Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Las Vegas campaigning for Indy season closer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/#commentsFiled under:



It's been a few years since single-seaters roared through America's Playground, but they could be back before we know it. And back in a big way, if the latest reports from the world of motorsport materialize.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted IRL races from 1996 to 2000 and Champ Cars from 2003 to 2005, and continues to hold NASCAR races, along with a handful of racing schools and other events. The circuit's chief Bruton Smith, however, is now reportedly campaigning to get the joint open-wheel series back on track (so to speak) for next year. If successful, the Vegas oval could play host to the season finale, a slot currently held by Miami-Homestead.

The IRL is expected to announce next year's calendar on September 10 (just a few days from now), so one way or another, we'll be finding out shortly.

[Source: Autosport]

Las Vegas campaigning for Indy season closer originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indyindy car seriesindy racing leagueIndyCarSeriesIndyRacingLeagueirllas vegaslas vegas motor speedwayLasVegasLasVegasMotorSpeedwayvegasMon, 06 Sep 2010 16:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19621853/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/19621853/article-detail.xml 19621853 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/vegas-speedway_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/vegas-speedway.jpg <![CDATA[IndyCar: 2010 Kentucky Indy 300 comes down to fuelish decisions [SPOILERS]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/05/indycar-2010-kentucky-indy-300-comes-down-to-fuelish-decisions/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/05/indycar-2010-kentucky-indy-300-comes-down-to-fuelish-decisions/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/05/indycar-2010-kentucky-indy-300-comes-down-to-fuelish-decisions/#commentsFiled under: , ,


2010 Kentucky Indy 300 from Kentucky Speedway - Click above for high-res image gallery

For the IRL IndyCar Series, the 2010 Kentucky Indy 300 was all about the number "200." It was the 200th race in IRL history. The drivers would be running 200 laps around the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway. And the speeds would be well above 200 mph as the field of 27 cars ran inches away from each other under the lights of Kentucky. Among those 27 drivers was last year's runner-up, Ed Carpenter, who still hasn't scored a full-time ride, and Paul Tracy, the fan favorite who seems to never get rusty. Maybe we'll have to start calling him Platinum Paul.

Last week's winner Dario Franchitti was making things interesting in the race for the championship by closing the gap to points leader Will Power who hasn't done as well as some of the others - including Franchitti - on ovals. Kentucky is an oval, of course, and so are Motegi and Miami, the final two races of the season. Would Power be able to get that monkey off his back? Would Franchitti take the win and close the gap even further? Would the talented and hard luck Ed Carpenter finally head to Victory Lane? Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Kentucky Indy 300 went down.


Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Kentucky Indy 300


[Images: Chris Graythen, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images | Ed Reinke, James Crisp/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Kentucky Indy 300 comes down to fuelish decisions [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Kentucky Indy 300 comes down to fuelish decisions [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma - Click above for high-res image gallery

Just five races remain on the 2010 Indy Racing League IndyCar schedule, and only one of those is a road course. The final four rounds of the championship will all be contested on ovals - but this weekend the drivers will be taking on Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Last race at Mid-Ohio, series points leader Will Power saw his lead shrink a bit when second place Dario Franchitti took the win. Still, Power clinched the inaugural Mario Andretti trophy for being the road course champ. Not a lot of drivers have a shot at catching the seemingly invincible super Power, but Franchitti has a better track record at Sonoma...and on ovals.

In fact, Power had a pretty nasty crash at Infineon just last year, while Franchitti claimed victory, so it was going to be interesting to see if 2010 would bring a reversal of fortune for the duo. Heading into qualifying, Power was looking to extend his consecutive pole position record and secure enough points to give him a bigger buffer going into the ovals, which haven't been as lucky for him to date. Follow the jump to see how things played out at Infineon.


Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma


[Images: Donald Miralle, Christian Petersen/Getty Images | George Nikitin, Rich Pedroncelli/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Performance Development will continue its involvement in IndyCar through the 2012 season when new engine and chassis rules take effect. The current, normally aspirated 3.5-liter V8s will be replaced after the 2011 season with smaller displacement and lower cost units that are limited to 2.4-liters. Honda announced this weekend at the Mid-Ohio race that it will produce a new twin-turbocharged 2.4-liter V6 available for lease at a price 40-percent below the current engine's price.

The new formula is open to all manufacturers, but so far Honda has been the only company to commit to the new engines. Honda has been the sole supplier of IndyCar engines since 2006 following Chevrolet's withdrawal from the series.


Gallery: 2010 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio


[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Honda to supply new 2.4L turbo V6 for 2012 Indycars

Honda to supply new 2.4L turbo V6 for 2012 Indycars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
2010 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio - Click above for high-res image gallery

With just six races left on the schedule, the IndyCar Series moved to its penultimate road course event: Mid-Ohio. While series leader Will Power was in position to wrap up the inaugural Mario Andretti trophy for the series road course champion, he also had a good shot at putting the overall championship out of reach as well. While that was a pretty big deal, everyone was still talking about the crazy ending to the last race at Edmonton.

To recap, Helio Castroneves was black-flagged for taking the inside line while leading into turn 1 on a restart, but he ignored the order and stayed on track just in case. When he drove into the vicinity of victory lane three laps later, he was deflected aside. Helio jumped out of his car, looking for anyone with a headset who might be able to explain why the race leader would have to give up his hard-fought lead so late in the race. He didn't get much of an answer - at least not right away. Chief Steward Brian Barnhart reviewed the tapes and stuck to his on-field call. For good measure, he fined Castroneves $60,000 for his tantrum.

While that pretty much eliminated Helio from championship contention, there was still a race to run this weekend. Follow the jump to see how things played out at Mid-Ohio.


Gallery: 2010 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio


[Images: Chris Graythen, Rick Dole, Robert Laberge/Getty Images, Jay LaPrete/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Indy Racing League has handed down its punishment in the case of the race winner who was robbed. Following the controversial end of the IndyCar race in Edmonton last week, apparent winner Helio Castroneves drove into the pits, hopped out of his car and went after anyone wearing IRL gear. We showed you the video of the incident (now removed) a few days ago and most of you seemed to think Helio was in the right. He may have had a good reason to be upset, but the IRL stood by its decision after giving it some extra thought.

Now that they've had more than a week to mull things over, they've decided that Helio's reaction was too aggressive to go unpunished. They've slapped the charismatic driver with a $60,000 fine and put him on probation for the rest of the season. The monetary fines always hurt at some level, but it's the principle behind it that matters more here. The IRL is standing up for their decision - and their employees - and saying that if a driver has a problem with a race decision they need to use the proper channels to appeal it.

[Source: The Indianapolis Star]

Helio Castroneves reportedly fined $60,000 for Edmonton tirade originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 IndyCar Concepts - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Indy Racing League announced a "new"chassis for the 2012 season, but left open the possibility for other companies to design the "clothes" that chassis will wear. The hope was that some new names will enter the running if the teams only have to spend development dollars on the aero bits rather than designing and building a whole car. So far names like Boeing, Honda and Lotus have been mentioned, but there could be dozens of entries by the time the 2012 season starts. Would you like to add your own name to that list? The IRL has posted several renderings of the new Indy Safety Cell and is allowing you to post your designs in a gallery for all the world to see. The top design could make some hitherto unknown graphic artist famous.

You can click over to the IndyCar website to get more details or check out our gallery to download the renderings and get started on your 2012 IndyCar. The basic chassis will still be built by Dallara, which is going to open a new plant right alongside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be sold to teams for a fraction of what the current chassis costs, but the teams will also have to buy a new engine and bodywork to complete the package. The whole setup will still cost teams far less than in the past, with the hopes that more businesses will find it affordable to enter the 2012 IRL championship... and save open-wheel U.S. racing in the process.


Gallery: 2012 IndyCar aero kit concepts


[Source: Indy Racing League]

IndyCar offers fans a chance to design 2012 aero kits originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Honda Indy Edmonton - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IndyCar Series stayed north of the border after the last race in Toronto, moving from the street circuit around the CN Tower to the City Centre Airport course in Edmonton. One of the best tracks for fans, the flat circuit offers views of most of the action from virtually any vantage point. The view the drivers were seeing going into Sunday's race was all too familiar - Will Power was back to his dominating ways, with quickest times in practice and through much of qualifying. Would last year's winner hold on for the pole? Would he capture another win, distancing himself even further from the rest of the pack in the championship standings?

Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton played out.


Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton


[Images: Robert Laberge, Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images, Jeff McIntosh, John Ulan/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton offers a view to a thrill [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton offers a view to a thrill [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Honda Indy Toronto - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IndyCar Series made a major announcement since the last race at Watkins Glen, deciding to stick with Dallara as its chassis supplier, but opening the game up a bit by allowing other manufacturers the option to supply aero packages and engines. Many think this will boil down to more of the same in IndyCar, but at least on paper, it has the potential to get more companies involved. Some of the bigger nuggets to drop from the official announcement were the new, lower prices of these 2012 IndyCar chassis and the fact that Dallara is building a plant right near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to generate a few more jobs for the state's residents and to make it quicker and easier to make chassis changes during the season. But all of that is still a couple of years off and they still had a race to run this weekend.

The 2010 Honda Indy Toronto is the second race run on this particular 1.755-mile street circuit around the Canadian city of Toronto, although there has been a major open-wheel street race in Toronto since 1967, and CART/IRL races have been held there ever since 1986. Dario Franchitti won the race in 2009 and went on to win the championship last year as well. This year, Franchitti trails Team Penske's Will Power for the points lead and after Saturday's qualifying for Toronto, the Target Chip Ganassi driver found himself fifth on the grid behind Ryan Hunter-Reay (Team IZOD Andretti Autosport) in fourth, Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) in third, Power in second and polesitter Justin Wilson of Team Z-Line Designs/DRR Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, who has posted some impressive results this year and currently stands eighth in the championship standings. Could Wilson stay out front for his first win of the season? Could Franchitti repeat from last year and possibly take the points lead for 2010? Or would Will Power place high enough to retain his lead?

Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto played out.


Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto


[Images: Robert Laberge, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images, Frank Gunn, Adrien Veczan/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Honda Indy Toronto [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus is back in IndyCars, and it's there to stay. After launching its own F1 team (in name, anyway) and announcing its intentions to expand further into other forms of motorsport, the legendary British firm revealed its sponsorship - together with engine partner Cosworth - of one of KV Racing's cars in the IndyCar Series, which former F1 driver Takuma Sato has been piloting (with limited success) this season.

Now Lotus is hinting at increased involvement in the series for next season and beyond, but has not indicated just what that might entail. The car it currently fields is neither built by Lotus nor powered by Cosworth: it's a Dallara chassis and a Honda engine, as per the series regulation. In fact, Lotus doesn't even run the car itself - that it leaves up to KV Racing Technology, the team run by former Champ Car chief Kevin Kalkhoven.

The Indy Racing League just recently revealed a new formula that will take effect beginning in 2012, using a Dallara chassis open to aerodynamic development by each team. The new engine formula, meanwhile, has been opened up to any manufacturer interested in pitching in, ostensibly opening the door to a Cosworth engine package. Lotus, meanwhile, may decide to develop its own aero package, but whether it would be the Malaysia-based F1 team or the England-based automaker that would spearhead the project remains to be seen.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Nick Laham/Getty]

Report: Lotus to increase involvement in Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosworthindyindy carindy car seriesindy carsindy racing leagueIndyCarIndyCarsIndyCarSeriesIndyRacingLeagueirllotusFri, 16 Jul 2010 18:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19555413/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/16/report-lotus-to-increase-involvement-in-indy/19555413/article-detail.xml 19555413 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/gyi0060947405_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/gyi0060947405.jpg <![CDATA[Breaking: IndyCar announces "new" chassis manufacturer for 2012]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/breaking-indycar-announces-new-chassis-manufacturer-for-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/breaking-indycar-announces-new-chassis-manufacturer-for-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/breaking-indycar-announces-new-chassis-manufacturer-for-2012/#commentsFiled under:


2012 Dallara IndyCar - Click above for high-res image gallery

IndyCar has broadcast its selection of a new chassis for 2012 and out of a group of entries that included BAT, Dallara, DeltaWing, Lola, and Swift, they decided to go with... drumroll... Dallara.

Perhaps it was telling that they played mostly oldies before the official live-stream, as this series seems to have a lot more history than future in many people's minds. Since the split between CART and the IRL more than a decade ago, open wheel racing in America has seen rapidly declining audiences that led to lower television revenue and a further downward spiral.

The current chassis and engine combo has made the IndyCar Series little more than a spec series, with Dallara building the chassis and Honda supplying the powerplants. Fans seem to want more competition, just like back in the day when Swift, Lola, Eagle and others were in the mix along with engine suppliers Oldsmobile, Infiniti, Cosworth, GM, et al. Well, in a bid to at least freshen the image of the league, the powers that be decided to have an open bid process to select the car of 2012.

The new engine regulations and the new chassis should go a long way towards making the series more entertaining for fans. The Dallara chassis will also help reduce costs for teams (by up to 40 percent) and the aero kits that will be available from other manufacturers will help keep a certain level of personalization for teams. The new chassis is more modern, safer and lighter at 1,380 pounds, some 185 pounds lighter than the current Dallara chassis being used. During the same press conference, it was also announced that Dallara would be building a new plant in Indianapolis to keep the car manufacturing close to home and to add jobs to the United States. Click below for gallery of the 2012 Dallara IndyCar concept.


Gallery: Dallara 2012 Indycar Concept Chassis

Breaking: IndyCar announces "new" chassis manufacturer for 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IndyCar Series celebrated the Independence Day holiday at the Glen, with the running of the 2010 Camping World Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York. This race signaled a return to road courses for the IRL after four oval runs in a row. Heading into Watkins Glen, Penske's Will Power held the overall and road course points leads in the championship standings with Target Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon in second overall, but first in the oval championship. Dixon had won the last three-in-a-row at Watkins Glen, though, so Power shouldn't have expected to pull ahead of his closest rival too easily after this round of the championship.

Saturday's qualifying showed that Power and his Penske teammates were still the team to beat, Will claiming yet another Peak Performance Pole Position and stablemates Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe qualifying second and third. It set up an interesting Fourth of July race, with Power having a bit of a buffer between him and the other title chasers - not that Helio or Briscoe were going to just hand Will the win.

Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen played out.


Gallery: Indycar: 2010 Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen


[Images: Streeter Lecka, Nick Laham/Getty Images, Mel Evans, David Duprey, David Boe, Douglas Ford Rea, Charles Berch, Russ Hamilton, Michael Rogers/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IndyCar Series moved on to the plains of Iowa for the eighth round of the 2010 Championship with a new points leader - Indy 500 Champ Dario Franchitti. Ryan Briscoe had moved up in the standings too, having won the last round in Texas - the race that had seen Penske return to Victory Lane and had almost seen the immolation of Simona de Silvestro. Fortunately Simona was extricated quickly enough to avoid major injuries and was in fact back in action in Iowa.

Qualifying on Saturday had seen early season dominator Will Power at the top of the charts, but he was one of the first drivers on course and had to play a long game of sit-and-wait to see if his time would stand. Follow the jump to see how the rest of qualifying played out, and to read all about the race - the 2010 Iowa Corn Indy 250 from Iowa Speedway.


Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Iowa Corn Indy 250


[Images: Chris Trotman/Getty Images, Conrad Schmidt/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indyIndy Racing Leagueindycarindycar seriesIndycarSeriesIndyRacingLeagueIowa Corn Indy 250IowaCornIndy250IRLSun, 20 Jun 2010 21:50:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19523506/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/20/indycar-2010-iowa-corn-indy-250-at-iowa-speedway-spoilers/19523506/article-detail.xml 19523506 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/indycariowa2010med---31_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/indycariowa2010med---31.jpg <![CDATA[Comparing the American Le Mans Series to NASCAR, IndyCar for relevance]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/07/comparing-the-american-le-mans-series-to-nascar-indycar-for-rel/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/07/comparing-the-american-le-mans-series-to-nascar-indycar-for-rel/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/07/comparing-the-american-le-mans-series-to-nascar-indycar-for-rel/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Peugeot 908-HY hybrid prototype - Click above for high-res image gallery

Since early 2008, ALMS has been touting itself as the "Leader in green racing." We decided to take a look at the biggest series in North America and compare the efforts of each when it comes to alternative fuels and drivetrains. In many respects, NASCAR is actually the most alternative series around right now - but hardly forward-looking. After all, NASCAR still uses carburetors and just switched from leaded to unleaded gasoline a couple of years ago.

Similarly, while IndyCars switched from methanol to ethanol a few years back, there isn't much else about open wheel race cars that can be called relevant to manufacturers. ALMS GT class cars on the other hand are actually derived from production models. The combination of GT and LMP cars are now or have recently been running on five different fuel/drive combinations including diesel, E10, cellulosic E85, biobutanol, and E10/hybrids. Later this season, the Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid that nearly won the recent 24 hours of Nurburgring is expected to join the ALMS ranks and ALMS communications director Bob Dickinson told us that he hopes to see Peugeot's 908 diesel-hybrid, perhaps as soon the next Sebring race in March 2011. Check out the full chart after the jump.


Gallery: Geneva 2009: Peugeot 908 hy


Gallery: Corsa Motorsports Ginetta-Zytek 09HS


Gallery: 24 Hours of Nurburgring: Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid

Continue reading Comparing the American Le Mans Series to NASCAR, IndyCar for relevance

Comparing the American Le Mans Series to NASCAR, IndyCar for relevance originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndyCar
2010 Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IndyCar Series didn't take much of a break after the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500. Before the celebratory milk even had a chance to curdle at the corners of 500-champ Dario Franchitti's mouth, the whole Series was already headed to Texas Motor Speedway for the 2010 Firestone 550.

Dario was looking to become the third Indy 500 winner in a row to claim victory in Texas as well, although the flying Scot had never mounted the top step of the podium in the Lone Star state. In his favor was the fact that his Chip Ganassi team, along with Team Penske and Andretti Autosport, had won every single one of the last 50 oval races in the series amongst themselves.

Qualifying was held on Friday afternoon, with four-lap averages looking to be in the 212-215 mile-per-hour range. The race was going down on Saturday afternoon, but before that could happen, 26 cars needed to make it through qualifying. Follow the jump to see how it played out.


Gallery: 2010 IndyCar Firestone 550


[Images: Donald Miralle, Tom Pennington, Jonathan Ferrey and Robert Laberge | Getty Images]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Firestone 550Firestone550indyIndy Racing Leagueindycarindycar seriesIndycarSeriesIndyRacingLeaguetexas motor speedwayTexasMotorSpeedwaySun, 06 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19504821/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/06/indycar-2010-firestone-550-at-texas-motor-speedway-spoilers/19504821/article-detail.xml 19504821 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/2010firestone550med---07_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/2010firestone550med---07.jpg <![CDATA[IndyCar goes Turbo: 2012 engine regs open to multiple manufacturers, configurations]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/indycar-goes-turbo-2012-engine-regs-open-to-multiple-manufactur/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/indycar-goes-turbo-2012-engine-regs-open-to-multiple-manufactur/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/indycar-goes-turbo-2012-engine-regs-open-to-multiple-manufactur/#commentsFiled under:



The Indy Racing League has yet to announce the selection of its new chassis, but in the meantime has announced new engine regulations that will take effect in 2012.

The saga of engine suppliers in the series has been a convoluted one. During its inaugural season in 1996, carry-over engines from CART were allowed, but were replaced the following season by naturally-aspirated V8s provided by General Motors (under the Oldsmobile Aurora name) and Nissan (bearing Infiniti livery). Toyota and Honda came on board in 2003, while GM rebadged its program under Chevrolet as Oldsmobile was being shut down. Three years later Honda got the exclusive and has been supplying all the teams on the grid since, but that contract is nearing its end.

In its place, the IRL has issued a new open formula in the hope of drawing a diverse array of manufacturers to the series. For the first time since splitting with CART (with which it has since reunited), IndyCars will race under turbocharged power. Ethanol will continue to fuel the series, but beyond that, teams and engine suppliers will be free to use as many as six cylinders (in whatever configuration they choose), with displacements not exceeding 2.4 liters and power ranging between 550 and 700 horsepower.

The use of turbocharging and the variety of configurations allowed under the new formula should make for some interesting racing, and we'll be waiting to see which manufacturers jump - or pass - at the opportunity.

[Source: Autosport]

IndyCar goes Turbo: 2012 engine regs open to multiple manufacturers, configurations originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hondaindyindy car seriesIndy Racing Leagueindycarindycar seriesIndyCarSeriesIndyRacingLeagueirlizod indy car seriesIZOD IndyCar SeriesIzodIndyCarSeriesThu, 03 Jun 2010 17:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19501714/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/03/indycar-goes-turbo-2012-engine-regs-open-to-multiple-manufactur/19501714/article-detail.xml 19501714 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/hpd-facility017_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/hpd-facility017.jpg <![CDATA[2010 Indy 500 filled with crashes, drama [SPOILERS]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/30/2010-indy-500-filled-with-crashes-drama-spoilers/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/30/2010-indy-500-filled-with-crashes-drama-spoilers/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/30/2010-indy-500-filled-with-crashes-drama-spoilers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Indy 500
2010 Indianapolis 500 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Memorial Day weekend is always a great for racing fans. Formula 1 typically has its Grand Prix of Monaco on that Sunday, (although this year it was the Turkish GP taking the calendar slot), NASCAR has the annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" takes the IndyCar Series to its namesake venue, the Indianapolis Speedway for the eponymous Indianapolis 500.

The 2010 Indy 500 is billed as part of the Centennial Era races, celebrating the birth of the track in 1909 and the first 500 held in 1911. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built by Indiana businessmen Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Arthur C. Newby, and Frank H. Wheeler as a testing grounds to help bolster Indiana's burgeoning automotive industry. It wasn't long before racing became the raison d'être for the facility. The original tar and gravel surface was quickly replaced by 3.2 million bricks when safety became a concern.

The first 500-mile race took place on May 30, 1911, when Ray Harroun shocked everyone, unprecedentedly going solo in his Marmon "Wasp," the rest of the field using ride-along mechanics. Harroun's car was actually considered a safety risk without that passenger, but it made up for it by introducing a major automotive safety device. The Wasp, you see, was fitted with the industry's first rearview mirror. The average speed in that first Brickyard endurance race was a stupefying 74.602 miles per hour. This year's polesitter, three-time and defending race-winner Helio Castroneves, won last year's Indy 500 at more than twice that speed, 150.318 mph.

While speeds are way up, much at Indy has remained the same. The 500 is about tradition as much as anything, and so on this Memorial Day, 33 cars once again lined up, set to challenge each other, the track, and fate - crossing the bricks 200 times to complete 500 miles around the2.5-mile-long squared oval. Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Indianapolis 500 went down in the history books.


Gallery: 2010 Indianapolis 500


[Images: Tom Strattman, Mike Groll, Darron Cummings, Jeff Roberson, Steve Metz (AP), Chris Howell, Nick Laham, Jonathan Ferrey, Robert Laberge, Chris Graythen (Getty Images)]

Continue reading 2010 Indy 500 filled with crashes, drama [SPOILERS]

2010 Indy 500 filled with crashes, drama [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 May 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndyCar Kansas
2010 IndyCar Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 - Click above for high-res image gallery

The IZOD IndyCar Series moved from the streets of Long Beach to the banked oval of Kansas Speedway for the fifth race of the season, the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300. It's the first oval of the year for the open-wheelers, serving as a tuneup for the series' namesake Indy 500 later this month. Qualifying even follows a similar format to Indy, with drivers ranked according to their four-lap run average. Unlike the 500 though, here in Kansas the drivers only get one chance.

This was also the first race since the announcement of a new triple championship for IndyCar, with the overall champ getting the main prize and additional crowns going to the driver who does best on the ovals and another who does the best on the non-ovals over the course of the season. Most of the drivers seemed to like the new setup, and the smaller teams in particular now have a better shot at scoring some wins by focusing on one part or the other if they can't really compete for the overall title.

Will Power (Verizon Team Penske) was still sitting atop the overall driver standings, but Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (Team IZOD Andretti Autosport) had shown he wasn't invincible, each winning one of the previous two races. It wasn't looking as good for anybody not driving for Penske or Andretti though, and in fact, Penske's trick suspension seemed to be holding its sizable advantage over the rest of the field in the early part of the season. But the ovals were a whole new ballgame and Andretti had finally broken through in 2010. Turning left only would probably minimize the Penske advantage too, so nobody could know exactly what the Indy 300 had in store. Follow the jump to see how it played out.


Gallery: 2010 IndyCar Road Runner Turbo Indy 300


[Photo Sources: Ron McQueeney/IndyCar | Rick Dole, Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images]

Continue reading IndyCar: Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway [Spoilers]

IndyCar: Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 May 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What, Danica Patrick's inclusion in the sport isn't enough to generate sufficient interest? Guess not. Seemingly in an attempt to generate some additional excitement in the 17-race 2010 IndyCar Series schedule, Randy Bernard, first-year chief executive of the Indy Racing League, has announced that there will be three different winners after the season is done and over with. Why? We'll let Bernard explain:
After my first six weeks, I kept saying to myself we need to be able to deliver a consistent message about our sport that separates us from other forms of auto racing... What hit me is that we have the fastest and most versatile drivers and racecars in the world - and no one can deny that - and now we have to show why we're the fastest and most versatile. We have 17 events, but how do we create better story lines?
Apparently, that "consistent message" necessitates awarding a winner for both oval racing (to attract NASCAR fans?) and road racing (to attract F1 or Le Mans series fans?) in addition to the normal overall series champion.

Does this three-tiered championship earn your interest? If so, you'll be pleased to hear that a contest coming in late May will allow fans to help choose the names for the oval and road racing trophies. So far, it seems that Foyt (oval) and Andretti (road) are the leading candidates.

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Darrell Ingham/Getty]

IndyCar no longer content with crowning single champion, moving to three? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach - Click above for huge high-res image gallery

Sometimes referred to as America's Monaco, the Izod IndyCar Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach typically means sun, surf, stargazing and sensational street racing action in one weekend-long party. The 2010 edition looked to be no exception as the weather was beautiful and there were plenty of stars in attendance. Some were competing in the weekend's well-known Pro/Celebrity race while others were competing or managing in other series, and others were just there as fans.

Going into this, the fourth round of the 2010 IndyCar Series, Will Power was coming off his first loss of the season in Alabama and looking to regain his invincible status. Several other drivers were glad to see Power falter, giving them some hope that they could claw their way back into contention. After all, the season is far from over. After the first practice session, however, Power was once again on top. The question would be whether or not he could stay there through qualifying and in Sunday's featured event.

Follow the jump to see if Power could make it three-for-four in Long Beach or whether Alabama-winner Helio Castroneves could continue his winning ways, or if maybe, just maybe, somebody else could step up and beat these Penske boys.


Gallery: IndyCar 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach


Photos by Frank Filipponio and Andre Ravinowich/Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Lone caution makes for fast IndyCar action [Spoilers]

Long Beach Grand Prix 2010: Lone caution makes for fast IndyCar action [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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