Chevrolet officials breathed a little easier before the Sonoma drama played out, celebrating their fourth consecutive IndyCar Manufacturers’ Championship on the morning before the final race.
victory and the season’s champion driver all with Chevy power – the final margin was less than might be expected. Even so, Honda continued to press to be allowed to make enhancements to its kits.
Former teammate Dario Franchitti was among the first to congratulate Scott Dixon for joining him as a four-time IndyCar champ. Could A.J. Foyt’s record tally of seven titles be within reach for the Kiwi?
After the tragic events of the previous week at Pocono (see page 11), the Verizon IndyCar Series was in desperate need of an uplifting end to the season – one that would be a worthy complement to the moving tributes to Justin Wilson at Sonoma.
And it got one...although Juan Pablo Montoya might not agree.
The Colombian went into the finale needing merely to maintain the advantage he had enjoyed for the entire season, but the double points on offer for the GoPro Grand Prix meant that he and Team Penske still had to execute cleanly.
And, for the sixth time in the last seven attempts in such circumstances, it didn’t.
dumbfounding collision with teammate Will Power on an early restart, it served to put both men behind the 8-ball just as Chip Ganassi Racing’s armada surged.
100th Indy car win was hard to imagine.
• Scott Dixon interview, page 46.
four of the last six races.
Scott Dixon did all he could to tilt the title his way at Sonoma. With perfect support, it was enough.
Number of wins was the tie-breaker in Dixon’s favor.
Both poles awarded based on championship points.