SONOMA, Calif. – Here’s a little name association test: Which IZOD IndyCar Series driver is aligned with Salvador Dali? Of course, it’s Oriol Servia, who hails from the same region of Spain as the famous impressionist painter/sculptor.

So there should be no mistaking who is driving the No. 22 Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car in the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma – the one with Dali’s famous self-portrait worked into the paint scheme and prominently displayed on Servia’s helmet.

TranSystems is the primary sponsor on the No. 22 car, while the Michael Mondavi Family Estate is an associate sponsor for the Aug. 24-26 event.

"We are in the last stretch (of the season) and I feel that the last races are very special because they are almost like home races for me,” Servia said. “First, with Sonoma, I live in California so that's a home race for me and then we go to Baltimore, home of the Orioles and then we come back to LA for the last race.

“I think that the car looks awesome with the TranSystems paint job and the Dali face. It's definitely hits a home run."

The ups and downs of Pagenaud

Simon Pagenaud will be starting his second IndyCar race at Sonoma. He was a last-minute substitute for Simona de Silvestro in 2011 on a course he enjoys.

“Driving an IndyCar around Sonoma is just like riding a rollercoaster,” he said. “The difference is I get sick on rollercoasters. I’m glad I’m not sick in the race car, and it’s probably because I’m in control of my HP car. When you’re going through Sonoma’s Turn 1 and then up the hill, it is just like a rollercoaster. It’s a really fun racetrack, but it can be stressful at the top of the hills because you don’t know what’s up there. It requires you to anticipate.”

Of note

Working with INDYCAR, Dallara is designing and testing a new brake disc guard for 2013. The goal is better protection of the disc and no interference with wheel weights on dynamically balanced wheels. … Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that Bigge Crane and Rigging Company of San Leandro, Calif., is the primary sponsor of the No. 15 entry for driver Takuma Sato this weekend. … Cessna and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams have deepened their partnership with a new associate sponsorship that will give Cessna a presence on all four of Ganassi’s race cars this weekend. ... The name of the No. 98 car driven by Alex Tagliani has been formally changed to Barracuda Racing.