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IndyCar Series, FIA World Touring final Sonoma Raceway events

Indy car, course test session free to fans next Friday; ticket package

There are two major events remaining on Sonoma Raceway’s 2012 Big O Tires schedule, while the popular Wednesday Night Drags series continues.

The first of the two final major-event weekends at Sonoma Raceway is at the end of the month, Aug. 24 to 26, when the IZOD IndyCar Series, featuring the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, comes to the Valley.

Back in February, the new IndyCar was introduced and tested, with the event becoming the highest-attended test session in the Valley raceway’s history.

Another test session, again free to racing fans, will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sonoma Raceway next Friday, Aug. 17, with several teams from the IZOD IndyCar Series headed to the Valley to test the newly modified road course layout, which features changes to Turns 7, 9 and 11 designed to enhance passing. 

Teams and drivers slated for the test include Team Penske – Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves and Will Power; Andretti Autosport – Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe Ryan Hunter-Reay and Sebastian Saavedra; Target Chip Ganassi Racing – Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti; Chip Ganassi Racing – Charlie Kimball and Graham Rahal; A.J. Foyt Racing – Mike Conway; Dragon Racing – Sebastien Bourdais and Katherine Legge; Ed Carpenter Racing – Ed Carpenter; Panther Racing – JR Hildebrand; Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing – Oriol Servia; Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing – Takuma Sato; Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing – Josef Newgarden; and Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports – Simon Pagenaud.

Race fans are invited to watch the test session and enjoy the open paddock, and are also invited to attend a press conference with the drivers during the lunch break. The Raceway Café will also be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch. 

Sonoma Raceway is offering a number of ticket packages at the test session, including the Brasil IT+ Total Access package, which includes race-day reserved ticket, garage pass, pre-race pit and track pass, plus race-day question-and-answer session with star drivers Tony Kanaan and Rubens Barrichello for $99.

The Valley raceway will also offer guided pit tours for fans who purchase race tickets at the test or have already purchased a race-weekend ticket. For more information, visit racesonoma.com/indycar or call 800-870-7223.

 

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The final major racing event at Sonoma Raceway will be the new FIA World Touring Car Championship, with its first-ever race on American soil slated for Sept. 21 through 23, and will be highlighted by two 30-minute sprint races on Sunday, Sept. 23. Manufacturers include BMW, Chevrolet, SEAT and Volvo.

 

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The 24th season of Wednesday Night Drags on Sonoma Raceway’s world-famous drag strip will run every Wednesday evening through Nov. 14, along with the motorsport of drifting, and the equally popular “Top the Cops” program.

“Top the Cops” is designed to help take illegal racing off the streets and bring it to a safe, legal and controlled environment, allowing high school students the opportunity to drag race against law enforcement officers, who will be driving their squad cars.

 

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To purchase special ticket packages and individual or weekend tickets for the Indy Grand Prix weekend, for Wednesday Night Drags details, or for general Sonoma Raceway information, call 800-870-RACE (7223), or visit www.infineonraceway.com/tickets, or www.ticketmaster.com. Camping is also available for all major events.

 

SONOMA RACEWAY 2012 MAJOR EVENTS

 

Aug. 24 to 26: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend

Sept. 21 to 23: FIA World Touring Car Championship