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  • IndyCar: Red Hot Indianapolis 500 Rookie Pippa Mann

    IndyCar: Red Hot Indianapolis 500 Rookie Pippa Mann

    Pippa Mann may not be a household name as of yet.  However, this British IZOD Indycar Series racer will be the latest woman to attempt qualifying for the prestigious Indianapolis 500 centennial race.

    This year’s rookie hopes to compete with fellow female drivers Danica Patrick, Simona de Silvestro and Ana Beatriz on the starting grid.  If Mann makes the grid, she will make history as the first British woman to race in the Indy 500.

    Mann has teamed up with Conquest Racing as driver of the #36 car for this year’s Indy 500.  She completed the Rookie Orientation Program at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by  turning consistent laps at four speed phases: 200-205 mph (five laps) and 10 laps each at 205-210 mph, 210-215 and 215 or more, driving a total of 35 laps on the 2.5 mile oval, with a fastest average speed of 219.116 mph.

    Weather has limited track time for drivers so far this week.  This has allowed Mann to make it out on the track for two of the five practice days.  Mann is hoping to make the most of the two practice days left before Pole Day.

    Mann is the first and only woman to win a pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2010 Freedom 100 race.  During her successful 2010 Firestone Indy Light Series season, Mann secured three poles, a win and finished fifth among the series drivers.

    @BimbolenaSports

  • Indianapolis 500: Rain Cancels Wednesday Practice Session

    For the third time this week, rain has canceled a practice sesson as the Wednesday practice was a no-go due to the steady rain fall.

    The rain has spoiled the plans of practicing for many drivers, including rookie Scott Speed.

    “As a rookie, having less track time is definitely not the best thing in the world,” Speed said. “It definitely makes things a little more difficult. We’ll do our best to take it in stride. I think we’ll be OK with it. We have a lot of resources here. There’s nothing extra you can really do to prepare for the race, but I feel good right now. I think we’re making good moves and going about everything intelligently. I can’t ask for anything more right now. At this point, it’s all about track time. I mean, we’re just waiting.”

    Fellow rookie Pippa Mann says that its just going to make things interesting.

    “We only wanted to get out there and do a couple of runs today, to see if we finally had a handle on this small niggle we’ve got going on, but unfortunately the weather is just not playing ball,” Mann said. “It’s going to make the next few days pretty insane, not just for us but for everyone. the track is going to be extremely busy, and it’s going to be fairly intense. But, to use an American phrase, it is what it is!”

    She says that today she got further than days before as they were almost ready to go.

    “Actually, today wasn’t quite Groundhog day because we did get as far as pit lane, and I actually got as far as being strapped into my car before it started to rain again,” she said. “One minute to green – I’m sitting there, and suddenly the rain started coming down all around me, so we headed back to the garage area.”

    Veteran Townsend Bell is not worried, though.

    “I’m used to it now,” he said. “As long as I’ve driven a little bit this month, I feel fine at least in terms of knowing what I’ve got and knowing that we’re strong. So, the anxiety is much less, especially having done this for a few years. You learn rain is always going to be an issue.”

  • Indianapolis 500: Conway and Andretti Only Drivers To Make Laps in Tuesday Sesson

    Mike Conway shook down his No. 27 Hire Heroes Car and his Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti got five laps in driving Conway’s car, before the rains came ending the session early.

    Conway’s shake down has a speed of 219.901mph (40.9259 seconds).

    “We just wanted to feel some of those (changes) and see what we had,” Conway said. “These were certainly not ideal weather conditions and aren’t representative of what we’re going to see in a few days, so it didn’t make too much sense to log a lot of laps.”

    Conway said that he also allowed his teammate Andretti to get some laps in the car so they could compare notes.

    “We made some changes overnight, and we wanted to get a feel for what it felt like,” he said. “It’s good for me to let (Marco) have a feel and see if I’m feeling the same things as him. We had the same comments, and we got some good back-to-back running.”

    Andretti said it gave him a chance to try something different, also.

    “I was able to try a setup that I haven’t run yet,” he said. “I just kind of got my thoughts on it and a second opinion. You always learn. If we were going through pretty extensive test items and stuff like that, it’s different. I just wanted to feel out an overall package.”

    This is the second time that a session has been cut short for racing as nobody got any laps in during the Sunday session. Some drivers are okay with the lost day, while others are concerned. Andretti had a quick lap of 224.215mph (40.1163 seconds) for the day, but only ranks 15th on the combined speed chart.

    “It makes a difference,” Andretti said of not getting the full session in. “Who knows if we would have gained or they would have gained on us. I’m really worried about the speed of our car. I’ve driven exactly Danica’s setup 3 miles an hour off of her (lap time). I can’t explain why. I’m worried about qualifying for this race. It is still early days, but I honestly think if you’re not going to be qualifying in the top 10 you should be worried.”

    Conway says that with the timing, you always have the conscious of the time left.

    “We always think we have loads of time at the beginning of the week, and then it’s always the same thing,” Conway said. “You get to the last couple of days, and if you haven’t quite got the car right, then you’re going to be rushing a bit more. As long as the car is good and you keep chipping away at it, I think that’s the main thing. I think we’re really close. I think we’ve got a good balance, and I think the speed is there. We’ve just got to take our time and know that qualifying isn’t that far away.”

    Alex Taglani’s lap of 225.878mph from the Monday sesson tops the charts so far during the testing. Testing will continue on Wednesday from noon to 6pm EST.

  • Indianapolis 500: Alex Tagliani Tops Chart on First Full Day of Practice on Monday

    For the second practice day in a row, it’s been a surprise a top the standings as Alex Tagliani and Sam Schmidt Motorsports topped the charts with a best lap of 225.878 mph, the quickest of all three days so far.

    “It was the not the best conditions that we have seen in Indy, but it was OK,” Tagliani said. “We didn’t run on the first day and Sunday was raining, so today was the first opportunity for us to run. Thanks to the boys; they did a fantastic job preparing an amazing car. It is early in the week, but it is quite nice to show that the Bowers & Wilkins car is strong for an Indy run.

    “When we came here last year, we didn’t know what to expect. We came in apprehensive because it’s a very tough place to get it right and very difficult to win. Obviously, we had some speed, and it worked out quite well last year. We build from it. We had a chance in 2010 to develop a good base and in the winter, the guys worked really hard on the car and cleaned it up a bit and always paid attention to details.

    “That’s what this place wants, and it’s nice to start the week with a car that’s quite strong. Hopefully we can build on it. You can never take anything for granted at this place. We have to stay on our toes all week and roll the car out for qualifying and hope for the best.”

    Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon (225.124mph) and Graham Rahal (225.071) were second and third.

    “We had a pretty decent day for the Target team,” Dixon said. “We switched to the primary car today, and it ran smooth. Hope to run a little more tomorrow.”

    Penske Racing’s Ryan Briscoe was fourth (225.016), followed by Newman/Haas Racing’s Orio Servia in fifth(224.903).

    “It felt great to be back on track today,” Briscoe said. “We took out our primary No. 6 IZOD Team Penske car for practice, and it felt very comfortable out there. It’s nice to be in the 225 bracket. We’ll keep chipping away at it for the rest of the week and get ready for qualifying on Saturday.”

    “The day went well for the Telemundo team,” Servia said. “It was very cold, colder than we think it will be for Race Day. We had a good run. We went through our test plan, and we ran well. I got my fast lap with a tow, so the time isn’t very representative. But I have to say, tow or no tow, downforce or no downforce, it’s the first time I am in the top five at the end of the day in Indy, so it feels good. I’m happy with the Telemundo car so far. We’re still not where we want to be, but it is really the first test day we have had to try new things. We are happy with where we are, progress-wise.”

    Seven different teams were spread out throughout the top 10 as 39 drivers took the track. It looks like it’ll be a close race come later this month as the field was seperated by 1.2 seconds.

    The teams are practicing in preparation for Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day (May 21st) and the 100th Indianapolis 500 on May 29th.

    When it comes to pole day, Briscoe feels that he has a good shot at winning the pole.

    “It certainly felt like in the last three years I’ve been in a great position to fight for the pole,” Briscoe said. “Sometimes it just comes down to timing or whatever. But Helio, our teammate, he’s really good at getting on the pole here. But I feel we have exactly the same equipment. We’ve just got to make sure we put ourselves in the right position to be able to go for it on Saturday.”

    Briscoe says that he has a good shot and is glad to be driving for Roger Penske.

     “Obviously, I’m grateful to be here and be able to do it with Team Penske,” Power said. “It’s an amazing team, and Roger (Penske) is just so passionate about this race. It gives me, as a driver, a whole lot of confidence going into it with the goal of winning. That’s the one and only goal coming here, to win the race. The 100th anniversary is very special.”

    Briscoe’s teammate Will Power shared the sentiments of his teammate as he said that this year is a big year.

    “Every year it’s a special feeling,” Power said. “But somehow I think this year with more cars, more good drivers – and I think there will be a bigger crowd – I think this will be something else.” 

    To start the season, the points leader has won the pole for each of the first four races so right now he looks to be a favourite on the 21st.

    “Yeah, for me, it would be a really big deal,” he said, “It’s something that I’d love to do. I sort of had a chance last year, a close chance. After the experience of last year, I know what I need to do. Obviously, the conditions are changing every year, but the car’s exactly the same. I’m definitely keen to giving it everything I can to get the pole, no question.”

    For now, Power is working on finding the right feel.

    “We did limited running again today in the Verizon Team Penske car,” he said. “We’re just trying to use our miles wisely. We worked on some race setup today, and the car feels good. We still have plenty of time on track this week before we qualify on Saturday, and we plan to make the most of it.”

    Practice continues on Tuesday from noon to 6pm EST as teams continue to prepare.

  • Ed Carpenter Leads Opening Weekend of Practice for Indianapolis 500

    While Sunday was a wash out due to rain, practice for the Indianapolis 500 did begin on Saturday.

    The day was cut short by 45 minutes due to showers, but it was Ed Carpenter who topped the chart at a lap of 224.786 mph (40.0380 seconds) for Sarah Fisher Racing.

    “It’s only day one, but it’s really exciting to see hard work pay off and see progress,” he said. “We’re going to have to keep up the effort because it’s a long week heading into qualifying, but I definitely like the start that we’re off to.”

    The Indianapolis 500 will mark Carpenter’s first event of the season, and also the first event for Sarah Fisher Racing with the No. 67.

    “I was really proud of the boys for starting the month off with little to no error,” Fisher said. “It was a bonus for Ed to top the charts, but we know we still have a lot more work to accomplish. For this being our first race of the season, we know we have to hit the ground running, and to see the team gelling already is a great testament to our people.”

    Fisher announced her retirement last November as she wants to start a family with her husband, Andy O’Gara. Their first child is due September 29th.

    “I’m out of racing shape, that’s for sure,” she said, “I had to stop working out in October, and they don’t make maternity seat belts. But I’m very happy. It is an exciting time, especially to have Ed Carpenter driving for us because he is the perfect fit. He matches the brand, and no doubt that he has a strong performance record here at Indy. So I’m excited about the Race Day and the 100th Anniversary in general.”

    Scott Dixon, 2008 race winner, was second with a lap of 224.491 mph (40.0907 seconds).

    “Today was short and sweet, as we only turned four laps at speed,” he said. “Always great to be back at IMS. Team Target prepped the cars to their usual high standard. Early days, but I can’t wait to get back in the car tomorrow.”

    JR Hildebrand, who topped the Rookie Orientation Program on May 12th, was third.

    “We’re really happy with how the day went,” Hildebrand said. “I probably could have pulled off an even better lap there, but for me it’s still a matter of understanding what I’m expecting to happen compared to what is actually going to happen when I’m out there. The National Guard car felt good, and we didn’t have anything out of the ordinary, and we understand it’s going to be a whole different gig when there are a bunch of different cars out there, as that creates a lot more turbulent air.

    “Thankfully, through Rookie Orientation and again today we’ve been able to make positive steps every time by making small steps every time. If we can keep up the pace of what we’re doing, then it should be positive as we continue to move forward.”

    Last year’s winner Dario Franchitti was fourth while 2006 race runner-up Marco Andretti was fifth.

    “It was a good shakedown of the No. 10t Target car,” Franchitti said. “Both Scott Dixon and I seemed to have good speed right away, but the real work starts on Monday.”

    “It felt really good to get back in the car here in Indy,” Andretti said. “We focused today on getting a few laps in the T car, and tomorrow we’ll move to our primary car. Hopefully we won’t need the T car again, but it’s nice to know where it stands, just in case. I think the Venom team has potential to be strong this month. We’ve typically run well here and have come close to winning a couple times. This would be a great year to get the job done.”

    2009 runner-up Victor Meira was seventh quickest on the speed chart.

    “I think we are cautiously excited,” Meira said. “There’s still a lot to do. We’re still slower than what it will take in qualifying, but the car is good, it’s fast. We did get a draft, but even without the draft, we’re pretty competitive in our times, so we’re excited. It’s the first day, but I think we started the right way and we just have to maintain and improve on what we had today.”

    Other notables include Paul Tracy, who was 11th, and Danica Patrick, who was12th.

    “I thought we had a solid run today,” Patrick said. “The ‘T’ car did great today, so we hope the primary car will run just as well. The Go Daddy team is off to a positive start for May.”

    2004 race winner Buddy Rice was 14th quickest. This is the first time Rice has hit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2008.

    “I feel good, and I’m happy to be back. Everything is going pretty well,” Rice said. “I’m excited to be back here. I wanted to make sure I’d be in good equipment, and the Panther crew has run really well here recently. It’s a great opportunity for me. I’m excited for the centennial. The centennial only comes around once, and there won’t be anything like this for quite a long time, so I’m glad to be a part of it.”

    Dropping the green on practice for Saturday was Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard.

    “They were side by side by side by side like a front row coming down the straightaway,” Ballard said. “It was a lot of fun. I will leave Race Day (start) in the hands of the professionals.

    “We’re very lucky to be here for the 100th anniversary because a lot of people are going to be reminiscing about all the events that have gone on before here. Also we have the new chassis to look forward to. And there is a lot of excitement as to what the new cars will look like.

    “This is a great time to celebrate the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the longevity of this race going forward. I always tell people around the world that there is nothing like the month of May in Indianapolis, and I mean that. This is an unbelievable month that really brings the city together. Everybody enjoys it. It’s a great event on Race Day, and they memorialize those veterans who did not come back from serving this county. Obviously, the Speedway does it right.”

    Meanwhile, Sunday consisted of drivers speaking of Indianapolis 500 memories among other topics.

    “It’s unfortunate for us and for the fans that the rain kept us from getting on track today,” Points Leader Will Power said. “The No. 12 Verizon Team Penske guys worked a bit late yesterday afternoon taking the engine out of our T car and putting it in our race car. We were planning on shaking that car down today and then getting started on our process. We will be ready to go tomorrow, and I am excited to get on track and get the Verizon car up to speed.”

  • Simona de Silvestro Gets Best Career Finish of Fourth at St. Petersburg

    Simona de Silvestro Gets Best Career Finish of Fourth at St. Petersburg

    At the end of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Simona de Silvestro finished fourth behind Dario Franchitti, Will Power and Tony Kanaan.

    In the final laps, she tried to make the move on Kanaan for third, though could not complete the pass.

    [media-credit name=”cg photography” align=”alignright” width=”255″][/media-credit]”We kind of battled like the last 15 laps to get in,” she said. “You know, it was kind of a high risk to try to pass him because it was so dirty on the inside of [turn] one. I had one shot that I think I could have made it, but I almost overshot it. So I think I’m really happy with fourth because we started 17th.   And, with how we started the weekend, it wasn’t how I would thought we would end the race here. You know, I’m just really happy with my new engineer. We started working together on Friday, and to be running fourth today is something pretty special.”

    Silvestro started the race with a new engineer after her previous engineer left the team, so there was extra grastification in getting a top five finish. 

    “It’s huge. Like I said, I never thought on Friday that we would be running so well during the race,” she said. “We were keeping up with the leaders, and my new engineer….. communication in the beginning was pretty tough because I never worked with him. But this morning it seemed like it really clicked and we really tried to figure it out. It was a tough moment for the team last weekend. We were scrambling to try to find a new engineer, and I think we made the right choice. Brent Harvey is pretty awesome. When he talks to me on the radio, he’s really calming me down, so I think we’ll make a good team.”

    Part of getting that communication with Brett Harvey involved having to make some final changes to the car following the morning warm-up.

    “We struggled with the new tires with our car,” she said. “We couldn’t quite figure it out, and then this morning we pretty much changed a couple of things on the car and suddenly it was there. I finally had the feel for the car.

    “And I think it was mostly the communication between my engineer and me that started to click this morning. Before, he was trying to understand me, I was trying to understand him. And for me, it always has been a big part of it – for my engineer and I to have really great communication. And, this morning, I thought, “okay, that’s what we are going to do,” and it just kind of went in the right direction.”

    If given a couple more laps, Silvestro says she may have been able to get by Kanaan.

    “I definitely had a couple of boosts left,” she said. “Maybe I should have used one a little bit earlier, but I got close to TK a couple of times because he was making a couple of mistakes. But, like I said, it was really risky to try to make the move. I was running fourth and I never really quite got the shot that I was next to him. I didn’t take any crazy chances to ruin our race because the [race to the] championship is really long.”

    Right off the bat, she had to work hard for her position as with starting back in the pack in 17th, she had to avoid the first lap wreck that involved Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Mike Conway, Ryan Briscoe and Scott Dixon.

    “I started way back, so I couldn’t see anything really because there was so much dust,” she continued. “But, I kind of made it through. And, I think I saw Marco – I saw a car kind of going up in the air.  I tried to find a hole and I did. I came out in ninth position, so I think I made the right move. Maybe I was a little bit lucky, also, through turn one at the start of the race.”

    IndyCar put forth a new rule this year to start each race with double-file restarts, which made the race interesting for Silvestro near the end.

    “I got the inside and pretty much everybody kind of came down on me and I had nowhere to go,” she said. “I kind of made a little bit of contact with Will because I was pretty much on the rumble strip.  But I thought the double‑file restarts were pretty fun because it actually gave us a chance to actually make positions.   Last year, we would start single file every time, it would be hard. You would be just following the leader. I think it [the restarts] made it exciting and I really enjoyed it.”

    With this being her best career finish, she includes this race in her career highlights, along with making the Indy 500 last year.

    “Today is definitely going to go right up there, because I think it was one of the best races I’ve done,” she said. “I didn’t really make many mistakes and I really liked that. Being a female driver, I really get along with Danica, but it’s not like we compare notes or anything. I think she’s doing a great job.   At the end I think we are just here to try to beat every other driver.”

     This also marks a big moment for the entire team as they are considered one of the smaller IndyCar teams.

    “I think even last year when I was racing there, we struggled towards the end to get the sponsorship together,” she said. “But he worked hard and he has a great group of people on the team. They are like a big family. It’s a pretty small team but we really get along really well. And my manager, Imran Safiulla, put the whole Nuclear Clean Energy deal together. Those folks are going to be with me for the next couple of years.

    “I’m really lucky; not many drivers have this opportunity. And, with an industry like this supporting and choosing you as a spokesperson, it’s something pretty special.”

  • Jay Howard and Sam Schmidt Motorsports to Attempt Indianapolis 500

    Jay Howard and Sam Schmidt Motorsports to Attempt Indianapolis 500

    After missing the field last year, Jay Howard will team up with Sam Schmidt to attempt to qualify for the 100th anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500.

    They have worked together in the past as in 2006, Howard won the Firestone Indy Lights Championship by winning two races and getting five top-five finishes. Since that championship, its been a tough road for Howard in finding the right team to run with.  

    “With the success we had as a team in 2006, I can’t wait until May gets here,” said Howard. “SSM puts together a great race car and I like my chances for racing in this historic Indianapolis 500. I definitely have some unfinished business at Indy.”

    Howard fell short last year on making his first Indy 500 as he was knocked out of the field in the final few minutes by Takuma Sato.

    “I remember watching that final hour of qualifying from our garage in Gasoline Alley last year,” said Schmidt. “I felt sorry for Jay, knowing him personally and how bad he wanted it, but that is part of the drama of Indy. This year, it is our goal to provide the best possible equipment and personnel to allow Jay to show his true potential to everyone.”

    Schmidt has visited victory lane 37 times as a car owner in Firestone Indy Lights, — including five times at Indianapolis — and this will be his team’s 10th anniversary of fielding a car in the Indianapolis 500.

  • IZOD IndyCar Series Season To Finish With Las Vegas Motor Speedway

    IZOD IndyCar Series Season To Finish With Las Vegas Motor Speedway

    IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard announced today that both the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights would crown both of their champions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16th, 2011.

     The 1.5-mile, high banked oval seems to be the perfect spot to end season as its known for producing exciting side-by-side racing.

    “We had the opportunity to conduct a test with Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske at Vegas last November and our cars performed very well at this facility,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and operations for INDYCAR. “Its banking and width is similar to Chicagoland Speedway, which has produced some of the most exciting, side-by-side racing and closest finishes in the history of the series.”

    The last time the IndyCar Series competed at Las Vegas was from 1996 to 2000, and Champ Car ran there in 2004 and 2005. Since then, the track has been reconfigured, though. Past drivers who have made it to victory lane include Al Unser Jr., Sam Schmidt, Arie Luyendyk and Sebastian Bourdais.

    “Las Vegas is a world-class sports destination, and we are excited to welcome all of the open-wheel racing fans back to Las Vegas,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.  “Hosting the season finale for the IZOD IndyCar Series is a great partnership for us and we know the fans will enjoy all that Las Vegas has to offer.”

    “Las Vegas Motor Speedway has produced thrilling open-wheel races in the past, and the return of the IZOD IndyCar Series for its season-ending event is sure to provide more thrills in October,” added Chris Powell, president of LVMS. “We know there’s a huge fan base of INDYCAR fans in the western United States. Hosting the season finale, and the media attention it generates, gives our speedway and our city another opportunity to showcase so much that Las Vegas has to offer.”

    In an attempt to bring forth drivers of different series, Benard also announced that a $5 million challenge to any professional race car driver not competiting in the IZOD IndyCar Series for the finale.

    “We showcase our drivers as being the very best, fastest and most versatile in the world,” he said, “and we are putting our money where our mouth is. If any race car driver in the world outside of the IZOD IndyCar Series can win the Vegas race, we will give you $5 million. We will accept five entries for this challenge, with entrants being determined by mid-summer.”

    This follows the bonus that Bernard set forth earlier this year. The bonus was set that Benard would pay a $20 million bonus to the driver who wins both the Indianpolis 500 and the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 on the same day, and perhaps smaller bonuses for any driver winning one race and finishing in the top five of the other.

    Jimmie Johnson, the five-time reigning NASCAR champion, has already declined.

    “I really, really want to do it,” Johnson said this week during NASCAR’s preseason media tour in Charlotte, N.C. “I’m just not sure if it’s going to work for me. (Chandra, his wife) and I talked about it and (said) if the opportunity came along before we had kids, it was something I needed to do.”

    Bernard also added that fans who purchase any ticket throughout the season are eligible to receive a complimentary ticket to the championship race.

    “I said at the INDYCAR State of the Sport in mid-January that we must give our fans a great experience with three primary elements — great entertainment, competition and value,” Bernard said. “There is not a city in the world that can provide entertainment like Las Vegas. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will provide some of the fastest and most exciting racing fans will see anywhere, and the ticket promotion is true value. This is a time when INDYCAR can tell our fans that we thank them for their support.”

    “In 2010, our first year as the title sponsor, the IZOD brand, together with the league worked aggressively to build awareness and excitement around the series, especially within the major markets, looking for ways to connect with new fans through a host of events and promotions that connected with pop culture.” said Mike Kelly, executive vice president of marketing for the Phillips-Van Heusen corporation, owners of the IZOD brand. “We can’t think of a better place than Las Vegas- one of the greatest entertainment cities in the world – to take these initiatives to new levels and celebrate the 2011 World Championship.”

    With the completion of its 17-race schedule, the IZOD IndyCar Series also confirmed its broadcast designations for the season as well as broadcast start times.  Five events will be broadcast on ABC – St. Petersburg, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New Hampshire and Las Vegas. The balance of the schedule will be aired on VERSUS, the IZOD IndyCar Series’ exclusive cable network home. 

    Tickets to the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships go on sale today through Ticketmaster.com. Full details for the complimentary ticket promotion will be announced March 1st on indycar.com and 866-INDYCAR.