Monday, June 29, 2015

Updated Westgate odds to win 2015 Sprint Cup following Sonoma

Jeff Gordon is still looking for first 2015 win. 
2015 SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

JIMMIE JOHNSON 6
KEVIN HARVICK 7-2
JEFF GORDON 12
BRAD KESELOWSKI 10
JOEY LOGANO 10
MATT KENSETH 10
KYLE BUSCH 15
CARL EDWARDS 15
DENNY HAMLIN 15
DALE EARNHARDT JR 10
KYLE LARSON 50
TONY STEWART 100
KURT BUSCH 8
KASEY KAHNE 20
RYAN NEWMAN 100
CLINT BOWYER 100
JAMIE McMURRAY 100
GREG BIFFLE 100
AUSTIN DILLON 300
BRIAN VICKERS xxxx
PAUL MENARD 300
MARTIN TRUEX JR 8
AJ ALLMENDINGER 500
TREVOR BAYNE 500
SAM HORNISH JR 500
RICKY STENHOUSE JR 500
DANICA PATRICK 500
FIELD 500

Kyle Busch wins at Sonoma; alive for Chase but has work to do



Sonoma Final Results

Kyle Busch’s Chase Eligibility
 
30th
Cole Whitt

261
  
Rank
Driver
Wins
Points
Points From 30th
 
31
 Justin Allgaier
0
260
1
 
32
 Brett Moffitt
0
215
46
 
33
 Alex Bowman
0
208
53
 
34
 Michael Annett
0
187
74
 
35
 Josh Wise
0
171
90
 
36
 Matt DiBenedetto #
0
163
98
 
37
 Kyle Busch
1
125
136
 
38
 Michael McDowell
0
111
150
 
39
 Jeb Burton #
0
97
164
 
40
 Alex Kennedy #
0
67
194
 
To be eligible for the Chase, the driver must be in the top 30 of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings following race number 26.
 
 

Friday, June 26, 2015

Sonoma Driver Chassis Selections: 2015 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Fun place to watch a NASCAR race
Prior to Michigan race, Hendrick Motorsports said they would no longer offer chassis information and did not give reasons why. I asked for an explanation and they choose 'no comment' route. 


#3-Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 469 in the Sonoma 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Dillon has raced this Chevrolet SS on two previous occasions, finishing 16th at Watkins Glen International and 17th at Sonoma Raceway in 2014.

#4-Kevin Harvick: will pilot the #4 Outback Steakhouse/Budweiser/Folds of Honor Chevrolet SS built on Chassis No. 4-873 in the Save Mart 350k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. Built in 2014, Chassis No. 4-873 made its debut June 22 at Sonoma, where the car started sixth, led 23 laps and finished 20th after being collected in a late-race accident. Chassis No. 4-873 made its second appearance in August at Watkins Glen International. Harvick started fourth and finished seventh.

#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-874 made its race debut last year at Sonoma, where Stewart finished an uncharacteristic 19th after a pit-road speeding penalty thwarted his top-10 effort. Prior to Sonoma, Chassis No. 14-874 was tested May 27 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Its second and most recent start came last August at Watkins Glen International when interim driver Regan Smith finished 37th after a late-race accident.

#27-Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 470 this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. This Chevrolet SS will be on track for the first time this season during first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice on Friday at 3:00pm/et on Fox Sports 2.

#31-Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 514 in the season's first road course event at Sonoma Raceway. The Sonoma 350 marks the first time this year the #31 team will utilize this Chevrolet in competition.

#32-Boris Said Crew Chief Clinton Cram will be bringing chassis GGR-599, which will serve as the primary car for this weekends race. This chassis previously ran in 2014 at Watkins Glen with Said finishing 25th. Chassis GGR-289 will serve as the backup car.

#41-Kurt Busch will pilot Chassis No. 942 in Sunday's Save Mart 350k at Sonoma Raceway. Built new for 2015, Chassis 942 will see its first laps of competition this weekend.

- compiled by Jayski.com

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Team Ganassi Sonoma Preview

Larson is 80/1 this week at Sonoma, Mcmurray is 20/1
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Advance Notes

RACE SETUP

Race: Toyota/Save Mart 350 – 110 laps/218.9 miles #TSM350
Track: Sonoma Raceway (1.99 mile road course) @RaceSonoma
Drivers: @jamiemcmurray, @KyleLarsonRacin
Cars: No. 1 Cessna Patriotic Chevrolet SS, No. 42 Viva Vantage Chevrolet SS
Television: Sunday, June 22 FOX Sports 1 (3:00 p.m. ET)

I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT

Season Finale for FOX
: After covering each NASCAR race this season, FOX will air their final race of the year this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. Beginning the following week, new NASCAR television partner NBC Sports will beginning airing the race each week, beginning with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Let Me Clear My Throat: Not one to chatter much on the radio, Larson will be letting his voice be heard on Wednesday night in San Francisco when he helps to lead the the crowd at AT&T Park in singing “Take me Out to the Ballgame” as the Giants take on the San Diego Padres. This will be Larson’s second trip to a baseball game this season. He previously threw out the first pitch during a Los Angeles Dodgers spring training game while NASCAR was in Phoenix.

Sonoma Strong: Jamie McMurray has failed to finish on the lead lap at Sonoma Raceway on only one occasion, in 12 career starts. The only time that he did not finish on the lead lap he ran out of gas while running second with just two laps to go, finishing one lap down to eventual race winner and former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.

#TEAMGANASSI

Follow CGR on Twitter
: Be sure to follow CGR on the official team Twitter page. Find in-race updates and weekly news on the No.1 and No.42 teams throughout the 2014 season by following @CGRnascar. You can also connect in the social conversation throughout the season with team hashtags – #TeamTarget #Cessna1 #TeamGanassi

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR SONOMA RACEWAY

Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Cessna Patriotic Team

Michigan Recap
: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season made the first of two annual visits to the Irish Hills of Michigan and the Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Jamie McMurray started from the 25th position and the McDonald’s team adjusted on the car in the early stages of the race to keep McMurray competitive before taking advantage of pit strategy to capture a seventh-place finish in a rain-shortened the Quicken Loans 400.

Sonoma Stats: This weekend’s race will be McMurray’s 13th start at Sonoma Raceway. McMurray has completed 1,326 out of a possible 1,327 laps (99.9%) and has zero DNF’s (did not finish) at the track. He has two top-five and two top-10 finishes. The driver of the No. 1 Cessna Patriotic Chevrolet SS has qualified on the pole three times at Sonoma Raceway, 2007, 2013 and 2014, he has also led 41 laps. McMurray’s best finish at Sonoma is second in 2004, where he also has an average start of 12.7 and average finish of 16.7.

California Poles: Jamie McMurray, who has 11 career poles in the NSCS has captured the top starting spot at seven different tracks in six different states. Five of his 11 poles have come in the state of California at two different tracks, Sonoma Raceway and California Speedway. McMurray swept the top-spot in both 2010 races at California Speedway and at Sonoma Raceway in 2007, 2013 and 2014.

Lucky Sevens: McMurray and the No. 1 team are heading into the Sonoma race weekend with a string of three consecutive seventh-place finishes (Dover, Pocono and Michigan). While McMurray is also the highest driver in the NSCS point standings without a win, he maintains a seventh-place position in the points heading into the Toyota/Save Mart 350 this weekend.

Kyle Larson and No. 42 Viva Vantage Team

Michigan Recap
: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) was at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) this weekend, where reviewing weather reports proved almost as important as reviewing race data. The weekend began with threatening skies that would ultimately pass before qualifying, and ended with heavy rains that brought an early close to the race after numerous delays. The Target Chevy looked strong leading into the race, and a late-race weather-related gamble on pit strategy nearly netted Kyle Larson with a victory when the race was red-flagged and called official with 62 laps remaining. Larson would ultimately finish in 17th place.

Larson at Sonoma: A native of Elk Grove, Calif., Larson will be making his second NSCS start at Sonoma this weekend, and only his third NSCS start on a road course. While this is only Larson’s second trip to Sonoma as a driver, he and his family attended races at Sears Point back when he was a kid. In one previous NSCS start, Larson qualified third and raced inside the top-10 through the first half of the race before mechanical issues shuffled him back for a 28th place finish. Larson does have one win on the road course, which he picked up last season in the K&N Pro Series West race.

Purple Power: This weekend Larson will be sporting a special paint scheme as Kimberly Clark brand Viva Vantage serves as the primary on the No. 42 Cevrolet SS. In addition to a special paint scheme, Larson will also be hosting a couple special guests at Sonoma for the race. Earlier in the year, Clorox and Viva Vantage challenged fans to put their products to the test to see how they handled the toughest mess. The lucky winner, who is from Indiana, will be joining the team at Sonoma for his first race and a very unique experience.

Lunch and Learn: Larson will be at his home track for the NSCS this weekend, and will be meeting with members of the media on Thursday for a lunch in San Francisco sponsored by Sonoma Raceway.

Off to Camp: Before hitting the track at Sonoma this weekend, Larson will be making a stop in San Francisco at the Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) to meet with participants of their Tomodachi Summer Program. The Tomodachi Summer Program is meant in part to help kids entering kindergarten to sixth-grade explore new interests, experience Japanese culture and learn about other cultures. The program also provides middle-school students with opportunities for personal development and leadership training. Larson, the only Asian-American in the NSCS should be able to provide the kids with a very unique perspective on racing and the culture of NASCAR, and hopefully gain a few new fans.

A Shopping Bullseye: If you have made it to the race only to find out you’ve forgotten to pack a few necessities, there’s no need to worry. For all your last minute needs and forgotten items, Target has all of the essentials and more. Target is located at 200 Vintage Way. Novato, Calif. 94945 and can be reached at (415) 892-3313. Call ahead and make sure they have what you need.



2015 STATS
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
StartsWinsPolesTop 5sTop 10sAvg. StartAvg. FinishPts. Pos.
Jamie McMurray15002714.213.37
Kyle Larson14001511.318.418



CAREER STATS
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
StartsWinsPolesTop 5sTop 10sAvg. StartAvg. Finish
Jamie McMurray4537115412818.818.7
Kyle Larson540192215.216.4


ONE TEAM
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four cars in the IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Prototype in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Overall his teams have 17 championships and over 160 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and six Rolex 24 At Daytonas and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.

For more information log onto www.chipganassiracing.com

- Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

Road course racing perfect spot for Tony Stewart to gain confidence back

Tony Stewart is 18/1 to win Sunday at Sonoma.
KANNAPOLIS, N.C., (June 24, 2015) – The start of NASCAR’s “Summer Swing” has always coincided with the first race following the annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway during Memorial Day weekend. The actual start of summer occurs sometime later and is more commonly referenced to as the Summer Solstice. A solstice is an astronomical event that occurs twice a year when the sun reaches its highest and lowest points. With the solstice serving as the first day of summer, the season officially commenced June 21.

For Tony Stewart, summertime has historically equated to summer fun with 23 of his 48 career Sprint Cup wins having been scored in June, July and August. That’s seven wins in June, nine in July and seven in August. Driving the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS, Stewart goes into the 16th point-paying race of the year aiming to sync the seasonal transition with the evolution of his 2015 season.

This year has served as a contradiction to Stewart’s brilliant Sprint Cup career which began in 1999 and along with his 48 wins, includes three series championships (2002, 2005 and 2011). He’s won at all but two tracks visited by NASCAR’s top series – Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Included on the long list of tracks at which the cagey veteran has earned a victory is Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, site of Sunday’s Save Mart 350k.

Stewart is a two-time winner at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course, and augmenting those trips to victory lane is a pole, three second-place finishes, five top-fives, nine top-10s and a total of 82 laps led in 16 Sprint Cup starts.

Road-course events are a different breed of racing. Success and failure are dependent on the driver’s ability to take charge of the car and the unique circumstances that go with road racing – namely, turning left and right. It’s the kind of racing relished by Stewart, who considers the road courses to be driver’s tracks. A look at his overall racing record is proof of that fondness.

Between Sonoma and the Sprint Cup Series’ second road-course venue in Watkins Glen, New York, Stewart has made 30 career road-course starts, earning seven wins, five second-place finishes, 12 top-fives and 19 top-10s while leading a total of 307 laps.

And Stewart’s road-course success hasn’t been limited to NASCAR. Outside of the elite Sprint Cup Series, he has a road-course trophy in IROC, having won round three of IROC XXX on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course en route to the series championship in 2006. He has also competed in the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona five times, with a best finish of third in 2005.

While Stewart’s traditional road-racing stats speak for themselves, an overview of his position in several loop data categories at Sonoma makes him a road scholar.

The Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops driver ranks first or second in a number of loop data categories, leading all drivers in fastest laps run with 79 and speed in traffic at 88.952 mph. He has the second-best average running position at 11.963, is the second-fastest driver early in a run at 90.509 mph, is the second-fastest driver late in a run at 89.509 mph, has the second-fastest green-flag speed at 89.993 mph and the second-most quality passes with 274. It all adds up to an overall driver rating of 98.8, which is third to Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon, respectively.

Further, Stewart has an average finish of 12.4 and has only failed to finish on the lead lap once – the track’s 2011 race where he ended up on the wrong end of a run-in with driver Brian Vickers with less than 25 laps to go. Stewart went from scoring a top-five finish to a career-worst road-course finish of 39th.

Gravitational pull has already dictated the Summer Solstice. A trip to Sonoma may be the trigger for Stewart to pull into victory lane.

TONY STEWART, Driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Sonoma is a place you’ve had a lot of success. What is it about that track that allows you to be so successful?

“It’s just a fun track. It’s one of my favorite racetracks on the circuit and one I really look forward to every year. The worst thing they could ever do is repave it. As long as they don’t repave it, it’s great. It’s a very slippery racetrack, so it’s hard to get grip, and that puts it back in the driver’s hands. Sonoma is one of those tracks where you just don’t get a break. There’s really nowhere in the lap where you get a chance to relax and catch your breath. It’s a very busy lap around Sonoma.”

Is that why you think there have been 10 different winners there the last 10 years?
“That’s a good stat. It’s a fun place. I think – it used to be – 15 to 20 years ago there were only two to three guys who you could pretty much guarantee had a chance to win there. And now there are 12 to 15 guys who have a shot to win the race every year, and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I think that’s what makes the competition so much greater.”

The way you drive a road course, how does Mobil 1 technology help make a difference for you?
“It really does, especially when you take into consideration that fuel mileage is so important there. If you are in position and can short-pit everyone else and a caution comes out, it’s going to put you at the front of the line. The reduced friction and the reduced rolling resistance – everything that Mobil 1 does to make our cars more efficient – that’s the stuff that translates into our lap times and translates into our fuel mileage.”

Have you seen a change in attitude from the drivers toward Sonoma as far as the risks they may take because if they win there, they’re in the Chase?
“I don’t think the drivers are approaching it differently, but I do think the teams are approaching it differently, and I think you’ve seen that over the past eight or so years. The teams really pay a lot of attention to the two road courses. It’s no longer a situation where teams go into it with the mindset that we’re going to just build a car and see what we can get out of it. They know that can be the difference between making the Chase and not making the Chase. So a lot of teams put a lot of resources into the two road courses, knowing if you can get a win at Sonoma that it can lock down your spot in the Chase.”

TONY STEWART’S SONOMA PERFORMANCE PROFILE
YearEventStartFinishStatus/LapsLaps LedEarnings
2014Toyota/Save Mart 350k2119Running, 110/1100$127,743
2013Toyota/Save Mart 350k1128Running, 110/1100$129,805
2012×Toyota/Save Mart 350k242Running, 112/1120$239,465
2011Toyota/Save Mart 350k2039Accident, 88/1103$118,208
2010Toyota/Save Mart 350k79Running, 110/1102$127,823
2009×Toyota/Save Mart 350k42Running, 113/11311$211,096
2008×Toyota/Save Mart 350k3910Running, 112/1120$136,261
2007Toyota/Save Mart 350k56Running, 110/1106$147,961
2006Dodge/Save Mart 350k1228Running, 110/1101$122,561
2005Dodge/Save Mart 350k71Running, 110/11039$348,761
2004Dodge/Save Mart 350k1715Running, 110/1101$107,653
2003Dodge/Save Mart 350k1012Running, 110/1100$110,988
2002+Dodge/Save Mart 350k12Running, 110/1106$143,203
2001Dodge/Save Mart 350k31Running, 112/11211$139,875
2000Save Mart/Kragen 350k410Running, 112/1122$73,610
1999Save Mart/Kragen 350k215Running, 112/1120$42,965
× Race length extended due to green-white-checker finish.
† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Jeff Gordon to make final start at Sonoma this weekend

Jeff Gordon is 6/1 to win Sunday at Sonoma.
No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet SS / Jeff Gordon

Driver: Jeff Gordon
Hometown: Pittsboro, Indiana
Age: 43
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina


Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet SS, is scheduled to visit the Sonoma Raceway media center at 10:30 a.m. local time Friday.

TOPS AT SONOMA: Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet SS, tops the following statistical categories at Sonoma: starts, wins, pole positions, top-five finishes, top-10s, laps completed (2,233), laps led and average finish (8.0).

KING OF THE ROAD: The native of Vallejo, California, is the all-time leader in NASCAR road-course victories with nine. Along with five wins at Sonoma, the 43-year-old driver has visited Victory Lane four times at Watkins Glen International in New York.

SIX STRAIGHT: From August 1997 through June 2000, Gordon won six consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup road-course races – three each at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

WHERE IT ALL STARTED: On Saturday, June 20, Gordon visited Roy Hayer Memorial Speedway with his wife, Ingrid, and children, Ella and Leo. The quarter-midget track in Rio Linda, California, is where the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion first raced as a 5-year-old. The day also included a stop at Vallejo Charter School (formerly Springstowne Middle School) in Vallejo, California, where Gordon attended middle school.

MEMBER ADVANTAGES: AARP Member Advantages will sponsor four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet SS to spread awareness about the many benefits available to AARP members. The special AARP Member Advantages paint scheme will be featured in six Sprint Cup Series events in 2015, beginning at Sonoma Raceway on June 28, and is part of Hendrick Motorsports’ existing partnership with Drive to End Hunger, which is AARP and AARP Foundation’s multi-year effort to raise awareness of and support for the fight against older adult hunger. AARP Member Advantages is a collection of discounts, products, services and insurance programs available to AARP’s millions of members through third party providers. The provider offers include a variety of health products, financial products, travel and leisure products, and life event services.

Jeff Gordon on racing at Sonoma
"Sonoma race weekend is always special to me because of family and friends and how good the track has been to me, but this weekend may be even more special because it’s my final race there. I am going to miss racing there.” 

Gordon on visiting the quarter-midget track in Rio Linda, California
“The first time I raced was at Rio Linda, and I remember getting into the wall and flipping pretty early on (in my racing career). But I also remember getting some checkered flags, too.”

 
2015 Season
  • 10th in standings
  • 15 starts
  • 0 wins
  • 3 pole positions
  • 2 top-five finishes
  • 8 top-10 finishes
  • 162 laps led
 
 
Career
  • 776 starts
  • 92 wins
  • 80 pole positions
  • 322 top-five finishes
  • 462 top-10 finishes
  • 24,826 laps led
 
 
Sonoma Career 
  • 22 starts
  • 5 wins
  • 5 pole positions
  • 14 top-five finishes
  • 18 top-10 finishes
  • 457 laps led
 


- Hendrick Motorsports

Danica Patrick has plenty of experience racing at Sonoma

Danica Patrick is 100/1 to win at Sonoma.
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (June 24, 2015) – Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway is one of the few tracks on the NASCAR schedule where Danica Patrick has a lot of experience.

Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), has made nine starts at Sonoma dating back to 2005.

Seven of those, however, came in the IndyCar Series and unfortunately won’t offer much assistance to Patrick as she competes in Sunday’s Save Mart 350k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.

In two Sprint Cup visits to Sonoma, she earned an 18th-place finish last year and a 29th-place result in June 2013.

The IndyCar Series utilized two different Sonoma road-course layouts during the seven years Patrick competed there, and neither is identical to the 1.99-mile, 10-turn configuration she will drive Sunday.

Patrick is hoping her Sprint Cup road-course racing this weekend goes better than her three road-course appearances in Xfinity Series competition in 2012. All three were memorable, if not downright strange.

In the June 2012 Xfinity event at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Patrick was fourth on the final lap when she was bumped into a gravel trap by Jacques Villeneueve, which led her to finish 12th. Two months later, Patrick finished 43rd at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International after Ryan Truex spun in front of her on the start. She could not avoid his spinning car and made heavy contact with his machine.

But the strangest Xfinity road-course experience of all came one week later after Patrick had led 20 laps and was on the point at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal when a fan threw a shoe onto the track on lap 38 of 81. She couldn’t avoid running over it and, shortly thereafter – whether the shoe caused the problem or not – Patrick was forced to pit for mechanical repairs and finished 27th.

At Sonoma this weekend, Patrick is hoping to run a smooth and clean race, avoid any shoes on course, and build upon a solid 16th-place finish she and the GoDaddy team scored two weeks ago at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What is the key to racing at Sonoma?

“I think, at Sonoma, you have to get through the high-speed esses comfortably, which leads to a good high-speed balance. Power down is also important there because it is easy for the rear tires to just spin all the time. The fast lap times come from the high-speed balance, so that is the key for me and the GoDaddy team.”

What is the hardest part about road racing?
“The hardest part of road racing is just putting a whole lap together. The hardest part of road racing is just nailing every corner and doing it consistently when it counts.”

Daniel Knost, Crew chief of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What kind of challenges do the road-course events present?

“These cars were not really designed to be put through the turns like we face at road courses. I’ve heard a lot drivers say that Watkins Glen is like Michigan with very high speeds. On the other hand, Sonoma is more like Martinsville with very low speeds and tight corners. The key at Sonoma is getting forward drive off the corners.”

What do you do that’s different on the racecars for the road courses?
“Setup-wise, actually you turn right more than you turn left at Sonoma, which is unusual. The cars are usually set up just to turn left, so they are a lot more even. The other big factor is how much you shift gears at road courses. You’re not normally shifting at most of the tracks we go to, so that really adds in a different element as you to consider where you want to shift and when you need to shift. That’s a big, big challenge at the road-course events.”

Years ago, transmissions used to be a huge factor at road-course races. How has the technology advanced in recent years?
“It’s really come a long way. The transmissions are really durable. We do a lot of work to get them to shift well. The transmissions are a really good package right now.”

Danica’s racing resume is filled with a long history of road-course racing. How do you approach the weekend knowing that?
“Absolutely – I’d say this is kind of her comfort zone. She did a lot of road racing before she did a lot of circle-track racing, so we view it as an opportunity to go out and have a really good weekend.”

DANICA PATRICK’S SONOMA PERFORMANCE PROFILE
YearDateTrackStartFinishStatus/LapsLaps LedEarnings
20146/22Save Mart 350k (NSCS)1118Running, 110/1100$102,310
20136/23Save Mart 350k (NSCS)3129Running, 110/1100$85,855
20118/28Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (ICS)2521Running, 74/740N/A
20108/22Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (ICS)2316Running, 75/750N/A
20098/23Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (ICS)1116Running, 74/750N/A
20088/24Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (ICS)95Running, 80/800$70,000
20078/26Motorola Indy 300 (ICS)26Running, 80/800$51,900
20068/27Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (ICS)118Running, 80/800$49,000
20058/28Argent Indy Grand Prix (ICS)1620Accident, 19/800$31,900

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing