Josef Newgarden became the 2017 IndyCar Series champion with a second place finish at Sonoma; with Team Penske team-mate Simon Pagenaud winning the final race of the season. Newgarden led the first stint of the race from pole, but was demoted a position when Pagenaud starting P3 undercut him on pit strategy.
Once ahead Pagenaud pulled away quickly, as championship contenders occupied the top five positions in the race. The Frenchman using push-to-pass, was out of sync on pit strategy, and he made his second pitstop at the end of Lap 30.
This elevated Newgarden back to the lead, whilst being chased by Penske team-mates Will Power and Helio Castroneves and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon.
For the first time in the race’s history 13 year history, the 85-lap race went caution-less. The race came down to whether Pagenaud could overcome the extra time spent in the pits on his four stop strategy to beat Newgarden on the three stop approach.
Newgarden made his final stop from the lead on Lap 62. This released Pagenaud, who was in second place, into fresh air and he set the race’s fastest lap before pitting two laps later and emerging just ahead of the championship leader.
With all stops complete this meant Pagenaud just had to hold off his team-mate, and they spent the remaining 20 laps separated by more than two seconds.
The closest Newgarden got to reclaiming the lead was on Pagenaud’s out lap. The Tennessean almost capitalised on the Frenchman’s cold tyres when he got alongside at the Turn 7 hairpin. Newgarden was already saving fuel; and his decision not to use push-to-pass meant that Pagenaud had extra traction to stay ahead and take his second win of the season.
By finishing second, Newgarden clinched his first championship; doing so in his first season at Team Penske, who took their 15th title triumph. He also became the youngest title-winner since Jacques Villienevue in 1995.
“It’s a dream come true; it’s too awesome,” was the 2017 champion’s summary after the race. “All year, it’s taken a lot to make this happen. Thank you to my team-mates, they were giving me a lot of help today. It’s a huge team effort.”
Power finished third, ahead of Dixon and Castroneves in a quiet afternoon for the trio. The most notable moment of their races was when Castroneves had difficulty lapping IndyCar debutant Zachary Claman De Melo.
As a result Dixon took third in the standings behind Pagenaud, with Castroneves and Power completing the top five. Graham Rahal finished sixth, ahead of Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Sebastien Bourdais and Conor Daly.
Bourdais, returning from injuries sustained in Indianapolis 500 qualifying; drove strongly at the physically difficult Sonoma Raceway and was disappointed by a P9 finish. Andretti Autosport drivers, Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato both had their races ruined by engine issues.
This had no bearing on the championship however, with Rahal securing sixth ahead of Rossi, Indy 500 winner Sato, Hunter-Reay and Tony Kanaan, who ended his stint with Chip Ganassi Racing in 16th place.
GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma Box Score
