Another slow start for the sunshine at Sonoma for the second day of the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. In addition to the featured 85-lap IZOD IndyCar race on Sunday, there are other races with the Pirelli World Challenge Sports Car Wars and the Formula Car Challenge. Formula Cars were first out Saturday morning, ahead of the second IndyCar practice mid-morning. By then the sun woke up.
But there was a lot more bustle in the paddock Saturday morning, and over in the Fan Zone, the first of two Driver Autograph sessions took place. Four of the group somehow landed on the stage, led by the ever-verbal and verbose JAMES HINCHCLIFFE/Andretti Autosport Chevrolet. He roped in JOSEF NEWGARDEN/ Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda, GRAHAM RAHAL/Service Central Chevrolet, and TAKUMO SATO/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda. He led an all-male version of Boys Just Want To Have Fun. Lots of light-hearted verbal, funny, and crowd-pleasing banter. Always with the words, that Hinch. He got to use his favorite – to-ing and fro-ing again. It was deja-vu again, after Hinch’s comedy routines with teammate RYAN HUNTER-REAY Friday afternoon. Saturday morning Hinch honed in on Newgarden – the new kid on the block. Young Josef handed it right back.
The drivers are loosening up, or at least many of them. DARIO FRANCHITTI/Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda is still wearing his serious face. But, for many, the relaxed jocularity is becoming more evident in media conferences, and spilling over to Autograph Sessions. Saturday morning, there was a lot of joking around and hilarity among the teammates and their rivals. It was good to see the usual reserved WILL POWER/Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet just cracking up with teammates HELIO CASTRONEVES and RYAN BRISCOE.
The drivers were certainly loosened up prior to their hour-long practice session which followed the morning’s fun-fest.