Sonoma Raceway Notes: Alexander Rossi's title hopes ended early in Sonoma

It was a wrap for Alexander Rossi's IndyCar title hopes almost immediately after the green flag dropped for the Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sunday.

As the field took the green flag on the front stretch, the Nevada City native Rossi made contact attempting to pass his teammate Marco Andretti on the inside of Turn 1. The collision damaged Rossi's wing and forced him to make an early pit stop, and forcing him to the back of the field, all but clinching the title for Scott Dixon.

Rossi rebounded to finish seventh, but Dixon's second-place finish was more than enough for his fifth IndyCar championship.

The race was the IndyCar series' final at the raceway for the foreseeable future, as the series departs for the Laguna Seca Raceway.

Noteworthy track events

Since the three major dates on the Sonoma Raceway schedule have finished for the 2018 season, other smaller series and events will be keeping the track busy.

The Classic Sports Racing Group will be competing at the raceway in a few weeks, on Saturday, Oct. 6 and Sunday, Oct. 7. A few weeks after that, the Sports Car Club of America will host its National Championship runoffs from Tuesday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 21. The 24 Hours of Lemons will be run on Saturday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2.

For more information on the full slate of events scheduled at the track for the rest of the year, visit www.sonomaraceway.com/events/complete-schedule.

Drag results

Santa Rosa's Tom Johnson was the lone Sonoma County winner in this week's edition of Wednesday Night Drags.

Johnson raced his 1970 Chevrolet Camaro to a little more than one-second victory against Sebastopol's Tom Taggart in a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle Concours station wagon.

Penngrove's Dan Millikin finished second in the street division in his 2012 Dodge Challenger vs. Napa's Steve Ball in a 2001 Ford Mustang after Millikin's slow reaction to the starting light.

Wednesday nights at the track

The Wednesday Night Drags program runs almost every Wednesday. Currently in its 29th year, it runs from March 15-Nov. 8. Fans can race their vehicles down the quarter-mile drag strip in a controlled-environment away from city streets. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Competitors must have a driver's license to compete, their car must pass a technical inspection and all vehicles must have mufflers. Up to 300 cars are allowed to enter.

Running alongside the drags will be Sonoma Drift, where pros and amateurs can swing wheels to perfect their drifting techniques. Speed is secondary as competitors are judged on the style and execution of their drift through a marked course in the raceway's paddock.Cars must pass a technical inspection before being allowed to drift.

Drifting starts at 4 p.m. Drivers can pre-register for $40 or pay $50 at the gate. Spectators can watch for $10. For more information on dates Wednesday Nights Drags will be running at the raceway, visit sonomaraceway.com.