Will Power can all but guarantee his first ever IndyCar championship with a podium finish Sunday at the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.
The 33-year-old has finished second in the drivers standings three times in the past (2010, 2011, 2012) and is poised to finally get the monkey off his back after capturing pole position on a course he’s flat-out dominated.
Over the last four years, Power’s won at Sonoma Raceway three times, including a victory last year, with a worst-finish of second-place coming in 2012.
Should Power come through with the expected podium finish on Sunday, it’s possible he could wrap up the championship hunt with just one race left in the series.
Programming alert: Catch live coverage of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT on all Sportsnet regional channels. | Full TV schedule
At the moment, Power holds a 39-point advantage over his closest rival and Penske teammate Helio Castroneves. “Spider-Man” will start sixth on Sunday giving him an opportunity to make-up ground on Power, and possibly providing race fans some drama at IndyCar’s finale next weekend.
However, what’s more likely to shake down, is that Power once again dominates Sonoma and turns the MAVTV 500 into a prolonged victory lap.
For a limited time get Sportsnet Magazine’s digital edition free for 60 days. Visit Appstore/RogersMagazines to see what you’re missing out on.
Canadian James Hinchcliffe will start fourth on Sunday and even though he’s way out of the championship picture, he can still play spoiler with a podium finish of his own.
Track Info
The 2.385-mile, 12-turn natural-terrain course has it all to challenge drivers — elevation changes, a tight right-hand Turn 12 leading onto the frontstretch, a Carousel turn that requires downshifting — all packed into a scenic setting.
Past Winners
- 2013 – Will Power
- 2012 – Ryan Briscoe
- 2011 – Will Power
- 2010 – Will Power
- 2009 – Dario Franchitti
GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma Qualifying Results
NOTE: Qualification results do not reflect grid penalties.
