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Grand Prix of Sonoma County Preview

Oct 25, 2008 - 10:21 AM

August 24, 2008
Infineon Raceway
Sonoma, California
Race 15 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season

TV: ESPN2, 5:30 p.m. EDT

Length: 80 laps
Race length: 184 miles
Track length: 2.26-mile 12-turn road course

Qualifying record: Ryan Briscoe, 108.248 mph, 2005
Race record: Scott Dixon, 98.593 mph, 2007


DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Marco Andretti
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 311 (7th)

Finished third at Kentucky to jump up three spots to seventh in
the standings; finished 25th at Mid-Ohio a week after running 
last at Nashville; was involved in a late-race crash with Ed 
Carpenter and finished 21st at Milwaukee; finished third in the 
92nd Indianapolis 500; was involved in an accident in last 
year's Indy race and wound up 24th; finished 11th in last year's 
IndyCar Series standings; recorded career-best six top-five 
finishes, with best result of second at Iowa and Michigan; 
opened the season by running second at Homestead; was 25th at 
St. Petersburg and 18th at Japan before bouncing back with a 
fifth at Kansas; finished 16th here last year.


Ryan Briscoe
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 350 (5th)

The Australian secured his second career win at Mid-Ohio and 
jumped up to fifth in the standings; remains in fifth after 
running seventh at Kentucky; first career win came at Milwaukee, 
a week after being in the spotlight for wrecking Danica Patrick 
on pit road in the Indianapolis 500; won the pole at Watkins 
Glen and led the most laps before being wrecked by Scott Dixon 
under caution and wound up 12th; started seventh and finished 
fifth in last year's Indianapolis 500 for Luczo Dragon Racing; 
followed up first win by running third at Texas; took over at 
Penske this season for Sam Hornish Jr., who left the IRL for 
NASCAR; finished 21st in 2006 IndyCar standings while driving a 
limited schedule with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; made four starts 
that season, finishing third at Watkins Glen in debut with team; 
finished 19th in 2005 IndyCar standings for Target Chip Ganassi 
Racing; did not race here last year.


Helio Castroneves
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 480 (2nd)

Finished in second for the fourth straight race last week at 
Kentucky and sits second in the standings, 78 points behind 
Scott Dixon; opened the year by finishing fourth at Homestead 
and second in St. Petersburg and Japan; took fourth at Kansas; 
finished fourth in the Indy 500, fifth at Milwaukee and second 
at Texas and Mid-Ohio; finished sixth in the standings last year, 
191 points behind champion Dario Franchitti; captured a 
series-record seven poles last season, but managed to win just 
once - at St. Petersburg; recorded six top fives and 11 top-10 
finishes last season; in 104 career IRL starts, has 12 wins, 
81 top-10s and 24 poles; became the first driver to win the 
Indianapolis 500 two years in a row (2001-02) since Al Unser won 
in 1970 and 1971; is only the fifth driver in Indianapolis 500 
history to win in consecutive appearances; ran second here last 
season.


Scott Dixon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 558 (1st)

Continued his stellar season by winning his sixth race of the
year at Kentucky; became the first driver from New Zealand to 
win the Indy 500; also won at Texas and Nashville; spun under 
caution at Watkins Glen and finished 11th; holds a 78-point lead 
in the standings over Helio Castroneves; opened the season with 
a solid win at Homestead, but had mechanical issues at St. 
Petersburg and finished 22nd; bounced back with thirds in Japan 
and Kansas; ran second to Ryan Briscoe at Milwaukee; finished as 
an unlucky runner-up in the 2007 season, 13 points behind Dario 
Franchitti, after running out of fuel on the final lap of the 
final race; failed to win an unprecedented fourth straight race 
at Michigan when he was involved in a spectacular six-car 
accident that sent Franchitti's car airborne; had four wins last 
season and was a runner-up five times; won at Nashville last 
year after starting on the pole to became the first repeat 
winner there; won this race last year.


Tony Kanaan
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 411 (4th)

Picked up first win on the season at Richmond; followed with a 
third at Watkins Glen, fourth at Nashville and seventh at 
Mid-Ohio; ran eighth at Kentucky; wrecked during the Indy 500 
and finished 29th, then bounced back to run third at Milwaukee 
and fifth at Texas; ran eighth at Homestead to open the season, 
but rebounded to claim third place at St. Petersburg, fifth at 
Japan and second at Kansas; finished 2007 season strong and 
wound up third in the standings, 61 points behind Dario 
Franchitti; had a series-best five wins last year - at Motegi, 
Milwaukee, Michigan, Kentucky and Belle Isle; started second at 
the Indianapolis 500, but finished a disappointing 12th; 
finished fourth three times - at Watkins Glen, Richmond and 
Mid-Ohio; captured pole at Kansas, yet finished 15th last 
season; won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship; finished 
second in the 2004 Indy 500 to Buddy Rice; finished fourth here 
last season.


Danica Patrick
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 315 (6th)

Has become one of the most recognizable female athletes in the 
United States - especially after winning her first race at Japan
in her 50th start; became the first woman to win a race in a 
major auto racing series; followed by finishing 19th at Kansas 
with mechanical problems; made headlines when pit-road argument 
with Milka Duno at Mid-Ohio was videotaped and plastered over 
the internet; ran a disappointing 18th at Edmonton; started the 
season by running sixth at Homestead and 10th at St. Petersburg; 
finished 22nd in the Indy 500 after a pit road incident with 
Ryan Briscoe; posted a second-place finish at Detroit last year; 
finished seventh in the final standings with four top-fives and 
11 top 10s; started second at Sonoma but finished sixth; was 
involved in an accident and finished 16th at Kentucky; struggled 
to a disappointing seventh-place finish at Michigan; posted her 
second consecutive top-five finish with a fifth place showing at 
Mid-Ohio; took third at Nashville prior to that.


Dan Wheldon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 420 (3rd)

Remained third, nine points ahead of Tony Kanaan after finishing
fifth at Kentucky; ran 17th at Mid-Ohio; finished fourth at 
Texas and Milwaukee after running 12th in the Indianapolis 500; 
kicked off the season by running third at Homestead, 12th at St. 
Petersburg and fourth in Japan; entered the Indy 500 having won 
at Kansas; finished fourth in the final standings last year with 
two wins and a pole at Homestead-Miami; recorded six top fives 
and 11 top-10 finishes; won the 2005 championship with a 
series-record six victories; last year finished out of the top 
five for a six-race stretch prior to Detroit; in 89 career 
starts has 14 wins, 68 top-10s and five poles; finished second 
in the final standings in 2004 and 2006; won the 89th running of 
the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 from 16th starting position; ran 
seventh here last year.


2007 Top 10
-----------
1.  Scott Dixon (9)
2.  Helio Castroneves (3) 
3.  Dario Franchitti (27) 
4.  Tony Kanaan (11)
5.  Sam Hornish Jr. (6)
6.  Danica Patrick (16) 
7.  Dan Wheldon (10) 
8.  Tomas Schekter (2)
9.  Vitor Meira (4) 
10. Kosuke Matsuura (55)


Past Champions
--------------
2007  Scott Dixon, 98.593 mph
2006  Marco Andretti, 93.486 mph 
2005  Tony Kanaan, 91.040 mph