Wilson Wins Champ Car Race
Justin Wilson had done just about everything during the first half of the 2006 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season – except win a race. The RuSPORT pilot had won poles, led laps, finished on the podium and kept himself in the thick of the title hunt all year, despite the fact that all of the race wins had gone to Sebastien Bourdais and A.J. Allmendinger. But on a sunny Sunday in front of 62,921 Edmontonians, Wilson took care of that little oversight, running down Bourdais to take the lead, then running away from him and the rest of the field in the waning laps to win the West Edmonton Mall Grand Prix Presented by The Brick.
Wilson took the lead from Bourdais with 21 laps to run, then answered the challenge posed by both Bourdais and Allmendinger on a late-race restart to score his first win of the year. Wilson saved his best for last, running away from the second and third cars despite the fact that both Bourdais and Allmendinger had 30 more seconds of Cosworth Power-To-Pass at their disposal. Despite not having the extra power, Wilson sprinted away from the field on the Lap 73 restart, setting the fastest lap of the race around the 1.973-mile JAGflo Speedway course on the 82nd of 85 laps to claim the win. Oriol Servia was fourth followed by Paul Tracy and Will Power.
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(Speed News Now)
Andretti-Green Signs Danica Patrick For 2007
Andretti Green Racing announced it signed Danica Patrick to drive one of the team's IndyCar Series cars beginning in 2007. Patrick, the 2005 Bombardier Rookie of the Year, is the third driver under contract to Andretti Green Racing for next season. She joins 2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan, who won the July 23 race at The Milwaukee Mile, and Marco Andretti, who was named the JPMorgan Chase Rookie of the Year after finishing second in the 90th Indianapolis 500 in May. "I've said all along that I just want to win races," Patrick said during an interview with ESPNews. "Andretti Green has won more races than anyone in the series. I've said all along that my passion, my heart; my soul has always been in Indy Car Racing. If there was a team that was going to give me a chance to win in the Indy Racing League, that's where I'm going to be." Andretti Green currently fields four full-time entries in the IndyCar Series and intends to do so again in 2007. The team fielded a fifth car in the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 for team co-owner Michael Andretti, who drove to a third-place finish. "Today is an exciting day for everyone at Andretti Green Racing," team co-owner Michael Andretti said. "Danica has shown great talent during her first two seasons in the IndyCar Series and has impressed Kim (Green), Kevin (Savoree) and myself with her development as a driver.
"Our focus has been and always will be on winning races and winning championships. We certainly believe Danica will do that. She has made it very clear that one of her goals as a driver is to win the Indianapolis 500 and we are looking forward to giving her a great opportunity to do that."
Andretti Green Racing, which has won IndyCar Series driver and team championships the past two years, is the winningest team in series history with 22 victories. It also fields two cars in the Indy Pro Series.
Patrick, coming off her second consecutive fourth-place finish, was in the final year of her contract with Rahal Letterman Racing. The team also fields cars for Buddy Rice and Jeff Simmons.
"I obviously informed them recently that I wasn't going to be coming back to the team, and thanked (Bobby) for every thing he's done," Patrick said. "Nobody stepped up four and five years ago. He did and gave me a chance and brought me to the Indy Racing League. I wouldn't be here without him. I will be forever grateful for what he's done for me."
IRL To Test Iowa Speedway
The Indy Racing League will conduct a one-day private compatibility test on Aug. 2 at the recently constructed Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, the first IRL test at the facility. The test is part of the normal process the IRL follows for new and potential venues, according to John Lewis, IRL vice president for league development. IndyCar Series driver Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Indy Pro Series driver Wade Cunningham of Brian Stewart Racing will represent their respective series during the test on the 7/8 mile oval.
"A compatibility test is due diligence by the League to make sure our equipment is compatible with a facility," Lewis said. "IndyCar Series cars are the most versatile in motorsports. This test will allow both us as a League and Iowa as a facility to make adjustments as needed."
The IRL has conducted compatibility tests at every facility which has played host to either the IndyCar Series or an Indy Pro Series event, including tests at Watkins Glen International and Infineon Raceway prior to their debut events in 2005. The league also conducted tests after Homestead-Miami Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway after they were reconfigured.
The goal of the test is to see how IndyCar Series cars react to the racing surface and to determine what changes, if any, are needed for IndyCar Series or Indy Pro Series cars, engines, chassis or tires to race at the facility. "We look at everything from the track surface, pit lane to race track transitions, the walls and pit and paddock areas." Lewis said. "Whether the track is in Motegi, Japan or Newton, Iowa the Indy Racing League conducts such tests to assure the best product available is delivered to our fans."
Kanaan Wins IRL Race
2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan held off a late race charge by Sam Hornish Jr., to win the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 at The Milwaukee Mile, giving Andretti Green Racing its first victory of the season. Kanaan passed teammate Marco Andretti in Turn 4 of Lap 179 and beat the IndyCar Series point leader, Hornish, to the finish line by 1.8276 seconds. The victory marks Andretti Green Racing's 22nd win in the IndyCar Series, making it the IndyCar Series' winningest-team. It was a double-victory weekend for Andretti Green Racing as Jaime Camara won the Indy Pro Series race on July 22. Tomas Scheckter finished third in his No. 2 Honda-powered Dallara, giving Vision Racing its best finish in team history. Danica Patrick posted her second consecutive fourth place finish after advancing 10 positions in her No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Argent Honda-powered Dallara, while Andretti rounded out the top-five in his No. 26 NYSE Group Honda-powered Dallara. Hornish retains the lead in the championship points race, 25 points ahead of Scott Dixon, who finished 10th, and 30 points ahead of teammate Helio Castroneves, who finished 14th after contact with Ed Carpenter.
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(Speed News Now)
Korean Champ Car Race Cancelled
The Champ Car World Series announced today that the inaugural Ansan Champ Car Grand Prix scheduled for October 15-17 in Ansan, South Korea has been removed from the series calendar. The event will not take place as scheduled as part of the 2006 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford calendar, as a number of factors have combined to prevent the series from holding the race on the yet-to-be-completed track in Ansan.
"It is regrettable that this event in Korea has failed despite our repeated efforts to bring it to fruition. We will not allow this setback to detract from what has been a very successful season" said Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "Despite the unfortunate situation regarding the Korea event, we intend to further develop our presence in Asia and the Pacific Rim, and are continuing to build toward our goal of conducting world-class events in these regions."
Bourdais On Champ Car Pole
After seeing his huge lead whittled to 23 after three straight A.J. Allmendinger wins, Sebastien Bourdais started grabbing points early and often in Edmonton. He paced Friday qualifying for Sunday’s West Edmonton Mall Grand Prix Presented by The Brick, then followed it up by winning the Bridgestone Pole Position, breaking a track record on a sweltering Saturday at Edmonton’s JAGflo Speedway. Bourdais looped the 1.973-mile airport circuit in 58.560 seconds (121.291 mph) to score the pole, besting Allmendinger’s track record from a year ago and giving him his fourth pole of the 2006 season. He also earned another championship point for the effort, giving him 193 on the year and pushing his lead over Allmendinger back to 25 points. Bourdais was joined on the front row by Canadian star Paul Tracy, who claimed his first front-row starting spot of the season with a time of 58.622 seconds (121.163 mph). Justin Wilson starts third followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Oriol Servia and Will Power.
For Starting Lineup...
(Speed News Now)
Castroneves On Milwaukee Pole
Helio Castroneves claimed the Marlboro Pole Award for the July 23 ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 at The Milwaukee Mile. Castroneves posted a lap of 21.1854 seconds, 172.477 mph, in the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Honda-powered Dallara. Castroneves' time broke Sam Hornish Jr.'s 2005 track record and was .0196 of a second faster than Hornish, who recorded a lap of 21.1974, 172.380 mph, in his No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Honda-powered Dallara. Rookie Marco Andretti was third-quickest at 21.2732, 171.765 mph in his No. 26 NYSE Group Honda-powered Dallara while Tony Kanaan (171.677 mph) and Vitor Meira (170.804 mph) were fourth and fifth, respectively in their Honda-powered Dallaras.
For Starting Lineup...
(Speed News Now)
Camara Wins At Milwaukee
Jaime Camara passed Wade Cunningham on a late restart to win the Milwaukee 100.
Camara became a series-record seventh different winner in a season. Cunningham finished second with rookie Jonathan Klein posting his third consecutive third-place finish.
Cheever Withdraws Indy Pro Car
Cheever Racing withdrew the No. 51 Cheever Racing Formtek car from the Milwaukee 100. Driver Chris Festa is being treated for an infection in his lower back. It will end his streak of 21 consecutive Indy Pro Series starts. Festa, Nick Bussell and Jaime Camara were tied for the longest active streak of consecutive starts in the Indy Pro Series. Chris Festa (No. 51 Cheever Racing Formtek): "The pain is right in the center of my lower back where I can't sit down, put any pressure on it, which is exactly where most pressure would be on my body if I were in the car. It's just a very sharp pain. We felt if I couldn't be at 100 percent, and we were having to start last anyway, we had less to gain and more to lose, so it would be a wiser decision to sit it out and let me get over it."
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