President Lauds IndyCar Series' Use of Ethanol
President George W. Bush praised the IndyCar Series for its leadership in bringing alternative fuel sources such as ethanol to motorsports.
The President and IRL founder and CEO Tony George shared a brief exchange about ethanol during Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr.'s visit to the White House on July 18. The IndyCar Series, which is using a 10 percent ethanol/ 90 percent methanol blend to fuel IndyCar Series cars this season, will covert to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol for all races in 2007, including the 91st Indianapolis 500 on May 27, 2007. "You're leading edge, leading edge," said Bush, who has touted exploration and support of alternative fuel sources in his State of the Union address for the past two years.
Ethanol industry officials hope that fueling the IndyCar Series will help spread the word about ethanol's benefits as a motor fuel, not only in high-dollar Indy cars, but also in everyday sedans, minivans and SUVs. "The IndyCar Series always has been recognized for its technical leadership in automobile racing and now it is the industry's leader in renewable and environmentally responsible energy," said Brian Barnhart, president and COO of the Indy Racing League. "We are proud to partner with the ethanol industry to showcase a great American fuel source. We feel a commitment to the environment and our country's energy security is consistent with our sport's legacy of race-bred innovation and leadership."
As a clean-burning and renewable fuel that is non-toxic and 100 percent biodegradable, it reduces air pollution (a 10 percent blend reduces carbon monoxide better than any other reformulated gasoline by as much a 30 percent and shows a 35-46 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions) and improves racing's environmental footprint. The highest commercial octane rated fuel delivers strong engine performance by helping engines resist detonation so they can run higher compression ratios. "Our partnership with the IndyCar Series has helped to demonstrate that fuel enriched with ethanol can help a race car achieve its maximum performance, and it will help your car as well," said Tom Slunecka, executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC). "We appreciate the sentiments of the Bush administration, which has been a long-time supporter of ethanol, and together with its efforts to bring more ethanol to the consumer, we believe ethanol can take our country a long, long way."
Foyt Back At The Track
Foyt plans to be at namesake race: Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt plans to attend the ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt 225 at the Milwaukee Mile after missing the last two IndyCar Series events due to his recovery from knee replacement surgery. Foyt was a four-time winner at Milwaukee as a driver
Scott Dixon Wins at Nashville
2003 IndyCar® Series champion Scott Dixon led the final 66 laps to win the Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. It was Dixon's second win of the 2006 season.
Dixon, driver of the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone, inherited the lead by not pitting when the lead four cars pitted on Lap 133. He held on the rest of the way, holding off his hard-charging teammate Dan Wheldon to claim his first victory on an oval in three seasons. Dixon moved into second place in the IndyCar Series point standing with his victory under the lights at the 1.33-mile concrete oval.
Vitor Meira finished third in the No. 4 Revive Panther Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone, while Danica Patrick tied her career best with a fourth place, advancing six positions in the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Argent Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Point leader Sam Hornish Jr., who started from the pole, finished 14th after crashing out of the 200-lap event. He retains a five-point lead over Dixon. Dario Franchitti, the 2005 race winner, was sixth. Jeff Simmons posted a career-best seventh after starting 15th.
Sam Hornish Jr. stressed after qualifying on the front row for the Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway that he can’t make any mistakes, have any bad races the remainder of the IndyCar Series season.
The reigning Indianapolis 500 champion had won the past two races and taken a 20-point lead in the standings. Hornish looked to be on course to secure his third series championship.
Well, Hornish wasn’t thrown off course, but it’s considerably narrower with five races left after the No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone made contact with the Turn 4 SAFER Barrier on Lap 129 of 200. A season-low 14th-place finish significantly constricted his margin to five points.
The beneficiaries finished in the top five on the 1.33-mile concrete oval. Let the race for the championship continue at The Milwaukee Mile (1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in eight days.
Scott Dixon moved into second with 311 with his victory in front of a floodlit capacity crowd that was on its feet from green flag to checkered. Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dan Wheldon was 0.1176 of a second behind, with Vitor Meira making another bold statement with third place in the No. 4 Revive Panther Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone.
Hornish’s teammate, Helio Castroneves, finished fifth and is third in the standings (310), while Wheldon remains fourth with 300 points.
Dan Wheldon On Nashville Pole
2005 IndyCar® Series champion Dan Wheldon claimed the Marlboro Pole Award for the July 15 Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. Wheldon posted a lap of 23.0210 seconds, 203.293 mph, in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda-powered Dallara. Wheldon's time was slightly faster than Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., who recorded a lap of 23.1269, 202.362 mph, in his No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Honda-powered Dallara. Scott Dixon recovered from a gearbox issue during his warmup lap to post the third-quickest lap at 23.1461, 202.194 mph in his No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda-powered Dallara. Helio Castroneves (201.995 mph) and defending race winner Dario Franchitti (201.628 mph) were fourth and fifth, respectively in their Honda-powered Dallaras.
For Starting Lineup...
(Speed News Now)
Allmendinger On Wind Tunnel
Champ Car World Series star A.J. Allmendinger has been the hottest American race-car driver on the planet through the last four weeks, winning three consecutive Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford events, and climbing to within 23 points of the series lead after seven races.
Fans from around the country will have a chance to hear from the Californian this weekend as he appears on the popular Wind Tunnel program on SPEED. Hosted by Dave Despain, Wind Tunnel brings the stars of motorsport to the fans each weekend, and Sunday’s show will feature 24-year-old Forsythe Championship Racing driver along with AMA Superbike points leader Ben Spies.
The show airs from 9:00 – 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time Sunday night. After a week off, Allmendinger and the rest of his Champ Car brethren will get back to work next weekend, heading north of the border for the July 23 West Edmonton Mall Champ Car Grand Prix Presented by the Brick.
Foyt Hires Bucknum
Jeff Bucknum will drive No. 14 ABC Supply Co. Dallara/Honda/Firestone for the remainder of the 2006 IRL IndyCar Series season, team owner A.J. Foyt announced July 12. Bucknum, the son of former Formula one driver Ronnie Bucknum, will replace Felipe Giaffone, who parted ways with the team on July 10. Bucknum, who drove twice for Foyt last year at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International, will make his first oval track start for Foyt at Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on July 15. "We worked with Jeff a couple times last year, and he did a good job for us," Foyt said. "I know he hasn't got much experience on the ovals, but I think he can adapt to them. The next two ovals that we're taking him to are the hardest on the circuit, so if he can adapt to them, I think he can adapt to any oval. By the same token, I'm not expecting miracles. I told him to just go out and get some experience and try to come home clean." Foyt will not be in Nashville this weekend because he is still recovering from knee replacement surgery. Noted race engineer Bruce Ashmore, who worked with the Foyt team at Indianapolis in May, will work with Bucknum at the challenging 1.3 mile concrete track.
Bucknum, who recorded his career-best finish of 10th with the Foyt team at Watkins Glen in 2005, has made three previous starts on ovals: Japan's Twin Ring Motegi in April 2005 and the last two Indianapolis 500s. He said he is up to the challenge. "I don't have a lack of confidence when it comes to ovals," Bucknum said. "But I'm smart enough to know I need someone to tell me the things that I don't know because of my lack of experience. A.J. is one of the best when it comes to the oval tracks and teaching drivers to run the ovals. This is the best opportunity I could ask for. In the long run I think it will pay off for both of us."
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