Paul Tracy & Alex Tagliani Nixed From Support By IZOD IndyCar Series

Paul Tracy driving the Ralphs supermarket sponsored Dallara for KV Racing Technology entering turn #9 during the 2011 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Paul Tracy & Alex Tagliani Nixed From Support By IZOD IndyCar Series

The IZOD IndyCar Series leaves Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani off of the list of drivers and teams that are expected to share in the benefits received through large IndyCar Series advertising and broadcasting contracts. A pool of money is distributed between teams and drivers and since Tracy and Tagliani are not on the list, they will not get the expected subsidy of the approximately $1.3 million dollars each which helps teams to field a driver for a full season.

The program set up to assist teams and drivers is meant to reward teams for both past performance and a commitment to a full season of racing to a driver is called the Leader Circle program. Not including Paul Tracy will impact his chances to put a full season ride together with Michael Shank Racing. It is expected to have less of an impact with Alex Tagliani as the Montreal native already has a full-season sponsorship deal in place with premium sound electronics giant Bowers & Wilkins to support his ride with Bryan Herta Autosport.

The decisions behind who actually receives the Leader Circle program which is limited to only 20 teams has many people scratching their heads.

Alex Tagliani as he sits in his Bowers & Wilkins Dallara while in the pits for adjustments between warm-up sessions at the 2011 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

This excerpted and edited from the Toronto Sun -

IndyCar gives Tracy, Tags cold shoulder
BY DEAN MCNULTY,TORONTO SUN

Oakville’s [a Toronto, Canada suburb] James Hinchcliffe did make the cut with the No. 27 team from Andretti Autosport.

The so-called Leader Circle program is meant to reward teams for both past performance and a commitment to a full season of racing in 2012.

[Bryan] Herta was livid at the news his team — that won last year’s Indianapolis 500 with the late Dan Wheldon behind the wheel — was not among the Leader Circle cash recipients [with the seat being picked up by Alex Tagliani].

“I’m extremely disappointed and angry, it’s a travesty,’’ Herta told SPEED-TV. “We’ve got the only national brand as a primary sponsor and I was always told the Indy 500 was the most important race in the world. But obviously it wasn’t enough to get us into the 20 most important teams.”

In an astounding bit of irony Tagliani’s old team — Sam Schmidt Motorsports — was awarded one of the $1.3 million aid packages based on his performance with that team in 2011 where he won the pole at the Indy 500.

SSM’s money will go, however, to support Simon Pagenaud of France, who has no poles and no wins in his one-season of IndyCar racing [note: Pagenaud was a CCWS Formula Atlantic Champion edging out Graham Rahal in 2006].

For Tracy — the 2003 Champ Car World Series champion and winner of 31 career races — it is a bitter pill to swallow as it shows that IndyCar is still throwing its established stars under the bus.

For example the list of 20 teams and drivers that were awarded Leader Circle money includes an open spot on the KV Racing Technology team that is being held for Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.

This would be the same Barrichello who is out of rides in Formula 1 after a career with no championships and just 11 wins in 326 races.
----
Barrichello, who turns 40 this season, is only two years younger than Tracy, so it is not as if IndyCar teams are seeking out new and exciting drivers to entice fans back to their events.

Tracy, contacted on Friday, said he was going to wait until all of his options are looked into before commenting on the loss of the Leaders Circle money.

However in typical Tracy fashion he tweeted his thoughts: “People want to know my thoughts on the leader circle, never thought I would get one in the first place, not wasted any time thinking on it.”
[Reference Here]

It is understandable that the IZOD IndyCar Series would want to broaden the appeal of the racing series with strong or recognized names from Europe, but if the limit is only 20 teams, the driver's past performance, certainly in Paul Tracy's and Alex Tagliani's case, should be given a greater weight.

Frankly, to shun these two top Canadian drivers over some of the other drivers mentioned who are receiving the Leader Circle subsidy at a time of formula transition seems a little fool hardy. Fans are concerned about how the new DW12 package will translate to the competition on the track and to not have those with a greater history and traditions of American open wheel racing on the track would be to allow a potential disconnect between fan and series.

UPDATE:

Randy Bernard, CEO of the IZOD IndyCar Series, responds to the questions raised when some good drivers and teams were left out of the subsidy funding provided by the ICS program known as Leader Circle.

Randy Bernard (left) shares a happier moment of camaraderie with Bryan Herta - BHA (right) with Dennis Reinbold - DRR (facing) and Keith Wiggins - HVM (from behind) looking on in the Lotus Group Ltd. booth during the IZOD IndyCar/Lotus team press announcement at the 2011 LA Auto Show. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

This excerpted end edited from Racer.com -

Q & A: Randy Bernard on the eve of 2012 State of IndyCar address
David Malsher, Racer.com - February 11 2012

On the eve of his State of IndyCar address, series CEO Randy Bernard talked with RACER editor David Malsher about some of the major topics brewing in the IZOD IndyCar Series right now.

DM: It's caused a lot of controversy, so tell us, how were the Leader Circle allocations decided this year?

RB: We said from the start that the top 22 in points last year would qualify. So at the end of the year, those 22 were guaranteed a slot. When Newman/Haas Racing decided to throw in the towel, we decided that, with interest in the series meaning we might have 28-29 cars, what we'll do with those other two Leader Circle slots, will be to invite all teams to tell us why we should choose them – what are they going to do for the series to bring fans in? Why do they deserve that $1.1m? And they came back with some compelling stories and information. Jay Penske promised 50 million impressions from all his internet websites committing to IndyCar. His presentation was head and shoulders above everyone else's. And then Ed Carpenter came in with a sponsor that was committed to creating four-week, three-week and two-week marketing strategies in every IndyCar market to help the promoters sell tickets as well as helping us with other areas of promotion. Then we considered also that Sebastien Bourdais is a hell of a driver who deserves to be in the series, and Ed Carpenter won a race last year. So those were the two we chose.

But after that, Lotus DRR [formerly Dreyer & Reinbold Racing] and Andretti Autosport told us they were going to give back one Leader Circle each as they cut a car from their lineups. So we've interviewed everyone – Jay Penske wanted another one, as did Ganassi, and then there was Bryan Herta, Michael Shank, Eric Bachelart and Bobby Rahal. But they were so on a par, we didn't feel it was fair to, for example, choose Herta and Rahal over Ganassi and Shank. It was too close to call, it would get political – and it shouldn't be about politics. So if no one was head and shoulders above the others, how do we make it fair for everybody? OK, we could have just taken that $2.2m and put it into our bottom line, because we don't owe anybody anything, but we said “Let's put it into prize money.”

So there are five places for non-Leader Circle entrants eligible for payouts in each race aside from the Indianapolis 500. The highest finishing non-Leader Circle entrant will get $80,000 through to the fifth non-Leader Circle car getting $26,000. Then, additionally, all entrants in the starting field get bonuses of $35,000 for first place, $25,000 for second, $20,000 for third, $15,000 for fourth and $10,000 for fifth place at each race [not including the Indy 500]. So if you finish first of non-Leader Circle cars, you can do a lot better than you could from the Leader Circle program, and come in second all the time and get the equivalent of a Leader Circle. So I think that what we did was the best thing for the sport going forward because it's created another storyline. Paul Tracy is a great driver, so if he's good enough and Michael Shank Racing is good enough, then they'll win a lot of money.

DM: Why have the Leader Circle scheme at all? Why not scrap the scheme and use the money to substantially boost the prize fund for each and every race? The rich would get richer but so would the poor. Wouldn't that encourage teams to a) start the season and then accrue further funding by doing well and you'd have a race-by-race meritocracy?

RB: Right, and I think that may be the way to go. If you're not prepared to race for success and its rewards, what are you in the series for? Are you in it to make a profit or are you in it to win? I read Eric Bachelart's comments about how he's been loyal to Indy car racing for 16 years, but to my mind, there are two things he should be saying to himself right now: 1) “Am I in IndyCar to win?” and 2) “If I am and I'm not in the top 22, then I have a problem.” And if he's in it just to make money, then I have a problem with it. We're not just about making money: we have to create a great product and show credibility to our fans.

[Reference Here]


Still smells a little like Tony George, lurking in the background, pulling strings.

... notes from The EDJE


- Article without UPDATE first published as Paul Tracy & Alex Tagliani Nixed From Support By IZOD IndyCar Series on Technorati -

Oriol Servia Captures DRR Seat, Becomes One Of The Lotus Legion

Oriol Servia driving the #2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Dallara through the end of the left-sweeping turn #10 at the 2011 37th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Servia went on to finish in the top 10 at P6 while avoiding late race mishaps. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)


Oriol Servia Captures DRR Seat, Becomes One Of The Lotus Legion

ChampCar standout and leader in performance consistency, Oriol Servia secures the lead seat on the planned two-car effort at Lotus works powered (Judd) Dreyer and Reinbold Racing (DRR).

Last year driving the old Dallara in its final season for the now disbanded Newman/Haas Telemundo sponsored effort, Oriol finished every race registering three podiums. This performance netted the Spainard a fourth in points lead by season's end, ahead of Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves, and all four rides in the Andretti Autosport stable. Not bad for a one-year campaign on an understandably proud but fading team.

At the announcement, Oriol said this about the courtship with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; “I couldn’t be more excited, for many reasons. DRR is a team that I raced against since 2008 and they’ve always shown to be very professional at the racetrack.”

“Although I knew the owners, I didn’t know them very well, to be honest. Before signing with the team, like everybody else, I did my research and I couldn’t find one individual that didn’t speak highly of Dennis or Robbie, which gave me a lot of confidence.”

“I went to the team’s sponsor summit last week and met all of their partners that they have been involved with for many, many years, which was another clear sign that they are good people.”

On Dreyer and Reinbold running the Lotus twin-turbo power-plant prepared by John Judd in the back of the new DW12 chassis ... Servia is really anxious to give it a spin.

“I started on the front row for the Indianapolis 500 and I want to improve on that. I’m at the best point in my career and it was very important to partner with the right team. When I visited the DRR facility in Indianapolis, I couldn’t have been more impressed.”

“We are starting with a new engine and chassis, and I have confidence in Lotus and our ability to develop a quality product in 2012. When you have everyone [four teams, and factory support from Lotus works] pulling in the same direction like we are now is when we can accomplish our goals.”
(ht: The Checkered Flag)

At this time it is not known who will be Oriol's DDR team-mate but the rest of the Lotus Legion is filling in quickly and holds some pretty substantial and recognizable names from the former ChampCar World Series (CCWS) and CCWS open wheel ladder step, Formula Atlantic Series.

Joining Oriol Servia - Spain - (8 years CCWS finishing season P2 in 2005) in fielding a Lotus-powered DW12 in its inaugural season are the recently announced Dragon Racing stable of Sebastien Bourdais - France - (4-time CCWS Season Champion for Newman/Haas) and Katherine Legge - England - (Toyota Atlantic won three races in 2005, becoming the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North America - First woman to drive and lead a lap in CCWS 2006), Bryan Herta Autosport's Alex Tagliani - Canada - (CCWS standard-bearer in Atlantic and ChampCar for 12 years - 107 consecutive CCWS starts - finishing with CCWS co-owner Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports Racing team) ... still waiting for a team-mate, and HVM Racing's Simona de Silvestro - Switzerland - (CCWS Formula Atlantic race winner - Long Beach 2008, 2009 season P3) who is also waiting for a team-mate ... currently, the Lotus Legion for 2012!

... notes from The EDJE


- Article first seen as Oriol Servia Captures DRR Seat, Becomes One Of The Lotus Legion at Technorati -

Honda-Powered Dallaras Heat Up The Streets (and driver tempers) Of The Honda Indy Toronto

Will Power leads the field from P1 at the Honda Indy Toronto. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

Honda-Powered Dallaras Heat Up The Streets (and driver tempers) Of The Honda Indy Toronto

Round 10 of 18, the Honda Indy Toronto proved to be one of the toughest tests of man, women, and machine of the season. We are beginning the second half of the season and what was shaping up to be a tightly contested two to four driver series championship points race was undone in part due to timing and, of course, full course yellow flag caution periods.

Will Power, entered the race by securing the pole, but still 20 points down to Dario Franchitti, the driver that took the points lead last year in the last race in order to secure his third IndyCar Series Championship. Will Power has done well here in Toronto (reining 2010 race winner) and he was hoping to climb back in the middle of the race for the season points lead on the strength of his Firestone Fast Six Peak Pole Award starting position.

The flag drops to start the race and everything looked good at the beginning because Will's car and his driving skill had the best of the two red Target Chip Ganassi racing Dallaras behind him. At about lap 27, Dario Franchitti heads into the pits a little early to shake things up and get on a different pit sequence and this became the first chink in Power's hold on the lead. Three laps later, Power teammate Helio Castroneves spins out Alex Tagliani in turn 3 bringing out the second full course caution out of eight in the race. This, on restart, places Dario Franchitti at the lead of the race and in attitudinal control from this point forward.

Double-file restarts become the attention draw they were intended to be, with three-wide contests going into turn one and cleaning themselves up by turn two, only to increase the level of contest going into the end of a high-speed straight at turn three where most of the day's full course cautions were launched.

By lap 54, with the help of a slowing Simona de Silvestro, Power was able to gain enough spots to pass by and get ahead of Dario Franchitti where Power felt he could recapture the lead of the race on pit sequence, but Dario had other ideas. When the next time these two drivers came to turn 3, Dario decided to stick his nose in where there wasn't any room and pulled off a NASCAR style punt on Will ... and spun him around. By the time Will Power was able to get turned back around and running, he was back in the fields at P13. The IndyCar Series Championship points gap between Franchitti and Power enlarges to 55 before going on to Round 12 of 18 at Edmonton, July 24th, 2011.

Helmet of the points leading Dario Franchitti as he and his team celebrates the contraversial win at Exposition place in Toronto. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

This excerpted and edited from Racer -

Power slams Franchitti after clash
RACER - July 11, 2011

Afterward a furious Power said the series officials should have taken action against Franchitti.

"It doesn't surprise me that he didn't get a penalty, because he never gets penalized, it's pretty typical," said Power in an interview with Versus. "It was a pretty dirty move. He just turned me around. Does anyone ever penalize this guy? He's as dirty as you like.

"I left the inside open on the brakes. I'm really disappointed with Dario. I always race him clean, and he always races me dirty. He did the same at St. Pete, though I didn't say anything, and he did the same today. Disappointed in Dario. The guy who mouths off about everyone and whinges about everyone, and he's the guy who races the most dirty, never gets a penalty from IndyCar. It's just not right."
[Reference Here]

There was a lot more that ended up not being right as there was hot action around turn three, the pits, and the rest of the track for that matter.

Alex Tagliani's car goes airborne after colliding with Danica Patrick's car on the streets of Toronto. Patrick was able to return to the race after having the nose of her car replaced with a spare part from teammate Marco Andretti. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

Danica Patrick, for her part, finished yet another race in rolling condition, extending her IZOD IndyCar Series record to 43, but this was not without incident. She ran well all race after starting P21 of 26 cars, concentrating at going fast and had worked her way up to the top 10 when she entered turn three with the Dale Coyne Racing Dallara of James Jakes turned around in the corner on lap 71. To avoid contact, Danica ended up pushing Alex Tagliani's Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara (not his first incident in the race) up on its sidepod along the wall as he, a Canadian crowd favorite, luckily misses injury. This results in damaging Danica's front wing and delivers the eighth and final full course yellow.

Confusion ensues for Danica and her team as they do not have a replacement for her damaged front wing. As it turns out, Andretti Autosport gave the wing away to support the effort of teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay on his way to a podium (P3) finish but did not anticipate another incident. As Danica had wait in her pit, Antretti Autosport found a wing in Marco Andretti's pit (Marco finished in P4) and rushed it over to Patrick's pit and it was installed. One can only wonder, if Andretti Autosport were prepared for the Patrick incident (or just any team incident - bad team management process), where would she have ended the race ... probably a lot better than P19 and the next to the last car running on the track ahead of KV Racing Technologies/Lotus team's Takuma Sato, both ending the race six laps down.

One of many of the picturesque views to be had at one of the premiere temporary street courses in North America - the Honda Indy Toronto. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

The crowd was big and full of the excitement generated throughout the race by the close wheel-to-wheel, carbon-fiber action. Can any standard oval race course deliver this kind of intensity and competition throughout a race?

Street and road courses look great on TV and the action on small bullring (1 mile or less) courses with close open wheel action has fans on the edge of their seats leaving the regular oval track wanting for something other than "event" trappings to bring people to the track or turning on their TV sets! It is a question fair to ask.

... notes from The EDJE


[Article first published as Honda-Powered Dallaras Heat Up The Streets (and driver tempers) Of The Honda Indy Toronto on Technorati]

2010 Japan 300 -Tweeting Twin Ring Motegi

The drivers of the IZOD IndyCar Seies pose for a group photograph before practice for the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300 on September 18, 2010 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. Image Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

2010 Japan 300 -Tweeting Twin Ring Motegi

Qualifications for the IZOD IndyCar Series penultimate 2010 season race Japan 300 being held at Twin Ring Motegi, Tochigi, Japan finds the season points leader Will Power of Verizon Penske Racing in P3 along side Dario Franchitti of Target Chip Ganassi in P4, who at just 17 points behind, is looking to close the gap before the final race.

Tonight is time for Will Power to put-up or shut-up if he wishes to capture his first ever open-wheel championship in the IZOD IndyCar Series ... where as Dario Franchitti seeks his third championship in four years, second in a row, and is in his element on an oval track.

The reason it is time for Will Power to take command is that he will not find a better chance over these last two races on oval tracks to put distance between himself and Dario Franchitti because of two main factors:

1) Twin Ring Motegi is not a symmetrical track. The track is designed with a large corner at one end and a very tight corner at the other end which gives an edge to the driver that has the greater attention to detail - advantage Power ... the IZOD IndyCar Series inaugural 2010 Mario Andretti Road Course Trophy winner.

2) The front row is filled with Penske Racing teammates Helio Castroneves in P1 and Ryan Briscoe in P2. With a little creative team management during the course of the race aired on Versus 11:00 PM ET tonight.

Dario's challenge will be made a little more difficult in that he will start the race with three Andretti Autosport cars directly behind, all wanting a piece of this Japanese pie. Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay are behind Franchitti, and E.J. Viso of KV Racing Technology recorded his best start on an oval this season in eighth. Panther Racing's Dan Wheldon will start ninth.

Scott Dixon, Dario's Target Chip Ganassi teammate will be starting nine positions behind at P11 and qualified over one-half a second behind at -.5320 of a second. It will be difficult for Dario to find any partners to run with whereas Will has a chance to be shepherded to a high finishing position before the final race to be held at the symmetrical style oval Homestead-Miami Raceway on October 2, 2010.

How they line up at Twin Ring Motegi:

Pos - Driver - Team - Speed
1. Helio Castroneves Penske 201.992mph
2. Ryan Briscoe Penske 201.594mph
3. Will Power Penske 201.463mph
4. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 200.964mph
5. Marco Andretti Andretti 200.187mph
6. Tony Kanaan Andretti 200.011mph
7. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 199.623mph
8. EJ Viso KV 199.487mph
9. Dan Wheldon Panther 199.225mph
10. Takuma Sato KV 199.191mph
11. Scott Dixon Ganassi 199.020mph
12. Danica Patrick Andretti 198.935mph
13. Bertrand Baguette Conquest 198.794mph
14. Vitor Meira Foyt 197.950mph
15. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 197.556mph
16. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas 197.402mph
17. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas 197.361mph
18. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold 196.850mph
19. Raphael Matos De Ferran Dragon 193.813mph
20. Mario Moraes KV 196.460mph
21. Roger Yasukawa Conquest 196.296mph
22. Paul Tracy Dreyer & Reinbold 195.709mph
23. Alex Tagliani FAZZT 195.483mph
24. Simona de Silvestro HVM 193.561mph
25. Milka Duno Dale Coyne 192.527mph

Twin Ring Motegi (ツインリンクもてぎ, Tsuin Rinku Motegi?) is an automobile racing track located at Motegi, Japan. Its name comes from the fact that there are two race tracks at the facility: a 2.493-kilometer (1.549 mi) oval and a 4.8-kilometer (2.98 mi) road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel racing. The oval course is the only one of its kind in Japan, and currently is only used once a year for racing. It is a low-banked, 1.549-mile-long egg-shaped course, with turns 3 and 4 being much tighter than turns 1 and 2. On March 28, 1998, CART held the inaugural race at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway. The race was won by Mexican driver Adrian Fernandez. CART continued racing at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway from 1998-2002. In 2003, Honda entered the Indy Racing League and the race became a part of the IRL schedule. In addition to IndyCar Racing, the track has also hosted a single NASCAR exhibition race in 1998. Honda, which had built the oval for the express purpose of developing its oval-racing program for Indycar Racing, did not win a race at the track for its first six years of operation. In 2004, Dan Wheldon took the first win for Honda on the oval. In 2008, the Motegi oval gained additional publicity when Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy car race there. Caption & Image Credit: Wikipedia

2010 Japan 300 play by play via "tweet" by "tweet" -

IndyCarNation Race Control presented by iRacing.com will go live at 12:30PM local, 11:30PM ET with in-car cameras of: Sato, Mutoh, Patrick, and Kanaan

curtcavin @99forever You've got @kevinlee23 on your side. He switched midseason to Will for the title. I've stuck with Dario since Day 1.

99forever @curtcavin Fascinating -- Will has been my pick for the title since the day he signed with Penske. It'll be an interesting finish!

TheEDJE @99forever I'm with you - I've been a big fan since his early CCWS days, just something about him. Read This - http://tinyurl.com/2es9szr

99forever @TheEDJE Nice!

kvracing Driver Introductions has begun

FollowAndretti RT @FirestoneRacing So it's 84 degrees at #Motegi but it feels like 184. #hot #humid

indy44 Must record, best one in years RT @whatimthinking: oooh! Betty White episode of SNL! I'll leave that on in the background too keep me awake!

CrashGladys OK, hubby just kicked me 2 the other TV room, so #IndyCar HERE I COME! Holy ... LOVED the @tonykanaan piece. You, TK r just 2 cool 4 school.

prismsinc God bless you @TonyKanaan! Have a great time celebrating your son's birthday! #IZODindycar

Biaracing Ta todo mundo acordado? Is everybody awake? Já na band para a transmissão da Indy. At Band tv to Indy broadcast.

FirestoneRacing Sounded like "Pavarotti Sings Lee Greenwood" in #Motegi prerace ceremonies!

TheSpeedgeek @indy44 @SBPopOffValve Versus chat is absolutely out of control. No way to keep up. I'll be concentrating on Twitter.

TheEDJE @TheSpeedgeek There are quite a few looking in on Twitter - This will be good for a play by play via tweet by tweet live blog I do sometimes

SBPopOffValve No offense to VERSUS, but this is starting to feel like the longest pre-race show in recorded history.

Dale_Nixon @SBPopOffValve at least KV could be confident in booking several thousand lbs. less gear for the return leg of the trip #airfreightrebate

TheEDJE @Dale_Nixon Would this be in reference to the record number of wrecks and DNF's by KV team drivers? Nice!

RaceRemote In case you missed it - Randy Bernard - CEO of the #IndyCar Series interview on our SidePods Podcast http://snipr.com

SBPopOffValve ...and here's another of our EMOTICONIC chat images that seems appropriate: http://twitpic.com/2pupq3

IndyCarNation Laps away from green flag. Get ready.

The three Japanese drivers (left to right) Roger Yasukawa, Takuma Sato and Hideki Mutoh pose for a photo before practice for the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300 on September 18, 2010 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. Image Credit: Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! - The Japan 300 is underway at Twin Ring Motegi (photo)

Hardly 2 laps in and Baguette comes out of turn #2 into the safer barrier (photo)

YELLOW Flag

FollowAndretti Green, followed by a yellow for Baguette. #izodindycar

kvracing Yellow Flag for Baguette. Viso is 11th, Sato 13th and Moraes moved from 20th to 16th

99forever Groan! Guys, the word baguette means more than just bread in French, you know. The toast jokes are getting old!

curtcavin First yawn: 12:05 a.m.

Dale_Nixon Another #IndyCar race in which #ParkMilka won't finish last; TGBB probation or pure genius?

TheEDJE The Tweeting Live Blog begins ion earnest! http://tinyurl.com/298ufjb

GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! - Restart - The Japan 300 is underway again on LAP 10

SBPopOffValve Looks like PT's crew might have fuel rig issues. Saw the fueler having an issue with the buckeye

IndyCarNation Alex Tagliani #77 has been sent to the back of the line after speeding on pit road by going 64.7mph

TheEDJE LAP 20 - Helio, Ryan, Dario, Marco, Tony, Will, Scott, Danica, Dan, and Ryan are TOP 10

shagers Will Power drives these ovals like Rick Mears. He's never up front early. We'll see if he finishes them like Mears... #indycar

99forever There's a really good reason for that. :) RT @shagers Will Power drives these ovals like Rick Mears.

prismsinc #Danica has moved from 12th to 8th in the first 30 laps

IndyCarNation Lap 32 of 200: 3, 6, 10, 26, 11, 12, 9, 7, 4, 37, 8, 14, 2, 5, 32, 19, 02, 77, 06, 24, 22, 18, 36, 78, 34 is the running order

TheSpeedgeek PT's up 3 spots since the yellow. Aaaaaannnnd another ad break. A very slow head shake here, Versus.

indy44 Helio up now by 2.4427

shagers Versus chat pole. 37% Dario, 29% Will. I assume the other 34% given @royhobbson is involved, have voted for O.J.Simpson, or something. :)

YELLOW, Flag LAP42 - Alex Lloyd slows

ajformulagirl WTF! Milka is in front of Simona!!! #IZODIndyCar

Every body dives in for a YELLOW Flag pitstop

curtcavin I hate full-field caution pit stops. I know too many crew guys

IndyCarNation [Photos] Lots of pit lane activity - IZOD IndyCar Series posted a photo: All the cars in. http://ow.ly/194dPk

IndyCarNation Throttle linkage is broken on the #19 car and will be fixed shortly to put Lloyd #19 back in the race

GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! - Restart - LAP 48

FirestoneRacing It's inched up to 85 degrees in #Motegi. Track temp 128. Ouch that's #hot! #IndyCar

TheEDJE At this point if Dario gains one position over Will he is running in the points lead

kvracing After 55 laps, Viso is 10th, Sato 14th & Moraes 17th.

TheSpeedgeek Milka is changing lines on the straights to hold off Taku. Who is in 14th. Huh?

TheEDJE Alex Lloyd re-enters race 14 laps down

IndyCarNation Lap 60/200: Castroneves leads Briscoe by 1.3800 seconds then Franchitti, Kanaan, Andretti, Patrick, Dixon, Wheldon, Power, Viso are top 10

chunter16 I wonder how much money Sato carried with him? There's no way that decal paid for his year. #IZODIndyCar

YELLOW Flag - KV Racing's Mario Moraes hits the wall with left front tire failure - car bottoms out LAP 68

Fieldof33 Congrats to KV Racing. As of lap 67, they have completely 201 combined laps, an entire race, without crashing.

shagers KV car, here we go, the race is official. #indycar

99forever There's your wrecked KV car. 68 laps in.. is that a record on the year?

99forever @Fieldof33 Seriously, I was JUST wondering where the hell you were. What a time and way to show up! LOL

Dan_Brunell Little known #Indycar fact: If KV racing wreaks another three chassis, Dallara will throw in a free set of streak knives.

prismsinc ALLRIGHT! @DanicaPatrick up to 5th position out of the pits with 70 laps in! #IZODindycar

IndyCarNation Matos #2 and Mutoh #06 did not pit during the caution to take the lead spots.

GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! - Restart - LAP 77 - Three Wide!!

TheEDJE Franchitti picks up 2 spots - Power getting passed by Andretti and Dixon

IndyCarNation Franchitti #10 up to 3rd place with Power #12 back in 9th place at lap 80 of 200

FollowAndretti We're back to green racing... on lap 82: Danica 6th, Tony 7th, Marco 6th, Ryan 15th.

Will Power is in P8 and Dario is in P4 on LAP 90

IndyCarNation Lap 90/200: Briscoe, Matos (off sequence), Castroneves, Franchitti, Mutoh (off sequence) are top 5

RaceDrive RT @DerekRoss: Need a Team Penske Program Guide ? LOL - End Fences | Helio = Red | Ryan = White | Power = Black

SBPopOffValve Well, Gold Leader had a shot at the exhaust port, but the TIE fighters just shot him down. Briscoe to the lead.

IndyCarNation Dario Franchitti #10 now in 5th place while Power #12 makes up spots under green now up to 7th place.

Just Past halfway (LAP 100) and the off sequence cars go to the pits

SBPopOffValve I think the HVM crew is having Simona come in every 5 laps to put the Legos back in place on the tub.

FollowAndretti At the halfway point @IndyJapan... Danica 6th, Tony 9th, Ryan 12th, Marco 13th #izodindycar

99forever I'm curious: If Briscoe or Helio were to be told tonight that "Will is faster, confirm," how would you react?

TheEDJE If the race would end right now - Power leads Franchitti by 10 points

YELLOW Flag - 4th caution of the race - Paul Tracy brushes wall and leaves debris

IndyCarNation Mario Moraes is awake and alert and being transported to a Mito hospital for evaluation from reported back pain.

Castroneves swaps positions with Briscoe - Comes in P2 and leaves P1 / Franchitti in P3 and Power in P5

IndyCarNation Lap 120: Castroneves, Briscoe, Franchitti, Patrick, Power, Dixon, Kanaan, Hunter-Reay, Wheldon, Andretti are top 10

FollowAndretti After the pit stop: @DanicaPatrick up to 4th, @TonyKanaan 7th, @RyanHunterReay 8th, @Andretti26 10th #izodindycar

GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! - Restart - LAP 122

IndyCarNation Paul Tracy #24 may be done for the day as his car was taken behind the pit wall after contact in turn 4 with the wall.

curtcavin More than an hour into the race and Graham finally got a call on the broadcast. #indycar

IndyRacingNut Must be cutting into my 16yr old's Cinemax time b/c he keeps coming downstairs asking when the race is over. LOL

indy44 "Time to sew a checkered flag Betsy Ross Danica is coming through" #ToddHarrisQuotes

IndyCarNation LAP 133/200 order: 3, 10, 6, 7, 9, 12, 11, 37, 4, 26, 02, 8, 5, 14, 77, 22, 2, 06, 18, 36, 19, 24, 78, 32, 34

TheEDJE If the race were to end now ... Power holds on to a slim 5 point lead!

IndyCarNation Castroneves has opened up a 2.6116 sec. lead over Franchitti with Briscoe another 1.1023 sec. back, then Patrick and Dixon in top 5

IndyCarNation Lap 145/200: Castroneves, Franchitti, Briscoe, Patrick, Dixon, Power, Kanaan, Hunter-Reay, Wheldon, Andretti are top 10

YELLOW Flag - Alex Lloyd bottoms out and catches on fire with 53 LAPS to go

indy44 Yellow for Lloyd on three wheels.

Dan_Brunell That way of starting a fire is definitely not in the Boy Scout handbook. #Indycar

indy44 Last pit stops, YAY no fuel strategy race.

IndyCarNation Alex Lloyd has been checked, cleared, and released from the infield care center after his incident earlier in the race.

indy44 Here we go P1 Helio P2 Dario P3 Ryan P4 Power P5 Danica P6 Dixon P7 RHR P8 TK P9 Marco P10 Rahal

TheEDJE If the race were to end right now - Power will hold on to a nine point lead over Franchitti

chunter16 The reason Sato has a reputation for wreckage is because he drives cars to their edge and breaks them, not because he can't drive.

TheEDJE @chunter16 EXACTLY - there is NO edge to Sato's driving - it's ALL or NOTHING!

99forever Longest. Yellow. Ever.

indy44 Penske cars are going to try and pounce on Dario.

TheEDJE @indy44 Yeah - Briscoe punts Dario and Will scoots by for P2 while Franchitti spins to a much lower P position

GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! - Restart - LAP 168

IndyCarNation Back to green at lap168 after extensive debris cleanup. Will Castroneves be able to open up a big lead after the restart yet again?

Will Power moves into Ps right behind Dario Franchitti in P2

shagers "Power is faster than you, do you understand this message"

IndyCarNationTakuma Sato #5 has gained 5 spots since the restart and is now up to 12th place (photo).

99forever Why the hate? Briscoe's box is so close to pit out that he could have slipped the button and still not been speeding at the line.

TheSpeedgeek @99forever Briscoe clearly beat Dario to timing line. Either he didn't speed and restarts 2nd or he sped and starts at the tail.

99forever Oh, true. Missed that. It's late here. :P RT @SBPopOffValve Then he should have been placed ahead of Frico. He beat him to the line.

IndyCarNation Lap 180/200: Castroneves, Franchitti, Power, Briscoe, Patrick, Dixon, Kanaan, Hunter-Reay, Rahal, Wheldon are top 10

TheEDJE 15 laps remaining and Dario is being pushed by Will with only 12 points between them if the race were to end now

SBPopOffValve Hey! Milka's going to get a top-20 finish!

shagers LOL. Indycar SkypeUp quote of the night: "They send 3 747's to Japan. 2 for the teams, and 1 with Jack Arute's sun tan lotion"

IndyCarNation Championship leader Power #12 is slowly closing the gap on 2nd place Franchitti #10. Will he catch Franchitti?

3 LAPS remain and the drivers maintain position

WHITE Flag

CHECKERED Flag (photo)- Helio Castroneves gets his 25th win in the IRL - followed by Dario Franchitti and Will Power with only 12 points between them

danicaracing Good run tonight for Danica - brings it home in 5th place at Motegi.

indy44 Checkered P1 Helio P2 Dario P3 Power P4 Briscoe P5 Danica P6 Dixon P7 TK P8 Rahal P9 RHR P10 Wheldon P11 Marco P12 Sato P13 Tagliani

IndyCarNation Congrats to "Spiderman" for winning the Indy Japan 300 as he climbs the fence once again (photo) & (photo).

scottdixon9 6th place finish for Scott at Motegi today....

IMSProductions [New IndyCar Video] Helio's Post Japan Qualifying Interview http://ow.ly/194ddV

Podium Photos - (photo), (photo), (photo)

UPDATE - Finishing Order:

Pos - Driver - Team - Time/Gap
1. Helio Castroneves Penske 2h04m04.4780s
2. Dario Franchitti Ganassi + 4.5746s
3. Will Power Penske + 5.0743s
4. Ryan Briscoe Penske + 6.4825s
5. Danica Patrick Andretti + 7.6057s
6. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 8.3641s
7. Tony Kanaan Andretti + 9.4093s
8. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas + 11.7163s
9. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti + 12.2125s
10. Dan Wheldon Panther + 12.4720s
11. Marco Andretti Andretti + 15.5007s
12. Takuma Sato KV + 16.0693s
13. Alex Tagliani FAZZT + 17.6774s
14. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas + 18.2811s
15. EJ Viso KV + 18.7349s
16. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold + 19.4293s
17. Vitor Meira Foyt + 20.1047s
18. Raphael Matos De Ferran Dragon + 21.2346s
19. Milka Duno Dale Coyne + 3 laps
20. Roger Yasukawa Conquest + 5 laps

Retirements:

Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 131 laps
Paul Tracy Dreyer & Reinbold 114 laps
Simona de Silvestro HVM 85 laps
Mario Moraes KV 66 laps
Bertrand Baguette Conquest 1 lap

SBPopOffValve Unofficial results: Twinkletoes, Frico Suave, Powerbar, Inferno, Princess, Iceman, Kanostril, Graham Cracker, Hunter-RaceToTheParty, ShoeBoy

With that, we close the laptop lid on this penultimate race of the 2010 season ... see you all at Homestead-Miami Raceway ...

... notes from The EDJE

Bruno Junqueira Given Entry To 2010 Indy 500 - CCWS Spirit

Alex Tagliani in his FAZZT ride on the track at St. Petersburg where he showed well with a P6 finish. Image Credit: FAZZT Race Teams

Bruno Junqueira Given Entry To 2010 Indy 500 - CCWS Spirit

In a display of ChampCar World Series spirit, Bruno Junqueira is given a second seat to occupy by FAZZT Race Teams.

In a what goes around, comes around moment and CCWS spirit, Alex Tagliani is able to repay a debt to a former teammate and friend when he was able to have a second car available for Junqueira after Bruno gave the qualified Conquest Racing entry on Bump Day in 2009, which he placed in 30th position, to lead driver Alex Tagliani. Conquest had made the call last year, so now Alex is able to repay the debt to a friend.

Bruno Junqueira is no stranger to American open-wheel racing (a stand out at Ganassi Racing and Newman Haas in ChampCar) or the Indy 500. He has competed in five previous Indianapolis 500 events capturing the pole in his second effort at the Indy 500 in 2002. Junqueira has led 52 laps at the famed 2.5 mile oval and has finished 5th on two occasions, 2001 and 2004.

The FAZZT Race Team is a newly formed full-time entry for the 2010 IndyCar season owned by driver Alex Tagliani, motorsports veteran Jim Freudenberg, actor Jason Priestley and entrepreneur Andre Azzi. Owner Jim Freudenberg elaborated on the signing of Junqueira for the Indianapolis 500 saying, "When we formed the FAZZT Race Team we had a few goals in mind. One of those goals was that if we had the opportunity to field a second entry at Indianapolis that we wanted to put Bruno in that car.

As for the balance of the season? ... who knows cuz' that's just racin'!

... notes from The EDJE

Roughed up "dance" surface in Sao Paulo leaves Franchitti "reeling" in securing P1

The Scot Dario Franchitti, ruling champion of the IndyCar, will begin the first race of the year from pole position, to the being the fastest today in the morning in the urban circuit of Anhembi, in classifications that were postponed by serious problems of traction in the main straight line, that caused that the pilots had serious problems of takes hold in one of the fastest parts of the track. Caption and Image Credit: mepongodepie.com

Roughed up "dance" surface in Sao Paulo leaves Franchitti "reeling" in securing P1

Defending IndyCar Series (ICS) champion, Dario Franchitti of Scotland, won the pole position (P1) for the IndyCar season-opener on the streets of Sao Paulo on Sunday. In Scottish country dancing, the reel is one of the four traditional step dances and is danced in reel time.

Qualifying for the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300 was moved to Sunday after drivers complained on Saturday that the track's front stretch lacked enough grip to keep the cars from stepping out making it unsafe.

The straightaway of the track goes through a stadium-like Sambadrome and the surface is usually painted for the traditional Carnival dancing parades and it had remained slippery even though organizers removed the paint. The straight stretches for about a third of a mile and is the only part of the track constructed of concrete instead of asphalt and it is where today's 75-lap race is scheduled to start and finish. Grooves were added to the Sambadrome straightaway overnight to fix the problem.

Franchitti clocked in at a 1 minute, 27.7354 seconds fastest lap speed during the Firestone Fast Six qualifying round that had Alex Tagliani of Canada, second, 0.0322 seconds back, Justin Wilson of England, making his debut for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, will start third (1:27.8183), 0.0829 behind, American Ryan Hunter-Reay, also competing in his first race for Andretti Autosport, will start fourth (1:27.8756), the Penske of Australian driver Will Power, fifth (1:28.0156), and finishing with Andretti Autosport's Tony Kanaan, sixth (1:28.6946), and he will represent the Brazilian with the best starting spot. Qualifying Results>>

This excerpted and edited from the translated Brazilian website, VOOZ -

Meanwhile, optimum Brazilian was Tony Kanaan, that leaves in the sixth position.

The trainings of classification of the stage of São Paulo must have happened in the afternoon of Saturday, but problems in the straight line of the Sambódromo had postponed the dispute for the morning of this sunday. After the emergenciais repairs in this stretch of the circuit of the Anhembi, the cars had obtained to develop the speed waited in the session that defined grid of jettison, although the constant dust in the track.

For the Brazilian pilots, the trainings of classification were not very good. Tony Kanaan (Andretti) was the only one to dispute the last part of the session, when position was defined pole, but obtained only the sixth place. Excessively they had been being for the way: Helium Castroneves (Penske), Vitor Meira (AJ Foyt) and Raphael Matos (Luczo Dragon) had fallen in the second part, while Bia Figueiredo (Dreyer&Reinbold), Mario Romancini (Conquest) and Mario Moraes (KV) had left soon in the first one.
Reference Here>>

Organizers had three months to set up the track following the announcement that the IndyCar Series would be coming to Brazil for the first time since the CART series raced in the Latin American country from 1996 to 2000.

With the running of this race today, Sao Paulo becomes the only city in the world to host both an IndyCar Series and a Formula 1 (GP Brazil de Fórmula 1 to be held November 7th) in 2010.

... notes from The EDJE