Dixon can wrap up Indy title

Scott Dixon would like to get it over with this weekend.

The New Zealander heads into today’s Grand Prix of Sonoma (Calif.) at Infineon Raceway with a chance to wrap up his second IndyCar Series championship.

After losing the title to Dario Franchitti last year when he ran out of fuel on the last lap of the last race, taking the championship with two races to go would be a good feeling for Dixon and his Chip Ganassi Racing team.

To get it done on Sonoma’s 2.245-mile, 12-turn road circuit, Dixon will have to come out of today’s race at least 106 points ahead of second-place Helio Castroneves, third-place Dan Wheldon, his teammate, and Tony Kanaan – the remaining contenders.

Former series champions Wheldon, 138 points behind, and Kanaan, 147 in back of Dixon, would need a win and a miracle – or at least an early crash or engine failure by the leader – to stay in contention beyond today. But, even if Dixon adds to his record-tying six victories this season, Castroneves can stay at least in the background of the title picture by finishing eighth or better.

Considering that the Brazilian has 12 finishes of fifth or better – including seven seconds – in 14 starts this season, that’s likely to be the case.

Formula One

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa won the pole position for the European Grand Prix at Valencia, Spain, on Saturday after edging McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton in qualifying.

Massa timed a fastest lap of 1 minute, 38.989 on the 3.4-mile course around the eastern city’s port, with Hamilton in second after clocking 1:39.199.

BMW’s Robert Kubica was third on 1:39.392.

Hamilton leads the drivers standings with 62 points, five ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and eight in front of Massa.

Raikkonen was fourth in qualifying.

It is Massa’s fourth pole position this year, and he’ll be looking for his fourth victory after winning in Bahrain, Turkey and France.

The European GP is the 12th of the season’s 18 races.