SONOMA, Calif. -- Marco Andretti hung with another Mario on Aug. 21 at Universal Studios Hollywood.
The Verizon IndyCar Series driver was the guest of Mario Lopez, host of the syndicated entertainment news show "Extra," along with an IndyCar promoting the #IndyRivals campaign for fans to vote for their favorite driver. Andretti will compete in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma this weekend. The show will air Aug. 29 (check local listings) -- the day before the MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
Earlier in the day, Andretti, driver of the No. 25 Snapple car for Andretti Autosport, was a guest on "Good Day, LA." WATCH THE SEGMENT
Meanwhile, back at 2.385-mile, 12-turn Sonoma Raceway road course, Mario Andretti gave members of the media rides in an Indy Racing Experience two-seater that they've been tweeting about non-stop. READ ONE REVIEW
You can vote for your favorite Verizon IndyCar Series driver until the green flag of the MAVTV 500 on Aug. 30 HERE.
Highs and lows at Sonoma
The highest point at Sonoma Raceway is in Turn 3a at 174 feet, while the lowest point in Turn 10 is 14 feet.
"It's very difficult to get right because of all the elevation changes," said Simon Pagenaud, driver of the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports car who is third in the championship standings. "Your driving has to be super precise, and the car has to be really good on each section of the track. The high section of the track is fast with elevation changes, and the bottom section is all about braking and acceleration. So there's basically two completely different engineering setups on the car when we race here."
Current Dallara chassis to take its final bow
This weekend marks the final two events for the Dallara chassis that has been used exclusively in Indy Lights since its introduction in 2002. A total of 213 different drivers have contested at least one of the 167 races during that period. Of the 58 different winners, Alex Lloyd leads the way with 10 victories.
The Sonoma double-header will represent the 361st and 362nd races since the series debuted in 1986 as the American Racing Series. Of the 120 different winners to date, the late Greg Moore is the most successful with 13 wins in the 1994 and '95 seasons.
The Dallara IL-15, powered by a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder AER engine, is in the final stages of development and will debut in 2015. Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon and James Hinchcliffe will offer their input during a test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Sept. 5.
Of note
Auto Club Speedway’s Official Craft Beer, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, is hosting the Hangar 24 MAVTV 500 INDYCAR Fan Party from 6-9 p.m. Aug. 28 (Hangar 24 Tasting Room, 1710 Sessums Drive, Redlands, Calif.). ... All three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy will mark the 2014 seasons on Aug. 24. More than $2 million in prizes and awards will be distributed. ... Verizon IndyCar Series drivers (from left) Sebastian Saavedra, Simon Pagenaud, Josef Newgarden and Mikhail Aleshin joined in a Verizon Wireless tournament Aug. 21 at Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco.
