Points Leader Newgarden Shows Plenty of Speed in Sonoma Practice
SONOMA, California (Friday, September 15, 2017) – Championship leader Josef Newgarden led both practice sessions on the opening day of GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma activities as the Team Penske driver looks to close in on his first Verizon IndyCar Series title.
Holding a slim three-point lead entering the 2017 season-finale weekend at Sonoma Raceway, Newgarden’s fast lap in the second 45-minute practice — 1 minute, 16.2485 seconds (112.605 mph) — was under the track record established last year by teammate Simon Pagenaud. Newgarden also paced the morning session with a lap of 1:16.3950 in the No. 2 hum by Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.
GOPRO GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA: Practice 1 results; Practice 2 results; Combined practice results
The 26-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee, led all four Team Penske drivers atop the end-of-day timesheet, with Pagenaud second, Helio Castroneves third and Will Power fourth on the 12-turn, 2.385-mile permanent road course.
“I think it was a good session for us – good two sessions, really,” said Newgarden, in his sixth Verizon IndyCar Series season and first with Team Penske. “I feel like the Penske cars are fast. We’ve had obviously a lot of test time, more than others recently. We had (a private team test) last week and then the (series) open test Thursday as well, so it’s plenty of track time hopefully for us to sort out our stuff.
“I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job with that and I think that reflected in the times today from the whole team. We’re all pretty close and have a good handle, I think, on what we want. It’s a matter of putting that together (in qualifying) tomorrow.”
Pagenaud, seeking to become the first repeat series champion since Dario Franchitti in 2011, was second on the time sheet with a lap of 1:16.2871 (112.549 mph) this afternoon in the No. 1 DXC Technology Team Penske Chevrolet. Since track records may only be set in Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying or races, Pagenaud’s Sonoma lap record of 1:16.2530 (112.599 mph) remains intact at least until Verizon P1 Award qualifying on Saturday.
“I’m very happy with how the car behaved, whether it’s on new tires or older tires, and I think our pace on older tires is best to anyone right now,” said Pagenaud, fourth in the standings, 34 points behind Newgarden. “So I feel very confident that if we start up front (in the race), we can be gone.”
Castroneves was third in practice in the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet (1:16.3471, 112.460 mph). Completing his 20th year in Indy cars and still seeking his first championship, the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner is third in the standings, 22 points out of the lead.
Power, the 2014 series champion, was fourth on the combined speed chart with a lap of 1:16.4322 (112.335 mph) set in the first practice session. The driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet is fifth in the standings entering the weekend, 68 points behind Newgarden.
Four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon is second in the standings, three points behind Newgarden. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver was seventh on the combined speed chart today with a lap of 1:16.5863 (112.109 mph) in the No. 9 NTT Data Honda.
“We’re right there, though, and we’ll have to see how things shake out for qualifying,” Dixon said. “I think we need to bring a little more speed and see what happens. Qualifying tomorrow is one thing, and I think last time we won this (in 2015) we qualified ninth, so anything is possible, really.”
Andretti Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi finished fifth and sixth, respectively, on the combined time sheet. Hunter-Reay’s best lap in the No. 28 DHL Honda (1:16.4829, 112.260 mph) came in the second practice while Rossi’s top effort in the No. 98 NAPA Auto Parts/Curb Honda (1:16.5720, 112.130 mph) came in the first session.
On-track action continues with a 45-minute practice at 2 p.m. ET Saturday that streams live on RaceControl.IndyCar.com. Verizon P1 Award qualifying to determine the pole winner and the important championship point that accompanies it airs live on NBCSN at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Sunday’s 85-lap race offers double the normal race points, with 100 going to the winner, 80 for second place, 70 for third and decreasing to 16 points for 22nd place. Live coverage on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network begins at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday. It will mark the 12th consecutive year that the Verizon IndyCar Series championship is determined in the season’s final race.
Indy 500 winner Sato makes Giant new fans
Takuma Sato is a giant among Giants this weekend in the Bay Area. The Andretti Autosport driver and reigning Indianapolis 500 champion met San Francisco Giants players when he attended Tuesday night’s home baseball game with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers and returned the favor by inviting several Giants to Thursday’s Verizon IndyCar Series open test at Sonoma Raceway.
Pitchers Matt Cain, Steve Okert and Josh Osich accepted the offer that included a thrill ride around the 2.385-mile permanent road course in the INDYCAR Experience two-seat Indy car with Mario Andretti behind the wheel. Tom Rathman, retired running back for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, joined the Giants pitchers for the track visit and two-seater ride.
At the baseball game, Sato compared his Indy 500 champion’s ring with the World Series ring worn by Giants CEO Larry Baer; checked out the life-size statues of Giants greats surrounding the stadium made by sculptor William Behrends, who is creating the sterling silver likeness of Sato that will adorn the Borg-Warner Trophy; and chatted with another Japanese hero, Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda.
“It was awesome and a great experience to go on the field and meet with the Giants players,” said Sato, the first driver from Japan to win the Indianapolis 500. “I’ve been to major league games a few times as a fan, but this was my first time to be invited down to chat with players. It was fun to find out they are actually big fans of cars and racing. It was fun to talk to them.”
The Giants players enjoyed just as much their visit to Sonoma Raceway. Cain was astonished with the grip that the two-seater has on track and Andretti’s ability to make it stick through the turns.
“Going to the first turn you don’t feel like you’re going to stay on the track, but the car just sucks to the ground and you keep on pushing,” Cain said. “Every turn was more and more fun. … That’s a memory for life.”
Drivers help preview Forza 7 Motorsport video game
Conor Daly is a long-time part of the gaming culture. The AJ Foyt Racing driver understands video games as well as anyone in the Verizon IndyCar Series.
Daly participated in the Forza Motorsport 7 preview at the Microsoft store in San Francisco on Tuesday night. It was the first time the latest version of the popular racing game was used in public and Daly was thrilled to play it with fans. Along with JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Graham Rahal, Daly is joining in the Forza 7 New Era Driver Challenge this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.
Forza Motorsport 7 is a racing video game developed by Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Studies. The game is set to launch on Windows and Xbox One on Oct. 3.
The drivers are taking on fans at the INDYCAR Fan Village throughout the race weekend to demonstrate the game’s capabilities.
“It’s cool that we are some of the first people to play the Forza 7 demo,” Daly said. “Forza always does a really good job. They have made some incredible stuff, some incredible games over the past that I’ve played many, many hours of. It should be a lot of fun.”
Veach gets sponsor for 2018 ride with Andretti Autosport
Group One Thousand One was announced today as the primary sponsor for the Andretti Autosport car to be driven by Zach Veach in the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. Veach was named as the driver of the No. 26 Honda on Wednesday.
The agreement continues a relationship Veach forged with the U.S.-based insurance holding company at this year’s Indianapolis 500, when he drove for AJ Foyt Racing.
“We’re proud to continue supporting Zach as he rises to the next level in his racing career with the world-class Andretti Autosport team,” said Dan Towriss, CEO, Group One Thousand One. “We believe sports have the power to transform lives and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Zach as he pursues his passion.
“On and off the track, Zach personifies the values that we hold true as a company. Like him, we believe in our duty to empower people to chase their dreams and to support the communities in most need of empowerment through education and sports.”
Sources: Curt Cavin/Verizon IndyCar Series PR