Autoblog

Indycar tweaks race lengths, broadcast times

Jeffrey N. Ross — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:44:00 EST

With a goal of making races more competitive and fan-friendly, the Izod IndyCar Series has made a few changes to its 2013 schedule. For fans, the starting times of the races have been tweaked in order to create more consistency, and for race teams, four of the races have had their lengths adjusted to make racing a priority over strategy, according to Speed TV.

Race-length changes include a shorter opening race in St. Petersburg, FL as well as Long Beach, CA (down 10 laps and five laps, respectively), while the Milwaukee and Mid-Ohio races have both been extended (up 25 laps and five laps, respectively). From the sound of it, the distance change will take fuel strategy out of the picture - or at least lessen its impact - and make teams drive hard the entire race. As for the scheduling change, the article states that with a more consistent green-flag time, it will be easier for viewers to watch on a regular basis.

Head over to Speed TV for a full breakdown of the 2013 IndyCar schedule.

Indycar tweaks race lengths, broadcast times originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rubens Barrichello shifting from F1 to Indy

Noah Joseph — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Rubens Barrichello may be down, but he most definitely is not out.

The Brazilian driver - a longtime teammate of Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari glory days - has been on the Formula One grid since his fallen countryman Ayrton Senna was still with us, but in the end, he was replaced at Williams by Ayrton's nephew Bruno, effectively ending his F1 career. But while his grand prix racing days may be behind him, Rubinho still has too much talent to simply vanish into retirement.

So where is he going? To IndyCar, following a similar path taken by former masters like Mansell, Fittipaldi and Andretti, but also by contemporary pilots Takuma Sato, Sebastien Bourdais and Jean Alesi. We've been anticipating the move since January when Barrichello was lining up for a test drive with KV Racing, and now the two racing stalwarts have reportedly sealed the deal.

While Rubens had previously considered racing just the road course and street circuit races on the Indy calendar in deference to his wife's reported concerns over oval-track safety, he will, in the end, contest all sixteen races this year, including the Indianapolis 500 and the four other speedways on what was once a calendar dominated by oval racing.

The signing of a multiple grand prix winner like Barrichello stands as a coup for American open-wheel racing, which has been clawing its way back into relevance after the rift between CART and Indy was repaired, attracting more automakers to supply engines for a new Dallara chassis. Rubens will be partnered at KV Racing - the team owned by former Champ Car chief Kevin Kalkhoven and former Indy champion Jimmy Vasser - by longtime friend and race winner Tony Kanaan (with whom he is pictured above at the press conference) and Venezuelan driver EJ Viso. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

Continue reading Rubens Barrichello shifting from F1 to Indy

Rubens Barrichello shifting from F1 to Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The only video you need to see from the Baltimore Grand Prix

Zach Bowman — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

The very first Baltimore Grand Prix wrapped up this weekend with Will Power taking the top of the podium, but some of the most intense action of the event happened before the green flag ever dropped. During practice laps Sunday morning, Tony Kanaan lost all brakes in his car on the 180 mph front straight and wound up careening into and over Helio Castroneves before turn one. While we can imagine that being airborne in a race car is a terrifying experience, being run over by one can't be a walk in the park either.

Miraculously, both drivers were unscathed in the dustup, and Kanaan went on to take third place with a backup car in the main event. While the video of the crash is nail-biting through and through, we've got to say this is the first time we've heard an IndyCar announcer compare anything on track to "The Dukes of Hazard." Click past the jump to check it out.

Continue reading The only video you need to see from the Baltimore Grand Prix

The only video you need to see from the Baltimore Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Take a virtual lap of the Baltimore Grand Prix circuit

Zach Bowman — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Racing

The IZOD IndyCar series has released a computer-generated simulation of a quick lap around the Baltimore Grand Prix circuit. With a long back straight, drivers should be able to ratchet their machines up to a blistering 180 miles per hour before shedding all that speed for an abrupt right. With zero banking and all of the unpleasantries that come along with racing across uneven, bumpy public streets, the course should offer plenty of challenges for teams and their drivers. Turn three offers a 180-degree hairpin and what could be the best place to pass on the track. Drivers who brake late and carry speed through the turn will stand a chance at picking up position.

Turns five, six and seven occur in quick succession as the course darts back and forth through Baltimore, upping the likelihood that at least one racer will collect some concrete on the way into the more technical section from a 120 mph straight. The whole course promises to offer plenty of action once the checkered flag drops this weekend on Sunday, September 4. Hit the jump to check out the video.

Continue reading Take a virtual lap of the Baltimore Grand Prix circuit

Take a virtual lap of the Baltimore Grand Prix circuit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Will Power fined $30,000 for flipping off Indycar officials in New Hampshire

Zach Bowman — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities

Never underestimate the power of the middle finger. After a rain-delay restart ordered by IndyCar officials at New Hampshire Motor Speedway resulted in a crash, driver Will Power chose to express his displeasure by giving those officials a taste of universal sign language with both hands. The event happened on August 14, and chief race steward Brian Barnhart eventually issued an apology for the decision to get the competition underway again after calling the race off. Still, that hasn't stopped IndyCar from levying a $30,000 fine against Power for his display, which was caught by television cameras.

Power was given the option to either pay the fine out of pocket or work it off through appearances on behalf of the Izod IndyCar Series. The racer has reportedly chosen to do the latter, noting that $30,000 is a lot of money. We're inclined to agree.

Interestingly, other drivers have come to Power's defense by urging fans to donate one dollar to the Penske team to help offset Power's fine. Power, meanwhile, says that he'll donate any money that comes in to the families of the victims of the Indianapolis fair disaster and the victims of the recent flooding in his native Australia.

Will Power fined $30,000 for flipping off Indycar officials in New Hampshire originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chip Ganassi Racing expands to four-car Indy mega team

Noah Joseph — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

You'd have to search long and hard to find a racing team as successful as Chip Ganassi Racing. The team has won four Champ Car titles (before the series shut down), three Indy Racing League titles and one Grand-Am championship.

This year alone, CGR took home both the IndyCar and Rolex Grand-Am titles, and won the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400 and the Daytona 500 in the process. Names like Franchitti, Dixon, Stewart and Montoya race under the Ganassi banner. And this coming season, the team has taken a big step forward by expanding its IndyCar team by two drivers to make for a four-car mega team.

Joining two-time champions Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti this season in a parallel team will be Graham Rahal and Charlie Kimball. Rahal is the son of Indy 500 legend Bobby Rahal, and himself became the youngest ever race winner in the series' history when he won the season-opener at St. Petersburg in 2008 - his only victory to date. Kimball, meanwhile, is moving up the ladder from the Indy Lights feeder series having competed overseas in the Formula 3 Euro Series, Formula Renault 3.5 and A1GP.

Both drivers are American in an increasingly foreign-dominated grid, and bring much-needed sponsorship cash along with them at a time when some big name teams are struggling to make ends meet.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty]

Chip Ganassi Racing expands to four-car Indy mega team originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

IndyCar: Sparks fly as thrilling Indy 300 closes season [SPOILERS]

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 10:11:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Racing

2010 Cafes do Brasil Indy 300 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Heading into the final race of the 2010 IRL IZOD IndyCar Series Championship, early championship leader Will Power clung to a 12-point lead over the fast-closing Dario Franchitti. The two drivers had each been strong on ovals or road courses, but not both. Franchitti was crowned the oval champ, earning the A.J. Foyt trophy, while Power had won the road race crown, picking up the Mario Andretti trophy. Power had shown a level of dominance through the mid-season road and street races that made his title lead look insurmountable. But Franchitti racked up more points in the latest oval races as Power struggled to get good results.

That brought the title fight down to the last race of the season at the Miami-Homestead oval: The Cafes do Brasil Indy 300. Follow the jump to see who took the 2010 IndyCar Championship and how it came to be.

Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Cafes do Brasil Indy 300

[Images: Chris Graythen, Nick Laham/Getty | Alan Diaz, Terry Renna/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: Sparks fly as thrilling Indy 300 closes season [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: Sparks fly as thrilling Indy 300 closes season [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Oct 2010 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

IndyCar: 2010 Indy Japan 300 settles oval championship [SPOILERS]

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Racing

2010 Indy Japan 300 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Heading into Saturday, only two races remained in the 2010 Izod IndyCar Series season, and the championship is coming down to the wire. Team Penske's Will Power raced to an early lead in the standings, his dominating performances on the road and street courses earning him the inaugural Mario Andretti award as the road course champ.

Team Target Chip Ganassi teammates Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon headed to Japan in second and third respectively and first and second in the oval championship standings. Power's lead before the green flag waved at Twin Ring Motegi was 17 points over Dario, the same lead Franchitti has over Dixon in the race for the A.J. Foyt oval champ award. This weekend's Indy Japan 300 was crucial, with the potential to end with both championships decided even though the season's final race at Homestead is still two weeks away.

Follow the jump to see how it played out.

Gallery: IndyCar: 2010 Kentucky Indy 300

[Images: Jonathan Ferrey, Chris Graythen/Jiji Press/AFP/Getty, Shizuo Kambayashi, Greg Baker/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Indy Japan 300 settles oval championship [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Indy Japan 300 settles oval championship [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

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

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Racing

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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

IndyCar: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 [SPOILERS]

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 from Chicagoland Speedway - Click above for high-res image gallery

It might seem that the 2010 IndyCar championship is a foregone conclusion. After all, Team Penske's Will Power has a sizable lead in the standings and there are just four races left to run. Ah, but those four are all on ovals, and Will has never claimed the top step of the podium at an oval track. Plus, right behind Power in the race for the overall IZOD IndyCar Championship are Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon - two drivers who have considerably better luck than Power when everybody only has to turn left.

In fact, Dixon leads Franchitti in the new-for-2010 A.J. Foyt Oval Champion standings. Furthermore, Dixon basically owns this week's venue - Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois - despite never actually winning there. That might seem like a contradiction, but Scott has been the bridesmaid on five separate occasions at Chicagoland.

IndyCar's return to the ovals also means bigger fields, with 29 drivers lined up to run for the checkers on Saturday night. Among those 29 were a record five female drivers - Ana Beatriz, Milka Duno, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick and Simona de Silvestro. Would Dixon finally take the win in Chicago? Would Dario claim victory and close the gap on Power? Would one of the ladies break through and be the first across the stripe? Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 from Chicagoland Speedway played out.

Gallery: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 from Chicagoland Speedway

[Images: Jonathan Ferrey, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images | Skip Stewart, Nam Y. Huh, Warren Wimmer/AP]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

IndyCar goes Turbo: 2012 engine regs open to multiple manufacturers, configurations

Noah Joseph — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

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

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

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Racing

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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments