With his August victory at Infineon Raceway, Marco Andretti gained the distinction of being the youngest winner of a major open-wheel racing event. source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski The reigning Bombardier Rookie of the Year will be all of 20 when the IndyCar Series returns to the scenic road course in 2007. IndyCar Series and Infineon Raceway officials announced that the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County will be held Aug. 26 in conjunction with an Indy Pro Series doubleheader weekend (Aug. 25 and 26). The race on the 12-turn, 2.26-mile course is the fifth road/street circuit announced for the 2007 IndyCar Series schedule, joining St. Petersburg, Fla., (April 1), Watkins Glen International (July 8), the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (July 22) and Belle Isle in Detroit (Sept. 2). "In just two years, Infineon Raceway has become a significant destination for our drivers and teams," said Brian Barnhart, president and chief operating officer of the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series. "We look forward to working with (Infineon Raceway president and general manager) Steve Page and his staff to continue to grow this event and give us a significant presence in the Northern California market." Andretti, who started on the front row, held off Andretti Green Racing teammate Dario Franchitti by 0.6567 of a second in the penultimate event on the 2006 schedule. In Victory Lane, the Indianapolis 500 runner-up was mobbed by family, friends and fans. "He drove well beyond his age, but he has all year," proud grandfather Mario Andretti said. Another Andretti Green Racing teammate, Tony Kanaan, won the inaugural race in August 2005 - the first permanent road course event in the series' history and the first major Indy-style race in 35 years at Infineon Raceway. "The sound of IndyCar Series cars rumbling through the hills has become an instant tradition in the Sonoma Valley," Page said. "We look forward to welcoming the stars of the Indianapolis 500 back to Infineon Raceway next summer."
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