Newgarden, Luca Filippi Compete for CFH Racing In Last Race Of Verizon IndyCar Series Season

(SONOMA, Calif.) August 28, 2015 – Race Preview

– The two CFH Racing cars will take to the track at Sonoma Raceway with an additional decal after the loss of Verizon IndyCar Series veteran Justin Wilson earlier this week. All IndyCar drivers, including CFH Racing’s Josef Newgarden and Luca Filippi, will carry the tribute to Wilson.

– It was announced yesterday that Newgarden would drive the No. 67 GoPro Chevrolet. GoPro, enabler of some of today’s most engaging content, will partner with CFH Racing for the final race of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season at Sonoma Raceway. GoPro is also the title sponsor of the 85-lap event.

– The No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka car led 21 laps at last year’s race with Mike Conway behind the wheel. Conway was in the lead with three laps to go when the car began to run out of fuel. Coming out of Turn 11 on the last lap, the car shut off and Conway dropped back to 14th. Filippi is the driver of the No. 20 at this year’s race.

– Newgarden started on the front row of the 2014 event, running in the top three during the first 35 laps and leading two laps of his own. He finished the event in 6th place, the team’s best finish at Sonoma Raceway to date.

– Filippi has not competed at Sonoma Raceway before. Filippi has four top 10 finishes in nine races with CFH Racing, including a second place finish behind Newgarden in Toronto. Sonoma will be only his 18th career Verizon IndyCar Series start.

– Six drivers remain eligible for the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, including Newgarden. Though currently 87 points out of the lead, the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma will award double points with a total of 104 points available.

– Newgarden led 47 laps of last weekend’s ABC Supply 500 at Ponoco Raceway, extending his total amount of laps led this season to 345. He has led during each of the last four races and has led more laps than any other Verizon IndyCar Series driver this season.

– At just 24-years-old, Newgarden is finishing out the best season of his IndyCar career. In 2015 alone, he has captured his first two IndyCar wins, won his first career pole position and has two other podium finishes, including a second place at last week’s 500-mile race at Pocono Raceway.

– On-track activity kicks off today with a three and a half hour test session. Qualifications will take place on Saturday, followed by the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sunday, August 30. The race will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

LUCA FILIPPI, NO. 20 FUZZY’S VODKA CHEVROLET: “It’s been a very tough week for everyone in IndyCar and in motorsports in general. Justin was one of the guys that everyone loved, both here and America and in Europe. He was known an respected as a driver. It is very difficult to face this moment, the only thing we can do now is to go racing and think of him and his family.

From the racing point of view, it feels just like yesterday we started the seaon and I joined CFH Racing. I want to take the opportunity to thank the team for trusting me. I think we learned a lot and improved a lot throughout the season. We are now very competitive, both myself and Josef. Sonoma Raceway looks like a lot of fun and a circuit that can match my skills. We want to finish this season on a high note. Because Ed has had so much bad luck this season, I really hope we can give the Fuzzy’s Vodka car a high result to finish the year.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 67 GOPRO CHEVROLET: “The racing world lost a friend, a competitor, and a brother yesterday in Justin Wilson. We will be racing with heavy hearts this weekend in Sonoma, but Justin would have wanted everyone to continue doing what they love and getting back behind the wheel. That’s what we will do and we will race in honor of Justin. Hopefully we have an exciting race for everyone to watch and we will make Justin proud.”