SONOMA, California -- Heavy rains canceled testing on Tuesday at Infineon Raceway as sports cars from the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series were hoping to traverse the twisting 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course for the very first time.
The Grand-Am Series will compete in the Sonoma Valley for the first time since its inception in 2000 during the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend, Aug. 25-27. The doubleheader weekend will also feature the Indy Racing League and defending Sonoma champion Tony Kanaan (Andretti Green Racing).
Ten drivers from seven different teams made the trek to the Sonoma Valley after this past race weekend in Long Beach, but all they could do on Tuesday was watch the rain. The forecast calls for a break in the rain on Wednesday as crews hope to get in at least one day of testing.
Scott Pruett, who teamed with co-driver Luis Diaz to win last weekend’s Crown Royal Grand American Challenge of Long Beach, should have an advantage when the Grand-Am Series returns in August; he has competed at Infineon Raceway in a variety of series, including the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, where he finished third in Sonoma in 2004. He is from nearby Auburn and leads the premier Daytona Prototype driver standings after four events, along with Diaz.
“The big thing is that these cars have never been on this track and we need to learn what it takes to make them as good as we can,” said Pruett, who drives the No. 01 CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley. “This track is one where you especially need very good shock control, with the hills and crests and things like that. It will be the most demanding track we race on.”
In addition to Pruett and Diaz, other teams at the two-day test are: Matt Alhadeff and Bill Auberlen (No. 05 Sigalsport BMW M3); Mike Borkowski (No. 6 Graydon Elliott Capital/Mears Motor Coach Lexus Riley); Milka Duno (No. 7 CITGO/SAMAX Pontiac Riley); Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson (No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Lexus Riley); Alamo’s Greg Pickett (No. 31 Xcyto Pontiac Riley); and Andy Wallace (No. 4 Howard-Boss Pontiac Crawford).
Testing will take place at Infineon Raceway on Wednesday from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Pacific). Admission is free for race fans, and drivers will be available to the media from noon-1 p.m.
PICKETT TO RACE IN SONOMA: Alamo’s Greg Pickett has confirmed that he will team with IRL driver Scott Sharp, who is also his son-in-law, in the Grand-Am race in Sonoma in August. Pickett, who has won two Trans-Am races in Sonoma, will pilot the No. 31 Xcyto Pontiac. Xcyto is an energy drink produced by CytoSport Inc, which is based in Benicia (Northern California) and was founded by Pickett.
