Simon Pagenaud wasn’t about to let up, even with a generous lead in the Verizon IndyCar Series championship heading into the last race of 2016, the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.
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Simon Pagenaud, of France, leads cars through Turn 2 at the start of an IndyCar auto race Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, in Sonoma, Calif. Helio Castroneves (3), of Brazil, follows Pagenaud.
But nothing went as planned at Sonoma Raceway, where Team Penske choked away the title to Scott Dixon and Chip Ganassi Racing.
He pretty much clinched the title when the only other title contender, Team Penske teammate Will Power, suffered a clutch control unit malfunction on Lap 38 and fell eight laps off the pace while his auto was fixed in the pits.
Pagenaud has led the points standings for the entire season with Power making a late-season charge for the title.
A victory from pole position saw Simon Pagenaud wrap up the IndyCar championship as mechanical issues ended Will Power’s challenge. The Penske team went 1-2-3 in the final series standings, the first team to do so since another Penske trio pulled off the sweep in 1994.
PENSKE POWER: This has been a very strong year for the Penske organization, with the combination of Pagenaud, Power and Montoya winning 10 of the 16 races and 11 poles. “After what happened here last year, it’s a lot easier to leave here 1-2-3 than the way it turned out last year for sure”.
“I’ve had much more frustrating ends to a season than this, I can promise you”, Power said.
Pagenaud led Sunday’s season-ending race for 76 of its 85 laps, amassing an individual points total of 659, well out of the reach of runner-up Will Power, who finished the 16-week season with 532 points.
Power has been climbing out of that early hole all year, and both Penske drivers have won four races. “I thought at one point it was best I salvage a second place rather than do something stupid”.
“It has been an incredible journey”, Pagenaud said.
“That’s one thing that I’ve been doing pretty well this year, just trying to keep my emotions at a very steady level, without trying to go insane on the radio saying, ‘Wow, we’re the champions.’ I kept it cool”.
Without a functioning clutch, Will Power lost his chance to win another Verizon IndyCar Series championship Sunday. Its great for Team Penske to win, but I do want to get this title.
GOODBYE TARGET: Scott Dixon didn’t give sponsor Target the send-off it had hoped after 27 years in IndyCar.
Dixon is trying to maintain a streak of finishing third or better in the standings every year since 2007.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Alexander Rossi finished fifth on Sunday to lock up top rookie honors for the IndyCar season. It provided a bookend to the season since the Penske foursome accomplished the same feat in qualifying at the season opener, the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg.
Penske said discussions regarding a fourth vehicle are ongoing, and that he has not officially decided on bringing back the Colombian. Rossi had just one podium all year.
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When it was clear Power was out of the race and out of contention for the title, he said he tried to stay calm.
