Tag: Go Pro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

Newgarden Injured in the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

Josef Newgarden and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) settled into a progressive march through the pack of the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sunday, but their work was cut short when an incident with Dragon Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais knocked Newgarden out of the race.

On lap 65, Bourdais went off course in front of Newgarden. Bourdais then quickly veered back onto the track in front of Newgarden. The two cars collided sending Newgarden nose-first into the Turn-8 tire wall.

 

Newgarden was assisted from the car by the IndyCar Holmatro Safety Team and taken to the track’s medical center. The rookie driver injured his left index finger and will be evaluated further when he returns home to Indianapolis.

“We had a decent run and were trying to salvage what we could from this weekend in Sonoma,” Newgarden said. “We got an unlucky break with Bourdais when he got in trouble in front of me.

“Unfortunately, Bourdais came right across the track and I had nowhere to go,” Newgarden added. “I kept my hands on the wheel because it happened so fast and that’s when my finger got hurt. It’s the hardest hit I’ve ever had.”

The No. 67 SFHR Angie’s List Dallara/Honda/Firestone car sustained significant damage in the incident.

“Pretty much every body panel, the tub and the engine will need to be repaired,” Mike O’Gara, team manager for SFHR, said. “The first six inches of the tub are basically crushed. Every piece of suspension was damaged, so the car is pretty much a write-off at the moment.”

Newgarden and SFHR were scored in the 23rd position after the incident.

Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske won the GoPro Indy Grand Prix in Sonoma, which was his first win of the 2012 season. Will Power, who led for 57 laps, finished in second.

Dario Franchitti, Rubens Barrichello and Graham Rahal completed the top-five. The race was slowed by two caution periods for a total of 11 laps.

The IZOD IndyCar Series returns to action next weekend for the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT on Sunday, September 2.

SFHR Brings a Mean, Green Driving Machine to Sonoma for Newgarden

The raceway in Sonoma, Calif., is a new animal to tame for IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Josef Newgarden, but he’ll be equipped with a freshly painted mean, green driving machine as he tackles the twists and turns at Sonoma.

Newgarden’s car will become the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing/Angie’s List/Dallara/Honda/Firestone car for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, and the car has been painted green to reflect the brand identity of customer ratings giant Angie’s List.

“It’s always good to have a sponsor on the sidepods, and I’m hoping the new green color will bring us some luck,” Newgarden said. “It kind of looks like a mean, green, driving machine to me.”

The bright green is highly appropriate for the raceway in Sonoma in particular, as the track is known for its efforts to be a green, eco-friendly facility.

The raceway’s environmental initiatives are collectively known as a Sustainable Performance. One program, referred to as “Mowing Green,” may catch Newgarden’s eye as he navigates the track.

As part of the “Mowing Green” program, 3,000 sheep live at the raceway to help maintain the grasses and fire lanes around the facility. Newgarden doesn’t predict he’ll have to share his racing line with any of the raceway’s wooly residents.

“I’m pretty cautious about what I do to impact the environment, and I think it’s cool that the raceway in Sonoma has done so much on that front,” Newgarden said. “When I tested with my car at the raceway last week, I noticed that there was a lot of dirt around the track. Maybe my green car will bring a little brightness to the racing surface.”

Newgarden and the SFHR crew will be on track in Sonoma on Friday, August 24 for IZOD IndyCar Series practice. Qualifications for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma are Saturday, August 25 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The green flag will drop on the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at 4:42 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 26.