The chase for the 2017 Indy Car Championship.
It all comes down to the
final race – again. Saturday in Sonoma saw Verizon
Indy Car Series points leader Josef Newgarden withstand constant pressure from
his nearest championship competitors, setting a track record to win the Verizon
P1 Award in GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma qualifying.
Newgarden
earned his first pole of the season and second of his six-year career with a
scintillating last lap of 1 minute, 15.5205 seconds (113.691 mph) on Sonoma
Raceway's 2.385-mile, 12-turn permanent road course. The championship bonus
point Newgarden collected for winning the pole stretched his advantage to four
points over Scott Dixon heading into Sunday's season finale that offers double
race points.
It
set up the dramatic run for the pole. Newgarden - the only Team Penske driver
to use a new set of the Firestone alternate tires in the first round - was
quickest in the Firestone Fast Six with another lap record completed on a used
set of red-sidewall alternates despite his teammates each having a new set of
the softer alternates at their disposal.
"We
were behind the eight ball there, for sure, after the first round,"
Newgarden said. "We made the best decision we could as a group. There was
no way we couldn't run the reds (in first-round qualifying) because we just had
no idea what people were going to run.
For
Dixon he scrapped though the first round of qualifying at a track where the
Chevy aero kit seems to have the upper hand over the Honda set up. He did make
it to the final section in qualifying the fast six, which was a positive sign
apart from the gang of Penske drivers up front "The car was kind of decent
to drive, but just couldn't carry the speed through the corners," said
Dixon, seeking his fifth Verizon Indy Car Series championship. A win Sunday would
accomplish the feat.
"Good
to make it through to where we did," Dixon added. "It was definitely
hard work, a big credit to the team. Sixth position, you can definitely make
lots happen from there. I think in '15 we started ninth when we won that race
(and the championship). Definitely you'd want to be a little further up, but
that's the way it goes."
The
starting order for the race and the grid for the last race of the championship
season looked like this and with that the die was set for the one race shoot
out for the championship title.
1. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet,
01:15.5205 (113.691)
2. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:15.5556 (113.638)
3. (1) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet, 01:15.6356 (113.518)
4. (3) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 01:15.8032 (113.267)
5. (26) Takuma Sato, Honda, 01:16.2208 (112.646)
6. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 01:16.3978 (112.385)
7. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 01:16.1815 (112.705)
8. (98) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 01:16.1934 (112.687)
9. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 01:16.1968 (112.682)
10. (18) Sebastien Bourdais, Honda, 01:16.5811 (112.116)
11. (27) Marco Andretti, Honda, 01:16.8221 (111.765)
12. (10) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 01:16.9718 (111.547)
13. (4) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:17.1016 (111.360)
14. (8) Max Chilton, Honda, 01:16.7581 (111.858)
15. (83) Charlie Kimball, Honda, 01:17.1417 (111.302)
16. (5) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 01:16.9539 (111.573)
17. (20) Spencer Pigot, Chevrolet, 01:17.2662 (111.122)
18. (19) Ed Jones, Honda, 01:17.0231 (111.473)
19. (7) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:17.2722 (111.114)
20. (21) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 01:17.1602 (111.275)
21. (13) Zachary Claman DeMelo, Honda, 01:17.2814 (111.100)
22. (14) Carlos Munoz, Chevrolet, 01:17.2507 (111.145)
2. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:15.5556 (113.638)
3. (1) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet, 01:15.6356 (113.518)
4. (3) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 01:15.8032 (113.267)
5. (26) Takuma Sato, Honda, 01:16.2208 (112.646)
6. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 01:16.3978 (112.385)
7. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 01:16.1815 (112.705)
8. (98) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 01:16.1934 (112.687)
9. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 01:16.1968 (112.682)
10. (18) Sebastien Bourdais, Honda, 01:16.5811 (112.116)
11. (27) Marco Andretti, Honda, 01:16.8221 (111.765)
12. (10) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 01:16.9718 (111.547)
13. (4) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:17.1016 (111.360)
14. (8) Max Chilton, Honda, 01:16.7581 (111.858)
15. (83) Charlie Kimball, Honda, 01:17.1417 (111.302)
16. (5) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 01:16.9539 (111.573)
17. (20) Spencer Pigot, Chevrolet, 01:17.2662 (111.122)
18. (19) Ed Jones, Honda, 01:17.0231 (111.473)
19. (7) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:17.2722 (111.114)
20. (21) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 01:17.1602 (111.275)
21. (13) Zachary Claman DeMelo, Honda, 01:17.2814 (111.100)
22. (14) Carlos Munoz, Chevrolet, 01:17.2507 (111.145)
Sunday
dawned a great sunny warm morning clearing skies after early morning fog and an
atmosphere you could cut a knife though as everyone along the paddock area
could sense there was to be a lot on the line today. The morning warm up pretty
much went in a flash with nothing major to report. Newgarden looking calm and
busy taking selfies in the pit lane before jumping in the car, Dixon had a slightly
concerned look but proved to be very fast in the session.
A
few hours later and it was race time, the anthems played, the driver intros
happened and the day time fireworks went with a bang and the then it was game
time 85 laps and pretty much winner take all.
For
Team Penske, it was to become the perfect day. Simon Pagenaud won the race to
conclude the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series season. Teammate Josef Newgarden
finished second to wrap up the championship.
Pagenaud,
the 2016 champion driving the No. 1 DXC Technology Team Penske Chevrolet, beat
Newgarden to the finish line by 1.0986 seconds to win the 85-lap race at Sonoma
Raceway. It was the Frenchman's 11th career victory and second straight on the
2.385-mile, 12-turn permanent road course. A year ago, Pagenaud won from the
pole position at Sonoma to sew up his first championship. It did manage to get
a little tense when after the last batch of pit stops came and the NO 1 car
took the lead as Newgarden looked to have a shot of passing him but was
reminded via team radio to be smart and smart he was.
He
clinched his first title and the $1 million champion's prize by finishing
second in the race. The 26-year-old Tennessean held off Pagenaud by 13 points
in the final standings to become the first American driver to win the
championship since Ryan Hunter-Reay five years ago. If ever Indy Car needed to
sell the series within its own country yet again the have the most ideal way to
do it and market this new champ.
"I
don't even know what to say," said Newgarden, the driver of the No. 2 hum
by Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet who made his 100th career start today.
"It was all year and it took a lot to make it happen. Thank you to my
teammates. They were giving me a lot of help to make sure we got this done.
It's a huge team effort at Team Penske.
"To
finally get it done is a dream come true."
The
championship is the 15th for Team Penske, the most decorated team in Indy car
history. Newgarden joins the likes of Tom Sneva, Rick Mears, Al Unser, Danny
Sullivan, Al Unser Jr., Gil de Ferran, Sam Hornish Jr., Will Power and Pagenaud
as Team Penske drivers to win an Indy car title.
"I've
had so many great drivers, and as I said, I don't have a favorite," team
owner Roger Penske said. "I can't compare (Newgarden) to anyone exactly.
He's an American, which is special in this sport because many of the other
drivers have come from overseas and different parts of the world. To see Josef
kind of take this route and be at the top right now is pretty exciting."
The
race ran caution-free for the first time in Sonoma Raceway history, which now
spans 14 Indy car events. Newgarden and Pagenaud each led 41 laps. Pagenaud
opted for a four-stop strategy to Newgarden's three pit stops, but the
Frenchman made up the extra time in pit lane by turning faster laps on an open
track.
Pagenaud
completed all 2,331 laps this season, becoming just the second driver to finish
every lap in a season. Tony Kanaan was the first, when he completed all 3,305
laps when he won the 2004 championship.
"We
did what we had to do," Pagenaud said. "We tried. We won the race; it
wasn't enough. It's a whole championship. You've got to be strong in every race
and I guess Josef was a little stronger this year, so we'll come back. Thirteen
points. Next year we'll come back and give him a hell of a competition
again."
Power,
the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, gave Team Penske a race podium sweep
by placing third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske. Scott Dixon finished fourth
in the No. 9 NTT Data Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing to clinch third in the
standings, 23 points behind Newgarden. It is the 11th time in his 17-year
career that Dixon, a four-time champion, has finished in the top three in
points. The kiwi may not have won the title but by heck his stats are so
impressive, 11 times in the top 3 at a season end just for starters wow. Big
points lost at both Indy and Texas were without a doubt the areas where it
perhaps got away from the very likeable kiwi. Speaking after the race Dixon said "It just seems like the
No. 3 car covered us. Every time we short-pitted they followed us and he was
just a massive roadblock. Once we got into clean air, we were able to make up
ground, but every time we got into traffic we got real loose. Huge credit to
everyone on the NTT Data crew obviously not the way we wanted to finish. A big
congrats to Penske and Josef (Newgarden) on a job well done."
Speaking
of number 3 Helio Castroneves wrapped up fourth in the standings by finishing
fifth in the race driving the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. Completing
his 20th year racing Indy cars, the 42-year-old Brazilian is still in search
of his first series championship.
By
finishing third in the race, Power - the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion -
earned fifth place in the standings.
In
what really became a rather uneventful race it had plenty in it as the power of
four Penske cars took on the lone Ganassi entry.
In
the recent days since the event so much has happened, Castroneves tested the
Penske sports car the very next day across the other side of the country in Florida
and there is still some talk of him remaining in Indy Car full time and that
announcement will come in the next few weeks. TK confirmed the move to A.J.
Foyt racing for 2018 so someone (Daly or Munoz) wont be staying there, Sato was
officially confirmed at Rahal Letterman Racing for next season, it’s a shame he
wont be at Andretti Autosport in 2018 to build on a great year in 2017 and then
the Ganassi news of Wednesday 20th of only two full time cars in
2018 for Dixon stays while the others have either moved on or gone and hmm Brendon
Hartley making it an all kiwi line up next season – well watch that space but
the rumours are very strong that’s for sure. Ganassi saying on Wednesday its
time to get back to running two strong entries and running them well. I think
there is more to come in this story yet that’s for sure.
So
recapping the race this is how it finished up.
1. (3) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet,
85,
Running
2. (1) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 85, Running
3. (2) Will Power, Chevrolet, 85, Running
4. (6) Scott Dixon, Honda, 85, Running
5. (4) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 85, Running
6. (9) Graham Rahal, Honda, 85, Running
7. (11) Marco Andretti, Honda, 85, Running
8. (7) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 85, Running
9. (10) Sebastien Bourdais, Honda, 85, Running
10. (13) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 85, Running
11. (15) Charlie Kimball, Honda, 85, Running
12. (14) Max Chilton, Honda, 85, Running
13. (17) Spencer Pigot, Chevrolet, 84, Running
14. (20) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 84, Running
15. (22) Carlos Munoz, Chevrolet, 84, Running
16. (12) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 84, Running
17. (21) Zachary Claman DeMelo, Honda, 84, Running
18. (19) Jack Harvey, Honda, 84, Running
19. (18) Ed Jones, Honda, 69, Off Course
20. (5) Takuma Sato, Honda, 62, Off Course
21. (8) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 60, Running
22. (16) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 52, Electrical
Race Statistics
Winner's average speed: 104.968 mph
Time of Race: 1:55:52.6840
Margin of victory: 1.0986 seconds
Cautions: 0
Lead changes: 6 among 3 drivers
Lap Leaders:
Newgarden 1-17
Daly 18-20
Pagenaud 21-29
Newgarden 30-39
Pagenaud 40-47
Newgarden 48-61
Pagenaud 62-85
Verizon IndyCar Series point standings: Newgarden 642, Pagenaud 629, Dixon 621, Castroneves 598, Power 562, Rahal 522, Rossi 494, Sato 441, Hunter-Reay 421, Kanaan 403.
2. (1) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 85, Running
3. (2) Will Power, Chevrolet, 85, Running
4. (6) Scott Dixon, Honda, 85, Running
5. (4) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 85, Running
6. (9) Graham Rahal, Honda, 85, Running
7. (11) Marco Andretti, Honda, 85, Running
8. (7) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 85, Running
9. (10) Sebastien Bourdais, Honda, 85, Running
10. (13) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 85, Running
11. (15) Charlie Kimball, Honda, 85, Running
12. (14) Max Chilton, Honda, 85, Running
13. (17) Spencer Pigot, Chevrolet, 84, Running
14. (20) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 84, Running
15. (22) Carlos Munoz, Chevrolet, 84, Running
16. (12) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 84, Running
17. (21) Zachary Claman DeMelo, Honda, 84, Running
18. (19) Jack Harvey, Honda, 84, Running
19. (18) Ed Jones, Honda, 69, Off Course
20. (5) Takuma Sato, Honda, 62, Off Course
21. (8) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 60, Running
22. (16) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 52, Electrical
Race Statistics
Winner's average speed: 104.968 mph
Time of Race: 1:55:52.6840
Margin of victory: 1.0986 seconds
Cautions: 0
Lead changes: 6 among 3 drivers
Lap Leaders:
Newgarden 1-17
Daly 18-20
Pagenaud 21-29
Newgarden 30-39
Pagenaud 40-47
Newgarden 48-61
Pagenaud 62-85
Verizon IndyCar Series point standings: Newgarden 642, Pagenaud 629, Dixon 621, Castroneves 598, Power 562, Rahal 522, Rossi 494, Sato 441, Hunter-Reay 421, Kanaan 403.
Coming
soon I will review the 2017 season and look back at some of the stand outs of
the great season it was and now we count down to 2018. Ganassi already back
into it this weekend with an official test planned with the 2018 aero kit.
Media
quotes via Indy Car Media Services.
Photos
David Turner