Backstretch Motorsports

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...]

Sonoma, Calif., August 23, 2008 – The No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac Daytona Prototype (DP) driven by Michael Valiante and Max Angelelli won round 12 of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Infineon Raceway today. The No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney came home in second giving Pontiac a one-two finish.

The 2.47-mile, 12-turn Infineon road course proved to be the perfect location for the SunTrust team’s first win of the season. Michael Valiante started the race from pole position, which he inherited late last night when the original pole sitter was sent to the back following the post qualifying technical inspection. Valiante led every lap of his stint and then turned the car over to Angelelli. He reassumed the lead on lap 45 with a competitive pass on the leader and was never headed since then. The team lead every lap of the 102 circuit event except 22.

[read more...]

SONOMA, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 - Team Penske teammates Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe will share the front row for the third consecutive IndyCar Series race on a road/street course.

Castroneves won his 26th career PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award during qualifying for the PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County at Infineon Raceway with a best lap of 1 minute, 16.9027 seconds, 107.809 mph on the 12-turn, 2.30 mile circuit. Briscoe was second just .0158 of a second behind.

[read more...]

HAWTHORNE, Calif. - The upcoming Infineon Raceway Daytona Prototypes-only event is already the 12th race of the season for Rum Bum Racing team co-drivers Gene Sigal and Matt Plumb. The Infineon race is the second race of the season in California and like Laguna Seca; it is considered a home race for Rum Bum Racing.

[read more...]

Three races remain in championship battle

With three races remaining in 2008, Scott Dixon holds a 78-point lead over Helio Castroneves. Dan Wheldon is 138 points back, and Tony Kanaan trails by 147. Dixon has a record-tying six wins this season, while Castroneves has seven second-place finishes. Can Dixon extend his lead or will his competitors close the gap?

[read more...]

Monday Aug 18, 2008
Today’s IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights headlines
1. Four remain eligible for IndyCar Series title
2. Matos in familiar territory
3. Potekhen returns at Infineon

[read more...]

Brown, Edwards and Rivas round out provisional No. 1 qualifiers

SONOMA – NHRA sophomore sensation Ashley Force powered her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in Funny Car at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway on Friday.

The other provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 18 regular season races (24 total) in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series were Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Chris Rivas (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

[read more...]

SONOMA, Calif. – There aren’t many synonyms for the word “dominant” that haven’t already been used to describe Tony Schumacher. Perhaps none exist.

Schumacher, the 38-year-old son of team owner and drag racing pioneer Don Schumacher, took only three years to prove himself as a professional driver after his Top Fuel debut in Indianapolis, the oldest and most storied stop on the NHRA POWERade Series tour, in 1996.

[read more...]

SONOMA, CA. — Kyle Busch is definitely the real deal. He won NASCAR’s Sprint Cup race here Sunday, completely dominating the race from shortly before the halfway point to the wild, caution-filled finish.

Three late-race caution flags bunched the field after young Busch had literally left all challengers in the California dust on a sunny California Sunday.

[read more...]

Everyone considers Patrick Carpentier a “Road Course Ace”, a ringer, and with good reason. That is, everyone but Patrick Carpentier

“I like racing at any track but I prefer ovals, Carpentier explained. “Road racing is fun, it’s just a different kind of animal. In the years I spent in open-wheel I learned a lot on the aspects of road racing. But driving a stock car on a road course is quite the chore. With all the weight that’s involved in slowing down a 3,400 pound stock car it can really wear your brakes out.”

[read more...]