The IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma was an IndyCar Series race held at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. The USAC Championship Car circuit raced at the circuit in 1970. In 2005, American open wheel racing returned to the circuit with an IndyCar Series event. The 2006 event saw rookie Marco Andretti win his first career race. It marked the record youngest winner (19 years, 5 months, 14 days) of a major open-wheel racing event at the time.
The IndyCar Series race utilizes a modified version of the road course, the same used by AMA Superbike. The circuit includes the carousel, making it longer than the NASCAR layout, but shorter than the full course. This course uses turn 7a of the NASCAR course, but skips the hairpin prior to the front straight. The dragstrip is used instead of the keyhole, adding a high speed section immediately following the exit of the carousel.
For 2012, the course was altered. The back hairpin used the inner loop instead of the outer loop used by NASCAR. Turn nine was widened by ten feet while turn eleven at the hairpin was extended by 200 feet.
From 2015 to 2018, the race had served as the IndyCar season finale.
It was announced on July 13, 2018, that the Monterey Grand Prix at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca would replace Sonoma for the 2019 IndyCar Series season.
Past winners SeasonDateDriverTeamChassisEngineRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed(mph)Report Laps Miles (km)USAC Championship Car history 1970 April 4 Dan Gurney All American Racers Eagle Ford60151.2 (243.332)1:44:2687.009 Report 1971–2004 Not heldIRL IndyCar Series history 2005 August 28 Tony Kanaan Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda80159.2 (256.207)2:01:1691.04 Report 2006 August 27 Marco Andretti Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda80159.2 (256.207)1:58:06 93.486 Report 2007 August 26 Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda80159.2 (256.207)1:51:5998.593 Report 2008 August 24 Hélio Castroneves Penske Racing Dallara Honda80159.2 (256.207)1:50:16 100.254 Report 2009 August 23 Dario Franchitti Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda75166.5 (267.955)1:49:2394.745 Report 2010 August 22 Will Power Team Penske Dallara Honda75166.5 (267.955)1:52:3492.063 Report 2011 August 28 Will Power Team Penske Dallara Honda75166.5 (267.955)1:47:3096.408 Report 2012 August 26 Ryan Briscoe Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet85195.755 (315.037)2:07:0395.74 Report 2013 August 25 Will Power Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet85195.755 (315.037)2:20:4786.401 Report 2014 August 24 Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Chevrolet85195.755 (315.037)2:09:2194.026 Report 2015 August 30 Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Chevrolet85195.755 (315.037)2:09:1494.117 Report 2016 September 18 Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet85195.755 (315.037)2:00:13101.181 Report 2017 September 17 Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet85202.725 (326.254)1:55:53104.968 Report 2018 September 16 Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Autosport Dallara Honda85202.725 (326.254)2:02:1999.44 Report
Support Race History Indy LightsAtlantic Championship Season Date Winning driver2005August 28 Marco Andretti 2006August 26 Wade CunninghamAugust 27 Alex Lloyd 2007August 25 Alex LloydAugust 26 Richard Antinucci 2008August 23 Franck PereraAugust 24 Pablo Donoso2009August 23 J. R. Hildebrand 2010 August 22 J. K. Vernay 2014 August 23 Jack Harvey August 24 Jack Harvey Season Date Winning driver1980May 25 Tom Gloy1983May 8 Michael Andretti 1984June 3 Dan MarvinSeptember 30 Dan Marvin 1985June 2 Jeff WoodSeptember 29 Jeff Wood 1986June 1 Rod BennettSeptember 28 Roberto Quintanilla 1987May 31 Dean HallAugust 2 Dean Hall 1988May 29 Dean HallAugust 14 Dean Hall 1989May 7 R.K. SmithSeptember 10 Joe Sposato1990May 6 Mark Dismore
References
External links IndyCar.com race page