Focused Franchitti Fulfils Third Indy 500 Win

Photo Credit: INDYCAR/LAT USA

A 500-mile, 200-lap celebration where people gather around 33 speed-oriented automobiles at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 is a titanic struggle that one who prevail with the ultimate prize of the Borg-Warner trophy.

The 96th edition of what is one of the motorsport community’s most sought-over events on the planet started under some of the hottest Memorial day temperatures in the Indiana area. Either slightly below or above records according to weather measurements, the National Weather Service reported the mercury at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Providing for a challenge to the drivers and pit crew members of the 33 individual teams, everyone suited-up ready to accept the heat as another variable to contend with on the Sunday afternoon.

Photo Credit: Steve Swope /(C)2012 Steve Swope Photography

Without a hitch, the first Indianapolis 500 with the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series’ new DW12 Dallara and engine formula was set to roll off after the traditional remembrance of armed forces. The pre-race also involved a special tribute to the 2011 Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon with his race-winning race car being piloted around the track by the Brit’s team owner Bryan Herta. A moment that was both beautiful and somber even with the roar of the car’s Honda engine deaden by the ongoing grieving of the driver lost last year at Las Vegas. A memory coinciding with the tribute to lost military defenders and the living veterans, there was definitely a heightened human connection that the auto racing community would enter the 2012 Indy 500 acknowledging.

Lining three-wide for the green flag, the field was led by the Australian Ryan Briscoe joined by Canadian James Hinchcliffe and American driver Ryan Hunter-Reay. An Indy 500 led by a row of non-race winners, the race started with those 3 of 33 drivers wanting Borg-Warner trophy as they prepare their first of 200 laps. Right from the start, the #27 Andretti Autosport-owned vehicle of Hinchcliffe secured a momentary advantage over Ryan Briscoe’s #2 Penske Racing car. From the start of the race to lap 18, Ryan Briscoe and James Hinchcliffe exchanged the lead on 6 occasions.

Photo Credit: Steve Swope /(C)2012 Steve Swope Photography

The first Indy 500 for Chevrolet since 1993, the first 44 laps featured Penske Racing and Andretti Autosport sending their 2012 engine supplier a message of firm support. Between Hinchcliffe, Briscoe and later the #26 Andretti Autosport car of Marco Andretti, the chances of one of those drivers being the first bowtie brand pilot to victory lane since Emerson Fittipadi in 1993 looked good. It was on lap 45 that Honda Racing Development led their first race lap. French-Canadian driver Alex Tagliani (driving for the Bryan Herta Autosport team that won the 2011 Indy 500 with Dan Wheldon) led two laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during a green flag pit stop exchange.

For the two Lotus-engined vehicles driven by HVM Racing‘s Simona de Silvestro and former Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi, the 2012 race was what would constitute as an embarrassment. By lap 10, both race cars were black-flagged for lack of pace in the Indy 500. Jean Alesi would finish 32^nd while 2010 Indy 500 rookie of the year Simona de Silvestro finished last in the 2012 event. "I'm disappointed, but we didn't have speed from the beginning. I understand the call. We have to have more horsepower to be competitive.” said de Silvestro after her very short 9-lap race with the #78 HVM Racing car. The Indy 500 race results cap what has been a disastrous month-long of efforts with the Lotus engines in 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series competition.

In the first 80 laps of the Indianapolis 500, the performance of the Dallara DW12 race car in competition was demonstrated to much success. However, it would be on lap 80 where the new racing vehicle was tested in a serious crash at the Brickyard. Contact between a the #12 Penske Racing car of Will Power and a damaged vehicle of Mike Conway that spun on track resulted in a big turn 2 crash. Both drivers left their cars unhurt, the Australian driver Power was rather upset with his retirement coming after three IZOD INDYCAR Series race wins coming into the event. "(Conway) said the team sent him out with a broken wing. I don't understand why they would do that.” said Power who holds a best finish in the 500-mile race of 5^th place coming in 2009. While the oval was never a strong-suit for Will Power, the 2012 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was his first retirement in competition at the track.

As the race entered into half-distance, the Honda-powered race car of Scott Dixon began showing impressive pace at the front. The #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing was competing at the front while teammate Dario Franchitti was recovering from an early race pit road incident on lap 18. Franchitti was spun when the KV Racing Technology car driven by EJ Viso impacted the rear of the #50 Target car. By lap 91, Dario Franchitti had been revived to a 2^nd place run behind Dixon.

Aside from the Target Chip Ganassi Racing machine, the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car had emerged as a frontrunner in the hands of Japan’s Takuma Sato. Sato took the lead of the Indy 500 from Scott Dixon on lap 119 to lead for the first of three occasions in the second-half of the race.

Past the halfway point, the 96^th Indy 500 was a wide-open affair where at least 6 drivers were able to seriously contend for the win. While the Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars and Sato’s race vehicle were favourites, James Hinchcliffe was one of the drivers in the hunt for a victory. In what was only his second Brickyard competition in IZOD INDYCAR Series vehicles, Hinchcliffe ran steady in the top-10 throughout the 2012 Indianapolis 500. While fast, James Hinchcliffe was hampered on restarts or a set of slow pit stops including one on lap 166 where dropped from 5^th to 11^th place. James Hinchcliffe would work has way back to 6^th place at the end of 200 laps still pursuing his first IZOD INDYCAR Series race win with his #27 Andretti Autosport car.

Three cautions occurred through the final 20 laps of the 2012 Indianapolis 500 including one involving early race favourite Marco Andretti. Crashing his #26 car on lap 187 on turn 1, Andretti’s 24^th place finish was the end result of a frustrating second-half of the event for the driver. Expressed through animated radio chatter, Marco Andretti pressured himself and his father’s race team to what he hoped could be his first Indy 500. In post-race, Andretti indicate the Dreyer and Reinbold Racing car of Oriol Servia was the reason for his race end. "(Oriol) Servia decided to run two-wide at Indianapolis for two consecutive laps and makes me turn in from the white line. I had no hope of making that corner because not only am I turning in from the white line, he just crossed my bow, so I was completely out of it. Nothing I can do. I'm disappointed. I definitely rang my bell” said Andretti shortly after his retirement from the 2012 Indy 500. Marco Andretti would recant his criticism later on Twitter messaging, “Sorry for blaming @OriolServia. Was frustrated and totally out of it. I made my own bed there. Very sore. Unlucky but lucky.”

With a restart on lap 194, it was the two Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars of Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti who were in immediate position to achieve victory at the Brickyard. Swapping the lead twice ahead of the final lap, the Target cars battle for track position allowed Takuma Sato to stay close to the leaders through the last run of the Indy 500. With Dario Franchitti in the lead, Sato passed second-place #9 car of Scott Dixon and promptly mounted a charge on the #50 into turn one. With Franchitti and Sato sailing into the narrow first corner side-by-side, the tight battle resulted in the #15 traveling low into the turn and would lose control of his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car. Impacting the turn 1 wall, Takuma Sato’s attempt to beat Dario Franchitti resulted in a full-course yellow that preserved victory for the #50 car.

Photo Credit: INDYCAR/LAT USA

Dario Franchitti crossed the start/finish line after 200 laps of the Indianapolis 500 just ahead of teammate Dixon. The Scottish driver’s third Indy 500 victory, Franchitti dedicated the victory to the late Dan Wheldon. For many competitors in the 2012 race, the thought of having their face image on the Borg-Warner trophy beside Wheldon’s would have been a high honour to a past racer that was a friend of many drivers.I think racing is emotion. “Life is, as well. But racing I think really exemplifies that, if that's the right word. And Vegas was the lowest of the low.” said Franchitti in post-race describing on the emotions involved in the sport of auto racing. “Fontana '99 and Vegas last year were the lowest of the low. I think the reason we all got back in the cars, the reasons all the mechanics got back in pit lane, the fans came back to the races, is days like today, the emotion of something like today. That's certainly why I got back in the car.“ said Franchitti. Dario Franchitti captured car owner Chip Ganassi’s 4^th 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

　

With Honda winning the 2012 Indianapolis 500, they have won their 9^th consecutive victory in the event. Facing firm competition from Chevrolet, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon finished ahead of the bowtie powered #11 car of Tony Kanaan. The high-finishing Chevrolet engined car at the end of the 2012 race, the effort for Kanaan and KV Racing Technology is much-needed momentum as the Brazilian continues to seek consistency through the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series season.

Converting to Chevrolet power just ahead of the Indy 500, the #22 Dreyer and Reinbold Racing car driven by Oriol Servia ended a solid 4^th after qualifying 27^th. Ryan Briscoe completed the top-5 in the finishing order of the 96^th Indianapolis 500.



2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series
96th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race Results

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Race Team	Engine Supplier
1	50	Dario Franchitti	Target/Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
2	9	Scott Dixon	Target/Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
3	11	Tony Kanaan	KV Racing Technology	Chevrolet
4	22	Oriol Servia	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	Chevrolet
5	2	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	Chevrolet
6	27	James Hinchcliffe	Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet
7	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda
8	83	Charlie Kimball	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
9	99	Townsend Bell	Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports	Honda
10	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	Chevrolet
11	8	Rubens Barrichello	KV Racing Technology	Chevrolet
12	98	Alex Tagliani	Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian	Honda
13	38	Graham Rahal	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
14	4	JR Hildebrand	Panther Racing	Chevrolet
15	19	James Jakes	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda
16	77	Simon Pagenaud	Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports	Honda
17	15	Takuma Sato	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda
18	5	EJ Viso	KV Racing Technology	Chevrolet
19	30	Michel Jourdain Jr	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda
20	7	Sebastien Bourdais	Lotus-Dragon Racing	Chevrolet
21	20	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet
22	6	Katherine Legge	Lotus-Dragon Racing	Chevrolet
23	25	Ana Beatriz	Andretti Autosport/Conquest Racing	Chevrolet
24	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet
25	67	Josef Newgarden	Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing	Honda
26	17	Sebastian Saavedra	AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet
27	28	Ryan Hunter-Reay	Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet
28	12	Will Power	Team Penske	Chevrolet
29	14	Mike Conway	AJ Foyt Enterprises	Honda
30	39	Bryan Clauson	Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing	Honda
31	41	Wade Cunningham	AJ Foyt Enterprises	Honda
32	78	Simona de Silvestro	Lotus-HVM Racing	Lotus
33	64	Jean Alesi	Lotus – FP Journe – Fan Force United	Lotus

Before Indy 500 Pole Day: Fastest in Brickyard Practice

Photo Credit: INDYCAR/LAT USA

For the past week, open wheel racing drivers and teams have been lapping the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in order to find the key to winning the 96th Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day Sunday.

This year's Indy 500 practice was more important than it has been in years at the 2.5-mile speedway oval with brand new Dallara DW12 chassis race cars and turbocharged engines set for their first Month of May. Through the course of the week, average speeds at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway crept over 223 miles per hour. Slower than the 2011 cars, there was some disappointment that the 2012 contenders at the track were not up to the same pace as last year. For "Fast Friday" practice, the INDYCAR sanctioning body permitted teams to increase the turbo boost pressure by 10 kPa which allowed the V-6 engines to produce around 40 horsepower extra.

Photo Credit: INDYCAR/LAT USA

Because of the additional power, 32 of the 33 active drivers in practice posted their best track times for the Friday practice session. For what proved to be the highest speeds recorded at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the fastest one-lap run was posted by Andretti Autosport driver Marco Andretti. Jetting around the 2.5-mile oval in 39.5535 seconds, Andretti's "Fast Friday" effort equates to an average speed of 227.540 miles per hour. Over a tenth of a second slower than the #26 of Marco Andretti, Team Penske's #2 car of Ryan Briscoe recorded a 226.835-mile per hour average speed. With Helio Castroneves and Ryan Hunter-Reay behind Briscoe on the time sheet, the the top-four fastest times were all set by Chevrolet-powered cars. In the entire top-10, Chevrolet's surge for Indy 500 Pole Day success is solidifed by the 8 IZOD INDYCAR DW12 Dallaras powered by the Bowtie brand.  

The leading Honda-engined car after "Fast Friday" is the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car driven by Scott Dixon who posted a 226.224-mile per hour speed around the 2.5-mile oval. Dixon's teammate Dario Franchitti was the second Honda runner in the top-10 placing 9th fastest on Friday.

For the first time since 2005, the Indy 500 will be contended by more than a single engine brand. With Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus supplying powerplants for the 2012 Indy 500 race, the week preparing for Pole Day resulted in Chevrolet and Honda strengthening their numbers as a result of the ailing situations with Lotus' INDYCAR program. On Wednesday, Dragon Racing was finally approved to install Chevrolet engines into their team cars driven by Sebastien Bourdais and Katherine Legge. The engine politics played havoc with Legge's Rookie Orientation. The two remaining Lotus engined Dallara DW12 race cars are buried at the bottom time chart. Nudging a lap above 213 miles per hour, former Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi was 2.5 seconds slower than Marco Andretti's fastest time. The slowest driver over the course of 7 practice sessions was Simona de Silvestro who is still struggling to find speed with he HVM Racing team during the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series season.

Photo Credit: INDYCAR/LAT USA

Indy 500 Pole Day is set for tomorrow with a qualifying draw settling the order that cars position themselves for a four-lap time trial run. Saturday's qualifying at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will determine the top 24 spots of the 2012 Memorial Day race. Consisting of two segments, the top nine fastest cars on Saturday will advance to a final qualifying session.

The following list of speeds at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the top runs of the 33 drivers at the track. It is not unusual that additional competitors may be posting times either on Saturday's Pole Day or Sunday's Bump Day.



Indianapolis 500 Pre-Pole Day Practice Times

1	26	Marco Andretti	Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet	227.540
2	2	Ryan Briscoe	Team Penske	Chevrolet	226.835
3	3	Helio Castroneves	Team Penske	Chevrolet	226.716
4	28	Ryan Hunter-Reay	Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet	226.400
5	9	Scott Dixon	Target/Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda	226.224
6	27	James Hinchcliffe	Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet	225.974
7	25	Ana Beatriz	Andretti Autosport/Conquest Racing	Chevrolet	225.653
8	4	JR Hildebrand	Panther Racing	Chevrolet	225.571
9	50	Dario Franchitti	Target/Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda	225.370
10	11	Tony Kanaan	KV Racing Technology	Chevrolet	225.322
11	12	Will Power	Team Penske	Chevrolet	225.288
12	5	EJ Viso	KV Racing Technology	Chevrolet	225.137
13	67	Josef Newgarden	Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing	Honda	225.021
14	83	Charlie Kimball	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda	224.964
15	19	James Jakes	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda	224.960
16	20	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet	224.946
17	15	Takuma Sato	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda	224.825
18	38	Graham Rahal	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda	224.789
19	17	Sebastian Saavedra	AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport	Chevrolet	224.661
20	14	Mike Conway	AJ Foyt Enterprises	Honda	224.333
21	8	Rubens Barrichello	KV Racing Technology	Chevrolet	224.272
22	18	Justin Wilson	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda	224.258
23	39	Bryan Clauson	Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing	Honda	224.224
24	98	Alex Tagliani	Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian	Honda	223.576
25	41	Wade Cunningham	AJ Foyt Enterprises	Honda	222.898
26	77	Simon Pagenaud	Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports	Honda	222.736
27	99	Townsend Bell	Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports	Honda	221.738
28	30	Michel Jourdain Jr	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda	221.396
29	7	Sebastien Bourdais	Lotus-Dragon Racing	Chevrolet	221.191
30	22	Oriol Servia	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	Chevrolet	220.643
31	6	Katherine Legge	Lotus-Dragon Racing	Chevrolet	219.430
32	64	Jean Alesi	Lotus – FP Journe – Fan Force United	Lotus	213.423
33	78	Simona de Silvestro	Lotus-HVM Racing	Lotus	212.516

 

Friday Adventure at the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto Part 1

Photo by Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

For the past two years, I have been able to regale readers of this website on my trip to the Honda Indy of Toronto. An action-filled Friday, I regret the fact it took me so long to complete a posting relating to my trip. On top of other responsibilities, an intention to post the entire race day in one post would result in a long-winded mess for the Internet. I know, I tend to be rather detailed in the composition of my articles so I've began to break down my morning and afternoon recap into parts. Please enjoy this first part of my attendance of 2011 Honda Indy
With the Honda Indy Toronto crossing forth into its 25th anniversary since the first event won by Bobby Rahal, my true relationship to the race started 12 years later. Able to physically attend my first “Molson Indy” event, I have always been welcomed with a spectacle of auto racing life and culture I could never resist the following year. A major tourist draw for 25 years based on celebration of the many allures for motorsport, I just happened to be one of those automotive enthusiasts attracted by the power of advance open wheel racing technology watching the pursuit of driver and team questing for the top mastery of speed.
Granted media access to this year's very special Honda Indy event, the opportunity to present the racing festival of Toronto is now a responsibility wrapping many pleasures. Taking the only sensible method of travel through downtown Toronto (at least most of the time) is the TTC. Every time I ride on a subway car or streetcar, I suddenly hear the song “Romantic Traffic” by the Canadian 1980s new wave rock band “The Spoons” in my head. A little bit before of this websites readers (in fact “Romantic Traffic” roughly before my own interest in any music); the music video was staged within the subway line of the TTC during the mid 1980s.

As I stepped off the TTC streetcar when reaching early morning rush of the Castrol Canadian Touring Cars, I was to know this year (perhaps for than any other year) the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto would provide this automotive writer and editor with inspiration so ripe with excitement.

Arriving in the early morning hours, my residual sense of grogginess was vanquished immediately with action-filled day. Taking my first step into the media center acquaint myself with the part of my work area, an announcement that past event IZOD INDYCAR winner Marco Andretti will be in the media conference room was relayed. Arriving in a surprisingly near empty pressroom just past 9 am, the Iowa Speedway winner walked in minutes later.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

Having the 2011 race winner and third generation Andretti racer in the room, I regretted I was unable to think of an intelligent question ideal for the 24-year old driver. Through the day, I continued to consider what question I could have asked Marco Andretti. It was not until lunch that I had finally brainstormed a suitable query. Not a very serious question, I probably could have asked it there is any place in Toronto Marco enjoyed when the IZOD INDYCAR Series visits the city. I know, it's not incredibly hard-hitting and somewhat light-hearted but it would have been a break from the racing-related questions (not that the Honda Indy would be considered a tiring subject.

As Marco Andretti left the conference room to prepare for Friday morning practice, I proceeded outside within the 1.755-mile track for the first time. Under the beautiful, cloudless skies, the Ferrari Challenge cars warmed up on the 11-turn street course for the very first time. The sound as well as the movement of those almost completely stock Ferrari F430 and Ferrari 458 supercars demonstrated a near perfect accompaniment to high speeds of the Lakeshore Boulevard stretch. Taking in the show on the Thunder Alley grandstands, I recalled my first Honda Indy presence in 1998. There for the Saturday and Sunday, I remembered how exciting it was to watch the CART World Series in probably one of their last great seasons. With my own eyes that weekend almost 13 years ago, I watched Michael Andretti, Paul Tracy, Patrick Carpentier as well as the late, great Greg Moore roaring down the Lakeshore. I remembered how the race was won by than Target/ Chip Ganassi driver Alex Zanardi.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

Recalling my first race, I began to wonder how many fans young and old would take in this 2011 Honda Indy event. Since the race lost the long-time Molson sponsorship, crowds appeared to have dipped considerably. Following 2008 when a race did not take place due to reunification of open wheel racing, the 2009 Honda Indy had trouble bringing fans back to the event and not greeted kindly by the media. For 2011, this event is burning on all cylinders. To start, the Honda Canada sponsored Free Friday reached full potential as the combination of a sunny hot day and parent seeking to entertain their recently summer break bound tykes stormed through the attendance gates. By noontime, the CNE ground was well covered by a potpourri of individuals sharing the event. Besides the racing action on track, there was no shortage fun inside the enclosed Toronto street circuit including the IZOD INDYCAR Fan Zone. One of the sights on the area was a preview of the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series race vehicle.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

  

As the Ferrari Challenge cars left the track with only the memory of their brute, Italian sound, the Firestone Indy Lights cars prepared for competition. With the graduation of last year's Canadian Firestone Indy Lights series star James Hinchcliffe to the Newman/Haas Racing IZOD INDYCAR team, Canada's lone representative in the ladder series was Maple, Ontario's David Ostella. Riding 7th in the Firestone Indy Lights standing leading into the Honda Indy event, Ostella's rookie appearance with Jensen Motorsport did not go without notice by Canadian auto racing fans. During the weekend, that 19 year old was probably given a full initiation into what it means to be a rising auto racing star competing in his home country. With Ostella 6th fastest on track, Andretti Autosport's Stefan Wilson took fastest time in the morning practice on the streets of Toronto. As we know in hindsight, this top time for Wilson was a precursor to what would be a first career Firestone Indy Lights victory during Sunday's 100-mile event.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

In part 2 of my 2011 Honda Indy Toronto review, I will recap the arrival of the headline IZOD INDYCAR Series to the race track. Star drivers such as Dario Franchitti, James Hinchcliffe, Paul Tracy and Danica Patrick take to 1.755-mile race circuit. Below, I have compiled a few videos which are now posted on Youtube. Posting them much sooner than I was able to construct the written review of my 2011 Honda Indy experience, I am very impressed by the reception of both videos.

2012 IZOD INDYCAR Dallara Chassis

2011 Honda Indy Ferrari Challange Morning Practice

Marco Andretti Wins Long-Awaited 2nd INDYCAR Event at Iowa

Photo Credit: Chris Jones

After four events in a five-race oval stretch for the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series, the surprising victory of part-time runner Dan Wheldon and the Bryan Herta Autosport team was followed by the status quo. The following three races were won by the well-established superteams of Penske Racing and Target/Chip Ganassi Racing. The 9th round of the IZOD INDYCAR Series tour, the 7/8th mile oval of Iowa Speedway presents the 5th race on on the initial circle track stint.

Set up for 250 laps, a 25-car field of open wheel racers took grid positions for the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Starting from his first-ever IZOD INDYCAR Series pole, Japanese driver Takuma Sato led the Iowa Corn Indy 250 to an orderly beginning. Though the #5 KV Racing Technology car was able to add 8 more laps for a total of 30 laps led in 2011, a typical figure spoiled Takuma Sato's time leading at Iowa Speedway. Passing Sato on lap 8, Milwaukee 225 winner Dario Franchitti rushed his #10 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing car to the front of the field. Not only did Franchitti interrupted Sato's time at the run, the Scottish demonstrated an unwillingness to allow any driver from leading the Iowa Corn Indy 250 for almost 150 laps.

As Dario Franchitti and the #10 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing team led 60% of the race distance, four cautions slowed the IZOD INDYCAR competitors. The first yellow flags during the Iowa Corn Indy 250 claimed the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing cars in varying degrees. On lap 23, driver of the team's #22 car Justin Wilson was the more fortunate after spinning through in turn 2. Suffering no major damage as a result to the lose of control, the lucky British driver endured to a 12th place finish. Justin Wilson's rookie teammate Ana Beatriz was not as fortunate in the #24 car. Colliding with the #27 Andretti Autosport car driven by former Dreyer & Reinbold Racing pilot Mike Conway, Beatriz crashed hard into the turn 2 wall.

Photo Credit: Chris Jones

Entering the race with a tie for the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series overall driver standings, the #10 of Dario Franchitti and the #12 Penske Racing car of Will Power were racing at Iowa Speedway knowing one driver would have to prevail as the sole points leader. The outcome for the points race would be realized on lap 91 of the Iowa Corn Indy 250. The #12 Penske Racing car of Power whacked the turn 2 wall laps. Occurring laps after a pit road accident when Will Power and Chip Ganassi Racing's Charlie Kimball's #83 vehicle. "The Verizon car was damaged after the incident in the pits and we just had a problem with the steering and it came around me. It's a tough result for us tonight."

As Dario Franchitti's championship prospects in the still early 2011 IZOD INDYCAR season encountered an upswing, the #10 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing would suddenly fall under attack in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 lead. Climbing from 17th place, Andretti Autosport driver Marco Andretti had set the Target car in his gun sights taking the race's lead on lap 157. While Andretti was able to pass Franchitti, the #10 car driver quickly snatched back the 1st place position on lap 161.

Photo Credit: Shawn Gritzmacher

The final caution for the race flew on lap 185 for the race's pole sitter Takuma Sato. In post-race interview, Sato responded to the late race accident saying, "I lost at the bump in Turn 2. The tires weren't up to temperature. I'm very disappointed to finish the race this way. I feel very sorry for the team and the fans." After starting 1st on the field, Sato concluded the night in 19th place.

While the KV Racing Technology #5 car was out of competition, the team's #82 car of Tony Kanaan was hovering at the front all-night long. For the Iowa Corn Indy 250, Kanaan was in position to seek redemption for possibly handling away the previous race at Milwaukee. Behind Marco Andretti on the lap 199 restart, Tony Kanaan snatched the lead four laps into the run. A battle between the Andretti Autosport #26 and the #82 KV Racing Technology Dallara-Hondas ensued through the final 10% of the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Thrilling the sizable Iowa Speedway crowd, Marco Andretti retook the lead from Kanaan five laps later as the former teammates for Andretti Autosport jousted through the late laps.

Swapping the lead several more times, the race battle between the #82 and #26 was settled with 18 laps remaining when Marco Andretti powered by Kanaan. The moment Andretti got an advantage on the #82, the #26 aggressively skated in front of the KV Racing Technology car. This was the winning move Marco Andretti used to cross the start/finish line first for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

While Marco Andretti considers the series one race at a time, many IZOD INDYCAR Series observers questioned whether the third generation driver deserved the support he had received having only won a single INDYCAR event in 2006 at Watkins Glen. In an interview with XSL Speed Reporter last year, Marco Andretti

Somewhat unhappy with the winning pass claiming "It was pretty clean until he chopped me off.", Tony Kanaan also confessed the 24 year-old Andretti drove a great race. The second place for the KV Racing Technology team at Iowa Speedway is the best result the organization has recorded on an IZOD INDYCAR series oval.

Coming from even farther through the IZOD INDYCAR at Iowa Speedway, Scott Dixon took the 3rd and final podium position. Starting an uncharacteristic 23rd after sliding in qualifying, Dixon succeeded in outperforming his teammate Dario Franchitti who led 172 of the race's 250 laps. As Franchitti finished 5th, a 4th place result went to the impressive rookie driver JR Hildebrand. Amusingly with Hildebrand, he drove the #4 car to 4th in qualifying before he ultimated maintained his spot for the Iowa race's finish.

Concluding the running order of the top-10 of the 2011 Iowa Corn Indy 250 was Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe and Danica Patrick.

2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series
Iowa Corn Indy 250
Race Results

Pos # | Car # | Driver/ Nationality/ Race Team

1. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
2. 82 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
3. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
4. 4 JR Hildebrand/United States/ Panther Racing
5. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
6. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
7. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
8. 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/Andretti Autosport
9. 06 James Hinchcliffe/Canada/ Newman/Haas Racing
10. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
11. 67 Ed Carpenter/United States/Sarah Fisher Racing
12. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
13. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/Dale Coyne Racing
14. 2 Oriol Servia/Spanish/ Newman/Haas Racing
15. 38 Graham Rahal/United States/Chip Ganassi Racing
16. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ Sam Schmidt Racing
17. 58 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
18. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
19. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
20. 34 Sebastian Saavedra/Columbia/ Conquest Racing
21. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
22. 83 Charlie Kimball/United States/ Chip Ganassi Racing
23. 24 Ana Beatriz/Brazil/ Dreyer & Reinbold
24. 18 James Jakes/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
25. 27 Mike Conway/England/Andretti Autosport

78 Simona de Silvestro/Switzerland/ HVM Racing (Car withdrew following driver de Silvestro not receiving medical clearance to compete. Team credited with a 26th place result.)

Power On: Penske Driver Claims Second Race of Firestone Twin 275s

Photo Credit: Michael Levitt - LAT

 

Following the first race of the Firestone Twin 275s, winner Dario Franchitti celebrated quickly as he contemplated the uncertainty of a random draw for starting positions in race 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. Having the potential of drastically shuffling the starting order from the race results of race 1, the Firestone Twin 275s second race was decided with drivers selecting a numbered Firestone tire on a large wall. Operating in reverse order to their finishing positions, drivers drew in front of the Texas Motor Speedway crowd their starting spots in the second race. Drawing the 1st place spot was KV Racing Technology driver Tony Kanaan. An elated Brazilian, Kanaan literary jumped as he followed the Texas Motor Speedway's advice through the selection procedure.

 

As for Dario Franchitti, the winner of the first race was ushered to a 28th place starting spot. Runner-up in that earlier race, Franchitti's Target-Chip Ganassi Racing teammate started 18th for the second race. Deeply buried in the second of the Firestone Twin 275s at Texas Motor Speedway, Franchitti appeared to continually exhibit displeasure in this procedure.

 

Following the first race of the IZOD INDYCAR double race, there were two cars (the #98 of Wade Cunningham and the #83 of Charlie Kimball) too damaged to complete the 114-lap distance. A unique twist in this Firestone Twin 275s event, drivers and teams who are out of the first race were permitted a back-up car to be involved with the second race. For the Bryan Herta Autosport team of Wade Cunningham set to start on the front row, their limited resources had the race organization seeking out and receiving Alex Tagliani's back-up car from Sam Schmidt Racing. All teams received only an hour to tune their vehicles for the second Firestone Twin 275s event.

 

With Tony Kanaan leading the field for race two for the IZOD INDYCAR Series at Texas Motor Speedway, his KV Racing Technology car launched perfectly in the pole position while second place starting Wade Cunningham began a descent down the running order. Only his second race in the IZOD INDYCAR Series (the first occurring just about two hours prior), rookie Cunningham was also getting initiated with an unfamiliar Dallara-Honda race car. Cunningham would finish the second event in 28th place for Bryan Herta Autosport.

 

Able only to find pace for 11th place in the earlier race, Tony Kanaan found the clean air out in front of the IZOD INDYCAR Series competition refreshing on his race car. Kanaan held with gusto during the early stages of the Firestone Twin 275s. Behind him, the field shuffled around as positions swapped between faster cars coming from the back passing slower vehicles. Making moves quickly in the second race segment at Texas was Penske Racing driver Ryan Briscoe. From 12th place on the start, Briscoe (the winner of a longer length race at Texas Motor Speedway last year) diced through the top-10. At one point, the #6 car of Ryan Briscoe caught an anxious moment where he wiped the front infield grass with his left Firestone tires.

 

As Ryan Briscoe showed the black, white and red Penske colours, Helio Castroneves' #3 AAA car also made his blue, white and red paint scheme very visible through the second race at Texas Motor Speedway. Starting 6th, Castroneves preserved a strong run in the top-5 after a less than special showing in the first event earlier in the night.

 

Besides the Penske cars, other drivers turning the lemons of a poor starting spot draw into the lemonade of a hard-earned race run included Marco Andretti and EJ Viso. After both races were in the books, Andretti and Viso each gained a total of 31 spots on the race track from there starting positions. Having one of the better races of his 2011 season for KJ Racing Technology earning two top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway.

 

As for Viso's teammate in the #82 car, Tony Kanaan would until the #12 Penske Racing car of Will Power began to thunder up on his Lotus green race car. Sizing up Kanaan for several laps, Power was finally able to pass the #82 KV Racing car on lap 31 just ahead of the first pit stops of the 114-lap late race. Maintaining the front spot through the first round of pit road stops, Will Power's hold on the top position was familiar to the performance which Dario Franchitti displayed in the first Firestone Twin 275s.

 

As for Franchitti, the Scottish driver did not find charging up from the 28th spot an easy task. Making only small gains through the initial laps, Dario Franchitti's #10 would only find the top-10 in the late going at Texas Motor Speedway's IZOD INDYCAR race. As for teammate Scott Dixon, he would draw closely back into the lead pack coming from his 18th place position at the drop of the green flag.

 

As the race ran caution-free through its entire 114-lap distance, Penske Racing's Will Power had a win in his grasp. however, on lap 104 the Australian's hold on the event could have been loosened as Power aimed for his second and final pit stop. Chip Ganassi Racing's #38 car driven by Graham Rahal ran out of fuel on along the track's backstretch. Rightfully keeping his coasting car down at the lower edge of the race track, Will Power quickly approached the slower car as he himself was low on entrance to pit lane. Taking quick evasive actions, Will Power dived just between Rahal and the inside retaining wall in a masterful move to avoid a horrific incident. "I wasn't sure whether he was coming out of the pits or he was actually pitting or what he was doing." Power said. "I actually probably thought he was coming out of the pits, so I went to the inside, because I was pitting. There was a massive closing speed there. I'm glad he stayed straight. That could have been pretty big had he gone the wrong way."

 

Undaunted through the final 10 laps, Will Power took his first victory in his career on an oval race track. While the oval tracks were considered the Australian's Achilles heel, Power kicked up his heels in Texas winning the second Firestone Twin 275s and his third victory of the still young 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series season. Will Power said in post-race "The second race, obviously the draw definitely helps. We got out in front. But we had a really quick car."
Closing but running out of laps, Scott Dixon charged to a second runner-up spot for the night in his #9 Target car. Describing the entire night as a throw-back to his go-karting days, Dixon commented on the twin race format of Texas saying "I think it's a good concept. I think it could be tweaked a little. It's a little gimmicky for a championship points race, which I think that's what concerns a lot of people."

 

Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan rounded out the top-5 for the second event of the Firestone Twin 275s. Coming home in 7th place, Dario Franchitti brought his #10 car across the line with some sore feelings on this double race. After the race Franchitti vented "The first thing is we should never have been in that position to start with. To have a championship in the IndyCar Series, drawing the grid out of a hat is a joke. Through no fault of our own, we started 25 places behind Will. Will, he took advantage of it tonight and did a great job. Through no fault of myself or the Target team, we had a massive handicap."

 

Will Power takes a 21-point lead over Dario Franchitti to the Milwaukee Mile race on June 19th.

 

 

 

Firestone Twin 275s Race 2
Texas Motor Speedway
2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series

 

 

1. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
2. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
3. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
4. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
5. 82 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
6. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
7. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
8. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
9. 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/Andretti Autosport
10. 58 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
11. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
12. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
13. 8 Paul Tracy/Canada/Dragon Racing
14. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ Sam Schmidt Racing
15. 2 Oriol Servia/Spanish/ Newman/Haas Racing
16. 67 Ed Carpenter/United States/Sarah Fisher Racing
17. 27 Mike Conway/England/Andretti Autosport
18. 4 JR Hildebrand/United States/ Panther Racing
19. 06 James Hinchcliffe/Canada/ Newman/Haas Racing
20. 88 Jay Howard/England/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
21. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
22. 24 Ana Beatriz/Brazil/ Dreyer & Reinbold
23. 83 Charlie Kimball/United States/ Chip Ganassi Racing
24. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/Dale Coyne Racing
25. 11 Davey Hamilton/United States/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
26. 99 Wade Cunningham/New Zealand/ Brian Herta Autosport
27. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland/ HVM Racing
28. 18 James Jakes/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
29. 34 Sebastian Saavedra/Columbia/ Conquest Racing
30. 38 Graham Rahal/United States/Chip Ganassi Racing

Countdown to Indy (#12): Dixon Leads Tuesday Practice Results

Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney

Eager to make up a lost Monday practice where rain drenched the Brickyard, Tuesday presented a much more preferable opportunity for IndyCar drivers and teams to acquaint themselves with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For the latest session, 36 of the drivers entered for the 2010 Indy 500 have clocked lap times for Tuesday's preparations.

Ending the two-day reign of Team Penske and Helio Castroneves as the supreme ruler of practice, close pursuer Target/Chip Ganassi Racing rose to the top of the speed charts for Tuesday. Scott Dixon in the #9 Target car jetted on the day with a 226.549 mile per hour lap time in the afternoon. Slower than the over 227 mile per hour mark set by Helio Castroneves on Sunday, Dixon's pace was performed within cooler 57 degree Fahrenheit ambient temperatures. While only a slight deviation from Sunday's 61 Fahrenheit temperatures, this attributed to the slower speeds compared to the weekend's best lap times.

Emerging as a surprising presence in 2nd place, Mario Moraes in the #32 KV Racing Technology car clocked a speed 0.1119 seconds than Dixon. Still unwilling to rest on his laurels, Moraes maintains the mindset that him and his team still has room for improvement. Planning to lean down the car for simulated qualifying runs tomorrow, Mario Moraes is looking forward to the Indy 500 Pole Day qualifying on Saturday. "I think the new format is great. I'm pretty confident that we have a car to get into the top nine. I'm pretty confident we can get into the field on the first day. I'm not sure if we have a car for the pole, but if we do then we will be fighting for that."

Reflecting on the Tuesday practice, the Penske Racing cars lacked the pizazz of the weekend. After leading practice on the first two days, Helio Castroneves was devoted down to 8th with teammate Will Power one position behind him. Ryan Briscoe, the lowest placed member of the race team following the Tuesday session in 19th spot, brought to light the method to Penske Racing's plan of the day. "We were able to run lots of laps. We did some runs with Will, getting a feel for how the car behaves in traffic." Briscoe said in post-practice as his other teammate implied the same race pace strategy.



Photo Credit: Chris Jones


Continuing their resurgence in 2010, the Andretti Autosport team has enjoyed a productive time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Marco Andretti led the squad Following the last Saturday's practice session where Tony Kanaan gauged the entire five-car Andretti Autosport race stable, the team's most senior driver has enjoyed a third straight practice ending in the top 10 of the time chart. Kanaan placed 6th fastest for Tuesday in his #11 car but claimed to their was little to learn from the cool session. Kanaan is looking forward to warmer weather tomorrow as a more conclusive day for preparing their a car for Indy 500 Pole Day.

Deeper down in the practice time results were Ryan Hunter-Reay in 17th and Danica Patrick in 30th place. Patrick run 61 laps in her #7 car being 1 of 6 drivers who have completed more than 60 laps on Tuesday. Circulating for the most laps, Dale Coyne Racing's #19 vehicle driven by Alex Lloyd logged 81 laps (the equivalent of 202.5 miles).

While Moraes led the four-car KV Racing Technology contingent at Indy for Tuesday, Paul Tracy also recorded a strong session placing just outside of today's top 10 vehicles. Seemingly mirroring the efforts of the #32 car, Paul Tracy responded after running his #15 car saying "We had a pretty good day for the GEICO KVRT car. We stuck to our plan of working on race setup."

In only his second day of practice, Tagliani and the FAZZT Race Team #77 car rose to 4th place on the time chart thanks to a 225.394 mile per hour best lap time. "The car is running fast and the boys are doing a great job. Our speeds and our potential are all attributed to the meticulous preparation of the B & W car that the guys have done and the hard work of the engineers." Tagliani complimented the effort as a team result. While the #77 car completed an additional 27 laps for Tuesday, the FAZZT Race Team's second car intended to be driven by Brazilian driver Bruno Junqueira has yet to make an appearance for the Indy 500 preparations of 2010.

As Wednesday is expected to be a warmer and settled day, tomorrow should feature a consistent chorus of Honda racing engines running within the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Quarterly Evaluation: First 4 Races of 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series Season

Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney/IndyCar

With the first four races of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series completed, drivers, teams, and race fans are beginning to realize the major players to North America's open wheel racing tour. At the front of the field we have already seen the three-car team of Roger Penske winning three events. Recognizing Penske Racing as part of a 25 car make up of this season's grid, there is 25 different stories playing out through the 2010 season.

Placing a quarter of the season in the books (there is actually 17 races on the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule but this is close enough to quarter distance) XSL Speed Reporter has compiled an evaluation to help establish the drivers' current performance after four races in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar circuit. While the finishing results have played an integral part in establishing gradings, considerations were made to acknowledge the individual drivers and teams whom have just entered the series for 2010 more favourably. Conversely, this quarterly evaluation has also shown the under-peroformance of some veteran drivers so far this season.

Will Power- A+

Without a doubt, the Australian driver Will Power has found his transition back to a full season for IZOD IndyCar Series to be a dream. Finishing on the podium for all four events so far including two victories, Power's performance on road and street courses has been stunning. It will be worth seeing if Power's luck will hold as the IZOD IndyCar Series takes on the first ovals of 2010. Will Power has yet to score a major open wheel race on an oval.


Ryan Hunter-Reay- A

Showing great potential as a devoted American open wheel driver, the off-season announcement naming Ryan Hunter-Reay to the fourth car for Andretti Autosport was welcomed sentimentally as the driver shuffled through three IndyCar teams in the previous two race seasons. Starting off the year with a strong 2nd place in the opening race at Sao Paulo. A feel good story moment resulted as Ryan Hunter-Reay brought his #37 Andretti Autosport machine to the winner's circle at Long Beach. In a recent conference, Ryan Hunter-Reay shed light on the situation saying "When everything kind of goes right like that, to get a win out of it, to be the fastest car on the track, it was a very cool weekend. Long Beach was great. But there's no sense of fulfillment on the team. Come Tuesday we were done with it. We need to go on and win some more races, that's for sure."



Photo Credit: Richard Dowdy


Justin Wilson- A-

Moving from Dale Coyne Racing to the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing organization, the team has dedicated itself to improving their game with the entrance of last year's Waltkins Glen race winner. Finishing in runner-up positions at both St Petersburg and Long Beach, Wilson and the #22 Z-Line Designs car has been knocking on the door for victory in 2010. In describing the young season, Justin Wilson responded favourably on the 2010 start with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. "It's been a great start to the season and exactly what I was hoping for. The Z-Line Designs 22 car has been pretty quick."


Helio Castroneves- B+

Breaking the two-race winning streak set by his teammate, Castroneves delivered his #3 Penske Racing car into victory at Barber Motorsports Park with the Brazilian's typical enthusiasm. Along with Will Power as drivers finishing in the top-10 for the first 4 events, Helio Castroneves is seated 42 points behind Power in the driver's point standings. Eluded from the IndyCar championship with three runner-up points finishes to show for his hard work, expect Castroneves to take any opportunity to close the points gap. Helio Castroneves will also be vying for a record-tying fourth Indy 500 victory in a little more than one month's time.



Photo Credit: Den Helrigel


Scott Dixon- B

With a season best second-place earned at Barber Motorsports Park, Scott Dixon and the Target/Chip Ganassi team has remained muted by their Penske Racing rivals from last year. The two-time IndyCar champion posted three finishes in the top-six broken only at St Petersburg. Fifth in the driver championship standings, do not count the New Zealand driver out contention to take it all in 2010. In 2009, Dixon recorded a 16th and 18th finish in the first two events to come only 11 points short of the championship to teammate Dario Franchitti. Four of Dixon's five wins for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing came on ovals.


Alex Tagliani- B

Starting on the front row for the Sao Paulo season opener, the newly-formed FAZZT Race Team built around Canadian Alex Tagliani made an early announcement that the race organization's #77 car was not going to be a field-filler. While the Sao Paulo IndyCar debut didn't end as strong as it began for Alex Tagliani, St Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park races ended with top-10 finishes respectable for a new team. Tagliani and the FAZZT Race Team should remain an interesting story for the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series.


Mike Conway- B

The sophomore year for Conway has been a productive outing in the #24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car. Placing in the top 10 for all races but St Petersburg, the British driver's qualifying speed at Barber Motorsports Park nested him a front row starting position alongside Will Power. Joined by fellow Brit Justin Wilson on the team for 2010, Conway's new teammate has been very satisfied with grouping. "..Mike's a good guy. It's a good, fun, relaxed atmosphere. There's no edge on the team. There's no ego, so we're able to concentrate on making cars go quicker."


Marco Andretti- B-

Spending five seasons in the team now wholly-owned by his father Michael, Marco Andretti has been facing greeter pressure to perform than even his teammates. Leading two of the four races starting the 2010 season, a near win resulted at Barber Motorsports Park when Andretti led the most laps before forced to pit late for fuel. Finishing 5th in the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Andretti is in high spirits throughout the 2010 IZOD IndyCar schedule. "There’s so much for to focus on it really keeps you on your toes. But the ovals have a speed and intensity all their own so I do think it’s important for the series to stay balanced." Marco Andretti commented the XSL Speed Reporter interview.


Vitor Meira- B-

Rejoining the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2010 after suffering injuries in last year's Indy 500, Vitor Meira's return was marked with a strong finish for the once powerful AJ Foyt Enterprise's racing team. Meira's season highlight (and likely career highlight) was a 3rd place finish in the season-opening IndyCar race in his home country. Apart from that race, the rest of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar season has seen the #14 of Vitor Meira hovering around mid-pack. Out for much of the 2009 campaign, Meira missed most of the oval tracks last season but has a long-standing history which should elevate the AJ Foyt Enterprise's car.


Dan Wheldon- B-

Returning to his Panther Racing #4 car, Wheldon 2010 season has started admirably with a 5th in San Paulo and a 9th at Long Beach. While the Brit has soon to be a force on both road courses and ovals, his first year with Panther Racing last season saw the Panther Racing car preferring the oval tracks in 2009. Dan Wheldon is continuing to pose a top-5 threat on almost any course on the IZOD IndyCar circuit.


Mario Moraes- C+

Named to drive a 3rd KV Racing Technology car within only a week to the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series starting, Mario Moraes came into this year proving himself a worthy driver in the latter stages of 2009. Regretfully, a first lap accident at Sao Paulo and a poor finish at St Petersburg kinked the driver's momentum. Moraes' potential did reemerge at the Grand Prix of Long Beach moving up 9th spots to take 6th place in the event. Excelling on the ovals last season, Mario Moraes might be an outside shot for a first career victory in 2010.


Simona De Silvestro- C+

One of many new drivers who were given their seats within a month before the season started, Simona de Silvestro is starting to challenge Danica Patrick as the leading lady of IndyCar racing (at least on track so far). Among the rookie drivers, de Silvestro is demonstrating herself to be very pivotal candidate for the 2010 IndyCar Rookie of the Year award. However, with the ovals coming up, de Silvestro is facing a massive career milestone as starts the Kansas race. With road courses making up the final seasons of the Cooper Tire Atlantic Series, the 21 year old Swiss driver's approaches her first circle track experience with the same attitude with the road races, simply wanting to finish the event.


Tony Kanaan- C+

Exhibiting speed which practice for at least one session at every event this season, Tony Kanaan and the #11 Andretti Autosports team has yet be able to impress in 2010 races. With the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series starting on four straight road-type courses, Kanaan's lackluster results so far can be reasoned with through reviewing the Brazilian's career stats. His aptitude like many long-time IRL drivers is presented on oval tracks over road courses. In fact, Tony Kanaan's last win came at Richmond International Raceway in 2008.



Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney


Raphael Matos- C+

Though the year started with a career best 4th place run at Sao Paulo, the 2009 IndyCar Rookie of the year's race finishes in the de Ferran Luczo-Dragon Racing have been getting steadily worse. Despite the recent difficulties, Raphael Matos has caught alive a 13-race streak of running at the end of IndyCar races. Matos sits 9th in the points standings and will be eager to return to top-10 contention heading deeper into the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule.

Dario Franchitti- C

For a reigning two-time IndyCar champion, Dario Franchitti title defense is proving tough. Franchitti's season highlight so far includes a pole on the streets of Sao Paulo and a 3rd place at the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. In an article inside the latest issue of PRN Magazine, Franchitti expected the season to feature strong efforts from old and new faces in the IZOD IndyCar series. Including Dario Franchitti, the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing is looking at the return to ovals as being a 2010 turning point mounting a challenge to Penske.


Hideki Mutoh- C

Having spent two seasons with Andretti Autosport, Hideki Mutoh moved to Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing sharing a mutual goal to find a place in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Since joining the series in 2008, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing went from the prime operation in Champ Car to being another mid-mark team in IndyCar. Finishing 20th in the first event, Mutoh has improved steadily with a 13th place at Long Beach. As the Japanese driver treks to the ovals with N/H/L Racing, expect Mutoh's experience in circle track racing improve the team's previously lackluster game off road courses.


Mario Romancini- C

Migrating from the Firestone Indy Lights Series with a respectable 2009 effort which included two victories, the Brazilian Romancini was promoted to the big show in 2010 by Conquest Racing. Failing to finish two races, Mario Romancini best finish in the rookie campaign is a 13th at St Petersburg. Just one point ahead of Simona de Silvestro as the highest-placed newcomer in the IZOD IndyCar Series for 2010, Romancini's season in Indy Lights offers him a conceivable advantage having some experience on oval tracks.


Danica Patrick- C-

Posting her only top-10 finish with a 7th on the streets of St Petersburg race, Patrick's 2010 IndyCar campaign has been less noisy than her stock car debut earlier this season. Before citing Danica Patrick's diversification in motorsports as contributing to the slow start for the #7 Andretti Autosport team, Patrick's performance on road courses have remained a weakness since the tracks were introduced to IndyCar. Returning to the ovals, Patrick has the right to be optimistic heading into the month of May.



Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney/IndyCar


EJ Viso- C-

Following a rookie season in 2008 which saw Viso hitting everything but the pace car, the Venezuelan driver earned a major career milestone in 2010 by finishing all of the first four events. EJ Viso has shown himself to be an incredibly fast driver, he's raked up 2 top-10 qualifying runs so far this season, but him and his KV Racing Technology team have to find more race pace into the rest of the year.


Ryan Briscoe- C-

Since the costly championship-losing miscue on the Twin-Ring Motegi race late last season, the Penske Racing driver continues to appear haunted by the incident into the new season. Having a chance to win the Sao Paulo Indy 300, Ryan Briscoe #6 car was leading in the late laps before mistiming his braking through turn five. Unable to break through for a top result until a 5th place at Long Beach, Ryan Briscoe can build his 2010 season if he can reestablish his podium-finishing capabilities.


Takuma Sato- C-

Playing in the big league of open wheel auto racing since 2002, Sato left Formula 1 for IndyCar officially in February. Despite his experience in the fast-running, hard-braking Formula 1 cars, Takuma Sato his found the KV Racing Technology car to be an entirely different challenge. Retiring from the first two events, Sato bad luck continued at the Barber Motorsport Park race where a throttle cable broke costing him 22 laps to the leader which was was unable to recover. The last round at Long Beach would result in an uneventful 18th place finish for Takuma Sato offering him a building block after four races in 2010.


Alex Lloyd- D

Dale Coyne Racing added two drivers late in the off-season signing Milka Duno and Alex Lloyd. Driving the #19 Boy Scouts of America car, the British driver has found it difficult to earn merit badges in the first races of his inaugural IndyCar season. Alex Lloyd's most dramatic appearance in 2010 has come at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach for devious reasons. With Lloyd being lapped by leaders Ryan Hunter-Reay and Justin Wilson, the #19 car collided with #22 Dallara causing Wilson to pit for replacement front wing.


Graham Rahal- D

The second-generation driver was batted all over the place in the off-season prior to the Streets of Sao Paulo premiere for the 2010 IndyCar Series. Unfortunately, when the green fell on the first race of the season, the Rahal name was nowhere in the running order. Thanks to a deal with Sarah Fisher Racing to drive the #67 car, Graham Rahal returned for the St Peterburg round. Placing 9th in his debut with the team, the limited road racing experience for Sarah Fisher Racing contributed to tough outings for Rahal at Barber Motorsports Park and Long Beach. Grateful for his opportunity with Sarah Fisher Racing, Graham Rahal is once again searching for a ride. Expect his name to return for Indy 500 qualifying potentially with Sarah Fisher Racing or another team.


Bertrand Baguette- Incomplete

Having not started the start two races with Conquest Racing, the Belgium driver Baguette immediately faced an uphill battle. Having only 20th and 25th place results for 2010, it is unsure where Bertrand Baguette and the Conquest Racing team will sit in deeper into the season.


Milka Duno- Incomplete

Starting into her first full season campaign, Milka Duno is venturing to some race courses for the first time in her open wheel career. However, Duno's early showing in the Dale Coyne Racing team through the first four races have been dismal. At Barber Motorsport Park, she spent much of the race as a moving chicane contributing to some IndyCar fans questioning the Venezuelan's driving talent. Duno will return to the more familiar ovals seeking some confidence-building runs for 2010.