Photo Credit: John Cote/IndyCar
Back in the off-season when it was announced that Simon Pagenaud was leaving Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to join Team Penske, thoughts of victory and championship contention immediately came into thought. After all, Pagenaud had placed the small SPM team in the top-five during the 2014 season.
The season started off on a strong note, with Pagenaud posting four top-fives in the first seven races, highlighted by a third place finish at Belle Isle. It seemed as though the pre-season predictions were turning into the truth.
Though despite the pre-season thoughts being so high, the pieces never came together as planned for Pagenaud. A string of six finishes outside of the top-eight during the middle portion of the season, combined with a couple DNFs early in the season, Pagenaud now currently sits 10th in points with no mathematical shot at the championship. Even worse, he has yet to score a victory this season with his best finish being third on two different occasions.
Coming off a pair of top-seven finishes in the last two events, Pagenaud will hope to end his season on a good note this weekend, perhaps scoring the victory that he’s waited all season for. He knows his way around Sonoma, having posted a top-seven finish in his last three appearances on the California road course. He was also solid in practice, posting the sixth quickest lap behind the wheel of the No. 22 Avaya Chevrolet.
“I know we are all going to Sonoma with a heavy heart following the passing of our friend, Justin Wilson,” Pagenaud said coming into the weekend. “The news was a stark reminder that, although we love this sport, it can also be very cruel. I know all of us want to go to Sonoma this weekend and win for Justin because we all know what Indy car racing meant to him. We will all miss his bright smile. My thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family. I hope they are able to find peace in this time.”
