IndyCar driver and best-name-ever Will Power came into the Sonoma Raceway season finale second place in the season championship standings. Those championship hopes ended on lap 36 today. Power’s car ground to a halt out of Turn 7 at Sonoma, unable to shift gears.
Power’s car triggered a full-course yellow flag as the stalled cars had to be pulled out of harm’s way on track.
Championship rival and Team Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud already lapped Power while he was stopped out on track. Unless Pagenaud also runs into trouble or Power finds some kind of miracle, that’s probably the championship right there.
Team Penske president Tim Cindric told NBC Sports that it was the clutch control unit that failed on Power’s car, taking him out of the on-track championship battle.
Sonoma is hot and has been super-brutal on cars so far this weekend. Spencer Pigot also had a gearbox failure shortly after Power’s. Exhaust issues forced Conor Daly to retire as well.
So, congratulations, Simon Pagenaud. Keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll win the season.