Roger Penske has apparently found his new team leader. With the future of longtime Team Penske star Helio Castroneves in doubt as he stands trial on federal tax evasion charges, and replacement Will Power new to the team, Penske has placed some added responsibility on the slim shoulders of 27-year-old Ryan Briscoe. Briscoe, starting his [...]
NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson was the leadoff defense witness Monday in the Helio Castroneves tax-evasion trial, testifying that a lawyer who is also charged in the case has a sterling reputation in the motorsports world. Johnson, a three-time Sprint Cup winner, said Michigan lawyer Alan Miller has many clients in NASCAR and the Indy Racing [...]
Dario Franchitti was walking from his car to the team’s transporter Tuesday night when a trio of crewman from a rival team strode past. “Welcome back, Dario,” they shouted. Franchitti smiled and returned the greeting. It’s good to be back home. The Scot has returned to open-wheel racing after taking a shot at NASCAR following [...]
Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves predicted Thursday he will be acquitted of federal tax evasion charges and suggested the case against him should never have been brought. “They are trying to show something that doesn’t exist,” Castroneves said after a hearing on pretrial motions. Trial is set to begin March 2 for Castroneves, his [...]
Sarah Fisher has another sponsorship for this season. The Indy Racing League fan favorite announced Friday that IUPUI, a local college, is back on board for 2009. Details of the deal were not immediately available, but IUPUI wants to use the racing series as a platform to promote the school’s four-year motorsports engineering program. “We [...]
Ryan Briscoe won the Indy 300 on Sunday, taking the lead when fellow Australian Will Power crashed out on the 17th lap. Team Penske’s Briscoe became the first Australian driver to win the 60-lap race on the 2.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit. He beat Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon of New Zealand by 0.5019 seconds. [...]
Will Power won his third straight Indy 300 pole position Saturday, overtaking Scott Dixon with seconds left in qualifying. The Team Australia driver had a time of 1 minute, 34.9451 on his final lap on the 2.8-mile, 14-turn circuit. Dixon, the Indy 500 winner, had his fastest time on the previous lap, but Power was [...]
With the biggest field in seven years — 24 cars — and five former champions either driving or back as team owners, organizers of Sunday’s Indy 300 are hoping they haven’t saved their best for last. With the Surfers Paradise race missing from the 2009 Indy Racing League schedule, there’s a possibility that the race, [...]
The deal that brought together America’s two open-wheel series under the IRL Series banner made a difference — in a good way. Statistics released this week by the IRL show gains were made with the merger of IndyCar and the Champ Car World Series and not just on the track. • At-track merchandise sales were up [...]
A Miami judge has agreed to modify bail conditions on tax charges so Helio Castroneves can race later this month in Australia. The Brazilian race car driver and 2007 Dancing With The Stars champ had been barred from leaving the United States. A judge granted Castroneves’ request Friday to travel to Brisbane, Australia so he [...]
