Road Runner Turbo 300 via "Beep Beep" - errr, Tweet

All hail in Kansas City as a storm greets the IndyCar teams at Kansas Speedway. Image Credit indycarnation

Road Runner Turbo 300 via "Beep Beep" - errr, Tweet

Qualifying was delayed yesterday due to rain and hail.

Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti have been put to the back of the grid for today's Kansas IndyCar race after they were judged to have illegally crossed the white line at the bottom of the track during their qualifying runs.

Wheldon's third place had been his best qualifying result since rejoining Panther last year, but he remains optimistic that he can still have a strong race from the tail of the field.

Dario Franchitti's Target Chip Ganassi car #10 getting prepared to take the track for today's race. Image Credit indycarnation

Andretti had qualified 11th before the officials' ruling.

The demotions mean Dario Franchitti and Hideki Mutoh move up to third and fourth places, with Fazzt's Alex Tagliani and Foyt's Vitor Meira are sharing row three - great starts for them both.

Getting ready for a quick ride aroung the track in Kansas in a 2-Seater. Image Credit indycarnation

Pos Driver Team Speed
1. Ryan Briscoe Penske 212.15mph
2. Scott Dixon Ganassi 211.22mph
3. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 211.19mph
4. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas/Lanigan 211.11mph
5. Alex Tagliani Fazzt 210.86mph
6. Vitor Meira Foyt 210.66mph
7. Will Power Penske 210.62mph
8. Helio Castroneves Penske 210.49mph
9. Danica Patrick Andretti 210.41mph
10. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 210.38mph
11. Takuma Sato KV 210.35mph
12. Mario Moraes KV 210.17mph
13. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon/de Ferran 209.91mph
14. Sarah Fisher Sarah Fisher 209.89mph
15. Tony Kanaan Andretti 209.72mph
16. EJ Viso KV 209.73mph
17. John Andretti Andretti 209.73mph
18. Simona de Silvestro HVM 209.43mph
19. Bertrand Baguette Conquest 209.32mph
20. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold 209.18mph
21. Jay Howard Sarah Fisher 208.77mph
22. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 208.41mph
23. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne 208.30mph
24. Milka Duno Dale Coyne 207.88mph
25. Dan Wheldon Panther 211.22mph
26. Marco Andretti Andretti 210.40mph
27. Mario Romancini Conquest

Starting Grid just before the command was given to clear the grid and the announcement of "Drivers, Start You Engines" at the Road Runner Turbo 300 at Kansas Speedway. Image Credit: KV Racing Technology

The command was given for the drivers to START YOUR ENGINES - Row by row call out as HOT!

sidepodcast firing up indycar race control - http://bit.ly/9oshb1 - fab quality video

MyNameIsIRL Wheldon is out "in-car commentator". Dan starts talking about the car and...he stalls it. Note: "in-car commentator" is rarely a good idea.

GREEN GREEN GREEN!

IndyCarNation Lap 1: GREEN. The Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 is underway

At the start of the Road Runner Turbo 300, the grandstands seem a bit empty. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

Fresh tires and three wide they enter into the first few turns on an overcast day in Kansas.

LAP 5 - Briscoe, Franchitti and Dixon are still the top 3

pressdog Monitoring @simdesilvestro @sarahfisher @danicapatrick.

IndyCarPR Lap 10: #6 Briscoe leads #9 Dixon by .1755 of a second. #11 Kanaan is sixth after starting 15th. #37 Hunter-Reay is 10th after starting 22nd

luczodragon In battle with conway and marco

FastMachines Listening to the guys on IMS radio's coverage. So much better than ABC. They actually sound interested. #indycar http://is.gd/bQ7Lf

FuriousWedge Marco now 11th! Making Sam Hornish & Tomas Scheckter proud with all these outside line passes

TheEDJE Top 5 lead pack by 4.3 seconds

kvracing After 20 laps, Moraes (#32) is 8th, Viso (#8) 9th & Sato (#5) 12th

TheSpeedgeek milka is threatening to pass justin. it's been a good life everybody! apocalypse comes tomorrow!

indy44 vitor running with the big boys nice

toomuchracing What's up with Justin? RT @TheSpeedgeek: milka is threatening to pass justin. it's been a good life everybody! apocalypse comes tomorrow!

TheEDJE Live Beep Beep ... I mean TWEET blog at The EDJE - http://tinyurl.com/245bb6p

IndyCarPR Lap 33: #9 Dixon bids for the lead on Frontstretch and completes the pass of #6 Briscoe in Turn 2.

luczodragon Pitting on 45 to change, working to stay on lead lap so we get changes to take

IndyCarPR Lap 36: #9 Dixon leads #6 Briscoe by 1.0971 seconds

TheEDJE Weldon goes a lap down as Dixon goes by

Briscoe in for his pitstop on Lap 49 - Dixon still logging laps

racingleager Andretti racing Kansas with an eye on Indy 500: John Andretti teamed with two giants of racing a year ago, driving... http://bit.ly/doQrWG

kvracing Sato in to pit, next lap Moraes, then Viso. All tires and fuel - Viso 7th, Moraes 9th &
Sato 11th.

Alex Tagliani runs clean during the Road Runner Turbo 300, the first oval race of the season. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

autoracingnews After the first round of pit stops, Dixon leads at Kansas Speedway. Championship leader Power falls behind after a lengthy pit stop.

luczodragon Now let's see what we've got. Nice clean stop

TheEDJE Lap 60 - Only 14 cars on the lead lap

kvracing After 60 laps. Moraes (#32 car) is 9th, Sato (#5) is 11th & Viso (#8) is 16th. Dixon P1, Franchitti, Briscoe

luczodragon If this was an election Dixon by a landslide but a long way to go

MyNameIsIRL Penalty of some sort for Viso on the pit stop. Now he's back to 18th. Dammit.

toomuchracing Sato 11th in his first oval race, very impressive

luczodragon Rafa said the car is better but still slow

pressdog @sarahfisher67 is driving a pig. @simdesilvestro is putting up goot lap times. Spotters on fire for her.

autoracingnews Dixon on fire; has put Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti a lap down. 11 cars left on lead lap. Caution is out.

kvracing Lap 72 Yellow Flag for Viso. Moraes is 8th, Sato 11th.

MyNameIsIRL Scott Dixon is the opposite of racing excitement. There, I said it.

TheEDJE @MyNameIsIRL on Dixon - Can you say P-R-E-D-I-C-T-A-B-L-E? ... I knew you could

edcarpenter20 @danwheldon says he is light on downforce...

luczodragon More action under this yellow than any of us sees in the kc night life tonight

kvracing Sato back in pits for new tires after being pushed into grass coming out of pit lane in last stop. Moraes is 10th.

IndyCarNation Lap 76: Leaders on pit road for four tires and fuel. Lap cars of #26 M. Andretti, #66 Howard, #2 Matos, #12 Power and #24 Conway do not pit.

DRRIndyCar Mike is getting a wave around and will be back on the lead lap. Being asked to conserve fuel.

Restart - GREEN GREEN GREEN on Lap 83

FuriousWedge The Foyt crew needs to get their act together cause Vitor is hooked up on track passed 3 cars since green flag he lost in the pits

TheEDJE Back to 16 cars on the lead lap

DRRIndyCar Reached the halfway point. P15 with Mike and P21 with Justin.

ConquestRacing We are at the halfway point of the race. Romancini is 22nd; Baguette is 24th http://bit.ly/bpiipN

TheEDJE ICS points leader Will Power running along at 13

FuriousWedge If I'm starting a team, I'm bringing in John Andretti as my veteran, he's money today and was money in Roth Racing cars 2 years ago

IndyCarPR top 10 at lap 103: 9 Dixon, 10 Franchitti, 3 Castroneves, 11 Kanaan, 77 Tagliani, 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay, 14 Meria, 06 Mutoh, 43 John Andretti, 6 Briscoe

MyNameIsIRL And here's Danica making a pit stop. Really ESPN, this is embarrassing.

TheEDJE @MyNameIsIRL Too much Danica coverage especially after she held up Helio

tomasscheckter if i was helio right now i would be pisssssssed

edcarpenter20 7 car...been thereRT @tomasscheckter if i was helio right now i would be pisssssssed

Yellow Flag for debris - Lap 121

MyNameIsIRL Hideki Mutoh is now 4th. Mutoh Mania rises to a near fever pitch!

TheSpeedgeek @FuriousWedge vitors lost 4-5 spots every stop today. never fails.

Restart - GREEN GREEN GREEN - Lap 129

TheEDJE Only 12 cars on the lead lap - Top five on Push-To-Pass

FuriousWedge Back to green and Vitor goes back to work getting spots lost in the pits back, back up to 9th

TheEDJE John Andretti is all out of Push-To-Pass whereas Dixon has used only 2 of 20 allowed

MyNameIsIRL The Ganassi cars have already pulled away by almost a second from Kanaan. Try to act shocked.

IndyCarPR Lap 140: #9 Dixon leads #10 Franchitti by .3053 of a second.

IndyCarNation Lap 145: #9 Dixon leads #10 Franchitti by .5415 of a second.

TheEDJE Sato isn't passing but he is pushing P-T-P and only has 8 left as he tries Helio

Those Lotus colors on the livery look really good

TheSpeedgeek who knew taku'd be better at the ovals than the roads? anybody?

MyNameIsIRL Takuma Sato, reported "road course specialist" is up to 6th. Mutoh in 4th. Japan is well represented this week.

TheEDJE @TheSpeedgeek Never saw Sato coming as an oval specialist - 6th? WOW

TheEDJE @MyNameIsIRL What are they puttin' in the Sushi in Kansas? Steak?

IndyCarPR Lap 160: #9 Dixon leads #10 Franchitti by 1.8959 seconds. #2 Matos and #26 Andretti on pit road four tires and fuel.

luczodragon The rout continues, Dixon running away. If it were a fight they would've stopped it

PlanetIRLdotcom For those of you without a feed. http://www.justin.tv/freddy49usa#r=kQ60fUQ

Last Round Of Pitstops

IndyCarPR Lap 161: #6 Briscoe pits for four tires and fuel.

FuriousWedge Side note, this result will likely bring everyone even with Will Power in points

garytrib Marco Coming out for last pit stop http://tweetphoto.com/20683301

IndyCarNation Lap 166: #9 Dixon leads #10 Franchitti by 2.1169 seconds. #32 Moraes on pit road for four tires and fuel.

Ryan Hunter-Reay and Helio Castroneves run side by side at Kansas. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

pressdog Just watched J Andretti inhale RHR live. Nicely done.

TheEDJE Jay Howard of Sarah Fisher Racing stuffs the car into the wall - joins EJ Viso as out of race - No More Left Turns

IndyCarNation Jay Howard in the wall. http://yfrog.com/cbxr2rj

luczodragon 22 laps left and Rafa 16th. Marco and danica are two he'll be chasing next when it goes green

MyNameIsIRL Yup. RT @mrt_history: I think the races in Sao Paulo and St. Pete were more interesting than this oval. Never thought I'd say that!

pressdog Sarah is having serious rage issues on the radio. Did I miss smthing?

Restart - GREEN GREEN GREEN - Lap 186

TheEDJE The Rising Sun ... SETS

TheEDJE Swiss Chard! De Silvestro helps out in taking Sato and Mutoh out.

Takuma Sato sits in his Lotus liveried KV Racing Technologies Dallara after showing well in his first oval race (he ran in the top 6 most of the day). He was taken out in a crash by fellow countryman Hideki Mutoh of Newman/Haas Racing. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

MyNameIsIRL Ironically, if we finish under yellow it might actually be a closer margin of victory.

IndyRacingNut @MyNameIsIRL Ain't THAT the truth...LOL

IndyCarNation Mutoh and Sato tangle. http://yfrog.com/ba62csj

pressdog Sarah rage: Jay tried to pass. She gave as much room as she could but he got int the marbles. No contact.

Six cars on the lead lap but lapped cars separate them

Restart - GREEN GREEN GREEN - 6 Laps to go

IndyRacingNut GO HELIO GO!!!

Franchitti passed for second place - Target Chip Ganassi P1 & P2

Race Ends - Checkered Flag Waves

autoracingnews Scott Dixon wins his second consecutive race at Kansas Speedway.

23rd win and 16th on Ovals! He did this by leading 74% of the laps.

kvracing Checkered Flag. Moraes #32 KVRT car finishes 7th in Kansas today. Sato 23rd, Viso 27th

scottdixon9 Dominant performance as Scott goes back-to-back @KansasSpeedway for his 22nd Indycar win!

luczodragon P16 for Rafa. Drove smart with car that struggled all day

PippaMann Fast and furious finish to the Kansas Indy Car race. 27 days until the Freedom 100!!! BRING IT!!!!!

FuriousWedge Not many in stands, 4th boring race in a row, Kansas got Sprint Cup shuffling; all signs point to this being final Kansas race for IRL

CrashGladys @FuriousWedge Wouldn't be disappointed if this was last Kansas race 4 IndyCar. I would luv Vegas to come in, but that track is just too fast

Podium of the Road Runner Turbo 300 - P1 - Scott Dixon - Target Chip Ganassi, P2 - Dario Franchitti - Target Chip Ganassi, and P3 - Tony Kanaan - Andretti Autosport. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

This from Timing & Scoring:

IZOD IndyCar Series Race Control
Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 Kansas Speedway
Current Flag: C
Rank No Name Laps Gap Diff Best Lap Best Lap Time Best Lap Speed Last Lap Time In Pit Pits Comment
1 9 Scott Dixon 200 --.---- --.---- 197 0:25.8216 211.91 MPH 0:25.8373 4
2 10 Dario Franchitti 200 3.0528 3.0528 196 0:25.7263 212.70 MPH 0:25.8187 4
3 11 Tony Kanaan 200 0.1682 3.2210 197 0:25.6653 213.20 MPH 0:25.9141 4
4 3 Helio Castroneves 200 0.6090 3.8300 132 0:25.8916 211.34 MPH 0:26.1995 4
5 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay 200 2.2833 6.1133 198 0:25.9154 211.14 MPH 0:26.1293 4
6 6 Ryan Briscoe 200 0.6818 6.7951 132 0:25.8721 211.50 MPH 0:26.1028 5
7 32 Mario Moraes 199 1 lap 1 lap 86 0:25.8461 211.71 MPH 0:26.1289 4
8 77 Alex Tagliani 199 0.2656 0.2656 197 0:25.8256 211.88 MPH 0:25.9614 4
9 43 John Andretti 199 0.4168 0.6824 87 0:25.8837 211.40 MPH 0:26.1219 4
10 14 Vitor Meira 199 0.2344 0.9168 87 0:25.9195 211.11 MPH 0:25.9308 4
11 7 Danica Patrick 198 1 lap 2 laps 194 0:25.7627 212.40 MPH 0:25.9494 4
12 12 Will Power 198 1.0215 1.0215 196 0:25.8667 211.54 MPH 0:26.5052 3
13 26 Marco Andretti 198 0.2212 1.2427 196 0:25.7884 212.18 MPH 0:26.3872 3
14 24 Mike Conway 198 1.4903 2.7330 195 0:25.9902 210.54 MPH 0:26.1959 3
15 4 Dan Wheldon 198 0.2230 2.9560 52 0:25.9851 210.58 MPH 0:26.2238 4
16 2 Raphael Matos 198 1.8505 4.8065 132 0:26.1865 208.96 MPH 0:26.5244 3
17 67 Sarah Fisher 198 0.1473 4.9538 53 0:26.1054 209.61 MPH 0:26.3545 4
18 22 Justin Wilson 197 1 lap 3 laps 193 0:25.9885 210.55 MPH 0:26.3142 4
19 19 Alex Lloyd 197 1.8670 1.8670 196 0:26.0338 210.18 MPH 0:26.4682 4
20 36 Bertrand Baguette 197 0.9787 2.8457 197 0:26.1712 209.08 MPH 0:26.1712 5
21 78 Simona de Silvestro 197 0.8356 3.6813 195 0:26.0894 209.74 MPH 0:26.1917 4
22 34 Mario Romancini 196 1 lap 4 laps 193 0:26.0865 209.76 MPH 0:26.1044 4
23 06 Hideki Mutoh 186 10 laps 14 laps 135 0:25.9911 210.53 MPH 0:47.2968 4 Contact
24 5 Takuma Sato 186 0.3245 0.3245 88 0:25.9228 211.08 MPH 0:47.1690 5 Contact
25 66 Jay Howard 172 14 laps 28 laps 56 0:26.1332 209.38 MPH 0:30.3517 4 Contact
26 18 Milka Duno 84 88 laps 116 laps 5 0:26.2668 208.32 MPH 0:27.0413 3 Mechanical
27 AB F Green 259228 0 0 24 0:00.0024 228000 MPH 0:00.0011 0 KV Racing Technology
27 8 EJ Viso 71 13 laps 129 laps 4 0:25.8893 211.36 MPH 0:27.2387 2 Contact

Next stop ... 2010 Indianapolis 500, Speedway, IN - Sunday, May 30 - broadcast live on ABC at 12:00 noon ET.

... notes from The EDJE

Kansas INDY - Play By Play Via Tweet By Tweet

Vision Racing's team owner, Tony George, checking on "Tweets" in the Vision Racing Twitter account during morning warm ups before the race. Image Credit: Vision Racing

Kansas INDY - Play By Play Via Tweet By Tweet

The first oval race of the season has the teams and drivers of the IndyCar Series visiting Kansas Speedway and its 1.5 mile "tri-oval". It takes a blink of an eye to get around the track at over 200 miles per hour so the experiment of capturing the action on the track via "Tweets" on Twitter may be a tall challenge.


The weather at start time is threatening at best, wind and rain can become a factor that everyone may have to deal with. So let's begin and get this show on the track.

indy44Here's to a safe and rain free race people! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FuriousWedgeThat os one nasty looking radar

VERSUS comes on the screen live with the command for drivers to bring their cars to the course - a great Dan Weldon retrospective!

MyNameIsIRLFYI - About halfway through the stock car race at Talladega and the leader is...Sam Hornish Jr.

25 MPH winds gusting to 35 MPH sets the weather background of this gathering at Kansas Speedway.

Forboding skies above Kansas Speedway with nasty gusts of wind during Sunday warm up. Image Credit: Vision Racing

FuriousWedgeI want me one of those giant shopping carts on the Kansas track

TheEDJELooking forward to live tweeting the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 being run at Kansas Speedway!

luczodragonLatest radar shows rain coming. Hoping it holds off long enough for Kansas race to be official

Long Beach Grand Prix review on VERSUS ... a decent race and a decent reception from IRL to Los Angeles and from Los Angeles to the IRL.

VisionRacingVision Racing cars being called to the grid. Driver intros coming up. Have a nice race everyone.

TheEDJE@VisionRacing We will be watching on ALL channels - Have a good outing with RHR and Ed!!!

FastMachinesTime for the first oval race of the Indy Car season. Who's your favorite? I think Helio will win from the back row. #indycar

FuriousWedgeHow great would it be if Tony finally got his Indy win to go with a afro on the Borg-Warner and all the winner's photos.

MyNameIsIRL@FuriousWedge If - I mean WHEN - Kanaan wins at Indy he might decide to never cut that hair again.

CrashGladysHelio still grinning ear to ear ;-) #indycar

FuriousWedge@CrashGladys apparently grinning about Danica's SHAPE cover photo

MyNameIsIRLBTW - I'm on the LiveBlog now. And twitter. I've cloned myself. http://www.mynameisirl.com/...

TheEDJE @MyNameIsIRL Keep 'em coming, this is warming up to be a great New Media effort all around!! ... Oh, and Go Bobby D!

kvracing1min till Driver Start Your Engine!

DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES - Radio broadcast from the IRL officials stating row by row, 1-Hot, 2-Hot, 3-Hot ... pretty cool.

IndyCarSeriesRT: @kvracing: Driver start your engine, all out on track for first warmup lap

kvracingGreen Green Green at Kansas Speedway, let's hope the rain stays away!!

The field at the start of the 2009 Road Runner Turbo 300 race at Kansas Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

IndyCarPRGREEN FLAG: #02 Rahal leads field into Turn 1

LAP 5 Kanaan takes it three wide and has to back out - way tight

kvracingP4 after the start, gained 4 spots.

VisionRacingCarpenter is P7. RHR working the weight jacker. P21

IndyCarPRLap 8: Lead change: #9 Dixon takes lead from #02 Rahal with a pass on the frontstretch.

TheEDJE@IndyCarPR ... Bobby D remains at third

LAP 14 Vitor Meira slows and Helio Castroneves rear ends Meira, debris takes off EJ Viso's wing

Helio Castroneves, Penske Racing gets into the back of Vitor Meira, A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

FuriousWedgeHelio and Vitor into each other; are we going to get words like 2007 Michigan? Looks like Viso caught debris too.

LAP 16 All cars in for the first pitstop - Doornbos out first

IndyCarPR#06 Doornbos hit a tire from the #02 team on exit.

kvracingPit stopped, changed tires and more fuel. Yellow Flag at the moment! If your watching tv, that was me with the umbrella:)

IndyCarPR#06 Doornbos has been sent to the rear of the field for hitting the pit equipment. New leader is #9 Dixon.

VisionRacing@KVracing 's Fiona gets airtime for twirling umbrella trick.

RESTART

TheEDJEGreat draft dicing action.

VisionRacingDixon leads on lap 25. Rahal and kanaan in pursuit. Ed is P6. Has been battling with Panther's Wheldon. P16 for Ryan.

VisionRacingCan't imagine how tough it must be to be battling this wind in turn 3+4

35 of 200 LAPS Complete

kvracingP5 after 35 laps and gradually pulling away from field, order is Dixon, Rahal, Kanaan, Briscoe, Moraes, Carpenter

IndyCarPRLap 40: #9 Dixon leads #02 Rahal by .6202 of a second. #13 Viso is off the pace.

EJ Viso out of the race - the damage suffered from the debris was more than just the wing.

FastMachinesMy Indy Car pick, HCN, is back to 10th after early trouble. #indycar

FuriousWedgeThe outside line is killing momentum in turns 3-4, we just watched it kill Marco, Whedon and Kanaan all rapid fire

VisionRacing"Light on grip overall." says Ed. 5 laps until pitstops. Very gusty for cars out there.

Doornbos gets lapped on LAP 64 while maintaining P18

VisionRacing"Light on grip overall." says Ed. 5 laps until pitstops. Very gusty for cars out there.

65 of 200 LAPS complete

IndyCarPRLap 71: Leader #9 Dixon on pit road for service.

Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing makes a pitstop - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

FastMachinesWhy so NASCAR fans like crashfests? Big wreck with 8 to go, not a surprise.

VisionRacingStill loose in 3+4 says Ed. Currently P6. RHR is P15 and making gains. Had a good lap time.

IndyCarPRLap 80: Green flag stops complete. #9 Dixon leads #11 Kanaan by 3.3667 seconds.

85 of 200 LAPS Completed

IndyCarPRLap 90: #9 Dixon leads #11 Kanaan by 3.9404 seconds.

VisionRacingRHR being told to stiffen up front bar. He's having trouble staying on inside line. Ed is reporting a vibration in the 20 car.

IndyCarPRLap 93: #6 Briscoe to second place with a pass on the backstretch.

CAUTION - Luczo Dragon driver, Raphael Matos gets loose from the wash of the car in front and takes the car to the wall with a hard brush.

Pitstops all of the way around - LAP 99

FuriousWedgeI like the VS coverage but they seriously need a "Race off Pit Road" car listing

TheEDJE@FuriousWedge - I'm hip! Out of pit position graphics like NASCAR - Really!

RESTART LAP 105

Three wide and Dario gets racy - Graham Rahal passes on the inside - New tire for oval tracks - grippier!

chunter16Let's start calling it GAP- Gannassi, Andretti, Penske #irl

TheEDJE@chunter16 - That would be true except NHLR is breaking in and Vision is in seventh

IndyCarPRLap 120: #6 Briscoe leads #9 Dixon by .3678 of a second.

garytribIn MA [Marco Andretti] pit....watching a storm coming this way :(

VisionRacingThis tweet is dedicated to our sponsor William Rast CEO Colin Dyne. Happy Birthday from the Vision team. Now back to regular tweeting.

TheEDJE@VisionRacing - Nice play! It never hurts to be cordial ... and commercial.

IndyCarPRLap 130: #6 Briscoe leads #9 Dixon by .5202 of a second.

VisionRacingWeather is headed our way. Ryan not really sorry to hear that. Everyone has dialed it back a little. 130 laps complete. You can smell ra ...

VisionRacingWind has picked up. "Car is all over the place. Wicked loose." Says RHR. " That's the wind. Weather is coming" says Vision eng. Neil Fife.

MyNameIsIRLThis is starting to smell like a festival of fuel conservation.

FuriousWedge@MyNameIsIRL likely everyone trying to last until the rain

LAP146 - Stretching fuel so that the top teams can make it to the end ... if rain comes early. Top 3 Briscoe Dixon Castoneves

Dario on the wall as Briscoe pulls into the pits - waived through because the Yellow came out, Briscoe looses four positions. Dario was carrying too much speed into the pits and almost hits Graham Rahal.

IndyCarPRLap 153: Lead cars on pit road for final pit stops. Dixon wins race off of pit road followed by #3 Castroneves and #11

Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing passes Dan Wheldon, Panther Racing - Image Credit: Andy Sallee

155 of 200 LAPS Complete

VisionRacingWeather is 10 miles away. Ed in top10. "We're going to need a good restart Ed." Says Jeff Britton. No radio for Ed but he can hear team. Top 3 Dixon Castroneves Kanaan. This will be an important restart.

RESTART 41 LAPS to go - Flat out until the end - fuel is NOT an issue.

FastMachines40 to go for Indy Car. A great race is shaping up. #Indycar

IndyCarPRLap 170: #9 Dixon leads #3 Castroneves by .4703 of a second

MyNameIsIRLDidn't Arute say the rain was "10 minutes away" like 20 minutes ago. He'll NEVER get gig as a weatherman with calls like that.

VisionRacingEd battling Rahal for 9th. Lost the position. P10. 25 laps left. 20 car good on fuel.

kvracing25 laps to go, P11, Mario doing very well

CrashGladysCome on guys, beat the rain! #indycar

IndyCarPRLap 180: #9 Dixon leads #3 Castroneves by .4628 of a second.

MyNameIsIRLWith the white racing gloves I half expect Wheldon to be checking his car for dust.

TheEDJERahal gets the best of Mutoh - great patience

VisionRacingEd gunning for Wheldon now. Top 3 Dixon Castroneves Kanaan. RHR let's cars go by on inside. Still P15

kvracing10 laps to go, P11, Mario doing very well

IndyCarPRLap 190: #9 Dixon leads #3 Castroneves by .6733 of a second

TheEDJEDixon looks as though he has this one in the can fo the first win of the season.

Too bad all of the races are not Street/Road courses as opposed to this six race run of just Ovals!

kvracingMoraes finishes 11th at Road Runner Turbo Indy 300. KVRT crew, engineers and Mario all done a great job today :) Indy 500 here we come!!

IndyCarPRLap 200: CHECKERED. #9 Dixon wins the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 by .7104 of a second over #3 Castroneves.

FastMachinesDixon wins! Helio comes in second. #indycar

VisionRacingNice job guys. Ed finishes P9. RHR p15 and brings it home in one piece. Congrats Dixie. Top 5 are Dixon Castroneves Kanaan Briscoe Patrick

Podium: race winner Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, second place Helio Castroneves, Team Penske, third place Tony Kanaan, Andretti Green Racing - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

So ends the third race of the 2009 season and the first Oval - the Transition Players got beat up some ... Will Power had to sit this one out because of contract reasons (Castroneves came back), Doornbos suffered a driving penalty - P12, Rahal had ugly understeer in 3 and 4 - P7 for his best ever Oval finish (previous best - P10), Moraes in at P11, and Justin Wilson finishes at P14. EJ Viso had to come out early due to debris from a contact crash in front of him damaged his car out of race worthiness.

In total season points, the Transition Players hold on to P8 (Rahal) and P9 (Wilson) going into the INDY 500.

See you all in Indiana when all roads lead to the INDY 500.

... notes from The EDJE

Transition Players Nail Down P1 & P2 For 2nd Time This Season

Pole winner Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. This is his second pole award earned in three races this season - he earned on for Saint Petersburg, a road course ... and now one for Kansas Speedway, a short oval course. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Transition Players Nail Down P1 & P2 For 2nd Time This Season

Qualifications, Kansas Speedway: Three of the top ten positions held by Transition Players ... with the front row filled by teammates from Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing P1 - Graham Rahal and P2 - Bobby D, Robert Doornbos.

This makes it that in two of three ICS races held this year, a Transition Player has nailed down the pole position ... congrats to Graham Rahal. Further, in all three qualifications sessions this year in the ICS season, a Transition Player has nailed down P2 (Justin Wilson/Dale Coyne Racing at St. Pete, Will Power/Penske Racing at Long Beach, and now Bobby D/Newman Haas/Lanigan here at Kansas Speedway).

Two time Indy 500 winner, Arie Luyendyk as he coaches Robert Doornbos through the 1.5 mile oval from the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing pit - Kansas Speedway 2009 - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

It has to be mentioned that Doornbos was lifted to P2 from P4 when the IRL ruled that the lap times of P2 Dario Franchitti/Target Chip Ganassi, and P3 Helio Castroneves/Penske Racing would be disallowed because both drivers, during each of their four lap qualifying runs, dipped their left tires below the White, inside track, boundary line. These two drivers will start from the back of the field for Sunday's race.

Robert Doornbos, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing secures a quick enough speed for four laps to qualify at P4. This position was later upgraded to P2 next to his teammate, Graham Rahal. The two NHLR drivers will fill the front row to start Sunday's third race of this IndyCar Series 2009 season. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Revised qualifying order (** denotes Transition Player):

Pos Driver Team Speed
1. Graham Rahal** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 211.311
2. Robert Doornbos** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 210.665

Danica Patrick gears up and gets ready to qualify fast enough to nab P3 on the grid, Sunday ... just behind NHLR Teammates Graham Rahal and Robert Doornbos - Kansas Speedway 2009 - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

3. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 210.470
4. Scott Dixon Ganassi 210.368
5. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 210.220
6. Mario Moraes** KV 210.197
7. Ryan Briscoe Penske 210.098
8. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 210.082
9. Dan Wheldon Panther 209.144
10. Ed Carpenter Vision 208.956
11. Sarah Fisher Fisher 208.543
12. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 208.537
13. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 208.506
14. Vitor Meira Foyt 208.461
15. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon 208.382
16. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 208.145
17. Justin Wilson** Coyne 207.971
18. EJ Viso** HVM 206.779
19. Stanton Barrett 3G 205.820
20. Ryan Hunter-Reay Vision 205.673
21. Dario Franchitti Ganassi -
22. Helio Castroneves Penske -

... notes from The EDJE

Dallara Options Pared Down For ICS Transition Parity - UPDATED

Where parity is insured ... the TechPad inspection tool. The 2009 rules change and the process that happens on this tool, will allow for greater competition between teams that field cars like the Luczo Dragon #2 Dallara, piloted by Raphael Matos pictured here. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

Dallara Options Pared Down For ICS Transition Parity

Last year at this time, it was the first year of the merger of the two professional open wheel racing series and a couple of races were under the belt of all the competitors. The pains of transition were beginning to show themselves, in that the teams coming in from the former CART/ChampCar World Series were the teams that had to learn a whole new set of venues, learn how to drive and set up a whole new chassis, and begin to learn the nuances of the allowable variables the Established teams had been working with in order to gain a performance advantage.

One set of option variables focused on the length of the wheelbase itself. Last year, Transition teams were beginning to recognize that they did not have enough chassis parts to compete ... especially on ovals, and this year the IRL decided to do something about it.

Last year, the talk was that the Transition teams were going to have a tough time learning to drive on oval tracks (an IRL main staple) and as it turns out, the deck was stacked against the Transition teams.

The rules for setting up a Dallara chassis allowed the teams to vary the wheelbase length in order to set the car up for greater handling and speed based upon the nature of the oval venue they were tackling. A team could choose wheelbase measurements from 118 inches, 120 inches, and 122 inches. Along with these measurement options were the suspension configuration set up parts which would vary the amount of travel and dampening the chassis would have in the oval corners which could add to greater speed, stability and handling throughout the race.

No wonder the Transition teams were complaining that they did not have enough spare parts to field their Dallara cars ... they did not have ALL of the parts (and wheelbase options for the Dallara) that would give the teams ALL of the set up options available to ALL of the Established teams.

Kansas represents the first oval race of this sophomore season of unification and begins a run of six races where the only intentional right-hand turns during the race will be at pit box exit in order to enter the main pit lane to resume racing on the track. This will be the first oval race where there will be no excuses and all teams will be racing roughly the same chassis, on the same wheelbase, with the same set of set up options in the suspension parts. The deck will not be stacked against the Transition Players as it was on oval venues throughout all of the 2008 unification season.

The 122 inch standard measurement that all teams will be running on oval race venues this year. Parity and costs sited as the reasons to pare down these sets of set up options for the 2009 ICS Championship season. Image Credit: IndyCar.com

This excerpted and edited from IndyCar.com -

Oval equalizer
By Dave Lewandowski - Indycar.com - Tuesday, April 21, 2009

There's an under-the-radar rule change this year as IndyCar Series teams tackle the first oval of the season this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Wheelbase options are out; 122 inches is in.

Partly another cost-saving move passed along by the sanctioning Indy Racing League and partly a competition enhancement, the uniformity (with a half-inch tolerance for caster adjustments) puts more of the emphasis on drivers and their maintenance crews.

"It won't affect the short tracks because everybody had to run the long suspension on the short tracks just to get the car to handle," IndyCar Series technical director Kevin Blanch said. "On the big tracks it will make a difference because what you run into when you have 118, 120 and 122 inches -- and every possibility in between -- is every one of those suspension, because it changes the relationship of the wheel to the sidepod, changes the way the air flows over the car so you have to wind tunnel, shaker rig and 7-post test all those suspensions in every possible configuration.
----
"Because (the wheelbase is) longer, the cars won't be as sensitive in traffic as a short car," Blanch said. "The shorter the car is like driving a Volkswagen compared to a limousine. It should make it easier on the tech side to check things and check relationships to the wheels and wings, too.

"It limits the options the engineer has, but it makes it more important to get it right every time and it makes it more important for the guys working on the car to really pay attention to what they're doing. If you're wheel isn't spinning free and the next guy's is, you're talking hundredths of a second top to bottom (of the field) on an oval in qualifying. Just how easy your wheel spins could make the difference.

"On an oval car, you're almost building a worn out race car. You wear out the rod ends and make the wheel bearings spin as free as you can. You don't want to wait for the car to wear it out. It's a constant kind of game of making sure you get it worn out just the right amount. If you could just change to a different part and go faster, then it's not as important that every little thing you're doing is right.
Reference Here>>

The next six races are critical for all racers, but even more critical for the Transition Player because now he has a playing field of uniformity to compete in and this may show them (and the ChampCar culture-rooted fans they bring along) the promise of competing in open wheel unification!

... notes from The EDJE

UPDATED 4-25-2009, 2:00 PM PT:

Pole winner Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. This is his second pole award earned in three races this season - he earned on for Saint Petersburg, a road course ... and now one for Kansas Speedway, a short oval course. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Qualifications, Kansas Speedway: Three of the top ten positions held by Transition Players ... with the front row filled by teammates from Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing P1 - Graham Rahal and P2 - Bobby D, Robert Doornbos.

This makes it that in two of three ICS races held this year, a Transition Player has nailed down the pole position ... congrats to Graham Rahal. Further, in all three qualifications sessions this year in the ICS season, a Transition Player has nailed down P2 (Justin Wilson/Dale Coyne Racing at St. Pete, Will Power/Penske Racing at Long Beach, and now Bobby D/Newman Haas/Lanigan here at Kansas Speedway).

It has to be mentioned that Doornbos was lifted to P2 from P4 when the IRL ruled that the lap times of P2 Dario Franchitti/Target Chip Ganassi, and P3 Helio Castroneves/Penske Racing would be disallowed because both drivers, during each of their four lap qualifying runs, dipped their left tires below the White, inside track, boundary line. These two drivers will start from the back of the field for Sunday's race.

Robert Doornbos, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing secures a quick enough speed for four laps to qualify at P4. This position was later upgraded to P2 next to his teammate, Graham Rahal. The two NHLR drivers will fill the front row to start Sunday's third race of this IndyCar Series 2009 season. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Revised qualifying order (** denotes Transition Player):

Pos Driver Team Speed
1. Graham Rahal** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 211.311
2. Robert Doornbos** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 210.665
3. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 210.470
4. Scott Dixon Ganassi 210.368
5. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 210.220
6. Mario Moraes** KV 210.197
7. Ryan Briscoe Penske 210.098
8. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 210.082
9. Dan Wheldon Panther 209.144
10. Ed Carpenter Vision 208.956
11. Sarah Fisher Fisher 208.543
12. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 208.537
13. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 208.506
14. Vitor Meira Foyt 208.461
15. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon 208.382
16. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 208.145
17. Justin Wilson** Coyne 207.971
18. EJ Viso** HVM 206.779
19. Stanton Barrett 3G 205.820
20. Ryan Hunter-Reay Vision 205.673
21. Dario Franchitti Ganassi -
22. Helio Castroneves Penske -