"IndyCar 2010: Bye-Bye Richmond"

A short take to start the blogging from the Meijer 300 IndyCar race weekend at Kentucky Speedway: No more "flying jets in a hangar"; Richmond out for 2010.

International Speedway Corporation, the owner of Richmond International Raceway, says they opted not to host IndyCars at their 3/4 mile oval for 2010--costs and other business decisions the stated reasons.

The 2010 schedule will be released in a few hours. Qualifying for Saturday evening's race takes place later.

Tweets, Twitpics, etc. as necessary.

" Dixon Wins Richmond SunTrust Indy Challenge"

The Target Chip Ganassi Team is on a major roll, with Scott Dixon winning his 3rd of 2009 and 19th of his IndyCar driving career by taking the checker over Dario Franchitti at Richmond International Raceway. Graham Rahal finished a career best 3rd on the ovals (to go with his 2008 St.Petersburg street course win). The 19th win by Dixon ties the record set by Sam Hornish.

All three drivers mentioned that the passing was not as easy and as plentiful as it has been here in past years, with point leader Franchitti apologizing to fans in Victory Lane on the podium. In the post race briefing, Franchitti said the cars were very difficult to drive and that what looked easy to the untrained eye was anything but. There were an unusually low three lead changes between Dixon, Franchitti and Hideki Mutoh (who finished 4th).

Team Penske had a not so good night, with first Ryan Briscoe and then Helio Castroneves crashing out of the event. They hold on to 3rd and 4th in points, respectively.

We'll have more on this week's Race-Talk with both Dixon and Franchitti as they get ready for racing ("only twisted") on the historic and let it all hang out Watkins Glen International natural road course in Schuyler County, New York.

"Finish Line At the 'Action Track' "

In 2008--Tony Kanaan reached this first, after 300 laps (225 miles) of full contact, slice and dice, on like Donkey Kong IndyCar racing. TK has not had the start he and team owner Michael Andretti would like--so a repeat of last year's result would get that squad jumpstarted.

Polesitter Dario Franchitti says fans here at Richmond and watching on Versus will see some moments when cars try to pass one another. That task becomes easier as a second groove of Firestone Firehawk racing rubber is laid down, over what the Hoosier-shod USAC Silver Crown cars will deposit during their own race which is the preliminary event leading up to tonight's SunTrust Indy Challenge.

This race marks the second of four IndyCar races in as many weeks. The winner here carries a lot of momentum into the road course portion next weekend at Watkins Glen International.

We'll Tweet on Twitter with updates and maybe a shot on Twitpic, and post up after the post qualifying session. Oops!-- meant to type post race news conference with the winning driver and newsmakers.

"Hello from the 'Action Track'"

Here at Richmond International Raceway for the weekend festivities, we found out some things about the purported FOTA 2010 schedule--a source at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway says that officials at the Speedway were never contacted by the FOTA powers that be about that schedule. Where I come from, that meant the "schedule" was simply a rumor. Reporting that as a fact--and not a rumor-- was not fair to readers of the internet sites who ran with that as "gospel"--and especially to American fans of Formula One, who would like to see a return of Grand Prix style racing to the Brickyard--which is the only venue in the US that has the proper infrastructure to run such an event as they are presently run. Such reporting raised a false hope that F1 could come "back home again in Indiana". That was similarly unfair to Canadian fans of F1 who would like to see a return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Today's action at Richmond includes practice and qualifying for the IndyCars and a USAC Silver Crown race. We'll of course blog from IndyCar qualifying, and with any tidbits that may be uncovered.

Dario Franchitti's Pit at Richmond--Just Another Saturday Night Cruise?????

Saturday Night Special--IRL Indy Cars at Richmond...Short Track DeLuxe

Greetings from Richmond...which is a 3/4 mile oval...just about the perfect length for NASCAR Nextel Cup cars. Tonight, after a rainout of qualifying, the IndyCar series runs on its shortest track of the year...some wags describe driving these cars as similar to "flying jet planes in a barn". Dario Franchitti starts on pole because of the washout of qualifying. The Indy 500 winner comes off a win in the "wreckfest" at Iowa Speedway's 7/8 mile oval. Dario's led most of these laps easily...in the late stages, he's fighting off the challenges of Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon. Danica Patrick is 6th...not quite a factor, with 224 of 250 laps in the books.

Updated at 9 PM local.

Dario Franchitti holds off Scott Dixon for his second win in the last 7 days; adds to point lead going into Watkins Glen next week. Margin of victory was 0.41 second...Franchitti was credited for leading 241 of the 250 laps.

Updated at 9:35 PM local

Best quote of the night from Dario (whose picture we shot at the post-race news conference) "You get paid to do the PR stuff; the driving you do because you like it."--attributed to Scott Dixon in a response to a question about all the media appearances that accrue to Indianapolis 500 winners.

If we get to an event next weekend, then we'll blog from there.