The Indy car series hit the quite unique circuit of Sonoma, sadly the racing was not very exciting as the track was to race. The elevation changes and short layout created a good challenge to the drivers. It was once again Max Hamelink who secured pole for Vermin Racing Team setting a new track record in the process, looking unstoppable in this car. As the race rolled off on it's start, Richard Tippet made a brave move on Ciprian Stoian, with the back end just stepping out slightly and making light contact but no issues for either car. With the tyres cold, it was a struggle to get the car to stick to the track and Richard lost the position a couple of corners later. Alex Cochrane who had put the sole Triple Eight into 5th in qualifying struggled at the chicane to keep his car on the tarmac, doing some minor damage to his car early on in the race and dropping down the order.
Max would had been setting lightening pace up front had some issues with his hardware which forced him into retirement from the lead and ending his run of wins. Nick Wu inherited the lead being closely followed by Dave Southword. Richard had lost another position to Tim Draper due to a couple of mistakes, Richard let Draper take the position instead of fighting him and killing his tyres. As the tyres started to come alive for Richard he began to catch Draper who in turn was catching Stoian. Behind Richard, Alex was catching all 3. Richard's soft tyres suddenly dropped off a cliff in performance and he decided to pit early fitting the hard option then could not match his previous lap times being over a second off and down in 8th. Alex's strategy would see him jump past Draper and Stoian, into 3rd with Marc DeGras running 4th until quite late in the race when he was forced to retire Richard managed to clinch 6th by the time the race was over but well behind 5th. With Southword making the most of Max's bad luck and winning the race.
Watch the race replay here:
Next it's . Long Beach
Tippet
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