All posts by ARP Trish

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Sonoma Post Race

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
GOPRO GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA
SONOMA RACEWAY, SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE RECAP
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

With Dominating Victory at Sonoma, Simon Pagenaud Crowned 2016 Verizon IndyCar Champion

· Pagenaud claimed championship with seven poles, and five wins in the No. 22 Team Penske Chevrolet
· Team Owner Roger Penske has now collected 14 IndyCar Championships
· Pagenaud win secured Chevrolet’s fifth consecutive Verizon IndyCar Series Manufacturer Championship and fourth VICS Driver Championship since Chevrolet’s return to IndyCar in 2012
· Chevrolet drivers captured top-four in Series’ final standings including Team Penske drivers 1-2-3, the first time in 22 years (1994)
o Pagenaud, Will Power and Helio Castroneves
o Josef Newgarden finishes fourth in points

SONOMA, Calif (September 182, 2016) – Simon Pagenaud is the Champion. He had what can only be called a dream race weekend as he won the pole, led the most laps and won the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway to claim his fifth win of the season and his first Verizon IndyCar Series championship. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Sonoma Post Race →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Sonoma

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
GOPRO GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA
SONOMA RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

ROGER PENSKE, TEAM OWNER, TEAM PENSKE:
“That was a great run. I just take my hat off to the whole team and what they’ve done all season long and to cap it off here with another win, 10 wins for these guys. Certainly, (Simon) Pagenaud dug deep all year and came up with a win for the team. I think you can see how good we are. I can’t take my hat off to these guys enough and thank our sponsors and Chevy, what great power we had, we made a lot of mileage there at the end.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Sonoma →

Wood Brothers

Late-Race Strategy Call Nets Blaney A Fourth-Place Finish

Late-Race Strategy Call Nets Blaney A Fourth-Place Finish

September 18, 2016

Missing the cut for the Chase for the Sprint Cup can be a mixed blessing, as Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team proved on Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.

With little to lose points-wise, non-Chase teams like Blaney’s are free to gamble on strategies designed to put them in position to win races.

Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team did just that in Sunday’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 400. When the caution flag flew with seven scheduled laps left to run, setting up an overtime run to the checkered flag, crew chief Jeremy Bullins opted to stay on the track on older tires. That decision vaulted Blaney into the lead for what wound up being a two-lap sprint to the checkered flag.

Blaney was able to overcome the disadvantage of older tires on the restart and led the field for a half a lap before eventual winner Martin Truex Jr. and two other drivers with fresh tires were able to pass him. Continue reading Late-Race Strategy Call Nets Blaney A Fourth-Place Finish →

Jegs Racing

Jeg Coughlin Jr. kicks off Countdown with round-win in Charlotte

Jeg Coughlin Jr. kicks off Countdown with round-win in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE (Sept. 18) — Five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. kicked off the Countdown to the Championship the right way: by turning on the win light in the first round of the NHRA Carolina Nationals on Sunday at zMax Dragway.

Coughlin, though, couldn’t take his Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar/JEGS.com Dodge Dart to the semifinals, dropping a close race to Elite Motorsports teammate Vincent Nobile in round two.

“We knew if we were on our best behavior, make a good pass personally, and make a good pass with the car that we could certainly be there to light a win light up against (Allen Johnson in round one),” Coughlin said. “As we’ve seen in Pro Stock many times, this year you can’t ever surrender. Continue reading Jeg Coughlin Jr. kicks off Countdown with round-win in Charlotte →

Honda Racing

Rahal, Honda Run Second at Sonoma

Rahal, Honda Run Second at Sonoma
• Strong close nets Rahal fifth in championship
• Hunter-Reay battles to fourth at the finish
• Rossi finishes fifth, claims series Rookie of the Year Honors

Hot temperatures and resulting tire wear led to a variety of race strategies in Sunday’s Verizon IndyCar Series season finale at Sonoma Raceway, with Honda driver Graham Rahal coping best with the conditions to finish second, moving him to fifth in the championship after a strong end-of-season run that included a victory last month at Texas Motor Speedway.

Starting fifth, the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team kept its driver on a three-stop strategy that proved to be the correct plan, as utilized by the top six finishers in the 85-lap contest. In the final laps, Rahal closed on eventual race winner – and 2016 series champion – Simon Pagenaud, but was not able to make a move for the victory. Still, the second place result, coupled with his win in Texas, second at Barber Motorsports Park and five additional top-five finishes, netted Rahal fifth in the championship.

Honda’s Indianapolis 500 winner, Alexander Rossi, appeared headed for a fourth-place finish but ran short of fuel, enabling his Andretti Autosport teammate, Ryan-Hunter Reay, to nab the position on the final lap. Fifth was still more than sufficient for Rossi to claim 2016 Rookie of the Year honors and finish ninth in the championship.

Finishing fourth, Hunter-Reay added to a 2016 tally that included three podium finishes and a pair of fourths to end the season 10th in the championship.

Chevrolet Racing

Chevrolet Wins 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Manufacturer Championship

Chevrolet Wins 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Manufacturer Championship
Title is Fifth Consecutive for the Chevrolet IndyCar Program

DETROIT (September 18, 2016) – Chevrolet has won the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series (VISC) Manufacturer Championship. It is the fifth consecutive year the Bowtie Brand has captured the title since returning to IndyCar racing in 2012.

The Chevrolet 2.2 liter turbocharged V6 IndyCar engine program combined with the Chevrolet Aero Kit to produce 13 poles and ­­­14 wins in the 16-race season. Continue reading Chevrolet Wins 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Manufacturer Championship →

NHRA

NRHA–ZMax Dragway

Top Fuel — Antron Brown, 3.763 seconds, 319.29 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.811 seconds, 320.28 mph.

Funny Car — John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.946, 324.05 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 3.987, 315.71.

Pro Stock — Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.621, 209.39 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.639, 209.20.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.879, 194.88 def. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.908, 193.49.

Pro Modified — Bob Rahaim, Chevy Corvette, 6.349, 207.85 def. Mike Castellana, Corvette, 9.322, 94.55.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Shawn Cowie, 5.350, 268.06 def. Rich McPhillips, 5.401, 268.81.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — DJ Cox Jr., Chevy Camaro, 5.539, 266.53 def. Ulf Leanders, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.605, 264.18.

Competition Eliminator — Doug Doll Jr., Dragster, 7.438, 155.94 def. Van Puckett, Chevy Cavalier, 8.641, 149.53.

Super Stock — Peter Biondo, Pontiac Firebird, 9.712, 132.67 def. Jeffery Jewell, Chevy Corvette, 9.722, 138.77.

Stock Eliminator — C.J. McDonald, Chevy Camaro, 11.990, 94.28 def. Brad Ford, Camaro, Foul – Red Light.

Super Comp — Ray Miller Jr., Dragster, 8.880, 180.16 def. Steve Hoyt, Dragster, 8.877, 184.67.

Super Gas — Jason Lynch, Olds Cutlass, 9.909, 161.17 def. Jim Perry, Chevy S-10, 9.923, 166.46.

Top Dragster — Bob Mandell III, Dragster, 6.442, 206.80 def. Jeff Strickland, Dragster, 7.194, 184.83.

Top Sportsman — Gerald Milette, Chevy Corvette, 7.077, 188.36 def. Jonathan Gibbs, Chevy Camaro, 7.443, 185.54.

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing–Chicago

Austin Dillon Survives Chicagoland Speedway with 14th-Place Finish in Dow Packaging Chevrolet

“This Dow Packaging Chevrolet was pretty good today. We just never got the track position we needed to contend. I would have liked the race to run green at the end because if we wouldn’t have had that caution, I believe our finish would have been better. In this Chase format, every single position matters. I’m looking forward to New Hampshire and Dover the next two weekends in order to get ourselves in a position to advance to the next round.”

– Austin Dillon

Paul Menard Fights for 21st-Place Finish at Chicagoland Speedway

“It was a crazy start to the race for sure. We were coming down pit road when the first caution came out. There was some confusion there on whether to pit or to keep rolling. Then we got a speeding penalty. When we were trying to recover from that, NASCAR penalized us with a drive-thru for not getting to the tail end of the line fast enough before the restart. In the midst of it all, we were three laps down. After evaluating the situation, NASCAR gave us our lap back. We took the wave around under one caution and raced as hard as we could for the lucky dog position. We threw everything we had at it today. Overall, we had a decent Moen/Menards Chevrolet, but we were just fighting to recover all day. It was not what we wanted out of Chicagoland Speedway today. It was really disappointing.”

– Paul Menard

Tire Issue Results in 19th-Place Finish for Ryan Newman at Chicagoland Speedway

“For the most part we had a pretty good Caterpillar Chevrolet, but we had multiple tire issues today. One, we were able to address during our first scheduled stop but then we had another issue around lap 188. We were forced to come down pit road and unfortunately it put us two laps down. We took the wave around during the next caution and then battled the No. 4 car for the free pass. In the end, it never worked out in our favor for us to race back onto the lead lap. Before that last tire issue, we were racing just outside the top 10. We’ll keep digging with nine races to go.”

– Ryan Newman

F4

DAS DOMINATES ROAD ATLANTA, WINS ALL THREE F4 U.S. RACES

DAS DOMINATES ROAD ATLANTA, WINS ALL THREE F4 U.S. RACES

Das wins fifth consecutive race and sixth overall in inaugural F4 U.S. season

BRASELTON, Georgia (September 18, 2016) – Cameron Das of Brooklandville, Maryland, was unbeatable during the penultimate race weekend of the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda, sweeping victories in all three races held at Road Atlanta Saturday and Sunday.

Das, who joined Konrad Czaczyk of Loxahatchee, Florida, as the second F4 U.S. driver to win three races in one weekend, seized fast-lap times in both practices, qualifying and all three races and claimed pole position for each of the rounds.

Sunday’s victory marked the fifth consecutive race Das has found the top of the podium and gave him his sixth victory of the season in just 12 races. Continue reading DAS DOMINATES ROAD ATLANTA, WINS ALL THREE F4 U.S. RACES →

Mopar Racing

Mopar Funny Car Driver Johnson Jr. Launches into Countdown with Final Round

Mopar Funny Car Driver Johnson Jr. Launches into Countdown with Final Round

· Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T driver Tommy Johnson Jr. wheels his way to final round at first race of Countdown to the Championship
· Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver Johnson makes third final of season after qualifying No. 1 at NHRA Carolina Nationals
· Johnson moves up from No. 7 to No. 4 in the Funny Car championship points
· DSR Mopar Dodge Charger Funny Car campaigner Ron Capps reaches semifinals, retains points lead heading into second race of Countdown
· St. Louis and NHRA Midwest Nationals next on NHRA tour, second race of 2016 Countdown to the Championship

Concord, North Carolina (September 18, 2016) – The Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T piloted by Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver Tommy Johnson Jr. dominated the Funny Car field when it mattered most during qualifying at the NHRA Carolina Nationals and produced a start from the pole for the Avon, Indiana-based competitor. On Sunday, at the first race of six in the 2016 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship, Johnson was again on a sweet ride as the monstrous HEMI® under the hood took him all the way to the final round. Continue reading Mopar Funny Car Driver Johnson Jr. Launches into Countdown with Final Round →

John Force Racing

JOHN FORCE WINS CAROLINA NATIONALS MOVES TO THIRD IN POINTS

JOHN FORCE WINS CAROLINA NATIONALS MOVES TO THIRD IN POINTS

CHARLOTTE, NC — John Force made the most the first Countdown race of 2016 picking up his 146th career win and moving from the No. 8 to No. 3 position in the Mello Yello point standings. Force outran Dave Richards, Tim Wilkerson, Ron Capps and then Tommy Johnson Jr to pick up his first win at the Carolina NHRA Nationals. From the winner’s circle stage Force dedicated the victory to his sponsors and announced he would be sending the Wally trophy to Advance Auto Parts who were emblazoned across the side of his Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car along with primary sponsor PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant.

Going into the final round John Force was 7-1 against Tommy Johnson Jr. and Force’s Advance Auto Parts PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car was looking for its third win of the season. The last final round match-up between these two racers was last season’s New England Nationals where Force also took the win. Continue reading JOHN FORCE WINS CAROLINA NATIONALS MOVES TO THIRD IN POINTS →

Chevrolet Racing, NHRA

Chevy Racing–NHRA–Zmax Dragway

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
ZMAX DRAGWAY AT CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA
SEPT. 18, 2016

Chevrolet Drivers Record Two Wins in First Round of the Countdown

• John Force adds to record with 146th career Funny Car victory
• No. 1 seed Jason Line earns eighth Pro Stock win of the season
• KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson, No. 1 qualifier, is the runner-up
• Three-time Top Fuel race winner Brittany Force reaches quarterfinals

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 18, 2016) – John Force says that “being old is all in your head.”

The 16-time National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car champion, who turned 67 in May, proved that again in the NHRA Carolina Nationals by winning the Funny Car final for his 146th career victory. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–Zmax Dragway →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Chicagoland Driver Quotes

CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP
ROUND 1 OF 10
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 400
CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER RACE NOTES & QUOTES
SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Chase Elliott led Team Chevy with a third place finish in his No. 24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet SS.
This was Elliott’s first Cup career race and first top 10 finish at Chicagoland Speedway
Elliott led 75 of the 267-lap race
Elliott was the highest finishing rookie

TEAM CHEVY FINISHING ORDER (TOP 12)
3rd – Chase Elliott, No. 24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet SS
7th – Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Liftmaster Chevrolet SS
10th – Alex Bowman, No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet SS
11th – Jamie McMurray, No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet SS
12TH – Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS

POST-RACE CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (Top 16):
Martin Truex Jr., (Toyota) – 2050
Brad Keselowski (Ford) – 2049
Kyle Busch (Toyota) – 2046
Denny Hamlin (Toyota) – 2045
Joey Logano (Ford) – 2043
Chase Elliott (Chevrolet) – 2039
Matt Kenseth (Toyota) – 2038
Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet) – 2037
Carl Edwards (Toyota) – 2032
Kurt Busch (Chevrolet) – 2031
Jamie McMurray (Chevrolet) – 2030
Tony Stewart (Chevrolet) – 2028
Austin Dillon (Chevrolet) – 2027
Kevin Harvick (Chevrolet) – 2027
Kyle Larson (Chevrolet) – 2026
Chris Buescher (Ford) – 2016

NEXT RACE: Round 2 of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup takes place at Loudon, New Hampshire on Sunday, Sept. 25.

POST RACE PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 3RD

THE MODERATOR: We will continue on with our post-race media availability. We are joined now by Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Chase, you did just about everything you could to get that win today. What was going through your mind when that final caution came out?

CHASE ELLIOTT: I expected it. We’ve all watched this stuff long enough; we know these races don’t go green that long typically. We know that we see late‑race cautions way more often than not. That’s a part of racing from short‑track racing all the way up to this stuff.

I’ve learned over the years, you just got to expect it from my seat, from the crew chief’s seat, from the pit crew’s perspective. You just got to be ready for it, embrace it when it happens, suck it up and try to figure out how to make it happen after it does.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll open the floor for questions for Chase.
Q. You’ve been close a couple times in races before. You seem like this is a little bit easier outcome to accept than what happened at Michigan. Is that true when it’s sort of a late caution and more random than a mistake?
CHASE ELLIOTT: No, there is no easy outcome. You know, it’s unfortunate. You hate to have it happen. As you get faced with these situations more than once, I think you learn. You learn from situation to situation.

But like I said, I felt like we did a good job as a team today trying to control the things that we could control. And you can’t control when a caution is going to come out. Granted, you can expect one a lot of the time, but you can’t control when it’s going to happen, and you certainly can’t control how many guys are going to stay out on tires and try to make something happen at the end of a race.

That’s just a part of life, part of racing.

THE MODERATOR: Chase, best of luck in New Hampshire next week.
CHASE ELLIOTT: Thank you

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NHRA–Zmax Dragway

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
ZMAX DRAGWAY AT CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA
POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES
SEPT. 18, 2016

An interview with Funny Car winner John Force, Advance Auto/PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS:

JOHN, WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?

“I love it with all my heart. I love NHRA and all our sponsors. Chevrolet, PEAK Antifreeze, and Lucas Oil made it possible for me to stay in the game. I was almost out and I really owe them. I love this job. Being old is all in your head, trust me. We will give you a show in this Countdown. I may not win it, but I will be in the hunt.”

JOHN, YOU TALK ABOUT THE YOUNG GROUP OF GUYS YOU’VE ASSEMBLED, AND THEY REALLY DID THEIR JOB TODAY.

“We’re starting to turn the corner. In this life, they are running for president at my age, so this isn’t about getting old. It’s about NHRA drag racing. You (fans) are what makes me live, what makes me breathe.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–Zmax Dragway →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Chicagoland

CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP
ROUND 1 OF 10
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 400
CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER RACE NOTES & QUOTES
SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 3RD
WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN THAT CAUTION CAME OUT WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE RACE WAS YOURS?
“Expect it nothing is yours until it’s over. I mean that is part of life man. You are not dumb, we have all watched this stuff long enough we know these races don’t go green that long. We see more cautions come out at the end of these races than we do not. That is just part of it, you’ve got to expect it and be able to embrace it and move forward. I feel like we did a good job controlling the things that we could control today. We had a fast NAPA Chevy. I appreciate everybody’s hard work this weekend, Hendrick (Motorsports) was strong that is good to see. Like I said, there are some things you just can’t control with the amount of guys that stay out and where you line up on a restart. We played the cards we were dealt and came up short.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Chicagoland →

Allen Johnson Racing

Early Exit Has Allen Johnson Looking Forward to St. Louis

Early Exit Has Allen Johnson Looking Forward to St. Louis

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 18, 2016) – Allen Johnson is putting the Ninth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals in his rear view mirror after a first round loss at zMAX Dragway.

Johnson qualified in the No. 6 spot and had lane choice over Jeg Coughlin. In the hottest day of the weekend, Johnson drove his Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Dodge Dart to a 6.703-second pass at 207.98 mph. Unfortunately, his 6.70 pass wasn’t enough to hold off Coughlin’s 6.687, 206.76.

“Not the start we wanted but we were consistent all weekend,” Johnson said. “We hurt one of our motors yesterday and we just missed the setup today. You don’t want a first round loss in the Countdown but we’ve got plenty of races to make it up. We just are starting in a little bit of a hole but I know this Marathon Petroleum team will get out of it.”

The next event will be the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals next weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Honda Racing

Contact Dents Honda, Michael Shank Racing Effort in Texas

Contact Dents Honda, Michael Shank Racing Effort in Texas
• Minor impact results in cut tire, unscheduled pit stop
• Tight Manufacturers’ Championship battles continue to season finale

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Lone Star Le Mans
Circuit: Circuit of the Americas (3.40-mile road course) Austin, TX
Weather: Partly sunny, hot, 90 degrees F

AUSTIN, TX (September 17, 2016) – A strategic approach by Michael Shank Racing to a hot and humid IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race Saturday at the Circuit of the Americas was blunted by mid-race contact that prevented a potential podium finish for the Honda-powered effort.

Starting the two hour, 40-minute contest at the rear of the combined Prototype and Prototype Challenge field so that non-qualifying driver Ozz Negri could start the race, the MSR Ligier JSP2 Honda quickly worked through the PC class entries in the opening laps. Continue reading Contact Dents Honda, Michael Shank Racing Effort in Texas →

Global Rally Cross, Honda Racing

Olsbergs MSE, Honda Capture First Red Bull GRC Double-Podium Result

Olsbergs MSE, Honda Capture First Red Bull GRC Double-Podium Result

• Sebastian Eriksson and Joni Wiman Finish Second and Third
• First Double-Podium Result in Manufacturer’s Inaugural Year in Red Bull GRC
• Eriksson’s Fourth Podium Result, Highest Finish of the Season (Second Place)

SEATTLE, WA. (September 17, 2016) – For the first time in the manufacturer’s history, Honda Olsbergs MSE drivers Sebastian Eriksson and Joni Wiman captured a double-podium finish in Red Bull Global Rallycross competition on Saturday at Evergreen Speedway. With the result, Honda has now tallied five podium finishes in its inaugural season in Red Bull GRC.

After enduring the rain and mud-soaked conditions, Eriksson piloted his No. 93 Honda Red Bull OMSE Civic Coupe to a second-place finish, while his teammate, Wiman, finished third. Both drivers displayed superb car control through the difficult circumstances. Eriksson’s inside starting position on the middle of the front row and Wiman’s, on the inside of the third row, proved to be the edge the team needed to secure the second and third positions through the hole shot. Continue reading Olsbergs MSE, Honda Capture First Red Bull GRC Double-Podium Result →

Honda Racing

Rahal, Hunter-Reay Head Honda Qualifying at Sonoma

Rahal, Hunter-Reay Head Honda Qualifying at Sonoma
• Rahal to start fifth in best qualifying result of 2016
• Hunter-Reay posts fifth top-six qualifying run of the season
• Sonoma Raceway weekend wraps up 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season

Honda’s Graham Rahal and Ryan Hunter-Reay both advanced to the final round of Verizon IndyCar Series “knockout” qualifying Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, with Rahal recording his top qualifying performance of the season to start Sunday’s season-finale fifth.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, fourth-quickest in Friday’s practice sessions, will start sixth, with his Andretti Autosport teammate, Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi, qualifying eighth after advancing to the second round. The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda of Mikhail Aleshin also made it to second-round qualifying and will start 11th.

Sunday’s 85-lap Indy car season finale starts at 6:30 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

GRAHAM RAHAL (#15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): “It was a really solid end to the day for the Steak ‘n Shake team. We have had to work very hard to get ourselves into a good [starting] spot. I don’t think any session was smooth for us, but to come out of qualifying as the top Honda is something that makes us very proud. We’re fifth, and have [just] four Penskes ahead of us. My guys have worked very hard; we’re the little team that can. Tomorrow, hopefully, we can get a victory. It would mean a lot to end the season strong. Obviously we’ve got championship contenders in front of us, and we’ve got to be smart about what we’re doing tomorrow. But we’re here to win. I’m not going to sit around and wait for someone else to do it. We just have to have a good, solid race.”

Uncategorized

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Sonoma Post Qualifying

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
GOPRO GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA
SONOMA RACEWAY, SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
TEAM CHEVY POST QUALIFYING RECAP
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Simon Pagenaud Puts Chevy on the Pole at Sonoma; Championship Contender Will Power will start Fourth

· Top four qualifiers in Firestone Fast Six are drivers of the Chevrolet IndyCar Aero Kit with integrated 2.2 liter V6 twin turbocharged direct injected engine
· A total of 11 Team Chevy drivers will start the season finale on Sunday
· Team Penske Chevrolet teammates Simon Pagenaud and Will Power head into Sunday’s race for the Verizon IndyCar Series contending for the championship
· Chevrolet drivers currently occupy top-six positions in points Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Sonoma Post Qualifying →