Will Power (INDYCAR Grand Prix, Texas Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway), Takuma Sato (Indianapolis 500), Graham Rahal (Raceway at Belle Isle-1 and Raceway at Belle Isle-2), Scott Dixon (Road America), Helio Castroneves (Iowa Speedway) and Alexander Rossi (Watkins Glen International). A new winner at Sonoma would equal the Indy car all-time record of 11 in a season, which has occurred three times, most recently in 2014. Bourdais’ win at St. Pete on March 12 gave him sole possession of sixth on the all-time Indy car victory list with 36 wins. Dixon’s win at Road America on June 25 was his 41st career victory and he will tie Michael Andretti for third all time with his next win. Castroneves’ win at Iowa on July 9 ended a 54-race winless streak and gave him sole possession of 12th all- time with 30 wins. Power’s win at Pocono on Aug. 20 gave him sole possession of ninth on the all-time list with 32 wins.
- The GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma will be the 11th road/street course race of the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule with seven drivers winning the previous 10 races: Sebastien Bourdais (Streets of St. Petersburg), James Hinchcliffe (Streets of Long Beach), Josef Newgarden (Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Toronto, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Will Power (INDYCAR Grand Prix), Graham Rahal (Raceway at Belle Isle-1 and Raceway at Belle Isle-2), Scott Dixon (Road America and Alexander Rossi (Watkins Glen International).
- The GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma will be the 14th Indy car race at Sonoma Raceway. Simon Pagenaud is the defending race winner. This will be the sixth race on the 12-turn, 2.385-mile layout. The Verizon IndyCar Series competed on a 12-turn, 2.303-mile layout from 2005-2011.
- Will Power and Scott Dixon are the only drivers to win at Sonoma more than once. Dixon won the race in 2007, 2014 and 2015, Power won in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Past winners Dixon, Power, Tony Kanaan (2005), Marco Andretti (2006), Helio Castroneves (2008) and Simon Pagenaud (2016) are entered in this year’s race.
- Will Power has won five of the last seven pole positions at Sonoma (2010-12 and 2014-15). Other past pole winners entered this weekend are Scott Dixon (2006), Helio Castroneves (2008) and Simon Pagenaud (2016). Four drivers have won the race from the pole: Castroneves (2008), Dario Franchitti (2009), Power (2010-11) and Pagenaud (2016).
- Three drivers have competed in every race at Sonoma since Indy cars returned to the track in 2005: Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan. Dixon is the only driver to complete every lap in those 12 races.
- Team Penske has won at Sonoma six times, including five of the last seven races with Will Power (2010-11 and 2013), Ryan Briscoe (2012) and Simon Pagenaud (2016). Chip Ganassi Racing has won four times at Sonoma (Scott Dixon in 2007, 2014-15 and Dario Franchitti in 2009) and Andretti Autosport has won twice (Tony Kanaan in 2005 and Marco Andretti in 2006).
- At least three rookies – Jack Harvey, Ed Jones and Zachary Claman DeMelo – are entered. Jones has already clinched Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors for 2017. Claman DeMelo is attempting to make his Verizon IndyCar Series debut.
- Tony Kanaan seeks to start his 282nd consecutive race this weekend, which would extend his Indy car record streak that began in June 2001 at Portland. Teammate Scott Dixon has made 223 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the second-longest streak in Indy car racing. Andretti Autosport’s Marco Andretti has made 199 consecutive starts, which is the fourth-longest streak in Indy car racing and the most of any driver to start their Indy car career.
- Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his 344th career Indy car start, which ranks third on the all-time list. Tony Kanaan is fourth all-time with 342 starts heading into the weekend.
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