As it happened: 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

• 22:16

  Hi all. Who signed me up for this?

• 22:17

  We're ready to watch the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, which is due to get started in about half an hour.

• 22:19

  We're watching live video and timing via http://racecontrol.indycar.com

• 22:20

  Will Power is on pole, with what I assume is his teammate Helio Castroneves behind him.

• 22:20

  In more important news, Simona de Silvestro qualified 11th. Goooo Simona.

• 22:21

  Danica Patrick qualified way down in 23rd, which might as well be last.

• 22:24

  The fans pack in to the grandstands at Sonoma.

• 22:25

  Also, how cool is the word Infineon?

• 22:31

  Comment from Lukeh: To infineon and beyond!

• 22:31

  Who else do we care about? Justin Wilson used to be in F1, right? He's starting 7th.

• 22:31

  Bertrand Baguette had a bit of a test for Renault, if I recall correctly. He's lining up 13th on the grid.

• 22:32

  And everyone's favourite (eh-hem) Sato is in 17th.

• 22:32

  The only people worse than Danica are Milka Duno and Francesco Dracone.

• 22:33

  I can hear the National Anthem. I hope you're all standing.

• 22:34

  Are those cannons??

• 22:36

  Lining up for the start.

• 22:37

  Tweet from @FirestoneRacing: Current track temp is 117 and ambient is 78. Let's go racing! #IndyCar

• 22:42

  I only caught the end of the sentence, but there are 15 pushes lasting 15 seconds each. I'm assuming this is either a) labour or b) an overtake button.

• 22:43

  The drivers have started their engines.

• 22:46

  The commentator reports bad blood between Sato and Patrick. Will they meet out on track?

• 22:47

  The cars are moving, so this must be a formation lap.

• 22:48

  Most people have red sticker tyres, with just a couple on whatever the non-red stickers are.

• 22:48

  It seems as though that means the tyres can be referred to as stickers through the race.

• 22:49

  It's a rolling start, so the chances are I'm going to blink and miss it.

• 22:49 Lap 1

  Race started. I think.

• 22:50 Lap 1

  Accident - Dan Wheldon's car is upside down and he hadn't even got to the start yet.

• 22:52 Lap 1

  Replays show someone his Wheldon from behind. They've righted the car and Dan seems fine. Full course yellows.

• 22:54 Lap 1

  Tweet from @LVI56: Great to see with all that sliding and turning that the driver was ok with the open cockpit #Indycar

• 22:57 Lap 1

  News updates: Milka Duno has been black flagged, whilst also the pit lane has opened.

• 22:58 Lap 3

  Danica appears to be the only one who has pitted, which means she actually is last now.

• 22:59 Lap 3

  Racing again. I think!!

• 23:01 Lap 5

  Sato has overtaken Baguette. I've heard of both of them!!

• 23:02 Lap 6

  Comment from Pat W: It is worth noting the black flag rule is different here. It means 'come in for a penalty', in F1 it means 'go home'

• 23:07 Lap 9

  Driver Positions

  1	Will Power	--
  2	Helio Castroneves	+0.6931
  3	Dario Franchitti	+0.6289
  4	Alex Tagliani	+1.2061
  5	Ryan Briscoe	+0.5478

• 23:08 Lap 11

  Tweet from @RacingBluejay: Come on @simdesilvestro would like to see you have a top 5 today at least :-) #IndyCar

  Currently still in 11th.

• 23:09 Lap 11

  JR Hildebrand has pitted.

• 23:10 Lap 12

  Milka Duno's black flag was due to the team radio not working, rather than driver performance.

• 23:11 Lap 13

  Marco Andretti also pits.

• 23:14 Lap 15

  We've been going for 15 laps and Duno is already four laps behind. She is our Yamamoto.

• 23:15 Lap 16

  Alex Tagliani has fallen back two places - Briscoe and Dixon have passed him.

• 23:16 Lap 16

  Justin Wilson hassling him now, makes the pass, leaving Hunter-Reay to, erm, hunt him.

• 23:17 Lap 18

  Interview with Rob Edwards from Tagliani's team. "Too much understeer at the moment, trying to get him work with the tools in the car to get him back up again."

• 23:18 Lap 18

  Like... a hammer or something?

• 23:18 Lap 18

  Tagliani continuing to fall backwards. At least three cars have just streamed past him.

• 23:19 Lap 19

  Tagliani has a flat tyre. That might explain it.

• 23:20 Lap 19

  Whilst all that was happening, I missed Dario moving up to second over Helio. Lots of names ending in 'o' there.

• 23:22 Lap 21

  Scott Dixon has moved up to fourth past Briscoe as well.

• 23:24 Lap 21

  Briscoe falls behind Justin Wilson as well! Time for an update, I think.

  Driver Positions

  1	Will Power	--
  2	Dario Franchitti	+7.7852
  3	Helio Castroneves	+4.1310
  4	Scott Dixon	+1.5962
  5	Justin Wilson	+1.8190

• 23:24 Lap 22

  Sato may have pitted. Danica has definitely pitted, because that bright green car is the only one I recognise.

• 23:27 Lap 24

  Accident between Silvestro and Matos. They both continue.

• 23:29 Lap 26

  The red sticker tyre things appear to be losing grip all over the place.

• 23:29 Lap 26

  One to Watch

  Power	vs.	Franchitti
  1st	+12.2636s	2nd

• 23:31 Lap 27

  Simona comes into the pits, comes in from 4th, I think.

• 23:32 Lap 28

  Simona spins off on her cold tyres, gets stuck in the run off but manages to save it. She's also under investigation for the hit with Matos.

• 23:33 Lap 29

  My bad, Simona was bumped off track. She's down in 20th now. Boo.

• 23:34 Lap 30

  Comment from RG: Is there anything that hasnt hit or been hit by Simona?

• 23:35 Lap 30

  Tweet from @curtcavin: The decision to pit sooner was good for Marco (2nd) and Hildebrand (third) at this point. Power still leading.

• 23:38 Lap 32

  One of the cars has stopped, and there are yellow flags.

• 23:39 Lap 32

  Full course caution. Duno spun and stalled.

• 23:41 Lap 34

  Lots of cars are pitting under the yellows.

• 23:42 Lap 34

  Comment from Steven Roy: We are just past half distance. Lap 34 of 75

• 23:42 Lap 34

  Simona has pitted again for a new nose. She may be having troubles but at least she didn't stall it.

• 23:43 Lap 35

  Track is clear.

• 23:45 Lap 36

  Danica is up to 14th, as Hideki Mutoh falls back a couple of places.

• 23:47 Lap 37

  Comment from Kate: Wow, Sato is still running!

  11th at the moment.

• 23:48 Lap 38

  Full course caution again, as JR Hildebrand spun off and/or was booted off. (Covered all my options there.)

• 23:48 Lap 38

  Comment from Andrew: These guys don't seem to have this dirty air problem from what I can see. F1 really needs to sort it out.

• 23:50 Lap 39

  Replays show Marco and JR came together, looks like Mr Andretti was a bit over-eager.

• 23:51 Lap 39

  Hildebrand's mechanics are working on the car in the pitlane at the moment.

• 23:51 Lap 40

  They are go, go, go again.

• 23:54 Lap 41

  The yellows have closed the field up considerably.

  Driver Positions

  1	Will Power	--
  2	Ryan Briscoe	+1.1322
  3	Dario Franchitti	+0.6360
  4	Scott Dixon	+0.4465
  5	Helio Castroneves	+0.5182

• 23:54 Lap 41

  No one can get close to Will Power though, can they?

• 23:55 Lap 43

  Interview with JR: "It was a little rough. Got an okay run, tried to brake late, I tried to give him room. I only saw him coming into my sidepod."

• 23:57 Lap 44

  Milka has spun it. Again.

• 23:58 Lap 45

  Tweet from @AllenWedge: Power doesn't need Briscoe to be wide, hes a whole second faster per lap than the Target cars

• 00:02 Lap 47

  Tagliani and de Silvestro both pit.

• 00:03 Lap 48

  Apparently the early stoppers now are gambling on another yellow. It's not that much of a gamble is it?

• 00:04 Lap 49

  Sato pits, and is held up a little, but he's away.

• 00:05 Lap 49

  Patrick and Mutoh pit.

• 00:06 Lap 50

  Matos and Lloyd have also stopped for the final time as well.

• 00:07 Lap 51

  And Tony Kanaan. Who's left?

• 00:08 Lap 52

  Ahh, everyone else was saving it to come in together.

• 00:09 Lap 52

  Just the top five left to pit now.

• 00:10 Lap 53

  Rahal and Wilson pit.

• 00:10 Lap 53

  Tony Kanaan has passed Hunter-Reay.

• 00:11 Lap 54

  Dario pits from second.

• 00:11 Lap 54

  Mutoh and Tagliani collided, but both appear to have continued.

• 00:12 Lap 55

  The front two runners - Power and Dixon - are the two left to pit.

• 00:13 Lap 55

  Simona has passed Mario Moraes for 16th position.

• 00:13 Lap 56

  Will Power has finally pitted, whilst Scott Dixon stays out to take the lead temporarily.

• 00:15 Lap 57

  Backmarker watch: Dracone and Viso are 1 lap down, Duno is 6 laps down, Hildebrand and Wheldon retired.

• 00:15 Lap 57

  Dixon becomes the last man to come in for his final stop.

• 00:18 Lap 59

  Comment from Pat W: Power is on reds, but they could go off before the end and allow Dario on blacks to catch him....

• 00:20 Lap 61

  Will Power's final stop.

• 00:22 Lap 62

  At last count, Franchitti has 14 overtakes left, and Dixon has 11. They started with 15, so they're not using them much!

• 00:22 Lap 62

  Dixon has moved up to second place.

• 00:25 Lap 64

  Sato took a bit of a dusty shortcut round a corner there.

• 00:27 Lap 65

  Ten laps to go.

  Driver Positions

  1	Will Power	--
  2	Scott Dixon	+3.4645
  3	Dario Franchitti	+3.4727
  4	Ryan Briscoe	+4.1717
  5	Helio Castroneves	+1.2595

• 00:27 Lap 66

  Accident between Baguette and Matos. Full course caution.

• 00:27 Lap 66

  Baguette is out of the car, race over.

• 00:29 Lap 66

  Looks like Viso was involved as well, but they are both continuing onwards.

• 00:32 Lap 68

  Tagliani and Matos have pitted, still under yellows.

• 00:33 Lap 68

  Matos' car has been shut off, he's out of the race.

• 00:34 Lap 69

  Track is clear.

• 00:34 Lap 69

  Scott Dixon is so close behind Will Power, but it looks like Power can keep the lead.

• 00:35 Lap 69

  Dixon pulls alongside to make an attempt, but falls back.

• 00:35 Lap 70

  Hideki Mutoh has spun it, local yellows at the moment.

• 00:36 Lap 70

  Mutoh's car is pushed out the way and gets going again, and as the pack reach them, the Safety truck is still straddling the track.

• 00:37 Lap 71

  Comment from RG: The one time they don't use the full course the probably should have?

• 00:38 Lap 72

  One to Watch

  Power	vs.	Dixon
  1st	+0.6853s	2nd

• 00:39 Lap 73

  Sato and Patrick have made contact and run side by side, bits of bodywork flying everywhere. That bad blood isn't going to get any better.

• 00:40 Lap 73

  Team radio from Patrick: "That stupid ### did it on purpose."

• 00:41 Lap 74

  Power leads for the final lap.

• 00:42 Lap 75

  Will Power wins the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma!

• 00:43 Lap 75

  It looks like Dracone stalled out on track, whilst Patrick limps to the finish with the front wing hanging off.

• 00:44

  Will Power does some donuts. He might be a bit happy.

• 00:46

  The top ten.

  Driver Positions

  1	Will Power	--
  2	Scott Dixon	+0.7432
  3	Dario Franchitti	+5.8700
  4	Ryan Briscoe	+1.2475
  5	Helio Castroneves	+2.5987
  6	Justin Wilson	+0.4501
  7	Tony Kanaan	+0.6151
  8	Ryan Hunter-Reay	+0.3692
  9	Graham Rahal	+5.6081
  10	Alex Lloyd	+0.7050

• 00:46

  Apparently the whole field get points, but I refuse to write all those names.

• 00:48

  Thanks to everyone for joining us today. Great fun had by all (except maybe Danica. And Bertrand. And JR. You get the idea.)

• 00:49

  I'm not promising when we'll be back, but I suspect it will be soon!