Not just an average spectator
One of the more interested spectators at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday was a secondyear finance student from Santa Clara.
Kyle Kaiser, a onetime Bellarmine High quarterback who spent the past couple of winters taking classes at Santa Clara University, recently was crowned the Indy Lights champion, and along with the title in the minorleague circuit comes automatic entry into three IndyCar events next season.
“I’m super excited,” the 22-year-old said. “There’s nothing like (IndyCar racing). It’s pure speed, maximum speed. There’s a huge thrill in going that fast. You’re always on the edge.”
Kaiser will compete in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the Indy 500 with the third event still up in the air. He’s hoping to generate enough sponsorship money to compete in a full IndyCar schedule next season.
Whether he’ll he driving for his current team, Juncos Racing, is a matter of conjecture. Juncos, for whom Kaiser has been competing for the past four years, isn’t on the IndyCar roster, so he might have to find a ride somewhere else.
“I definitely would like to stay with the same team,” he said, “but any team would work. I’m open to whatever is available.”
Kaiser had three wins and eight podiums in 16 Indy Lights races this past season, and had the distinction of being the only driver to finish every race.
“We focused on bringing the car home,” he said. Grand marshal Thompson: As part of his duties as the Grand Prix’s grand marshal, Warriors guard Klay Thompson got to take a hot lap around the course in a two-seater IndyCar.
“That was an amazing experience,” the three-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champ said. “I’ve never felt speed and power like that before. It was really awesome. These guys are more athletic than you think. So much goes into it; there’s so much mindfulness. They have great foresight, great feel.” Briefly: Alexander Rossi of Nevada City, who won the previous IndyCar race two weeks ago at Watkins Glen, was forced to sit out 25 laps after encountering mechanical problems on the 19th lap. He wound up in 21st place in the 22-car field . . . . Britain’s Ed Jones had only one podium finish in 17 events, but he received enough points to take the circuit’s Rookie of the Year award. The 22-year-old native of Dubai, the Indy Lights champion last season, did not finish Sunday’s race, going out on the 69th lap with mechanical problems. … Marin native Memo Gidley, who sustained life-threatening injuries in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2014, competed for the first time in 3½ years this weekend, finishing 13th in Sunday’s Pirelli World Challenge, a race for sports cars.