Indy Racing League

It's always darkest before the dawn

By Christopher Estrada | July 3, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

I took a few days off from the blog after word broke out that Tony George had resigned as CEO for the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis Motor Speedway to digest everything and also for personal reasons. Considering that we have a race coming up this weekend at Watkins Glen, I figured now would be the proper time to re-emerge. In my opinion, this has the look of a force-out by George's three sisters Josie, Nancy, and Kathi. It couldn't have come at a worse time in terms of public relations for the series, which is still getting slammed for markedly poor racing last week at Richmond International Raceway. If the goal was for a smooth transition from George to Curt Brighton and Jeff Belskus, the new men in charge of the Speedway, that was not reached by any stretch of the imagination. Consider the fact that Brighton and Belskus were the track's chief legal...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Curt Brighton, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar Series, IRL, Jeff Belskus, Mari Hulman George, The Sisters, Tony George, Watkins Glen International

Tony George steps down as CEO of IMS, Hulman & Co.

By Christopher Estrada | June 30, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

Indy Racing League founder Tony George will no longer serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Hulman-George companies. George, currently the team owner of the IRL IndyCar Series' Vision Racing, will remain on the board of directors for the Hulman-George companies. A new management team has been put in place at the Speedway with W. Curtis Brighton taking over as Hulman and Company president and CEO, and Jeffrey G. Belskus becoming president and CEO of the IMS Corporation. The change will be effective tomorrow. In a statement, IMS chairman of the board Mari Hulman George said that after the IMS board had asked George to "structure [their] executive staff to create efficiencies in [their] business structure and to concentrate his leadership efforts in the Indy Racing League," the grandson of Speedway savior Tony Hulman has "decided that with the recent unification of open-wheel racing and the experienced management team...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Curt Brighton, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar Series, IRL, Jeff Belskus, Mari Hulman George, Tony George

Milwaukee Mile owes IndyCar, NASCAR

By Christopher Estrada | June 30, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

Oldest operating motor speedway on Earth continues to struggle The heat continues to ratchet up for the Milwaukee Mile. As word emerges that its new promoter owes NASCAR nearly $1.9 million for their recent Nationwide and Camping World Truck series events, the IRL is also looking for the full payment from last month's A.J. Foyt Indy 225 at the historic facility. With the league reportedly heading for a 50-50, nine vs. nine split between oval and road/street races, the buzz is centering around Milwaukee getting the axe. But this goes beyond a simple loss of a race date. Nothing less than the fate of the world's oldest operating motor speedway -- a track that has held auto races since 1903 -- appears to be on the line. As Jeff Iannucci at MyNameIsIRL.com mentions, it looks like Eddie Gossage's quest to reclaim the coveted post-Indianapolis 500 race date for his Texas Motor Speedway may finally be ending. Texas...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: IndyCar Series, IRL, Milwaukee Mile, NASCAR

Thoughts from Richmond

By Christopher Estrada | June 29, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

Graham Rahal notches best oval finish of IRL career Considering that he and his Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team went through hell last year on the ovals -- a byproduct of their quick integration into the IRL after unification -- Graham Rahal appears to be catching on to speedway racing. The American driver notched a third-place finish under the lights Saturday at Richmond International Raceway, and while he was unable to catch up to the Target Chip Ganassi Racing duo of Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti, he still felt like it was a big step up for himself and his team. "I should say to come home second to the Target team is like a victory for us," he said. "And especially with the troubles that some others had, obviously far fewer troubles this year than last. "But still for us, the guys did a great job in the pits. To be standing on the...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: IndyCar Series, IRL, Richmond International Raceway

Even in 1-2 finish, Ganassi teammates grumble about Richmond snoozer

By Christopher Estrada | June 28, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

When Dario Franchitti walked into the press room after last night's SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway, he asked the assembled media if they were still awake. One of them chimed, "Not after that one." Franchitti had just finished second in the 300-lap race to his Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon. Even better for the Ganassi gang in terms of the championship, Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe crashed out early in a rare double debacle for Team Penske. But as far as the show itself, the fans in attendance at RIR probably got a bigger kick out of the post-race fireworks instead of the race itself. The lack of side-by-side action throughout the field made for a boring affair, with Dixon leading the final 161 laps and Franchitti unable to mount any challenge despite being in striking distance in the final stages. Versus cameras caught Franchitti apologizing to the...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Dario Franchitti, IndyCar Series, IRL, Richmond International Raceway, Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing

SunTrust Indy Challenge Blog

By Christopher Estrada | June 28, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

8:40 p.m. ET -- Scott Sims of SunTrust gives the command: "Drivers, start your engines!" Back in a few minutes, checking out the start live! 8:44 p.m. ET -- GREEN! Jaques Lazier spins out going into Turn 2 and crashes into the SAFER Barrier, ending the night before it starts for Team 3G. Lap 8 -- BACK TO GREEN. Lap 16 -- Ryan Briscoe now in the top three. Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Briscoe are opening up a gap over fourth-place Helio Castroneves. Lap 22 -- Marco Andretti has jumped to ninth position, seven up from a 16th place start. Lap 26: Jaques Lazier to Versus -- "We'd been building more and more momentum and this is the last thing we wanted." Lap 27: CAUTION! Ryan Briscoe makes contact in Turn 2 and has heavy rear end damage on the No. 6 car. Lap 31: Leaders head to pit...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: IndyCar Series, IRL, Richmond International Raceway

8:40 p.m. ET -- Start your engines! Running Blog format on tap tonight!

By Christopher Estrada | June 28, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

The command to start engines has been given! Instead of separate posts, everything will be on one post constantly updated throughout the race. Look for the "SunTrust Indy Challenge Blog" post....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: IndyCar Series, IRL, Richmond International Raceway, SunTrust Indy Challenge

8:20 p.m. ET -- Pre-race ceremonies on tap...

By Christopher Estrada | June 28, 2009 | Indy Racing Revolution

We're about 25 minutes from the start of tonight's event. Technical difficulties have made Versus botch the Jack Arute/Tony Kanaan "dim light" piece. Ouch....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: IndyCar Series, IRL, Richmond International Raceway

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