Season ends for three open wheel series while IndyCar and World Challenge stage penultimate rounds
by RaceCanada / Chris Jameson
August 21, 2014
Lots of action this weekend at Sonoma Raceway as the 3.84 km (2.385 mi) 12-turn road course hosts the final rounds of Road to Indy series USF 2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights - each with championships to be decided and the penultimate rounds for both Pirelli World Challenge (GT, GTA & GTS classes) and the Verizon IndyCar series. It all happens starting Friday (22nd) as part of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.
Fans at Sonoma are set for a double-helping of World Challenge, USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy lights as each series will run two races over the course of the weekend. For race fans north of the border it is another event with Canadian entries across the board and definite season championship possibilities for two drivers.
Pirelli World Challenge comes to Sonoma with a total of forty-five entries (GT-15, GT-A-8, GTS-22) as the series' premiere classes do battle. The GTA points battle is the closest with five drivers within one hundred points while the battle seems to be for second place in GT between four drivers including Anthony Lazzaro driving the R. Ferri Motorsport #61 Ferrari 548 GT – although Johnny O'Connell in the Cadillac holds just an 82 point advantage in first so he is 'catchable'. In GTS, Mark Wilkins (Toronto, ON) takes a 143-point lead into the weekend over his KIA Racing team mate Nic Jonsson. A solid weekend from Wilkins could wrap up the championship before they head to the final two rounds in a few weeks.
On-track schedule for Pirelli World Challenge
Friday August 22, 2014
Practice 1 - 10:45 AM PT (1:45 PM ET)
Practice 2 - 2:15 PM PT (5:15 PM ET)
Saturday August 23, 2014
Qualifying - 8:55 AM PT (11:55 AM ET)
Race 1 - 2:35 PM PT (5:35 PM ET)
Sunday August 24, 2014
Race 2 - 4:40 PM PT (7:40 PM ET)
Both races will be broadcast via live streaming at http://world-challengetv.com
Timing & Scoring for all sessions is available at http://www.world-challenge.com/liverace/index.html
USF2000 comes to Sonoma with a three-way battle for the championship going into the final two rounds which take place Friday and Saturday. Canadian entries include Daniel Burkett (Winnipeg, MB) who is currently 7th in the championship just four points back of sixth. With a good weekend he could move up as high as fifth. Another Canadian, James Dayson (Vancouver, BC) has missed a few races but will be running at Sonoma. While Nathon Blok (Toronto, ON) is not on the most recent entry list.
Live timing for all USF2000 sessions is available at: http://www.usf2000.com/results/live-timing
On-track schedule for USF2000
Friday August 22, 2014
Practice 1 – 8:15 AM PT (11:15 AM ET)
Qualifying - 11:45 AM PT (2:45 PM ET)
Race 1 – 3:30 PM PT (6:20 PM ET)
Saturday August 23, 2014
Race 2 - 2:05 PM-2:45 PM
Pro Mazda comes to Sonoma with one of the hottest championship battles of the season. Spencer Pigot leads over Vancouver's Scott Hargrove by just nineteen points. The pair have battled all season but Pigot has taken six victories to Hargrove's three but Hargrove appears to have more top-fives keeping the gap close. It could all come down to a head-to-head battle in the final race.
Other Canadians in the field – Garett Grist (Grimsby, ON) who has two wins on the season (both ovals) and is currently fifth in the championship based on some solid top-five results. Dalton Kellett lies 10th with two top fives and seven top tens.
All Pro Mazda sessions are available via live timing and scoring at: http://www.promazdachampionship.com/results/live-timing
On-track schedule for Pro Mazda
Friday August 22, 2014
Practice 1 – 9:00 AM PT (12:00 PM ET)
Qualifying 12: 30 PM PT (3:30 PM ET)
Race 1- 4:20 PM PT (7:20 PM ET)
Saturday August 23, 2014
Race 2 – 3:40 PM PT (6:40 PM ET)
Indy Lights is another series with a three-way battle for the championship going into the final weekend between Chaves (466 pts) Veach (459 pts) and Harvey (443 pts) Should make for some interesting battles on the Sonoma circuit where one misstep will have you gathering up dust. Lone Canadian entry Zack Meyer returns to the track for the final weekend having missed the race at Milwaukee. Meyer is tenth overall in the driver's championship.
Indy Lights sessions are available via live timing at scoring at: http://www.indylights.com/results/live-timing
For Canadian viewers, there will be an Indy Lights broadcast on SportsNet One Sunday evening at 7:00 PM ET
(we are not sure if it is a highlight package of both races or just the final race)
On-track schedule for Indy Lights
Friday August 22, 2014
Practice 1 – 9:45 AM PT (12:45 PM ET)
Qualifying – 1:15 PM PT (4:15 PM ET)
Saturday August 23, 2014
Race 1 – 12:15 PM PT (3:15 PM ET)
Sunday August 24, 2014
Race 2 – 11:AM PT (2:00 PM ET)
It is the last road course race of the year for the Verizon IndyCar Series before heading to the big oval at Fontana in a few weeks and it looks like Will Power has it locked up on 602 points. As for Canadian James Hinchcliffe, not the best season following a strong run in 2013. "Hinch" does have three top-fives and seven top-tens on the season with thirteen of sixteen races seeing him through to the checkers. He has lead a total of 58 laps (compared to 264 last year). We are not sure what's in the cards for the Oakville, Ontario native in 2015 but we do know that during the Honda Indy Toronto weekend, his current team, Andretti Autosport, announced that Hinchcliffe was free to discuss possible contracts for the new season.
IndyCar sessions for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma get underway on Saturday. A complete on-track schedule for IndyCar follows.
You can follow live timing and scoring via the IndyCar web site – http://www.indycar.com and there will also be live streaming of practice and qualifying sessions.
Qualifying is being broadcast for Canadian viewers on SportsNet One at 12:00 AM ET Sunday morning. The race itself will be available live on all regional SportsNet channels starting at 4:00 PM ET on Sunday (23rd) NOTE: SportsNet One will carry the race broadcast at 9:00 PM ET also on Sunday
Verizon IndyCar weekend on-track schedule:
Saturday August 23, 2014
Verizon IndyCar Series Practice - 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET)
Verizon IndyCar Series Practice - 1:15 PM ET (4:15 PM ET)
Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifying - 4:35 PM PT (7:35 PM ET)
Sunday August 24, 2014
Verizon IndyCar Series Warm Up - 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET)
NBC Sports Network Broadcast Window 1:00 PM PT (4:00 PM ET)
GO PRO GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA race Start - 1:40 PM PT (4:40 PM ET)
We will have updates for practice, qualifying and race results throughout the weekend on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/RaceCanada.ca) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/RaceCanada_ca)