The IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma was an IndyCar Series race held at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. The USAC Championship Car circuit raced at the circuit in 1970. In 2005, American open wheel racing returned to the circuit with an IndyCar Series event. The 2006 event saw rookie Marco Andretti win his first career race. It marked the record youngest winner (19 years, 5 months, 14 days) of a major open-wheel racing event at the time.

Indycar Grand Prix of Sonoma
IndyCar Series
VenueSonoma Raceway
First race1970
First ICS race2005
Last race2018
Distance202.725 miles (326.254 km)
Laps85
Previous namesGolden State 150 (1970)
Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix (2005)
Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (2006, 2010–2011)
Motorola Indy 300 Pres. by Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel (2007)
Peak Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County (2008)
Peak Antifreeze Grand Prix of Sonoma County (2009)
GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (2012–2014)
GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma (2015–2017)
INDYCAR Grand Prix of Sonoma (2018)
Most wins (driver)Will Power, Scott Dixon (3)
Most wins (team)Team Penske (7)
Most wins (manufacturer)Chassis: Dallara (14)
Engine: Honda (8)

The IndyCar Series race utilizes a modified 2.2-mile (3.5 km) version of the road course, the same used by AMA Superbike. The circuit includes the carousel, making it longer than the NASCAR layout, but shorter than the full 2.52-mile (4.06 km) course. This course uses turn 7a of the NASCAR course, but skips the hairpin prior to the front straight. The dragstrip is used instead of the keyhole, adding a high speed section immediately following the exit of the carousel.

For 2012, the course was altered. The back hairpin used the inner loop instead of the outer loop used by NASCAR. Turn nine was widened by ten feet while turn eleven at the hairpin was extended by 200 feet.

From 2015 to 2018, the race had served as the IndyCar season finale.

It was announced on July 13, 2018, that the Monterey Grand Prix at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca would replace Sonoma for the 2019 IndyCar Series season.[1]

Past winners

edit
Season Date Driver Team Chassis Engine Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)
Report
Laps Miles (km)
USAC Championship Car history
1970 April 4   Dan Gurney All American Racers Eagle Ford 60 151.2 (243.332) 1:44:26 87.009 Report
1971

2004
Not held
IRL IndyCar Series history
2005 August 28   Tony Kanaan Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 80 159.2 (256.207) 2:01:16 91.04 Report
2006 August 27   Marco Andretti Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 80 159.2 (256.207) 1:58:06 93.486 Report
2007 August 26   Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda 80 159.2 (256.207) 1:51:59 98.593 Report
2008 August 24   Hélio Castroneves Penske Racing Dallara Honda 80 159.2 (256.207) 1:50:16 100.254 Report
2009 August 23   Dario Franchitti Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda 75 166.5 (267.955) 1:49:23 94.745 Report
2010 August 22   Will Power Team Penske Dallara Honda 75 166.5 (267.955) 1:52:34 92.063 Report
2011 August 28   Will Power Team Penske Dallara Honda 75 166.5 (267.955) 1:47:30 96.408 Report
2012 August 26   Ryan Briscoe Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet 85 195.755 (315.037) 2:07:03 95.74 Report
2013 August 25   Will Power Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet 85 195.755 (315.037) 2:20:47 86.401 Report
2014 August 24   Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Chevrolet 85 195.755 (315.037) 2:09:21 94.026 Report
2015 August 30   Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Chevrolet 85 195.755 (315.037) 2:09:14 94.117 Report
2016 September 18   Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet 85 195.755 (315.037) 2:00:13 101.181 Report
2017 September 17   Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet 85 202.725 (326.254) 1:55:53 104.968 Report
2018 September 16   Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Autosport Dallara Honda 85 202.725 (326.254) 2:02:19 99.44 Report
[2]

Support Race History

edit
Indy Lights Atlantic Championship
Season Date Winning Driver
2005 August 28   Marco Andretti
2006 August 26   Wade Cunningham
August 27   Alex Lloyd
2007 August 25   Alex Lloyd
August 26   Richard Antinucci
2008 August 23   Franck Perera
August 24   Pablo Donoso
2009 August 23   J. R. Hildebrand
2010 August 22   J. K. Vernay
2014 August 23   Jack Harvey
August 24   Jack Harvey
[3]
Season Date Winning Driver
1980 May 25   Tom Gloy
1983 May 8   Michael Andretti
1984 June 3   Dan Marvin
September 30   Dan Marvin
1985 June 2   Jeff Wood
September 29   Jeff Wood
1986 June 1   Rod Bennett
September 28   Roberto Quintanilla
1987 May 31   Dean Hall
August 2   Dean Hall
1988 May 29   Dean Hall
August 14   Dean Hall
1989 May 7   R.K. Smith
September 10   Joe Sposato
1990 May 6   Mark Dismore
[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ "IndyCar swapping Sonoma Raceway for Laguna Seca in 2019". 14 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Infineon Raceway". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Infineon Raceway". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Formula Atlantic Series (1974-1990)". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
edit