Jones Wins Manzanita Opener
USAC National Sprint Car Champion Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. captured Saturday night’s 30-lap USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series opener at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. Jones led the final six laps in his Tony Stewart Racing Mopar-powered machine to beat Cory Kruseman, Darren Hagen, Damion Gardner and Danny Sheridan to the checkered flag on the 1/2-mile dirt oval.
Jones’s teammate, Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif., spent Saturday night at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix after flipping while leading the race on lap 14. He was held overnight for observation and was expected to be released Sunday following initial X-rays, which proved negative. Wise was attempting to lap a slower car when he hit the first-turn wall. Gardner, who posted a record 22 fast qualifying times on his way to the 2005 USAC/CRA title, opened the season as Saturday’s fast qualifier. Jesse Hockett, who was the second-fastest qualifier, led 11 laps after the Wise accident, but failed to finish the 30-lap race. The USAC/CRA series resumes Feb. 4 at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.
Dana Joins Rahal Letterman Racing
Rahal Letterman Racing will attempt to keep the Bombardier Rookie of the Year Award in house in 2006. The team, co-owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and television personality David Letterman, announced Jan. 23 that it has signed a multi-year deal with Team Ethanol to sponsor a third RLR entry in the IRL IndyCar® Series. Bombardier Rookie of the Year candidate Paul Dana will pilot the No. 17 Honda-powered Panoz as a teammate to 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice and 2005 Bombardier Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick.
"Rahal Letterman Racing's performance history speaks for itself," said Dana, who made three starts for Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing in 2005 before suffering a season-ending injury during practice for the Indianapolis 500. "The opportunity to work in a multi-car team where I can learn from experienced teammates and compare their data is an amazing opportunity. This is a dream come true, and I intend to work as hard as possible to make the most of it. I'd like to thank everyone who has been involved in bringing the Team Ethanol program to where it is today for the work they did over the last three years."
Ethanol is a high-octane, high-performance fuel that is clean burning, renewable and made in America. As a growing component of the United States gasoline supply, it delivers improved vehicle performance for all passenger cars and trucks while reducing emissions and improving air quality.
Thieves Steal IndyCar Series Show Car
A trailer containing an IndyCar Series showcar was stolen from Sinden Racing Services' Indianapolis-based headquarters on Jan. 22. "It was taken from here at the shop over the weekend," said Scott Jasek, co-owner of Sinden Racing Services. "It's one of our newest trailers with the Racing for Kids showcar inside." The white trailer was purchased about six months ago and is unmarked, but Jasek is hopeful the car can be recovered soon. The car is used by the Racing for Kids charity during hospital visits in each Indy Racing League market. Anyone with information about the location of the car or trailer should call the Marion County (Ind.) Sheriff's Department at (317) 231-8200.
Matsuura Will Return to Fernandez Racing
Team owners Aguri Suzuki and Adrián Fernández announced Jan. 23 Kosuke Matsuura will return to Super Aguri Fernández Racing to contest the 2006 IndyCar Series season. Matsuura will pilot the No. 55 Panasonic ARTA Dallara/Honda/Firestone entry in his third season of IndyCar Series competition. "I am pleased to announce our continued participation in the IRL with Kosuke Matsuura as our driver," said Suzuki. "Kosuke has gained a lot of experience these past two seasons in his first years of oval track racing, and I believe that he will show us great performances in 2006. With the continued support of Panasonic and Autobacs, I look forward to an exciting season."
Matsuura, 26, of Aichi, Japan, joined Super Aguri Fernández Racing in 2004 after three successful years of European competition that saw Matsuura place second and third in the German Formula 3 and Formula Renault V6 Eurocup Championships respectively. "I am excited to be a part of Super Aguri Fernández Racing again this year," said Matsuura. "I have learned a lot these past two years, even through the bad luck we had last season, and feel that we will be very strong in 2006. I want to thank Aguri and Adrián for their support and for giving me this opportunity. I am ready to challenge for not only race wins, but the championship as well."
New Race Engineer For Castroneves
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will have a new race engineer for the first time since the 2003 season. Ron Ruzewski, who joined Marlboro Team Penske at the start of the 2005 season as part of the team's vehicle dynamics engineering development program, will serve as engineer for the No. 3 Honda-powered Dallara this season. Ruzewski began traveling to the races in July 2005 as a member of the engineering team for Castroneves. Prior to joining the team, Ruzewski worked at the Yamaha Motor Corporation as Department Manager of Advance Development for the Snowmobile Group from 1996-2005. Ruzewski's racing background includes a position as Data Acquisition Engineer for Walker Racing where he worked primarily with Scott Goodyear and Robby Gordon.
IndyCar Series Stars Race In Brazil
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and 2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan highlight a strong field of drivers who will compete in the 50th Anniversary Mil Milhas race at Interlagos on Jan. 21. "This will be my first race in a touring car, so I'm really looking forward to it," Castroneves said. "The Mil Milhas is a very famous race in Brazil, and I consider myself fortunate to have the chance to compete in an event with such a great history. For me this is such a wonderful opportunity - it will be an entirely new experience and I can't wait to get behind the wheel."
Castroneves will join Formula 1 champion Nelson Piquet, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Frenchman Christophe Bouchut in an Aston Martin DBR9 sports car in the 1,000-mile endurance race. "I'm also honored to be able to share the car with a legend like Nelson Piquet, as well as Nelson Piquet Jr. and Christophe Bouchut. I think we'll be very competitive." Kanaan, who won the pole for last year's Mil Milhas, also will drive an Aston Martin DBR9, with Raul Boesel, Aston Martin factory driver Pedro Lamy and Alcides Diniz, uncle of former F1 driver Pedro Diniz. Vitor Meira and Felipe Giaffone will team to drive a ZF prototype built by Giaffone's family.
Hornish Joins Indy 500 Legends In Seattle
Two-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. will participate in a "Back the Track" fan event at the Tacoma Dome on Jan. 19 to provide support for ISC's plans to build a track in the Seattle area. Hornish Jr. will be joined by Johnny Rutherford and Al Unser, as well as NASCAR drivers Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and Darrell Waltrip.
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