Sonoma Raceway, site of yesterday's season-ending Verizon IndyCar Series GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, "is tracking toward a move back in the calendar to host its second championship-deciding battle" in '16, according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Both track and series leadership "confirmed intentions" this past weekend. Track President Steve Page said that he "likes the stature of being the season finale and recognizes this picturesque wine country region north" of S.F. as a destination site for IndyCar supporters. He said that discussions "center on mid-September." IndyCar has "already committed" to being in Boston for a street race Sept. 2-4, '16. Moving the finale to September "is part of IndyCar's desire to spread its season over a longer period." By having next year's St. Petersburg Grand Prix "move forward two weeks -- it will be March 11-13, 2016 -- the series will be assured of being at least a month longer, and it's possible to have another event on the front end of the schedule." Another advantage for Sonoma "is its West Coast clock." Yesterday's race started at 5:00pm ET, "a good time slot for television viewers" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/30). Meanwhile, RACER.com's Robin Miller reported it is still "undecided" whether Pocono Raceway will return to next year's schedule. Track President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky: "I don't know yet. Our goal was to have five major events a year and we want to continue with IndyCar and the August date is perfect if they do come back. But attendance was slightly under what we drew in 2014, so we'll have to look at all the numbers and make a decision pretty quick. We don't want to hold IndyCar up on announcing its schedule." Miller noted like Pocono, Milwaukee Mile "is also a question mark to return" in '16, and with Auto Club Speedway dropped from the '16 slate, IndyCar "could be down to three ovals" -- Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway -- next year (RACER.com, 8/30).
HONORING WILSON: In California, Phil Barber notes the backdrop of yesterday's race "was the death" of driver Justin Wilson the week before at Pocono. Wilson "was exceptionally popular among IndyCar drivers, and Sunday was the first opportunity the series had to honor him." Because Wilson was British, the Union Jack flag "flew from a camera tower in front of the grandstand, sky-writing pilots painted '25' -- the number on Wilson’s car -- in the Carneros sky, and the prerace ceremony included a video tribute, a moment of silence and a rendition of 'God Save the Queen.'" Veteran driver Oriol Servia "piloted the No. 25 car, by request of Wilson’s family" and finished 12th (Santa Rosa PRESS DEMOCRAT, 8/31). In N.Y., Jerry Garrett notes the IndyCar community "has at least a seven-month layoff before the still-coalescing 2016 season begins -- and a relatively long time to contemplate the future of a sport that seems ruinously expensive, dangerously fast and often racked by controversy" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/31).
