Randy Bernard is right. One of the best things about the IZOD Indycar Series is the diversity of the drivers. There are drivers who came up through the USAC Triple Crown ladder. There are drivers who came up through what is now known as the Mazda Road to Indy. There are drivers who followed the hybrid European Junior Formula/American Formula Atlantic ladder. Then there are drivers from the European Formula One ladder system. James Jakes is one of those drivers. When I first saw his name pop up on timesheets…
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News and commentary on the highest level of American open-wheel racing.
IndyCar-Ryan Hunter-Reay: “We have to be solid. We have to be in the top six.”
Ryan Hunter-Reay is having a dream season in the IZOD Indycar Series. For once in his career, he’s been able to build continuity with a team and develop relationships key to success. His reward? Outside of mechanical failures at Indianapolis and Texas, he’s been one of the most consistent drivers o nthe grid. Perhaps that’s why RHR now leads Will Power in IndyCar points. He’s just rattled off three wins in a row, and is prepping to make a serious charge at the championship over the final third of the…
Read MoreIndyCar- Hunter-Reay Survives Toronto Street Fight
Ryan Hunter-Reay survived a rash of late race caution flags to take his third consecutive race win at today’s Honda Indy Toronto at the Exhibition Place circuit in Downtown Toronto. With his win, Hunter-Reay becomes the first American born driver to lead IndyCar points standings since Sam Hornish Jr in 2006. With the addition of Charlie Kimball’s second place finish, the 2012 Honda Indy Toronto marked the first time since the 2006 Indianapolis 500 that two American drivers finished atop the podium in an IZOD Indycar Series event. Hunter-Reay is one…
Read MoreIndyCar – Iowa Corn 250 in Photos
The low-aero formula once again produced magnificent racing! While my pick this week, Mayor Hinchcliffe, ended up with a busted hot rod at the entrance to pit road, the racing action all through the evening was fantastic. It was a little iffy whether we were going to get the race in given the twin deluges that struck the Iowa Speedway Saturday afternoon, but with the Firestone Indy Lights race postponed until after the IZOD IndyCar Series race, the big cars took the green flag right on schedule. …or at least…
Read MoreIndyCar – Photos from the 2012 Milwaukee IndyFest
Andretti Sports Marketing helped bring INDYCAR back to the oldest motor racing circuit in the world, The Milwaukee Mile. The schedule was VERY condensed so we only saw the Firestone Indy Lights and IZOD IndyCar Series compete as opposed to the full Mazda Road to Indy program and USAC that we saw last year, but the organization, promotion, and execution of the event was far more effective than last year’s event. What a great two days of racing, in spite of the rain that delayed Saturday’s start to the IZOD…
Read MoreIndycar-Ryan Briscoe: “Yeah, it’s been tough.”
There’s no doubt Team Penske’s been the hottest team in the IZOD Indycar Series paddock this season. Out of seven races so far, Penske drivers have taken five poles and four wins. Most of the attention has gone to points leader Will Power and Helio Castroneves’ attempt to win his fourth Indianapolis 500 title. Penske drivers been at the front of Chevrolet’s charge back into the IZOD Indycar Series, leading the way in Chevy’s utter dominance of the first four races of the season and only recently being matched on…
Read MoreOpEd – What’s the Cost for Victory
So how much does it cost in addition to the normal operating expenses associated with running a team and fielding equipment to win an IZOD IndyCar Series race? Apparently, only a mere $7500 and five entrants points. There should be a giant bonanza of feel-good stories after the great racing at the Texas Motor Speedway, first 1.5-mile high-banked oval the series has run since last year’s race in Las Vegas, and race which culminated in victory for the small operation of Dale Coyne Racing and fan-favorite driver Justin Wilson. Wilson…
Read MoreIndyCar – Firestone 550 Had it All, and Then Some
On Saturday we were treated to the second of our five ovals on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, and man was it awesome! This was truly a race that had it all! We had great racing that did not require cars to be all over each other for the full race, and we had mechanical failures, meaningful passes, and some drivers a little hot under the collar when it was all said and done. INDYCAR was able to do something though that I have been preaching for the last…
Read MoreIndyCar – Powering Towards the Championship
The IZOD IndyCar Series starts a stretch of three ovals this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway and with it, the prospect of a championship shift. Will Power currently leads the championship by 36 points over Target Chip Ganassi driver Scott Dixon. One could look at this stretch of three races as the point in the season where Dixon really takes the fight to his Penske rival. However, the number and type of ovals on the schedule this year will really benefit Power and may see him take the lead back…
Read MoreIndycar-Detroit Grand Prix-Dixon Dodges Ditch Disaster
Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon absolutely dominated the competition on Belle Isle to handily win the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. Dixon not only won the race, but he also won pole and led every lap. As most everyone predicted, there wasn’t much happening up front between Dixon’s dominance, the tight ARMCO and concrete canyons of the Belle Isle Circuit, the neutered track layout and EJ Viso doing a fabulous job holding up traffic for 27 mind numbing laps. Oh, then the track started coming apart. It’s a…
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