IndyCar GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma 2014

IndyCar GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma 2014 Photos and Stories.

Photos and story provided by David Grube Contact Photographer for Information.

IndyCar GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma 2014

Verizon IndyCar Series
2014-08-22 - 2014-08-24 Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California, US

Scott Dixon wins the 2014 Grand Prix of Sonoma

Favorites going into the race were Will Power and Helio Castroneves, but did not master the difficult Sonoma course. Power led the most laps at 33 but failed to lead at the flag, the one lap that is the most important. Helio faded back to 18th as a result of a first lap contact. Power, the Verizon IndyCar Series championship leader however extended his points to remain in first place in the series.

The Sonoma Raceway is located within the famous wine country of the Napa/Sonoma Valleys. Early Sunday morning the Napa Valley was shaken hard with a 6.0 earthquake that did considerable damage to the towns of Napa and Vallejo and the general area.

The Team Penske of Power, Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya had to evacuate their Napa hotel after the 3:20 a.m. jolt. When they couldn't return to their rooms, they came to the track. No one was injured.

Will Power: "I thought it was all over, the end of the earth that was really unbelievable. I thought I was going to die."

Hunter-Reay and Pagenaud were in motor homes parked up the hill from the Sonoma track on the Raceway property.

Pagenaud: "I actually went outside in my underwear and checked how far the cliff was because I thought we were going to tumble down."

Hunter-Reay: "This was pretty wild being in a bus it felt like it was going to tip over. And we were right on the cliff. In my head I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, we're going over the cliff.' "

However the Sonoma Raceway just miles away from the center of the quake reported no damage and the race was on.

Near the last laps of the 85-lap race, Dixon was running fourth and good on fuel. The cars in front of him had to pit as fuel became part of the ongoing strategy, leaving Dixon a clear shot at the finish line on lap 83.

Power who was dominant in the early laps spun-out in the tight Turn 7 and fell to the back of the field finishing in 10th.

Scott Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Simon Pagenaud
Image Credit: C. Monahan, Photo Courtesy of Sonoma Media

Sebastian Saavedra, getting ready

Julia Ballario
Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires
1st- Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing; 2nd- Neil Alberico Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing; 3rd- Scott Hargrove Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing

Shelby Blackstock

Bobby Eberle(E)

Dalton (R) Kellett

Dodge Viper SRT V-10
Pirelli World Challenge

V8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4s

Lamborghini

Ferrari 458 Scuderia Corsa car

Ford Mustang