Starting Grid: Grand Prix of Sonoma preview

Will-Power

Will Power, of Australia, poses with his trophy after winning pole position during qualifying at Sonoma Raceway. (Eric Risberg/AP)

The final race of the IndyCar season at Sonoma Raceway will be ripe with drama as six drivers are mathematically in contention for the title.

Defending IndyCar champion Will Power proved he is not willing to go down quietly, winning the pole by setting a track-record time in qualifying.

Power’s hopes are slim, however, as he trails Penske teammate and overall points leader Juan Pablo Montoya by 61 points heading into the Grand Prix of Sonoma. Montoya will start the race in fifth position while second-place Graham Rahal, who enters 34 points out of top spot, qualified with the sixth-fastest time.

Montoya controls his own destiny as a third-place finish or better will earn him his first IndyCar championship.

Scott Dixon, last year’s winner at the Sonoma GP who currently ranks third in the standings, will begin the day in ninth.

Watch the Grand Prix of Sonoma live on Sportsnet One with coverage starting at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT.

Track Info

The Grand Prix of Sonoma takes place on a 2.385-mile, 12-turn natural-terrain road course that poses numerous challenges packed into a scenic setting. Drivers must be prepared for elevation changes, a tight right-hand Turn 12 leading onto the frontstretch, and a carousel turn that requires downshifting.

Virtual Lap

Qualification for the Grand Prix of Sonoma
Pos. Driver Team (Engine) Time
1. Will Power  Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:16.2597
2. Josef Newgarden  CFH Racing (Chevrolet) 1:16.3964
3. Ryan Hunter-Raey  Andretti Autosport (Honda) 1:16:5254
4. Simon Pagenaud  Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:16.6683
5. Juan Pablo Montoya  Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:16.8437
6. Graham Rahal  Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda) 1:17.1769
7. Charlie Kimball  Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:16.6669
8. Marco Andretti  Andretti Autosport (Honda)
 1:16.8710
9. Scott Dixon  Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:16.9677
10. Sebastian Saavedra  Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:17.1596
11. Tony Kanaan  NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:17.2899
12. Carlos Munoz  Andretti Autosport (Honda) 1:17.3302
13. Luca Filippi  CFH Racing (Chevrolet) 1:17.1077
14. Mikhail Aleshin  Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Honda) 1:17.3885
15. Helio Castroneves  Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:17.2550
16. Sebstien Bourdais  KVSH Racing (Chevrolet) 1:17.4310
17. Ryan Briscoe  Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Honda) 1:17.4886
18. Takuma Sato  A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Honda) 1:17.5599
19. Oriol Servia  Andretti Autosport (Honda) 1:17.5724
20. Stefano Coletti  KV Racing Technology (Chevrolet) 1:17.8293
21. Gabby Chaves  Bryan Herta Autosport (Honda) 1:17.7794
22. James Jakes  Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Honda) 1:17.8968
23. Tristan Vautier  Dale Coyne Racing (Honda) 1:17.9876
24. Rodolfo Gonzalez  Dale Coyne Racing (Honda) 1:18.3867
25. Jack Hawksworth  A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Honda) 1:19.0408

NOTE: Qualification results do not reflect grid penalties.

 

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