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Simon Pagenaud wins Sonoma, 1st IndyCar title in banner Penske year

Dave Furst talked with IndyCar Series champion Pagenaud on Sunday.

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El piloto francés Simon Pagenaud saluda durante las presenctaciones antes del inicio de la carrera del serial IndyCar en Sonoma, California, el domingo 18 de septiembre de 2016.

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) – Simon Pagenaud gave Roger Penske an IndyCar championship to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the most storied organization in motorsports.

After what was widely perceived as a disappointing first year with Team Penske in 2015, when he failed to win a race and finished 11th in the standings, Pagenaud performed at a high level from the start of the 2016 campaign.

Pagenaud only needed a smooth race to put a wrap on this breakthrough season.

He eventually finished in 20th, eight laps off the pace, with Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) second ahead of Juan-Pablo Montoya (Team Penske). Dixon won the race, which is worth double points, and tied Montoya in the final standings.

With a 44-point cushion over Power to start the race, it was going to take something going drastically wrong for Pagenaud to miss out on his first IndyCar title.

“That was a strong run and I take my hat off to the entire team”, said Penske. “When I saw he was slowing down, I have to say it was a relief”. I went into ‘14, ‘Im not going to win a championship, so who cares? Power has won the pole five of the last six years and is a three time victor in Sonoma, claiming victory in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Pagenaud, who was partnered earlier Saturday with sponsor Menards for 1 races next year, has easily outpaced teammate Power all weekend. I started racing at age seven and my whole career has been getting to this moment.

“They provide you the best equipment out there”, Pagenaud said.

Power must finish in the top five to have any hope of overtaking Pagenaud. It’s going to be a great day on Sunday for Team Penske and we want to end the season right: “with a win”.

Helio Castroneves finished the race in seventh place in the No. 3 Hitachi Chevrolet to wind up third in the championship.

During last week’s IndyCar Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, however, Power’s chance to win the champions’ Astor Cup was in question after he made contact with Charlie Kimball’s vehicle and crashed into the guardrail bordering the track. The Penske team still has another shot: Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano both had top-five finishes Sunday in the opening race of NASCAR’s playoff.

Dixon is trying to maintain a streak of finishing third or better in the standings every year since 2007.

Penske said discussions regarding a fourth auto are ongoing, and that he has not officially decided on bringing back the Colombian.

“Wouldn’t that be nice”, Rossi said after the race.

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Montoya, who was rumored to have run his final race for Team Penske, finished in third, while Ryan Hunter-Reay came home fourth and Indy 500 victor Alexander Rossi rounded out the top five, clinching rookie of the year honors in the process.

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