2014 Sonoma Raceway - Indy Lights Series

The Infiniti / Indy Pro Series made its debut in mid-2002 with an inaugural season of seven races run in conjunction with the Indy Car Racing Series. In 2008 the championship was renamed the Firestone Indy Lights Series when Firestone tires became the primary sponsor. The series is the third and final step on the Mazda Road to Indy.

The Mazda Road to Indy is the only driver development program in the world to feature a champion’s scholarship at every level to advance to the next step on the ladder. The Indy Lights champion is awarded a scholarship package of nearly $1 million to assist in the ascent to the IndyCar Series. In addition, to the healthy prize fund, competitors also benefit from television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

In 2014, there were some changes to the series:

Cooper Tires replaced Firestone tires and are now co-branded COOPER/INDY LIGHTS. Also, the series is now called Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires.
Shock absorbers were replaced by the new Dynamic DSSV cartridge type.
Andersen Promotions was appointed the new series administrator, not only for Indy Lights but also for Pro Mazda and USF2000.

The fourteen-race schedule kicked off at Saint Petersburg and concluded in August at Sonoma Raceway.

Saint Petersburg 100 - Streets of St. Petersburg
Long Beach 100 - Long Beach Street Circuit
Legacy Indy Lights 100 - 1 - Barber Motorsports Park
Legacy Indy Lights 100 - 2 - Barber Motorsports Park
Grand Prix Indianapolis - 1 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Grand Prix Indianapolis - 2 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Freedom 100 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Pocono 100 - Pocono Raceway
Grand Prix of Toronto - Exhibition Place, Toronto
Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio - 1 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio - 2 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Milwaukee Mile 100 - Milwaukee Mile
Grand Prix of Sonoma 1 - Sonoma Raceway
Grand Prix of Sonoma 2 - Sonoma Raceway

Drivers compete in the Dallara IPS, designed and manufactured for the Infiniti Pro Series. The open-wheel, single-seat racer is equipped with a ground-effect underbody and outboard wings front and rear. The monocoque chassis is constructed using carbon fiber and composites. The Dallara has a minimum weight of 1,430 pounds, which includes all lubricants and coolants used during the event, but does not include fuel or the driver.

COOPER/INDY LIGHTS racing tires are mounted on 15-inch diameter x 10 front and 15-inch diameter x 14 rear wheels.

The car is powered by a 3.5-liter Infiniti Q45 engine, producing approximately 420 horsepower at 8,200 rpm and can reach speeds of 190 horsepower on superspeedways. The power is transferred to a Ricardo six-forward gear transmission with a sequential shifter.

Three drivers entered the final race weekend with a mathematical chance of winning the 2014 Indy Lights title. Zack Veach was in the running, but it was more likely that the championship would go to Gabby Chaves or Jack Harvey. Harvey, who has been unbeatable lately, swept rounds thirteen and fourteen leaving him tied with Chaves. The first tie-breaker was wins, they both had four and the second was runner-up finishes. Chaves had five second-place finishes, whereas Harvey had one giving this year's crown to Chaves.

The final two rounds of the 2014 Indy Light series were held at Sonoma Raceway. Drivers would compete in races thirteen and fourteen of the championship around the twelve-turn 2.385-mile road course.

Jack Harvey did what he had to do in the final two races to secure this year's Indy Lights title. Harvey put the No. 42 Dallara IPS on the pole for rounds thirteen and fourteen and led each race flag-to-flag. He finished 6.513-seconds ahead of his main rival, Gabby Chaves, on Saturday and by 18.702-seconds in the finale. In the end, the two drivers collected the same number of points with a tie-breaker, leaving Harvey second.

Gabby Chaves was the championship leader heading into Sonoma Raceway. At this point, it was his title to lose. In both the weekend's contests, Chaves qualified second to his main rival Jack Harvey. During the races, he chased Harvey to a runner-up result, which left the pair with an equal number of points in the final standings. As they both had the same number of wins, a tie-breaker determined the title in Chaves' favour.

Luis Razia had a season of mixed results. Early in the year, it appeared that he may be a title contender, mainly after winning at the Indianapolis Grand Prix. However, the situation 'went downhill' after he retired from Pocono and Toronto due to accidents. At Sonoma, the Brazilian qualified and finished third in race one. The next day, Razia started third but lost a position to Zach Veach and finished fourth.

Zach Veach entered the doubleheader at Sonoma Raceway second in the points and had a chance at claiming the title. However, with Jack Harvey's late-season charge, it appeared that Veach would need a miracle to win the championship. In the weekend's first race, he qualified and finished seventh, removing any hope for the crown. Veach was third in the finale, leaving him third in the final standings.

The podium at Sonoma Raceway for the penultimate round of the 2014 Indy Light series presented by Cooper Tires. Jack Harvey is in the center from Schmidt Peterson / Curb Agajanian and winning for the third time this season. The result moved Harvey to second in the points with one race remaining. On the left is the current points leader and runner-up, Gabby Chaves. Completing the rostrum is Luiz Razia.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Jack Harvey	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
2	2	Gabby Chaves	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
3	3	Luiz Razia	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
4	6	Juan Pablo Garcia	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
5	4	Juan Piedrahita	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
6	5	Matthew Brabham	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
7	7	Zach Veach	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
8	9	Scott Anderson	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
9	10	Zack Meyer	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	25	-
10	8	Ryan Phinny	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	24	-

FINISH	START	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Jack Harvey	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
2	2	Gabby Chaves	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
3	8	Zach Veach	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
4	3	Luiz Razia	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
5	5	Matthew Brabham	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
6	7	Ryan Phinny	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
7	4	Juan Piedrahita	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
8	10	Zack Meyer	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	38	-
9	6	Juan Pablo Garcia	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	37	-
10	9	Scott Anderson	Dallara IPS / Infiniti	29	Mechanical

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