Racing in Wine Country

I’m standing on the outside of turn 8, a fast tremendously fast complex of corners that pushes the car to it’s aerodynamic limits. The DW12 Indycar chassis is literally dancing through this spot on the brown and dusty Sonoma raceway.

Ryan Briscoe is hitting nearly 140 miles per hour through it as he throws the wheel left then right. I’ve seen a lot of car racing around the world, but rarely have I seen something as spectacular as that section of track and those cars on the limit. Watching the drivers aim for a spot, hoping the car would turn in…and then stick….as they bottom out before hitting the crest of a small hill making the car go nearly weightless and press on faster and faster down the race track and out of sight again. You cannot help but be impressed. Minus the sheer lack of noise they make, the Indycars zipping around Sonoma are truly a spectacular sight.

Known as Sears Point, Infineon, and most recently Sonoma Raceway, this small winding and undulating track sitting quietly in the heart of wine country, is one that is well known for producing spectacular racing. With several drivers mathematically in contention for the series championship, the action was bound to be dramatic. And it didn’t disappoint.

The Indycar circus heads to Baltimore next week for the penultimate round of the season. And if the race has been anything like the last few, we might have a really tense championship battle on our hands in three weeks time at Fontana. Enjoy the photos from Sonoma!