FIA's Formula E 2015-2016 Glycerine Racing Season Begins In Earnest

Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest (鸟巢; niǎocháo), is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and will be used again in the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It serves as a backdrop to the first race of the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E racing season - Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

 FIA's Formula E 2015-2016 Glycerine Racing Season Begins In Earnest

The sanctioning body that sponsors Formula 1 has put together the elements of an electronic-powered, self-contained, open-wheel, 11 venue world-wide high-speed automobile racing series known as Formula E.

Last year (2014-2015 season) was a first year of the multi-year agenda to make viable motorsports racing using 100% electric power generated solely at the event site itself. Glycerine, a substance that looks and tastes like a clear Karo syrup, is a carbon-neutral non-toxic replacement for diesel used to power special diesel electric-power generators which produce enough clean-energy to meet the needs of the race cars and the paddocks that support them. The aim is to show what is possible, improve technologies through competition, and allow all involved to have fun in places rarely exposed to high-speed motorsports, city streets-course racing.

FIA Formula E season event venues in the following cities. Click link HERE to access the additional information called for in info-graphic. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

The FIA Formula E season will race in venues around the world in the following cities:

1    Beijing ePrix     China    Beijing Olympic Green Circuit    24 October 2015

2    Putrajaya ePrix     Malaysia    Putrajaya Street Circuit    7 November 2015

3    Punta del Este ePrix     Uruguay    Punta del Este Street Circuit    19 December 2015

4    Buenos Aires ePrix     Argentina    Puerto Madero Street Circuit    6 February 2016

5    Mexico City ePrix    Mexico    Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez    12 March 2016

6    Long Beach ePrix     United States    Long Beach Street Circuit    2 April 2016

7    Paris ePrix     France    TBD    23 April 2016

8    Berlin ePrix     Germany    Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit    21 May 2016

9    Moscow ePrix     Russia    Moscow Street Circuit    4 June 2016

10    London ePrix Race 1     United Kingdom    TBC    2 July 2016

11    London ePrix Race 2    3 July 2016

Race teams are staffed with two drivers that are provided with two cars to use during the race. Since the electric engines develop a very strong power response, in order to include strategy and allow for enough driving time during the race to be entertaining, a pitstop is included where drivers change cars after the first car's on-board power has been depleted, then continue racing to the end.

The driver who is able to manage the depletion of his car's power reserve, perform a flawless pitstop car change, have the best set-up on technology and balance, stays out of contact trouble with other drivers and the track, usually wins.

Drivers and teams come from several backgrounds and countries ... it is notable that even though this series was developed and managed from Europe, two American race teams are there to compete in earnest - Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team and Jay Penske's Dragon Racing.

The Bird's Nest serves as a backdrop for the driving class competing in the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E racing season. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Teams and drivers are as follows - Country - Team - Drivers:

France - Renault e.Dams
Sébastien BUEMI | Nicolas PROST

Germany - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport
Lucas DI GRASSI | Daniel ABT

India - Mahindra Racing Formula E Team
Nick HEIDFELD | Bruno SENNA

United States/England - Dragon Racing
Loïc DUVAL | Jérôme D'AMBROSIO

China - NEXTEV TCR Formula E Team
Nelson PIQUET JR | Oliver TURVEY

England - DS Virgin Racing Formula E Team
Sam BIRD | Jean-Eric VERGNE

Japan - Team Aguri
Nathanaël BERTHON | Antonio Felix DA COSTA

Monaco - Venturi Formula E Team
Stéphane SARRAZIN | Jacques VILLENEUVE

United States - Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team
Robin FRIJNS | Simona DE SILVESTRO

Switzerland - Trulli Formula E Team
Vitantonio Liuzzi | Salvador Duran

October 24, 2015, Beijing, China hosted the first race of this 11 venue second season, the SWUSP Beijing ePrix.

Beijing ePrix race winner's podium - (L to R) P2 - Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | P1 - Sébastien BUEMI - Renault e.Dams | P3 - Nick HEIDFELD - Mahindra Racing Formula E Team. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

This excerpted and edited from ITV -

Buemi wins first ePrix of season two in Beijing
ITV - 10:05 - 24 Oct 2015

Sebastien Buemi started the second season of the FIA Formula E Championship in perfect fashion becoming the first driver to ever score the maximum possible points haul of 30 points.

After taking the Julius Baer Pole Position in the the new Super Pole shoot-out, the Swiss ace then went on to dominate the SWUSP Beijing ePrix setting the Visa Fastest Lap in the process to complete a unique hat-trick.

“It was a good race. It’s a bit of a weird feeling because I felt I was a little bit on my own, but I would not be against that. It’s good to win with a bit of a margin.

“I’m happy, the team has done a great job and Renault has done a good power train so I’m just looking forward to the next races right now. I think we even managed to have the fastest lap, which was very difficult last year."
 

WUSP Beijing ePrix race start - cars spread out and bunch up as they enter the challenges of making it into Turn 1. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Buemi admitted he didn’t make the best of starts, but he fended off the fast-starting Mahindra of Nick Heidfeld into the first corner to hold the lead. From there on after he dominated the race.

His ability to stretch his lead was stymied twice by the intervention of the Full Course Yellow. This caution system was making its Formula E debut and was given a thumbs up by the drivers.

Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport leads a string of cars back out onto the track at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Di Grassi said: “It’s certainly good from a sporting side as it’s safe and allows the track to be cleared fast and we also do it in others categories that myself and other drivers in this series race in.”

Buemi didn’t quite lead every lap, however. He was the first driver to pit for his mid-race car swap, which allowed Dragon Racing’s Loic Duval to spend a lap at the head of the field before he too came in to change into his second car.

Dragon Racing did well as a team in their results at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Loïc DUVAL and Jérôme D'AMBROSIO - Dragon Racing finished P4 and p5 respectively placing the team P2 in overall points after Round 1. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

The pitstop process proved to be Hedifeld’s undoing, and as the team struggled to get his belts fastened he lost places to di Grassi and to Renault e.dams Nico Prost. A fine opportunistic move took him back ahead of Prost, and the pair, who famously duelled for victory in season one only to end with a spectacular accident, once again went wheel-to-wheel around the Beijing Olympic Park circuit.


Prost eventually came out on top, but there would be no podium celebration again for the Frenchman. For reasons the team are yet to ascertain, the right-rear wheel guard fell off his car, breaking the rear wing support in the process. Although Prost was able to continue at race speed, the car was considered to be mechanically dangerous and he was shown the black and orange flag by the race officials. This forced him into the pits where he retired.

Beijing ePrix race winner, Sébastien BUEMI - Renault e.Dams, rounding the last turns with Formula E "Drive The Future" banners behind him, as he claims Round 1 victory. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

This promoted Heidfeld back into third place to score the first ever podium finish for the Mahindra team.
----
During the closing laps there was a fantastic duel between Heidfeld and the Dragon Racing team-mates Duval and Jerome D’Ambrosio. There was less than two seconds covering them as they crossed the line.
----
The new era of Formula E is here. The racing was as spectacular as ever and with 76,000 people attending the Olympic Park during the event there was a fantastic atmosphere. But Buemi’s rivals will be hoping that his incredible start to the season can’t stand the heat of Putrajaya, when Formula E returns on November 7.
[Reference Here]

P2 Podium holder Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport shares champagne with the crowd at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Putrajaya, a city nearby Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, hosts the second round of this second season of the fully-electric FIA Formula E Championship - November 7, 2015.

The city of Putrajaya was created in 1993 in order to become the federal administrative capital of Malaysia and is located roughly 30 kilometres south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. The name of the city literally means ‘princes’ (putra) ‘success’ (jaya). It is an open and green city where many iconic buildings have raised recently, like the pink coloured Putra Mosque, the Seri Perdana (enormous official residence of the Prime Minister) and the Millennium Monument, but also beautiful gardens like the Taman Putra Perdana and the Putrajaya Boulevard are worth visiting.
(ht: electricautosport.com)

 FanBoost:

Fans can give their favorite driver an extra speed boost by voting for them both prior to and during the opening six minutes of the race. Voting opens 12 days prior to the race with the three winning drivers receiving an additional 100kJ of energy in their second car only to be used in a power window of 180kW and 200kW. When deploying FanBoost it can only be used once, a series of short bursts will not be possible.

DS Virgin Racing’s Jean-Eric Vergne leads the early running in the FanBoost vote for the Putrajaya ePrix. The Frenchman was a five-time FanBoost winner in season one and is on course for a sixth win ahead of the November 7th race.

Nick Heidfeld, fresh from securing Mahindra’s first podium position in Beijing, lies second, while his team-mate Bruno Senna is currently third. The Brazilian is a four-time FanBoost winner, but hasn’t received the fan vote since Miami in March during the 2014-2015 season.

There are four ways you can vote for your FanBoost favorite:

1. via the official Formula E website – www.fiaformulae.com/fanboost
2. via the official app, which is free to download for iOS and Android
3. via Twitter, where you have to Tweet #FanBoost #DriverName
4. via Instagram, where you have to post a picture or video and #FanBoost #DriverName

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: FIA, Formula E, Glycerine, FanBoost, SWUSP Beijing ePrix, China, ePrix, Putrajaya ePrix, Malaysia, Sébastien BUEMI, Renault e.Dams, Lucas DI GRASSI, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Nick HEIDFELD, Mahindra Racing Formula E Team, Dragon Racing, Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team, United States, The EDJE,

Runway Racing Top Speed Challenge Delivers Two World Record Runs & More

Steve Huff of Steve Huff Motorsports posts a second world record top speed run of 1/2 mile 167.0, 1 mile 193.7, and 1.5 mile 202.8 with his 2007 80ci/1,339cc Destination Harley Davidson Buell XBRR. Steve was heard hollering, "Explanation Point!" as he checked in with the starter post run. Image credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Runway Racing Top Speed Challenge Delivers Two World Record Runs & More

Runway Racing Top Speed Challenge, an invitation only straight line racing event, was held during this last weekend in September at Mojave Air and Spaceport, also known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Centre, located in Mojave, California, at an elevation of 2,791 ft. The predicted late afternoon temperature of 99 degrees was met with little wind (flowing from West to East) to aid in pushing the vehicles to even higher marks.

Several recognizable speed organizations showed up to see what could be achieved on the Spaceport runway used by Virgin Galactic/The Spaceship Company, National Test Pilot School, Scaled Composites (which conducted the first privately funded human sub-orbital flight with SpaceShipOne on June 21, 2004), and other aeronautics enterprises located on-premises for testing.

Big Red has it's hood opened for one last visual check before posting fastest run of the Runway Racing Top Speed Challenge event.  Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

The fastest vehicle to post a very high speed was put up by the famed specialty competition 1969 Camaro SS known as Big Red. Big Red is a featured star of a cable TV program aired on NBCSN titled "Big Red - The Original Outlaw Racer" - Mondays and Wednesdays.

Big Red Camaro crew complete with videographer and audio engineer for the NBCSN cable TV program - Big Red - The Original Outlaw Racer - to capture team's reaction to the run. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Big Red Camaro sets fastest time at Runway Racing Event so far. 243.5mph #runwayracing #PRTT #MojaveMile

A photo posted by Edmund Jenks (@the_edje) on Sep 26, 2015 at 2:13pm PDT

Click Link To Play Video Of Big Red's Top Speed Challenge Run >>>

After taking to the runway track for a few shake-down runs, the parachute outfitted Chevy was able to check-in with a mile and a half speed of 243.5mph. To place this into perspective, the world speed record in an open wheel race car happened during qualifications (Auto Club Speedway) is 241.428mph (388.541 km/h) set by Gil de Ferran, October 28, 2000. This mark stands as the fastest lap speed ever recorded by a racing vehicle at an official sanctioned racing series event meeting (this includes Formula 1).

Steve Huff, piloting the only motorcycle in attendance, made two world record setting top speed runs at the Runway Racing LLC Event held at Mojave Air and Spaceport.

Those gathered at the event witnessed the two run, with Exclamation Point, world record 200 mph barrier breaking runs by Steve Huff Motorsports with his 80ci/1,339cc Destination Harley Davidson Buell XBRR.

The first run, a shakedown run, Steve hit the NOS boost at 3rd gear giving the motorcycle a record run at 200.5mph before 10:00am PT - the second run, after adjustments and applying the NOS boost at 2nd gear gave the Buell-powered, aerodynamically-wrapped bike a pass at 202.8mph, besting the previous run and giving an "EXCLAMATION POINT!" (Steve's term) to all who attended the invitation only Runway Racing Top Speed Challenge event.

In a post first run interview, Steve was most happy with the fact that besting this 200mph hallmark was a milestone for any motorcycle powered by a sub 1500cc size push-rod technology engine (as stated in the interview audio - YouTube included below). “Being the first 80-inch push-rod motorcycle to go over 200mph is something I am really proud of,” said Steve Huff. Those who are familiar with Steve Huff and his multi-year quest of hitting the 200mph mark, know it has been a long hard road of development and fighting through injuries suffered in his unrelenting pursuit.

Steve Huff Motorsports 202.8mph World Record Run & Interview

This excerpted and edited from Steve Huff Motorsports Press Release - 

Huff breaks 200 mph barrier at the Runway Racing LLC event in Mojave, CA last weekend.

Surrounded by blown GT 40's, Porches, Ferraris, GTRs, and the like; Steve Huff Motorsports on the Destination Harley Davidson Buell XBRR executed a top speed at 202.8mph on the 1.5 mile course.Runway Racing LLC put on a great invitational event at Mojave Air and Spaceport.

A Ferrari, 5 liter Mustang, and a Ford GT40 await the go-ahead by the starter to make the long mile and a half plus drive to the Top Speed Challenge runway starting line. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Huff says, “The bike did everything it was supposed to do and we still have room for more.  We came off the trailer with a 200.5mph pass and did our service turn around and backed it up with the 202.8mph pass.”

Steve Huff Motorsports will be attending the rescheduled Mike Cook’s Shootout the second week of October at the Bonneville Salt Flats, giving Huff the opportunities to break the records for AMA 1350APS-PF, AMA 1350APS-PG and FIM World Record.

“We were running into a slight headwind and we used all the gear that we had.  Our sponsor, PBI Sprockets, is sending us another rear sprocket with one less tooth along with new bearings from Worldwide Bearings; should get us to 205mph on the salt and 200 at El Mirage.”  

Huff and the team will be at El Mirage Dry Lake Bed October 17 – 18th for the SCTA event.

(Reference Here)

While the organizers had expected that the limit of 30 invited vehicles to be taking runs at the event, about only 18 vehicles took runs leaving those in attendance with a lot of extra time to look at and investigate the different cars and how they might have been set up.

The pace seemed slow but the action on the runway was anything but ...

Two world record motorcycle runs and a top speed of 243.5 by Big Red to be seen on a NBCSN Cable TV program made for a very fulfilling event.

... notes from The EDJE

TAGS: Runway Racing Top Speed Challenge, Mojave Air and Spaceport, Runway Racing LLC, Top Speed Challenge, Steve Huff, Steve Huff Motorsports, Destination Harley Davidson, NBCSN, Big Red, Big Red - The Original Outlaw Racer, The EDJE, Performance and Racing Tech Talk, Motorsports Journal

Dixon/Ganassi Triple-Down & Double-Up To Wrest Control At The GoPro GP of Sonoma

Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner, Chip Ganassi, and Verizon IndyCar Series 2015 season champion, Scott Dixon share some GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma race and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season championship winner's circle euphoria before official GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma race trophy presentations begin. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Dixon/Ganassi Triple-Down & Double-Up To Wrest Control At The GoPro GP of Sonoma

In the media room, around the paddocks, and campgrounds around Sonoma Raceway at Sears Point, there were speculations as to who would win the Verizon IndyCar Series 2015 season finale race and, due to a double-points award, potentially win the season championship.

At no point in the lead up to this final race was there a story line that included Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, who sat at P3, 47 points behind Penske's Juan Pablo Montoya (JPM), not just winning the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma ... but further, the 2015 American open-wheel racing championship.

Almost all of the pre-race chatter centered on "just who" had what it would take to get the most points through qualifications, bonus points, and win the race (obviously, Will Power) ... or who had the charge to grab the championship and maybe the race from Penske Racing and JPM (obviously, Graham Rahal).

Scott Dixon, and the PR Department of Target Chip Ganassi Racing were the consummate ghosts. Little was being speculated about in pre-race press releases and interviews from this organization about their chances at the Sonoma Raceway finale and the IndyCar season.

However, at race's end and at post-race press conferences - the floodgates of strategic possibility thinking opened up ... and a few folks were surprised at the final tie-breaking results.

Target Chip Ganassi's race strategist, Mike Hull in the Winner's Circle with race winner and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Astor Cup winner, Scott Dixon. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Post Race Press Conference:

THE MODERATOR: The mindset going in, [describe] what you needed to accomplish today.

MIKE HULL: I'm sorry, I can only do two things at once. We knew we had to win the race. We knew that before we arrived here. We did get the opportunity to come, IndyCar extended the opportunity with the rule book for us to come here and test two weeks ago. We spent half a day with Scott on the racetrack, and Friday we used all day and we virtually wore the tires out trying to understand what we would need today, and that's what we did today, and we worked on what we call the mechanical balance of the race car to achieve what we achieved today.

It just really is important when you have a driver like Scott as an owner like Chip and people that work for us and a sponsor like Target that you do get the most out of every day, and I think that's what we did today, but it started well before today in terms of having a race-able product.
----
Q. Mike, a couple of drivers told me it's very difficult to overtake here. Was your strategy before the race built on pit stops to bring Scott to the front?

MIKE HULL: [Mike pulls out a sheet of graph paper - and waves it - with three pitstops noted on it] ... Pit on lap 61, that's what ‑‑ well, we came in on 62, so even we make a mistake.

We wanted it to be a three‑stop race, so what we did was we worked really hard from the very beginning of the weekend to create a three‑stop event for us this weekend, and we knew we had to get to 61. If we could get to 61 as everybody thinned out on the racetrack with the track position gained throughout the stops, we thought we had a chance to win the race. We didn't think it would turn out quite the way it did in terms of we thought there would be two or three other guys there trying to make it hard on us, and at the end it was a little easier than what we thought to be honest about it, but it was still very difficult. I think what you do as a race team when you deal with strategy is you look at what you have. If you know you have a driver and car capable of winning the race, then what you simply do is work for the pit windows that you need to have to achieve something at the front.

But the bottom ‑‑ the denominator is we had to win. We had to win the race.
(ht: VICS)

During the race broadcast on NBCSN, Mike Hull was interviewed at the TCGR pit box immediately after the second round of pitstops where Scott Dixon was able to leap-frog pass from P3 (behind P1 - Will Power and P2 - Josef Newgarden) to the lead of the race on a 6 second timed pit stop - (paraphrased) "All I asked from our pit crew before the race was 18 seconds of work. We train for hours and hours for just this circumstance and I needed for them to give me three pitstops at 6 seconds apiece - two down, one to go!"

Now that's a Triple-Down.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal as he follows TCGR's Tony Kanaan up the drag strip straight after exiting the Carousel turn during the early part of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)  

This excerpted and edited from Tribute Racing -

Dixon takes victory and championship after wacky race in Sonoma
By: Josh Farmer - AUGUST 30, 2015

After a two hour Wild West showdown, Scott Dixon eventually emerged as the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series champion after taking the win in the GoPro Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway.

Pole sitter Will Power picked up from where he left off in qualifying yesterday as he jumped into an early lead over Josef Newgarden. The drama started early as the leaders made their first pitstops on lap 15. Newgarden came in right behind Power but was blocked by Power’s Team Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud as stopped right in front of Newgarden. Newgarden sped out through Pagenaud’s pit stall and only lost a small amount of time to Power.

Meanwhile, a few teams including Sebastian Saavedra and Marco Andretti, elected to roll the dice on strategy and stretch their fuel longer than the lead contenders before the lead cycled back around to Power on lap 25.

Penske Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya is running P4 on Lap 9 with Target Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon closing in from P5 to track him down in the Bus Stop complex of turns. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

A yellow flag for Luca Filippi’s throttle failure on lap 33 brought the field down down pit road. At this point, Scott Dixon’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing pit crew saw that it was time to go to put their driver in position to take the championship and performed a trademark Ganassi pitstop to get the Kiwi to the front of the queue.

A number of drivers on an alternate strategy stayed out which put the drivers had been leading the race down the leaderboard. The race would get dramatic as Juan Montoya rear ended Power, damaging his front wing and bringing out a yellow while Tony Kanaan would take the lead.

Kanaan held the lead on the restart but the same strategy that put him in the lead took him out of it when he pitted on lap 51, which handed the lead over to Dixon.

With Montoya burried in the field, Dixon assumed the points lead and would need a clean final pitstop and no mistakes on the track. On lap 63, the crew did exactly that and was perfect while his closest rival Newgarden stalled on pit road, taking him out of contention.

With Dixon up front, Montoya’s efforts were beginning to shrink but drama involving his season long championship rival, Graham Rahal.

Rahal had been struggling to find the handle on his car for much of the day but found himself in seventh place, his hopes still alive.

His hopes came to an end when Sebastien Bourdais rear ended him at the end of the dragstrip and spun him out. With Rahal out if the picture and Bourdais assesed a penalty for avoidable contact, Montoya soon found himself in a tiebreaker scenario with Dixon.

He would still need to pass one more car to get the points lead: Ryan Briscoe.

Montoya’s black tires would seem to prove better than Briscoe’s red tires and he chopped a few tenths a lap off his lead while Dixon was smooth sailing up front.

Dixon crossed the line 6.1115 ahead of Ryan Hunter Reay and it was enough to take the championship as Montoya couldn’t get to Briscoe.
----
Hunter-Reay claimed his second straight podium while Charlie Kimball capped of the season with his third podium of the year.

Tony Kanaan claimed fourth and Ryan Briscoe completed his fill in duties for James Hinchcliffe with a fifth place finish.

Montoya would have to settle for second in the championship, followed by teammate Power and Rahal, who entered the race second in points. Helio Castroneves made it three Penske cars in the top five. A strong end to the season lifted Ryan Hunter-Reay to sixth in the standings while Josef Newgarden’s pit miscue dropped him to seventh in points.
(Reference Here)

The transporter for Penske Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya was located right across from the garage station of Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon. Here, Montoya is sitting on the stoop, watching the garage across the way (see reflection in mirrored door behind JPM). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Sour grapes flooded the wine country racetrack's paddock area with the talk about the influence of having this race be awarded with twice the number of points given out for the results of the season finale race.

This excerpted and edited from STUFF -

IndyCar runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya questions Scott Dixon's series triumph
By: stuff.co.nz - Last updated 11:20, September 1 2015

IndyCar series runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya has questioned whether Scott Dixon was a deserved winner, saying the Kiwi had a "s**t" season.

Montoya was furious the crucial final race at Sonoma on Monday carried double points.

Dixon won, and his Colombian rival finished sixth at Sonoma, so lost the championship on countback [tie-breaker] after leading all season.

Montoya did not take it in good humour, lashing out at the post-race press conference.

"Dixon had a s**t season all year and had one good race, and we paid the penalty."

Montoya wants the double-points system reconsidered, though he holds little hope that it will be changed.

"We'll see if they [IndyCar] change it, but they like the excitement for the last race," he said.

"Is it fair? No, but we go into the last race of the year knowing it's a double‑points race.

"Is it fair for a normal championship? No, it's not fair, but it's the rules they want to play with, and if you don't like the rules, don't race."
----
"It sucks, but when you make the last race double-points on a road course and you change the tyre and you do everything you did for this weekend and you put so many variables, it doesn't even matter what you do all year."

Dixon, who was one of six drivers still in with a title chance, won the 2003, 2008 and 2013 series.

He has finished runner-up in the series twice and has been third four times in a 13-year IndyCar career.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DID DOUBLE POINTS MAKE?

Actual championship standings

1 Dixon 556
2 Montoya 556
3 Power 493

Standings without double score for Sonoma

1 Montoya 528
2 Dixon 506
3 Rahal 478

Standings with no double scores at all *

1 Montoya 478
2 Dixon 474
3 Rahal 448

* Montoya got double points for winning the Indianapolis 500
(Reference Here)

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal had a season for the ages. Driving the troubled Honda-powered and aerodynamically outfitted Steak 'N Shake Dallara, he entered the race just 34 points behind Juan Pablo Montoya in P2 and finished P4 in the season championship after his car was pushed off of the track by four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais. Here, Rahal finishes the Bus Stop complex of turns on his way to finishing P4 in the VICS championship. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

For Graham Rahal's part, he agrees with JPM on the assessment about double points being awarded for any race (from post-race transcript):

Q. Graham, Juan came in here and not a fan of the double points. He was not, at least. But aside from that, how do you think the championship from that standpoint is going?  Should they drop them from Indy or keep them just at Indy and drop them from the end?

GRAHAM RAHAL: I don't think any race should have double points.

Q. What about the double‑header part?

GRAHAM RAHAL: Those are two races. Just like Indy, why there's points for qualifying is stupid. I know what they're trying to do, trying to make it more interesting, trying to get everybody ‑‑ but everybody is already hanging out on the line, and all you're doing is benefiting the big teams. Like for instance, us, it killed us this year. Definitely is not to our advantage.

Obviously there's two sides to me here on this weekend because obviously if it had been single points or normal points, I'd have been in trouble. I think it made it interesting, you know, at the end. If I look, I finished fourth. If I'd finished one more position up, I think I would have tied Power for third and fourth, and obviously the No. 1 and 2 tied, and I think we would have beat Power on a head‑to‑head on a tiebreaker, I think. But it was interesting.

However, I don't think any race should be valued above another. I know people will say the Indy 500 should, but I think every race is equally important if you're looking at a championship. Anyway, just my take.

Just like we tried the double‑file restarts and all that stuff. We don't need gimmicks in this sport to make it exciting I don't think.
(ht: VICS)

The No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport Honda Dallara driven by soon to be 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Rookie-Of-The-Year Gabby Chaves as it negotiates the Bus Stop complex of corners (with wheel up) at Sonoma Raceway during the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma season finale race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Besides that it was a great day for Scott Dixon and the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, it was also a great day for Bryan Herta Autosport and their rookie Mazda Ladder Series driver, Gabby Chaves.

Post Race Press Conference:

GABBY CHAVES (No. 98 Bowers & Wilkins / Curb Honda): "It was a very eventful race for us. We barely made it to the start.

Actually we didn't even make the starting grid, so we started about half a lap back. We had a battery problem so that was unfortunate. We think we had the right strategy and had the right pace, but once we started being it was just like we didn't really know where to go and it was hard to get rhythm behind other cars that we were much faster than.

Twice we got caught out by a yellow flag, right as we were pitting and had to bail out from pitting. We obviously lost position trying to do that and screwed up our strategy.

It was just a rough day all around, but I think our pace is good and we have to work on a few things.

I am happy with the way our Bryan Herta Autosport team worked out this year and we couldn't do it without our sponsors, Bowers & Wilkins, Castrol Edge, Deltro Electric, Alarm.com, and of course having Honda in our car. It was a fun season and I look forward to what 2016 has to bring." (ht: VICS)

Scott Dixon signs a hat during the post race - post championship press conference. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Post Race Press Conference:

Q. You made both championship, first Champ Car and then IndyCar later on when it was founded. Is there anything in those championships from the technology point of view, you're very impressed, aero package, engine, whatever?

CHIP GANASSI: Well, I mean, all of it is. It's a matter of ‑‑ I think from our point of view, we're just the race team. I mean, we look at the rule book, this guy to my right and I, you look at the rule book each year and you figure out what the rules are, and you go out and try to win races with what the sanctioning body gives you, what the drivers give you, what the engine manufacturers give you, what the tires give you. You've got all these sort of inputs and you've got to take all those sort of inputs and you have to make something of it, and whoever makes the best of that package, whatever it is, is going to be the champion at the end of the year. And that's how it's been for every championship.

Each one ‑‑ none are the same. None of the championships are the same because the rules are different, a little different each year. The points systems are different. You know, the technology is different. We've done it with different engine packages, we've done it with different tires, we've done it with different cars and we've done it with different drivers.

My hat's off to Mike here on my right for putting the team together so many times over the years that just takes all these inputs that you have from different constituencies in the sport. In actual fact we have very little control ‑‑ teams have no control over the sanctioning body, we have no control over the rules, we have no control over the engines, we have no control over the tires.

We give our opinion, but I think rarely ‑‑ if we give our opinion, they do the opposite, you know. But it's just a matter of taking all those things that they give you and putting them in a ‑‑ I refer to it as baking the pie.

You put all those ingredients together and you put it in the oven and at the beginning of the season. You hope at the end of the season the pie comes out good, and fortunately it did here today.
(ht: VICS)

What a fitting end to an arguable Top 5 best ever competitive season, in the history of American open-wheel racing championship seasons.

With a "Triple-Down" strategy on 6 second pitstops combined with a "Double-Up" on awarded race points for bonuses and finishing place, we are able to crown and add a rare 4-Time open-wheel series champion through a tie-breaker, based on winning three races, during this 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship season.

BRAVO ... that was one great pie!

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, Scott Dixon, Sonoma Raceway, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Penske Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, The EDJE, Josh Farmer, STUFF,  

GODSPEED JUSTIN WILSON - Video - August 24, 2015

 GODSPEED JUSTIN WILSON - Video Tribute

With deep sadness, the parents of Justin Wilson, Keith and Lynne, his wife Julia, and his brother Stefan share the news that Justin passed away Monday, August 24, 2015 after succumbing to injuries suffered during the Verizon IndyCar event at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, August 23.

Justin was a loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers.

Race car driver Justin Wilson, who enjoyed success in multiple motorsports series (F1, ChampCar, Indycar, IMSA) during a two-decade professional career, died from a head injury sustained in the Verizon IndyCar Series ABC Supply 500 race Aug. 23 at Pocono Raceway. He was 37.

Statement on the passing of Justin Wilson - Art St. Cyr, president, Honda Performance Development

“To say that we are heartbroken over the loss of Justin Wilson would create the false impression that our pain is localized.

At a time earlier in the season, when we were in a continuing struggle to remain competitive in the Verizon IndyCar Series, Justin was the guy who WANTED to be with Honda, and he demonstrated that time and again. That allows you to take the measure of the man, and we will be forever grateful for his loyalty, and the gracious and gentlemanly way he represented our company, on and off the race track.

He was our friend, and our comrade.

All of our thoughts and prayers are for his wife, Julia, daughters Jane and Jessica; his parents Keith and Lynne; his brother Stefan; and his many friends around the world.”

Statement from race team Andretti Autosport - He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport. While Justin was only part of the Andretti lineup for a short time, it only took a second for him to forever become part of the Andretti family. His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilson family and fans worldwide.

Motorsports Journal - So brutally sad to hear about the passing of race car driver, engineer, and great friend to most all he met ... Justin Wilson. May peace surround the fans, friends, & family Justin leaves behind.

In lieu of flowers and other remembrance, please consider a donation to:

Wilson Children’s Fund
c/o INDYCAR
4551 W. 16th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46222

Video from still photography from two races run in 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and the MAVTv500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

The main qualifying sequence was captured as Justin Wilson was set to make his qualifications run under the direction of IndyCar Race Control Director, Beaux Barfield. Asset Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

... notes From The EDJE


TAGS: @justin_wilson #GodSpeed #JustinWilson, #indycar, #RIPJustinWilson, #imsa, #ChampCar, #FormulaE, #RestInPeace, #F1, #BadAssWilson, The EDJE

California Dreamin' And The Horrible Management Of American Open-Wheel Racing

Scott Dixon awaits the hand signal to start oval qualifications run at Auto Club Speedway from Race Control (by committee) Steward Brian Barnhart. While waiting for his turn to go, Dixon had to watch the since resigned INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations (hands over ears) Derrick Walker and Brian Barnhart carry on a discussion that, for them, could not wait until post qualifications process. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

California Dreamin' And The Horrible Management Of American Open-Wheel Racing

To be able to race on an oval ... a record holding super-speedway oval ... will have to remain a dream for many who follow American open-wheel racing at its highest professional level for "who knows how long" since it was announced by INDYCAR August 14, 2015.

This excerpted and edited from The Daily Bulletin -

Auto Club Speedway not on 2016 IndyCar schedule
By Louis Brewster, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin - POSTED: 08/14/15, 11:12 AM PDT 

Open-wheel racing, Indy Car style, was a major factor in Roger Penske’s decision to convert a toxic Kaiser Steel mill site into a state-of-the-art race track in 1993. Once California Speedway opened in 1997, it was the home to some great races.

Now known as Auto Club Speedway, the 2-mile D-shaped oval was the venue for one of the greatest Indy Car events as Graham Rahal was the last of the 80 lead changes and won the MAVTV 500 on June 27. It’s a memory that will have to endure for some time.

After a four-year run at the facility, IndyCar announced Friday that Fontana will not be on the 2016 schedule. ACS and the sanctioning body had been engaged in negotiations for more than a year concerning the 2016 date but were unable to agree on a date or other issues, including a lesser sanctioning fee.
----
At issue was the date and Fontana’s position on the schedule.

Allen, who took over as president late last year, was adamant in seeking a date in late September or October and being the Verizon IndyCar Series season finale. From 2012 through 2014, ACS was the final race, but its 2015 date was moved to June when the sanctioning body opted to finish its season before the start of the NFL season.

“We were offered three dates after Labor Day, but there were conditions we didn’t believe would work for us,” said Allen. “We took it on the chin for three years for the sport and thought we deserved a little better from them.”

In its prepared statement, IndyCar said it had “explored several options” later in the season. However, a major sticking point in the talks centered around the start time for the televised event that “would not adversely impact television viewership on the East Coast.”
----
In its four-year association with IndyCar, ACS had to endure four different dates. The initial race in 2012 was on Sept. 15 and drew a totally unexpected crowd of 30,000. A year later, attendance increased by a third for the Oct. 19 race.

But the crowd was sliced nearly in half for the Aug. 30 Saturday night race on Labor Day weekend, which ended after midnight on the East Coast. This year’s race attracted a crowd that was estimated anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000. The latter estimate was more accurate and would rank in the top half of this season’s crowds.

According to several sources within the industry who were unauthorized to speak officially, the track suffered a financial loss in June of about $500,000. The same sources also disclosed IndyCar charged a sanctioning fee of around $2 million.

The decision will deprive Southern California race fans from viewing two different IndyCar races. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach has been a staple of the series in April over the city streets. At ACS, the same cars ran wide open and on Oct, 28, 2000, Gil de Ferran set the world’s record with a qualifying lap of 241.428 mph driving for Penske.

In 2007, under the Indy Racing League banner, Sam Hornish Jr. won the 400-mile race at an average speed of 207.151, the first race in the country at more than 200 mph, a record that still stands.
----
There have been 14 Indy Car races at Fontana. Six were CART-sanctioned races and four each under Indy Racing League and IndyCar direction. Jimmy Vasser won two of the CART races, Hornish two IRL events and Adrian Fernandez one for CART and IRL.

With ACS falling off the schedule, IndyCar shows six ovals on its schedule. However, both Milwaukee and Pocono may also be missing in 2016. No promoter has been named at Milwaukee, and Pocono officials said the future will be dictated by the success of next week’s 500-mile race. In addition, New Orleans is not expected to return.

However, races at Road America and Boston have been added to the 2016 schedule. There are also reports the sanctioning body will rent Phoenix International Raceway for a race in 2016, two weeks ahead of the Long Beach event.
[Reference Here]

INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations Derrick Walker and Race Control (by committee) Steward Brian Barnhart (right, back to camera) carry on a Friday afternoon meeting at the top of the MAVTv500 Q-Line during qualifications at Auto Club Speedway. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Tweets From Twitter:

Tony DiZinno @tonydizinno
@TheEDJE ACS got screwed. They were polite to have IndyCar back 4 straight years at 4 different dates.

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
@tonydizinno A season ending at the beginning of October would solve all the problems ... with ACS as season finale. #IndyCar #indyrivals

And this year was run under a $2 million sanctioning fee with the worst change of all - no season finale and no afternoon to evening hours racing!

Many wish to blame former 'Tennis Guru', Chief Executive Officer, Hulman & Company since 2012, Mark Miles for the demise of oval racing off of the schedule - see For The Love Of INDY by Raymond Hando.

Others have the attitude that Mark Miles treatment in scheduling - NO Pro Football season races and moving ACS dates - is the blame for Auto Club Speedway being off the schedule.

Lastly, an agreement that did not recognize East Coast daypart live television scheduling and late afternoon heat conspired to have Auto Club Speedway hit the dust off of the 2016 schedule - see Disciple of INDYCAR.

Evidence suggests that Mark Miles is not the real culprit because Mark Miles is a weak Motor Culture leader.

The real culprit in this demise of Auto Club Speedway being retained on the schedule for 2016 and beyond comes directly down on the Hulman & Company which owns, among other things, the Verizon IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Clabber Girl Corporation, and the Mark Miles contract.

Hulman & Company probably also owns many assets that involve themselves with the NFL Indianapolis Colts Pro Football franchise. One such issue of contention follows.

From 1999 to 2009, a college - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute - that the Hulman family is heavily vested ... name and all ... was the site for the Indianapolis Colts Training Camp ... over $20 million was raised and were invested into facilities in an attempt to keep the Colts happy and training there.

Anderson College won the transfer of Colts Training Camp largely through the efforts of Art Pepelea, an Anderson city councilman, who created a group that had been trying to draw the Colts back to Anderson, IN since he took office in 2003.

Colts president Bill Polian / Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon quoted at the announcement in June, 2010 -

"We're excited about the facility, we're excited to be back in Anderson, we're excited that many of our fans who live nearby can come and watch the team," Polian said.

Polian and Ockomon agreed that the location, 45 miles from downtown Indianapolis, helped (the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is 78 miles). They also cited the population base surrounding the town of Anderson and the upgraded facilities were factors that made Anderson a prime location.

"We're glad to take the reins from Terre Haute," Ockomon said. "We hope to have the same success that they enjoyed over the past several years."
[Reference Here]

Chevrolet and Honda, powered and aerodynamically outfitted Dallara cars line up for Friday afternoon qualifications for the 4th (and final?) MAVTv500 at Auto Club Speedway. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

ENTER Mark Miles as CEO of Hulman & Company in 2012.

This excerpted and edited from Indycar.com -

Hulman & Company is composed of Clabber Girl, Georgetown Realty, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDYCAR, IMS Productions and various other business entities (one assumes an operational interest in Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology as well).

Miles brings an impressive blend of experience from all phases of his career to his new role. In the sports world, he transformed the ATP, governing body of men's international professional tennis, from a start-up league to an international leader. During his 15-year tenure from 1990-2005, the ATP posted impressive revenue gains, launched innovative marketing initiatives and expanded its global presence through successful events in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Bookending Miles' career are two major sports entertainment events which he successfully and profitably led: the Pan America Games in 1987 and ... the Super Bowl in 2012, a 10-day event that attracted more than a million fans and set a new standard for the NFL.

His most recent business career includes six years leading the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Inc. (CICP), a consortium of the leading companies in Central Indiana working with the premiere university research institutions to strategically develop economic growth in the region.

During this same period, Miles has served on the board of The Pantry, one of the largest independently operated convenience store chains the country, with more than 1,500 stores in 13 states and annual revenues exceeding $6 billion. He is also a director for City Securities, a diversified financial services corporation based in Indianapolis.

Earlier in his career, Miles was executive director of corporate relations for Eli Lilly and Company, responsible for the company's local, state and national government affairs, communications and foundation.

Miles is a graduate of Wabash College and a member of its Athletic Hall of Fame.
[Reference Here]

The large racing surface of Auto Club Speedway allows for Verizon IndyCar Series to run in 3, 4, and even 5 cars wide which allowed for many of the drivers to pass each other with as many as 80 passes for the lead in 500 miles. For many, this race in 2015 was considered the toughest, most competitive 500 mile superspeedway race the sport had ever witnessed. Image Credit: Timo Hulett (2015)

The net understanding of all of this background is this - The Hulman/George family of enterprises ARE the sum of all parts ... in other words, owning a race track, having interests in the bragging rights and welfare of a fund raising entity by the name of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, owning a $16 million annual revenue food products company based in Terre-Haute, Umbrella corporation based in Terre-Haute, real estate interests, and etc. may not necessarily be compatible with the focused interests of putting on, and managing a competitive professional motorsports racing series.

Losing Auto Club Speedway from the 2016 schedule is just a symptom of what is wrong with American open-wheel racing and its management.

The number one item that is limiting the Verizon IndyCar Series to expand and seek new opportunities is the Hulman & Company itself and its described framework and adherence to clearing the field (as it were) for NFL Professional Football. What does this have to do with motor culture and putting on a competitive racing series of the highest professional order? Is there a demographic studies component tied to this unusual non-compete stance or are we witnessing a 'management in decline' culture creeping into this country club style (the re-hiring of Brian Barnhart as example) of business stewardship?

The second largest item limiting the Verizon IndyCar Series to expand and seek new opportunities is the overall drive to protect the one oval race that matters exclusively to the Hulman & Company board of directors ... the Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. All other potentially exciting large oval venues are treated as if they are to be shunned. There are additional rumors that the tri-oval superspeedway at Pocono (next weeks penultimate 2015 season race) may not make the 2016 season schedule either.

And lastly, having a CEO that answers to the above interests as well as oversee the additional and varied philanthropic and corporate interests that make up the Hulman & Company umbrella of interests and enterprises can not help with the template of thinking behind the making of a healthy competitive racing series of the highest professional order.

Not much that make up the largess of the Hulman & Company is relate-able to the overall understanding of race car drivers, race team owners, individual interests of racing venue cities and facilities, sponsorship based upon consistency, and etc. when all of the thinking comes from the small-town of Terre-Haute and Speedway, Indiana. In fact, an argument can be made that more conflicting interests are at play than the interests needed to guide a competitive racing series of the highest professional order.

This is not Mark Miles' fault. He is just the figurehead tool of an enterprise that can not, and will not, allow the interests of a healthy competitive racing series of the highest professional order be JOB ONE against all of the other interests that are Hulman & Company.

Let's mention that the variation of racing environments (superspeedway ovals - plural | bull-ring ovals - banked or flat | dedicated road courses | temporary street courses) in American open-wheel racing is still a cut above almost anything else upon which to judge a race driving championship and champion driver.

NEXT RACE >>> ABC Supply 500 - Sunday, August 23 - Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA

Until then, our California Dreamin' will have to concern itself with the last race of the season at Sonoma Raceway (GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma - August 30, 4:00pm ET - NBCSN - Sonoma, CA), where one of the worst managed (a season that begins with a canceled international race in Brazil, introduces new aerodynamic body parts without testing, and the unilateral resignation of Derrick Walker from Race Control by Committee), yet most exciting and competitive on-track professional open-wheel racing displays will come to, and end ... and where a deserving champion will be crowned for 2015.

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: Hulman & Company, Mark Miles, Auto Club Speedway, Dave Allen, NFL, Pro Football, Terre-Haute, Speedway, Colts, INDYCAR, Verizon IndyCar Series, For The Love Of INDY, Disciple of INDYCAR, The EDJE

Mazda Road To INDY Works - 7 IndyLights Drivers Test @RaceSonoma

IndyLights start Race 1 at Mid-Ohio. Image Credit: Bret Kelly via VICS

Mazda Road To INDY Works - 7 IndyLights Drivers Test @RaceSonoma

Many racing series are in play for people who wish to develop their skills as a competitive driver but none have the promise of transition that is infused within American open-wheel racing's Mazda Road To INDY program (USF2000, Pro Mazda, and IndyLights).

According to Rule 6.2.3 of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook, teams are allocated two additional team test days in the testing year window for the purpose of testing a current IndyLights driver. On-track time may be split with a team driver (one IndyLights driver and one team driver), but a team driver may not use more than 50 percent of the available track time.

Seven IndyLights Presented by Cooper Tires drivers, including the top three in the championship standings, will share a test day in Verizon IndyCar Series cars with Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Aug. 13 on the 2.385-mile, 12-turn Sonoma Raceway road course in Sonoma, Calif.

Verizon IndyCar Series teams and drivers testing, with IndyLights drivers testing in parentheses, are:

• Andretti Autosport - Marco Andretti (Matthew Brabham)
• Chip Ganassi Racing Teams - Scott Dixon (Sean Rayhall)
• KVSH Racing - Sebastien Bourdais (Ryan Phinny)
• Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - Graham Rahal (Ed Jones)
• Schmidt Peterson Motorsports - Ryan Briscoe (Jack Harvey)
• Team Penske - Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power (Spencer Pigot, Nelson Piquet Jr.)

Brabham drove an Andretti Autosport Indy car July 1 at an Iowa Speedway test alongside Andretti, and other IndyLights drivers periodically test in a Verizon IndyCar Series car. But this is the first large-scale in-season test day.

"This is exactly what we've wanted to have happen with the program," said Dan Andersen, owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions, which operates IndyLights under INDYCAR sanctioning. "We appreciate INDYCAR enabling this with its testing regulations and to encourage it. To see these drivers getting this opportunity is rewarding for them and exciting for us. It's what the program is all about; we want to see them make it to the Verizon IndyCar Series."

Indy Lights is the third and final step on the Mazda Road to Indy driver and team development ladder. The IndyLights champion is awarded a $750,000 scholarship toward the Verizon IndyCar Series with three guaranteed races, including the Indianapolis 500, in 2016.

Harvey, who drives for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, takes a six-point lead over Pigot (Juncos Racing) and an 18-point lead over Jones (Carlin) into the championship-deciding doubleheader race weekend Sept. 11-13 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif.

"The test could be valuable for next year," said Harvey, the Englishman in his second season with SPM. "I could show (a Verizon IndyCar Series team) that they could trust me with their car, I can be fast and provide the proper feedback."

Added Pigot, 21, of Orlando, Fla., who won the 2014 Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires championship: "It's something that I've been working toward for quite a few years and climbing the Mazda Road to Indy has prepared me for it. I'm excited to get behind the wheel. Winning the IndyLights championship is the No. 1 goal through the middle of September, and obviously the goal is to move up to IndyCar next year. This (test) could help my chances for next year."

Sam Schmidt, who co-owns the team that operates a four-car IndyLights program and a two-car Verizon IndyCar Series program, said the goals of the test day are to make the No. 5 Indy car driven by Briscoe competitive for the Aug. 30 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma to keep it in the top 10 of entrant points and give Harvey "a taste" of driving the Honda-powered machine.

"We're hoping he (Harvey) can win the championship, which would lead to the scholarship and moving up next year in some capacity," said Schmidt, who has seven IndyLights championships as a team owner. "It's always good to start that process as early as possible.

"It's one of the incentives that INDYCAR built into the program and hopefully it will expand with other IndyCar teams."

Graham Rahal leads Marco Andretti, Justin Wilson, and Simon Pagenaud through the Keyhole turn at Mid-Ohio. American open-wheel royal family members Graham and Marco are just two of the drivers who will share instruction time with IndyLights drivers during a test at Sonoma Raceway. Other drivers include 3-Time champion Scott Dixon, 4-Time champion Sebastien Bourdais, Ryan Briscoe, 1999 champion Juan Pablo Montoya, and 2014 champion Will Power. Image Credit: Chris Jones via VICS

TRANSCRIPT - 8/6/2015: 

Media Teleconference with Dan Andersen, Jack Harvey and Spencer Pigot - PART #1 >>>

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everyone, to today's INDYCAR media teleconference.

We're pleased to be joined today by Dan Andersen, the owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions, which oversees the Mazda Road to Indy, and two of the championship contenders from the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Jack Harvey of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Spencer Pigot of Juncos Racing.

Gentlemen, welcome to today's call.

Dan, it's been a great year for all three Mazda Road to Indy series with exciting races in the Cooper Tires USF2000, and the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, as well as the Indy Lights. We see young racers who aim to join the Verizon IndyCar Series in the future. From your perspective, how has the 2015 season been for the Mazda Road to Indy?

DAN ANDERSEN: As always, the young talented drivers we have put on a great show. I don't know how many people on the call have observed our races. Hopefully all of them. But they put on a great show. The training is pretty deep, not just what we try to provide as a series, but the training that they obtain by racing each other.

The best young drivers are here. If you're going to get better, you have to race against the best. If you're running at the front of one of these series, you're doing a good job. They've, again, proved that with the racing they put on this year. We're pretty satisfied with that.

THE MODERATOR: Obviously the goal of the Mazda Road to Indy is to move the drivers up the ranks. Next week some of the drivers from Indy Lights have a chance to sample IndyCars for the first time, joining the Verizon IndyCar Series for a test day.

DAN ANDERSEN: Yeah, it's pretty exciting. It's one of the things that we all wanted to do. Our series has partners with Mazda and Cooper. Andersen Promotions, Mazda and Cooper, this is what we're all about. We're all about training the young kids and getting them ready for an IndyCar seat eventually.

This is the culmination of that. Seven drivers, I believe, are on tap next week. They'll get their laps. They'll get the exposure from this, the experience from this. Hopefully they'll demonstrate the training that they've learned and they'll convince these IndyCar teams to give them a shot. That's our whole reason for being. It is what we're all about at the Mazda Road to Indy. Exciting week for us next week.

Nelson Piquet, Jr. celebrates his win with Formula E team owner at the inaugural FIA Formula E race held on a modified track used for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Piquet went on to win the 2015 Formula E championship and will participate as one of the seven driver Mazda Road to INDY test with IndyCar teams and drivers at Sonoma Raceway. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by two of the drivers who will be at Sonoma next week. They happen to be the two point leaders in IndyLights. Jack Harvey drives the No. 42 car for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and he leads the championship by six points over Spencer Pigot.

Jack, you have to be excited about the chance to get into an IndyCar next week and share SPM's Honda with Ryan Briscoe.

JACK HARVEY: Yeah. 'Excitement' is an understatement for everyone going into the test. The opportunity we've been given from Dan and everybody involved that's on the Mazda Road to Indy program and IndyCar, it's what I've been working for since I was nine years old in go-karts.

More than excited. I don't really have the words to explain just how much I'm looking forward to it. I think Dan summed it up pretty well a second ago. We're all trying to give a good account, show why we should be on the IndyCar grid next year, and hopefully I will be, hopefully Spencer will be.

I think we've had some good races this year. I think that's the level of driver that we get in Indy Lights, across the whole Mazda Road to Indy program.

Could be an invaluable test. Hopefully it's the start of a new chapter for all the guys who are going to it next week.

THE MODERATOR: Spencer, you're actually from Florida, so a young American. You'll be joining one of the best teams in all of motorsports in Team Penske, have a chance to help Juan Pablo Montoya and Will Power as the seek to win the Verizon IndyCar Series championship. How did the opportunity to drive for that team come about?

SPENCER PIGOT: Like Jack said, just very excited to be a part of it, one of the drivers that was chosen.

It came about really, I got a phone call from Tim Cindric. I've known Tim for a few years now from when his son was racing USF2000, got a very surprise phone call if I'd be interested in driving one of their IndyCars. Obviously I was very surprised and almost speechless when he called.

I said, Absolutely, I would love to. Yeah, very surprised this test has come about, but also very excited and can't wait to get behind an IndyCar for the first time.

THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions for our guests.

Q. Spencer and Jack, talk a little bit about looking up on your way up. Do you get any inspiration from Sage Karam?  What do you feel like you learn most from the IndyCar veterans that are in IndyCar?

SPENCER PIGOT: Yeah, for me I've definitely been watching IndyCar racing ever since I can remember, have always had my favorite drivers and ones I look up to. As I've gotten closer and closer to IndyCar, there's definitely some guys that you really watch. Year after year they're always at the front, Scott Dixon, Will Power, they're always winning races. It's something as young drivers, it's what we want to do. We want to be in the Verizon IndyCar Series for many years and be competitive and win races and championships.

So for me climbing up the Mazda Road to Indy, definitely always been looking up to guys like that to hopefully race against and have similar careers that they've had.

JACK HARVEY: Well, I think the interesting thing is if we use Gabby Chaves as an example. We raced all last season. We drew on points last season. I think the main thing he was able to progress from Indy Lights into IndyCar. That's where we're all lucky at the Mazda Road to Indy program: if you can keep winning, making the step, whatever that step is, is actually possible.

Think that's the biggest thing drivers can ask for at the moment. I think that's the main point.

All you're looking for as a driver, if you can go out and do the job on track, you just get the opportunity to progress. I think we're all pretty lucky at the moment that it seems like it's a genuine possibility to do that.

I think Gabby is a guy I look at and would like to try and follow what he's done in this off-season by following the natural order of things and just stepping up into IndyCar.

I think people like Josef, people like Sage, they've all done it. Whatever happens, I'd like to see the champion of Indy Lights continue to progress. I think Dan and everybody at Mazda, everybody at IndyCar have given us a great opportunity to do that. I feel like it's certainly a possibility.

Q. Do you feel mostly you have to learn it on your own or does some of that help really give you a kick?  You really can't get it from anybody else?

JACK HARVEY: Well, the thing is that the drivers are quite open a little bit, and they're happy to help you, but not enough where they're giving away all their secrets. Ultimately they don't want you to beat them.

The thing about racing, it's a really unique sport where, yes, it's a team sport, you have the team, but it's also an individual sport in many ways where the driver is the guy who sometimes is accountable.

I think it strikes that balance between having to learn on your own but also having the ability to pool experience and resource from other people.

For sure, some of it is self learning, just experiencing something, if it's good, doing it again, if it's not good, trying something different. Then actually being able to speak to people that have done it before so you don't make the same mistake. I think there's probably a healthy balance there.

SPENCER PIGOT: I think there's people out there that you form relationships with. For me it's Josef Newgarden has been kind of a role model for me, being part of the Rising Star Racing program has been good. I can always bounce ideas off him getting advice on different tracks, different corners.

You're always going to get a little bit of help, like Jack said, from those guys. At the end of the day they all know we're all gunning for IndyCar seats and we're going to be hopefully competing against them one day so they can't let all their tricks out.

Q. Jack and Spencer, you have been in championship battles going into the last race of the season before. What can you take from being in those that you can transfer going into Mazda Raceway in a few weeks?

SPENCER PIGOT: You're leading the championship, so why don't you go first (laughter).

JACK HARVEY: I've been lucky up to this point, whether it's been in go-kart, single-seater cars, I've been fighting for championships basically since I started racing.

This year in many ways there's nothing particularly new. I think what you take from the experience is the highs and the lows and just keep continuing to work on them. We obviously saw Mid-Ohio was a tough weekend, but we still came out leading. Those are the main points.

Looking in that regard, the team has won multiple championships, they've been battling to win the championship since Indy Lights started. I feel like there's a lot of knowledge and experience for me to bring to the table, but also they're bringing to the table themselves. I think not panicking, staying focused and relaxed.

What was good enough last week isn't going to be good enough next week. Continuing to raise the bar all the way to the end of the year is going to be key and essential. So I think a lot of my experience before, knowing what to do, knowing what not to do, is going to come in handy because I've had a lot of experience in this situation.

SPENCER PIGOT: Yeah, I think when you get to this level, you're racing Indy Lights, there's guys from all over the world racing against you. A lot of them have won championships in many different categories. Like Jack said, I've been in the position to fight for championships for quite a few years now in karting and up through the ranks, through the Mazda Road to Indy. Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes it doesn't.

Every season's different. You're racing against different guys. The tracks are different, the cars are different. It's hard to really compare two seasons to each other.

In this situation I know to just stay calm and focus on the job at hand, not really worry about anyone else, but the team and I are going to go into the weekend focusing on us and how we can get the most out of the car and the most out of my driving. We'll just let the results kind of go from there.

I think if we're very quick in practice, we unload well, we'll have a real shot at winning it. That was always the goal coming into this year, to have a good shot at winning the championship at Mazda Raceway. We achieved that first goal, so now we're going to go out and do our best when we get to the track. Whatever happens happens. Nonetheless, it's been a great season. I've learnt a lot. Looking forward to one last challenge.

Part-time IndyLights campaign driver Sean Rayhall has a good outing at Mid-Ohio with Race 1 starting at P12 and ending at P5 & Race 2 starting at P4 and ending at P1. He earned a test with Target Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon who sits at P3 in the IndyCar season points chase with only 2 races left. Image Credit: Chris Jones via VICS

Media Teleconference with Dan Andersen, Jack Harvey and Spencer Pigot - PART #2 >>>

Questions from Edmund Jenks - Motorsports Journal:

BEGIN
Q. Dan, I understand that seven Indy Lights drivers will be testing. Will they also be driving at Sonoma in the race?

DAN ANDERSEN: They'll be driving in the Indy Lights race, most of them. Matthew Brabham is testing with Andretti, and he at this point does not have an entry at Mazda Raceway. I think Ryan Phinny and Nelson Piquet, Jr., are also drivers that have driven at Indy Lights but do not have current entries into the race. I believe the other four are all entered into the race.

Q. Maybe I'm getting confused. Are any of them going to be driving in the season finale in Sonoma for IndyCar?

DAN ANDERSEN: Not as far as I know, no. Maybe Spencer and Jack can comment on that. I'm not aware of those arrangements, no.

Q. Your name has come up as a potential replacement for Derrick Walker, given his resignation. Have you given any thought to a direction like that?  I know your plate is rather full running three series. Is this something that has been kicked around in discussions with you?

DAN ANDERSEN: I'm flattered that my name would even come up. No, my plate is full. I actually admire the job Derrick Walker has done. He's worked very well for us.

As for Dan Andersen, no, I think I've got quite a bit going on. I'm not sure I would be the right guy for the job anyway. I'm flattered my name has come up. Thank you.

Q. Jack, have you ever gotten into a seat of a Dallara IndyCar?

JACK HARVEY: No. This test at Sonoma will be my first time.

Q. And Spencer?

SPENCER PIGOT: No. This will be the first time for me, as well.

Q. Jack, what will your impressions be of stepping up to more horsepower, greater downforce and so on?  What do you anticipate?

JACK HARVEY: I mean, that's a good question because anticipation is a funny thing. I've spoken to the team quite a lot. The horsepower is going to be something to anticipate. The first three or four laps will feel quite fast. It's quite a significant increase in performance from the engine, stepping up from Indy Lights into IndyCar.

I think that's going to be one thing especially at Sonoma. Turn seven is pretty slow. You're going to be stepping on the pedal quite hard on the exit. That's going to probably take one or two laps to get used to.

Honestly, it's just a natural steppingstone. If you went from USF2000 and jumped into an IndyCar, it would be quite a performance gain. Because I've done these steps before, I think I know what to expect after looking at some data, working with the team this week. Then there's going to be a ton of surprises, I'm sure. Plenty of things I didn't anticipate that will come up, you know, across the morning when I'm testing.

I've done some good prep with the team on some things to anticipate quickly, then the other things I just have to learn as I go. That's almost the enjoyment of getting into a new car, such a performance car as the IndyCar.

Q. Spencer, what have you heard and what is your level of anticipation?  What are your biggest concerns?

SPENCER PIGOT: Yeah, like Jack said, there's only so much preparation and things that people can tell you to expect before you just have to go out there and feel it for yourself.

I mean, I've been talking to a lot with the guys at Team Penske, looking at video. The biggest thing they say is the horsepower is going to be a big difference. Also these new aero kits are creating a significant amount of downforce. The steering is very heavy. I think physically it's going to be a tougher car to drive.

I've been training a lot recently to help get ready for it. Just really excited to get in an IndyCar for the first time. I've climbed up the Mazda Road to Indy, and each year the cars get bigger and faster. I think it's going to be that logical progression that we've been talking about. It's going to seem really, really quick I think for the first few laps, then similar to the first time I drove the IL-15, it seemed really fast the first five or ten laps, then you get used to it and it becomes almost the normal speed after a while.

You know, just doing as much preparation as I can, but still there's going to be a lot of unknowns that I'll have to figure out the way to approach them when I get there.

Q. Being with Penske, there are four very high-level drivers driving for the team. Have you had a chance to talk with any of the drivers?

SPENCER PIGOT: Yeah, I mean, Team Penske is an incredible team. They have some of the best people, some of the best drivers out there as well. Very fortunate to be able to learn from them in Sonoma and try and take full advantage of that opportunity.

I've been able to talk to Will Power a little bit. He was at the shop when I was down there a couple weeks ago in Charlotte. He's the driver I'll be sharing the car with, as well. Yeah, I've been able to talk to him a bit. Just trying to ask lots of questions and get as much from them as I can.

Q. Mid-Ohio was kind of different because there was a driver there not throughout the whole year, Sean Rayhall. How was it driving with a bit of an unknown entity?  He drove a couple races before. But one who is not there for the whole season, how is that?

SPENCER PIGOT: I think you have guys that you respect and you know they're going to do a very good job and be fast. I think that's the case with Sean. I've known him for a long time. We raced go-karts together when I was 11, 12 years old. I've known him for a long time. He's been doing really well in sports cars and prototypes. He's done a few races with us this year, so he wasn't really an unknown.

It's good to have that competition coming in kind of unexpectedly, having him pop up a few weekends, having guys like Nelson Piquet come in, just forces you to push harder, raise the bar. There's no issues having Sean or Nelson in the championship because they haven't been there for a while. They're obviously very experienced and smart drivers. It's great when they come onboard.

Q. Jack, your impression?

JACK HARVEY: I think Sean has shown how good he is as a driver in multiple series and categories. I think Spencer summed it up pretty well.

For as much as he's an unknown, he's got a little bit of experience. This year he won at Indy road course, he's been fast every time he's been in the car. Without repeating what Spencer said, it's nice to get these other people coming in every now and again because you don't know what to expect. It leaves everybody up to their own game and work a little bit harder.

He's a driver who deserves a test next week as much as any of us do, and also to be on the grid again next year in some capacity. Think he's a really nice guy. Got a lot of time for him. Respect him a lot as a driver. Just hoping me and him will be racing in the future together again soon.
ENDS

American driver Spencer  Pigot (foreground) and Kyle  Kaiser of IndyLights team Juncos Racing as they prepare to take to the track at Mid-Ohio. Image Credit: John D Cote via roadtoindy.net

Media Teleconference with Dan Andersen, Jack Harvey and Spencer Pigot - PART #3 >>>

Q. Dan, right now currently we have some successful drivers from Europe in Indy Lights. What do you think in the near future?  More Europeans are coming over. What is your feeling about that?

DAN ANDERSEN: Well, I think we've got a pretty good program for drivers from all over the world to look at and see if it fits what their goals are.

The Mazda Road to Indy is unique in the world. We've said this before, but it bears saying again. There's nothing like this clearly defined ladder with scholarships at every level, prize money on the weekends. We are in great venues. In my opinion, it's a great training ground for a Verizon IndyCar Series ride.

So the drivers in Europe are taking a harder look at us because of the situation over there, the undefined ladder, what series to go to to advance your career. When you win it, there's really no prize. Some people have won major championships and not had any opportunity at the highest level. I think we're seeing a bit more interest from Europe and Asia and South America to our series.

If you want to have a career in racing, this is a place where you have a very good shot at making it work.

Q. Dan, obviously it's been a while since there's been any kind of testing program in place between IndyCar and Indy Lights. Walk through what it took to get this done and whether it was your idea or IndyCar's idea.

DAN ANDERSEN: As a former Indy Lights team owner back I guess in 2006 through maybe 2008 or 2009, Andersen Racing had a team. We ran JR Hildebrand and Mario Romancini and several other drivers. There I was partners with Bobby Rahal in my Indy Lights team. I think Bobby tested JR Hildebrand and Andrew Prendeville. We benefited from that as a team. We used that to attract drivers that we had this testing program. Then for whatever reason it went away.

When IndyCar approached me to get involved in Indy Lights on a promoter side, I brought it up and said that this is something that would be very beneficial for Indy Lights teams to have this.

What we have right now and what's happening next week I think is the first step. We'd like to expand it. We'd actually like to enhance it for teams that participate in IndyCar and Indy Lights. That's my goal, to get more IndyCar teams to join the Indy Lights series and train their mechanics, train their engineers, train their drivers.

We're hoping that IndyCar can take this test program that's in place now for the benefit of Indy Lights drivers and enhance it a bit for a greater benefit for Indy Lights teams.

I guess that's a long answer to your question. But, yes, it was an idea that was originally IndyCar's back in the mid 2000s and we resurrected it when we took over Indy Lights.

Q. What are you planning to get out of this test next week?  How long before we see you in an IndyCar?

SPENCER PIGOT: I think for me, the experience of driving an IndyCar is going to be something I've always looked forward to. It's going to be an amazing experience to just feel what an IndyCar has. It's something that I'm really looking forward to. But also take advantage of learning as much as I can from the team and the drivers I'll be with there. Team Penske is obviously one of the best teams in IndyCar. Will Power and Montoya are two of the best drivers.

They've got great engineers and mechanics. Just looking for what they have to say about different topics, how I can improve my driving there at the test, and things that might help me at Mazda Raceway or any time in the future. Looking forward to that.

As far as when you'll see me in an IndyCar again, I'm not really sure. A lot depends on how this Indy Lights championship goes. It's going to be an interesting off-season I think. Obviously the goal would be to move up to IndyCar, but lots of things have to fall into place for that to happen. We'll see. I can't really give you a fair answer for that one.

Q. Because there are still some limitations as Dan said in how much testing IndyCar teams can do, how important is it for you to have a good showing in this test to impress some of the IndyCar teams and how do you avoid putting that extra pressure on yourself that day?

JACK HARVEY: I think for different reasons, testing is limited in IndyCar. I think for all of us to get an opportunity to drive one in the first place should help us along the way in trying to get another test sorted.

I mean, teams, when they do get an opportunity to test, are probably not going to want to put a stone-cold rookie in the car. Hopefully this is a good opportunity for us all just to go out there, get some good testing under you're belt, do some good laps, give good feedback, try to help the team out. If you do a good job, I'm sure there will be more tests to come.

Spencer said it really well in his earlier answer. Ultimately what we're all trying to achieve next week is the start of a new path for us trying to promote ourselves into IndyCar. Doing a morning at Sonoma is probably the best opportunity I've ever had to work towards being a professional driver.

Without trying to put any pressure on ourselves, it's a pressure-filled sport. There's always pressure whether you're just going out there to test or going to race. You always have an objective which we're trying to achieve every time.

What it could mean for the future?  It could mean a lot of things for the future. It could promote you into a testing role with the team. It could help get you a race seat for teams. For all of us to go out, give a good account of ourselves, work with the team well, make it visible we are doing that, might inspire the team to come onboard and give you a test and an opportunity, too.

Testing next week is going to be important. There's no two ways about that. At the end of the day there's not many people in the world that get to say they've driven an IndyCar. I think all seven guys can consider ourselves very, very lucky that however the season ends for everybody, we'll still have driven an IndyCar, which is one of the things I wanted to achieve when I set out in go-karts. It could just lead to greater things in the future.

Q. Spencer, anything to add to that?

SPENCER PIGOT: No. I mean, I think Jack was pretty accurate for me as well. Obviously you always want to do well and drive the car quickly. At the end of the day there's a specific role for us here at this test, and that's to help the teams out. The main goal for the teams is to test and get ready for their season finale.

There's no real pressure on me to go out and try to perform and try and be the quickest all the time, do this or that. It's just simply helping them get more track time for their full-time drivers and getting an experience of driving an IndyCar for the first time, which is a dream come true.

Hopefully it will lead to more opportunities in IndyCar, whichever team it may be. But there's no pressure to perform and be the quickest. Just want to go in and learn and help them out as much as I can.

Q. Dan, looking ahead to the finale weekend at Mazda Raceway, how excited are you to have that standalone showcase event and how important is it for the Mazda Road to Indy for you to have that event?

DAN ANDERSEN: I think it's pretty exciting. Mazda Raceway is a fantastic venue, iconic venue. The drivers are looking forward to it, the teams are looking forward to it. It's a beautiful area to host our finale. With Mazda as one of the key partners as what we're doing here, it's certainly appropriate.

It's challenging on the promoter's side. In IndyCar things that come easy and naturally are a bit more challenging. We're bringing a lot more IndyCar staff to Mazda Raceway than we intended to. We want to make sure this is a championship finale and the competition is fierce and make sure we have all our I's dotted and our T's crossed. Logistically challenging for my staff but we love it. We'd like to see some IndyCar drivers do some cameos. They're have been some drivers that have expressed interest in that. There's still some car. We'd like to see some IndyCar drivers jump in an Indy Lights car and have some fun. We hope that happens. We're not saying that's going to happen, but it will be fun.

Last year's finale, all three series came down to the last race. Very exciting. I expect the same thing this year. Real good contests going on at all three levels.

THE MODERATOR: As we have no further questions, we'll thank everybody for their time and wish the drivers best of luck next week when they test at Sonoma Raceway.
(ht: FastScripts by ASAP Sports)

British race team Carlin's United Arab Emirates driver Ed Jones negotiates Turn 4 at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Jones currently sits at P3 in the IndyLights season points championship. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

The list of Verizon IndyCar Series drivers testing at the venue that will host the championship-deciding race includes six of the 10 drivers mathematically eligible for the title. The 85-lap, high-stakes race carries double points, with 100 awarded to the winner, 80 for second, 70 for third, etc., along with the regular four bonus points over three categories (Verizon P1 Award winner, leading a lap, leading the most laps).

Montoya holds a nine-point advantage over Rahal entering the penultimate race of the season Aug. 23 at Pocono Raceway. Dixon, who won last August at Sonoma Raceway, is 34 points out of first place.

"INDYCAR is doing a good job to promote the ladder series, and the rules that allow IndyCar drivers a test day with an IndyLights driver is an example," Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team manager Ricardo Nault said. "We'll be splitting the day with Ed Jones, not only per the rules, but to give him the opportunity to help us develop the car and give him some time driving.

"Being second in the championship, we want to put our best foot forward and give it our best chance. We'd be behind if we didn't go there. We have to maximize every opportunity."

An additional car at the test will be driven by Mikhail Aleshin, who will use the day as a refresher in the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda. It will be Aleshin's first time behind the wheel of an Indy car since he sustained a concussion, chest injuries, fractured ribs and a broken shoulder in an August 2014 practice crash at Auto Club Speedway. SPM has named Aleshin as a third team entry for Sonoma along with Briscoe and James Jakes.
(ht: Verizon IndyCar Series)

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: Mazda Road To INDY, Matthew Brabham, Sean Rayhall, Ryan Phinny, Ed Jones, Jack Harvey, Spencer Pigot, Nelson Piquet Jr., @RaceSonoma, IndyLights, The EDJE, Andretti Autosport, Marco Andretti, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Scott Dixon, KVSH Racing, Sebastien Bourdais, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Graham Rahal, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Ryan Briscoe, Team Penske, Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power,