It’s the time of year when the terrible state of open wheel racing in America makes everyone start to ask why the IRL and Champ Car can’t kiss and make up and form a unified series. Champ Car has lost Sebastien Bourdais to F1. His former team, Newman-Haas, is threatening to defect to the IRL … Continue reading IRL vs Champ Car: the end game?
IndyCar articles archive
The most famous IndyCar race is the Indianapolis 500, held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in front of huge crowds. However American open-wheel racing has a chequered history.
The championship reached its peak in the late eighties and early nineties under the sanctioning body CART. It attracted huge international attention as Formula 1 champions including Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti competed in it.
However the creation of the rival Indy Racing League in 1996 created a split which badly damaged the championship. CART, which rebranded as Champ Car, fell into decline. By 2008, with Champ Car on the bring of collapse, the two series finally merged, but the damage had been.
Nonetheless today’s IndyCar championship retains a reputation for spectacular racing with its single-specification chassis and features a broad range of circuits including road, street and traditional American oval courses.
IRL Chicagoland: Franchitti wins race and title
Posted onDario Franchitti won the Indy Racing League championship at the final corner of the final round at Chicagoland. Scott Dixon was poised to win the race and take the title with it until he ran out of fuel on the final tour. Franchitti, who spent the final laps sat behind Dixon, dodged the slowing Target … Continue reading IRL Chicagoland: Franchitti wins race and title
IRL Detroit: Title rivals in controversial clash
Posted onA controversial collision between title rivals Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti overshadowed Tony Kanaan’s win in the IRL race at Michigan. Dixon was knocked into a spin by a slowing Buddy Rice on the penultimate lap and appeared to deliberately steer his car into Franchitti’s. Franchitti managed to limp home sixth to take a three … Continue reading IRL Detroit: Title rivals in controversial clash
IRL Infineon: Dixon takes title lead
Posted onWhat had been a pedestrian Indy Racing League round at Infineon Raceway came alive in the final laps when runaway leader Dario Franchitti clashed with team mate Marco Andretti. That let rival Scott Dixon in to snatch the win and the lead of the championship in dramatic style. Franchitti clung on to take third after … Continue reading IRL Infineon: Dixon takes title lead
IRL Kentucky: Deja vu for Kanaan and Franchitti
Posted onThe IRL race at Kentucky had a lot in common with the last round at Michigan – Tony Kanaan won, and Dario Franchitti had a huge shunt. Kanaan’s victory from pole position means the Brazilian has a realistic shot at the title with three rounds remaining. He beat Scott Dixon across the line by 1.7s … Continue reading IRL Kentucky: Deja vu for Kanaan and Franchitti
IRL Michigan: Kanaan survives race of carnage
Posted onThe final open wheeled race at Michigan will be remembered for a spate of crashes, above all a violent incident on lap 145. Championship leader Dario Franchitti and fellow Briton Dan Wheldon made contact at 220mph on the back straight, causing Franchitti’s car to fly into the air. It landed on title rival Scott Dixon’s … Continue reading IRL Michigan: Kanaan survives race of carnage
IRL Mid Ohio: Dixon seals his hat-trick
Posted onScott Dixon won his third consecutive IRL race and closed to within 24 points of championship leader Dario Franchitti with five rounds remaining. The New Zealander moved to the front in a processional race at the Mid Ohio road course by playing a canny strategic game. But Franchitti minimised the damage by following him home … Continue reading IRL Mid Ohio: Dixon seals his hat-trick
No IRL at Michigan next year
Posted onThis year’s IndyCar race at Michigan will be the last at the superspeedway for the foreseeable future. Michigan will hold two NASCAR events next year but failed to find a suitable slot for an IRL race. The IndyCar series expanded its roster of road courses this year while the rival Champ Car World Series moved … Continue reading No IRL at Michigan next year
IRL Nashville: Two in a row for Dixon
Posted onScott Dixon won his second consecutive race of 2007 – and once again it was championship leader Dario Franchitti who followed him across the line. The rain-delayed race suffered a brief interruption due to further rain but it was a largely incident-free event.
IRL Watkins Glen: Dixon’s hat trick
Posted onScott Dixon completed a hat-trick of IRL victories at Watkins Glen with a measured and tactically shrewd drive. But there were unpleasant scenes after the race as a confrontation between Tony Kanaan and Sam Hornish sparked a pit lane brawl. It began after the pair twice made contact during the race.
IRL Richmond: Dominant Dario doubles up
Posted onDario Franchitti held the Richmond round in a stranglehold for the start. He led all bar nine laps at the short oval to win the second race in a week and stretch his championship advantage. It was a far more low-key race after the dramas of the Iowa encounter last week. But the Penske drivers … Continue reading IRL Richmond: Dominant Dario doubles up
IRL Iowa: Franchitti triumps through chaos
Posted onIndy Car’s first race at Iowa was a spectacular with most of the leading drivers eliminated in big crashes. Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish, Danica Patrick and Tony Kanaan were among those whose races were ruined or ended. It left Dario Franchitti to take his second win of the year – and a 51 point lead … Continue reading IRL Iowa: Franchitti triumps through chaos
IRL Texas: Hornish survives carnage
Posted onSam Hornish escaped an enormous pile-up at the Texas Motor Speedway – and clung on to win from the resurgent Andretti-Green cars of Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Dario Franchitti. Franchitti, winner of the Indianapolis 500 two weeks ago, maintains his lead in the Indy Car series. His closest rivals, Team Ganassi drivers Dan Wheldon … Continue reading IRL Texas: Hornish survives carnage
IRL Milwaukee: Kanaan profits from Penske’s problems
Posted onTony Kanaan won the Milwaukee 225 after both Penske cars suffered dramatic rear wing failures late in the race. Helio Castroneves was leading with less than 25 laps to go when his rear wing collapsed, throwing him into the wall. Then team mate Sam Hornish slowed as his wing bent out of position, though he … Continue reading IRL Milwaukee: Kanaan profits from Penske’s problems
Franchitti wins rain-hit Indy 500
Posted onDario Franchitti won the 91st Indianapolis 500 as rain fell and brought an early end to the race. The pack was already running under caution following a spectacular collision between Marco Andretti and Dan Wheldon. Andretti moved high on the track to pass two cars but Wheldon was already there. The two clashed wheels and … Continue reading Franchitti wins rain-hit Indy 500
Trackside: A1 Grand Prix & IRL
Posted onMore on the tense Britain-versus-Germany duel at Brands Hatch, plus Wheldon’s latest triumph in the IRL. And video… Trackside – Britain beats Germany at home (external)
IRL Kansas: Dominant Dan wins again
Posted onThe Chip Ganassi team’s form is ominous for their rivals ahead of next month’s Indianapolis 500. Dan Wheldon dominated the Kansas 300 and Scott Dixon would surely have made it a Ganassi one-two but for a careless pit lane infraction. Hacing started fourth Wheldon immediately made his way to the front. He sliced past both … Continue reading IRL Kansas: Dominant Dan wins again
13 TBAs for 2007 Indy 500
Posted onA promising 38 entries have been received for the Indianapolis 500 – a race which traditionally has 33 entrants. Unfortunately, 13 of those at this time are named “TBA”. America’s blue-riband race is desperately scratching around for quality participants. This is why every single sensible fan of American single seater racing wants to see a … Continue reading 13 TBAs for 2007 Indy 500
IRL boss wants NASCAR alliance
Posted onJohn Barnes, the owner of Indy Racing League team Panther Racing, reckons the series would be better off as a support series to NASCAR: We would make it where we would race on Saturday to replace a Busch or ARCA race, and they (Nextel Cup) would race on Sunday. I have no problem being second … Continue reading IRL boss wants NASCAR alliance
IRL St Petersburg: Castroneves triumps for Penske
Posted onHelio Castroneves gave his Penske team a much needed shot in the arm with his victory on the streets of St Petersburg, following the Ganassi team’s rout at Homestead last weekend. Castroneves led most of the race much as Dan Wheldon did last week, winning from pole. It means the two drivers have won the … Continue reading IRL St Petersburg: Castroneves triumps for Penske