The IZOD IndyCar Series had one practice session Friday afternoon at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma CA. The weather was warm and sunny, with the typical afternoon breeze. Twenty eight drivers took to the IndyCar-specific 12 turn, 2.303-mile road course, in two groups. Eighteen drivers were on course for the first session, and ten in the second group.

This year is the seventh IndyCar race. So far there have been six different winners, and they’re all racing this weekend to become the first repeat victor. They are TONY KANAAN/2005; MARCO ANDRETTI/2006; SCOTT DIXON/2007; HELIO CASTRONEVES/2008; DARIO FRANCHITTI/2009; and WILL POWER/2010.

The shortened IndyCar circuit has a short hairpin in Turn 11, as compared to the big sweeping horseshoe used for NASCAR.

The 28 driver list has a late (temporary?) change. Substitute SIMON for SIMONA. The Swiss female driver, SIMONA DE SILVESTRO/No.78 Nuclear Clean Air Energy HVM Racing has been held up in New York with VISA problems. SIMON PAGENAUD of France received a call from his manager, DERRICK WALKER, in Spain where Pagenaud was Peugeot testing. “Hey, head to the West Coast.” Pagenaud will be in the car until de Silvestro arrives.

De Silvestro tested at Infineon Raceway a couple of weeks ago, and then went home for family time. It was upon returning that the Visa problem occurred.

Pagenaud raced IndyCar twice before this season, both times replacing an injured driver. He’s this year Super Sub, filling in for JUSTIN WILSON at Mid-Ohio and ANA BEATRIZ at Barber Motorsports Park. Wilson suffered back injuries at Mid-Ohio, which has sidelined him for the season, and this weekend the driver is Rookie GIORGIO PANTANO of Italy.

WILL POWER/No.12 Verizon Team Penske has opted to serve out his IndyCar penalty in hours of promotional IndyCar appearances, rather than pay the $30,000 fine. It has yet to be determined what the specifics will be. This was IndyCar’s penalty for Power giving a two-handed salute to Race Control after the New Hampshire race. Power has long since apologized, but the photo went viral and at least several folks on Facebook have adopted the photo as their profile picture.

The fake CHARLIE WHITING tweeted that Power should pay the fine in pennies.

The Americans have the largest presence in the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, with seven drivers. Brazil is next, with four, followed by three from England. Australia has two, and the rest of the drivers are from Canada, China, France 1 or 2, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland 0-1, and Venezuela.