Dixon sets fastest unofficial lap in Sonoma test

The last test of the 2018 IndyCar season was completed under warm and windy skies on Thursday at Sonoma Raceway.

Championship leader Scott Dixon set the fastest unofficial lap in the quicker afternoon session (1m18.64s) in his No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The rest of the top five had Andretti Autosport’s Marco Andretti (1m18.65s), Dixon’s title rival Alexander Rossi (1m18.78s), Ryan Hunter-Reay (1m18.87s), and Dale Coyne Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais (1m18.87s) within a tight window.

Andretti’s Zach Veach, Coyne’s Pietro Fittipaldi and Santino Ferrucci, Carlin Racing’s Max Chilton and Charlie Kimball, Ganassi’s Ed Jones, and Harding Racing’s Colton Herta completed the testing field.

The only significant incident of the day belonged to Herta who, on a set of sticker tires late in the day with the intent to complete a qualifying simulation, went off at Turn 2 and buckled the left-front suspension on his No. 8 Harding Chevy. Herta was uninjured in the crash, and the car appeared to be easily repairable in time for Friday morning’s 11 a.m. practice session.