SONOMA -- Scott Dixon's dating service. Danica Patrick's love line.

These were the clever phrases heard by Indy Racing League fans who called into Infineon Raceway Thursday morning to purchase tickets from Dan Wheldon for next weekend's Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Target Chip Ganassi teammates Wheldon and Dixon were both on hand in a promotional appearance to chat with fans interested in next weekend's race. They are third and fourth in the IRL points race respectively -- just 24 and 33 points, respectively, behind leader and 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr.

Hornish won at Kentucky Sunday -- his fourth win of the season -- to give him the lead.

At one point, Wheldon received a call from a female fan and the flirty banter began.

"You're not bringing your boyfriend, are you?" Wheldon joked. "Oh, your brother? That's allowed. Now for security purposes only, you're over 18, right? 21? Okay, even better."

Wheldon continued, asking the caller who her favorite driver was.

"If you say Hornish, I'm hanging up!"

Of course, she responded with Wheldon, who laughed and repeated the question. She admitted she did have a secret crush on Helio Castroneves -- No. 2 in the points, seven behind teammate Hornish.

"You're making me sick," Wheldon said with a laugh. "You can't see through his act?"

Once the 2005 IRL champion hung up the phone, he added that "she sounded cute."

The next caller was a man from Sacramento and it was back to race talk for Wheldon.

Dixon, perhaps more than Wheldon, is looking forward to coming out to Infineon next week in anticipation of grabbing a second road course victory after taking the checkered flag at Watkins Glen last year and then again in June. He finished seventh last year at Infineon.

Sonoma's 12-turn, 2.26-mile road course is the second-to-last stop on the IRL's 14-race season, making it crucial for the top drivers to do well in order to have a chance at the championship. The season concludes in Chicago on Sept. 2.

"This is definitely a race we can close the gap," Wheldon said. "I think this is going to be the race that's going to mix it up. I can see some strange things happening with strategy and stuff like that. You might have the fastest car in the race here, but I've got the feeling that this race is going to be very influential in turning things around and doing things people don't expect."

Dixon won his only championship in 2003 and knows a good race at Sonoma will catapult him into serious contention for a second series championship.

"We've had a lot of luck on road courses," Dixon said. "This is a good spot for us to move up on Sam -- 33 points is big for us. It's always tough here, it's difficult to pass. Hopefully we'll qualify up front. Strategy-wise that will make it easier for us. It could be a good day for us to make a big gain on points."

Because of Dixon's consistent success on road courses, his crew doesn't have any major changes in mind for his setup. It is Wheldon's first year with Target Chip Ganassi -- after leaving Andretti Green at last season's end -- so he and his crew will be leaning on Dixon for advice with his setup.

Wheldon has had some trouble in road courses this season, finishing 16th after an accident at St. Petersburg and 15th at Watkins Glen. In the inaugural IRL race at Infineon, Wheldon finished 18th after a fuel pump problem.

"I think we've had a little bit of bad luck at Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and to think that we're still this close to possibly leading the points and having a viable chance of winning the championship, I think that's definitely going to keep us motivated to be able to do that," Wheldon said. "I think to some degree the pressure's off the two of us because we are third and fourth in the points. We just have to attack every weekend. If we do just do what we normally do and run up front and lead laps, we can hopefully close the gap and maybe even come out on top."

Hornish, Castroneves, Wheldon and Dixon have won 11 of the IRL's 12 races this season, with Andretti Green's Tony Kanaan taking the only non-Ganassi or Marlboro Team Penske win at Milwaukee last month.

Dixon took second at Kentucky on Sunday, while Wheldon finished fourth. Wheldon hasn't won a race since the season opener in Miami but, along with Dixon, has notched seven Top 5 finishes since with all but two races in the Top 10.

Dixon has two wins -- the second at Nashville.

Wheldon understands that a championship is not one race in particular and added that "if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. If it's not, I can say I think I've driven probably the best I've ever driven. I think better than last year. I've led a lot of laps. It just hasn't gone for me and sometimes you have years like that."

If fans would like to purchase tickets for the race -- without speaking to Wheldon or Dixon -- they can go to www.infineonraceway.com or call (800) 870-RACE. Tickets range from $10 to $85 and parking is free.