Infineon Raceway Sears Point unification statement

Infineon Raceway Reaction to IndyCar Series-Champ Car World Series Unification Announcement

SONOMA, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2008) -- Infineon Raceway will welcome a unified open-wheel series for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County, Aug. 22-24. The Sonoma Valley event will continue on its scheduled date as part of the unification announced today by the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series.

Infineon Raceway President and General Manager Steve Page offered his reaction to the unification news:

GENERAL REACTION: "This is tremendous news and we applaud the determination and perseverance of everyone who helped make it happen. It is the first and most important step to solidifying Indy car's standing in the elite tier of American motor racing.

"This agreement will bring a new burst of energy into the sport and no doubt open the door to new teams, new drivers and new sponsors who've been reluctant to jump in the prior environment."

HOW IT AFFECTS THE FANS: "For fans of open-wheel racing this ends more than a decade of frustration and divided loyalties. They can look forward to events with confidence that all of the top teams and drivers will be competing on the same track."

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE RACE IN AUGUST? "We're still waiting to learn all the details of the agreement, but certainly we're looking forward to a full grid of drivers and teams, with the chance to see all of the top stars like Paul Tracy, Helio Castroneves and Danica Patrick squaring off on our road course. We'll also have the chance to see new rivalries unfold among the next generation of drivers like Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal. It will be a landmark event."

-credit: irsp