IndyCar News

Possibly the strongest field ever assembled for the streets of Surfers Paradise has been confirmed for next weekend's Nikon Indy 300, with all of the IndyCar Series' familiar faces making the trip 'down under'.

The quest for the 2008 IndyCar Series championship was one of the most difficult in series history, something that Indy Racing League president of competition and operations Brian Barnhart puts down, in part, to the unification of US open-wheel motorsport.

The drivers, teams, partners and officials of the Formula Atlantic Championship have gather at the Chateau ?lan in Braselton to pay tribute to the 2008 season at the annual end of season awards banquet.

New Firestone Indy Lights champion Raphael Matos has justified his decision to join the series instead of pursuing a Champ Car ride for 2008 by signing a multi-year deal to drive for Luczo Dragon Racing as it expands to a full-time entrant in the IndyCar Series in 2009.

Team Australia co-owner Craig Gore is almost certain to miss the Nikon Indy 300 at Surfers Paradise after undergoing emergency bowel surgery in a London hospital this week.

Paul Tracy's absence from the cockpit for much of the 2008 US open-wheel season is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Canadian's frustration, after it emerged that he was to sue former long-time employer Gerald Forsythe.

After a season that saw him take two wins and seven top-five finishes - including a maiden win - Carl Skerlong has seen his Atlantic Series campaign come to an early end following a high-speed accident at Road Atlanta.

Paul Newman was introduced to motor racing in 1968 while filming a movie at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and that brief relationship blossomed into a 40-year passion for the sport that included not only co-ownership of one of the most powerful teams in US open-wheel racing, but also his own s

The IndyCar Series will claim another NASCAR scalp for 2009, albeit on a lesser scale than that of Dario Franchitti, when sometime Nationwide Series runner Stanton Barrett makes the jump to open-wheel racing with Team 3G.

The success enjoyed by the unified IndyCar Series this season has provided many positive storylines but, for one stalwart of the leaner years, Sunday's Chicagoland finale may have been the downside of this year's growth.

The Indy Racing League has said that it will be reviewing and checking the positioning of transponders fitted to its competing cars in a bid to prevent the embarrassing mix-up over who had actually won Sunday's IndyCar Series finale at Chicagoland Speedway.

The parting of the ways between Dan Wheldon and Target Chip Ganassi Racing appears to be an amicable one, on the surface at least, with each paying tribute to the other following the team's decision to sign Dario Franchitti for 2009.

by Lynne Huntting

Having earlier this week expressed its confidence at chasing a solid result at Infineon Raceway, Team Penske will have to overcome a major setback to keep Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe on track.

More than a dozen IndyCar Series drivers tested at Infineon Raceway this week in preparation for the PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County on August 24.

Dear Sir,

Scott Dixon says he is looking to secure the points that will take him closer to the 2008 IndyCar Series title after taking pole position for the Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

A number of familiar faces are set to return to the Firestone Indy Lights this weekend for the latest round of the season at Kentucky Speedway.

Nikon has been named as the title sponsor of the Surfers Paradise IndyCar event which will now be known as the Nikon Indy 300.

Surfers Paradise could still feature on the 2009 IndyCar Series schedule despite not being named on the calendar released by the series yesterday [Wednesday].

While Nashville was expected to be absent from next year's IndyCar Series calendar, to be replaced by Toronto, less anticipated was the non-appearance of Surfers Paradise on the 18-round schedule.

James Davison was handed his maiden Firestone Indy Lights victory in bizarre circumstances during a rain-hit second leg to the series' Mid-Ohio double-header.

IndyCar Series president of competition Brian Barnhart has said that he will not be taking any action following the latest pit-lane dispute involving Danica Patrick at Mid-Ohio.

Ryan Briscoe took advantage of an out-of-sequence pit-stop to claim his second win of the 2008 IndyCar Series, heading home championship contenders Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon in a Penske 1-2 in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.