SONOMA, Calif. – This is it. The stage is set for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series champion to be crowned in today’s GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma from Sonoma Raceway.
We know it will be a member of Team Penske, but will it be Simon Pagenaud winning his first title or Will Power taking his second?
Power enters the day trailing Pagenaud by 44 points following qualifying, as Pagenaud won the pole position.
Catch all the action LIVE on NBCSN and the NBC Sports App (stream at indystream.nbcsports.com for participating providers) from 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET following the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.
Leigh Diffey is back in the booth as lead lap-by-lap announcer along analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy.
Kevin Lee will be on pit road with Jon Beekhuis, Katie Hargitt and Robin Miller. Lee will also handle the subsequent championship celebration.
Pagenaud starts from pole, as noted, while Power rolls off fourth for the title showdown.
Additionally, plenty of other potential story lines could present themselves in the 16th and final race of the 2016 season.
Of note, defending Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon signs off his title season and his Chip Ganassi Racing team’s run with Target in IndyCar following a 27-year partnership.
Again, that’s 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET for the IndyCar season finale on NBCSN.