Backstretch Motorsports

Vitor Meira has signed to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Co. Honda-powered Dallara for A.J. Foyt Racing in 2009 with an option for 2010. He’ll get a jump-start on the season by competing in the non-points Nikon Indy 300 on the streets of Surfer’s Paradise, Australia, on Oct. 26.

“I am definitely going into 2009 with a little extra motivation,” said Meira, who competed for Panther Racing the past three seasons. “I have raced against the team for many years and have heard cool things about them. Many people would give an arm and a leg just to meet A.J. and I am getting to work with him.”

[read more...]

Hideki Mutoh came into the 2008 IndyCar Series season with the goal of winning Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year honors. A 24th-place finish in the season’s first race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March and the fact that many of the nine rookies in the field had considerable experience in high-powered, open-wheel race cars didn’t lend itself to an easy task.

Mutoh persevered, however, and clinched top rookie honors in the season finale Sept. 7 at Chicagoland Speedway, edging Justin Wilson by six points and Will Power by 15.

[read more...]

JOLIET, Ill., Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 - Helio Castroneves raced from the 28th starting position to first, winning a photo finish in the PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, but it wasn’t enough to keep Scott Dixon from winning his second IndyCar Series championship.

[read more...]

JOLIET, Ill., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008 - Ryan Briscoe returned to Chicagoland Speedway in style, winning the pole for the PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy 300 in his first visit to the 1.5-mile oval since a spectacular crash at the circuit in 2005.

Briscoe recorded a four-lap qualifying effort of 1 minute, 41.4190 mph, 215.818 mph as the last driver to go out, stealing the pole out of the hands of IndyCar Series points leader Scott Dixon, who had set the mark at 1:41.5435, 215.553 mph 15 drivers earlier.

[read more...]

Chicago ready to crown third IndyCar Series champion

The IndyCar Series champion will be crowned at Chicagoland Speedway for the third consecutive season. This year’s battle features Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves, neither who have won at the 1.5-mile oval. Dixon, who leads Castroneves by 30 points, has finished second three times in five starts, including last year when he ran out of fuel in the final turn of the final lap. His average finish in five starts is 6.4. Castroneves has three consecutive top-four finishes at Chicagoland, including a second in 2005. His average finish in six starts is 7.3. Who will fare better at Chicagoland?

[read more...]

Concord, NC) — Puzzles solved, two seats filled and one left out for now, with an almost assured announcement to come.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR) and Dan Wheldon, driver of the No. 10 Target Honda Dallara in the IndyCar Series, announced today they have agreed to part ways. Dan Wheldon will be returning to Panther Racing’s No. 4 Honda entry

Target Chip Ganassi Racing announced they will be adding former IndyCar Series and Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti as a teammate of the 2008 Indy 500 winner and current points leader Scott Dixon, as the driver of the No. 10 Target Honda. In addition, Chip Ganassi Racing and Target announced the details of their joint plans to take their partnership into its 20th season and beyond.

[read more...]

Castroneves second after penalty; Dixon fifth

DETROIT, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008 - Justin Wilson didn’t let a steering problem ruin his day. The IndyCar Series rookie turned only two laps in the morning warm-up due to the problem, but went on to lead the final 15 laps of the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone in the afternoon to claim his first IndyCar Series victory.

[read more...]

DETROIT, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008 - Scott Dixon won the PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award for Sunday’s Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park, his sixth earned pole of the season.

Dixon will share the front row with Helio Castroneves, whom he leads in the championship by 43 points with two races remaining.

[read more...]

Two-man race

With the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone looming as the penultimate race in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship, two competitors remain eligible for the title. Scott Dixon saw a 78-point lead over Helio Castroneves dwindle to 43 at Infineon. How will the battle play out on the tight street course at Belle Isle?

[read more...]

SONOMA, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008 - Helio Castroneves snapped the longest winless streak of his career to move closer to his first IndyCar Series championship.

Castroneves, who hadn’t won since April 2007 - a span of 30 races, took the checkered flag in the PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County at Infineon Raceway to claim a victory in a record-setting eighth consecutive season. The 13th win of his IndyCar Series career allowed Castroneves to shave 35 points from his deficit in the championship standings. He trails Scott Dixon, who finished 12th, by 43 points with two races remaining.

[read more...]