The driver lineup will have a different look when the IndyCar Series shows up for its nonpoints Nikon Indy 300 next month at Surfers Paradise in Queensland, Australia.
Dario Franchitti, coming off a partial season in NASCAR, will return to the open-wheel series as teammate to 2008 champion Scott Dixon. Dan Wheldon, who left the seat that 2007 series champion Franchitti takes over, will make his first start in his return to Panther Racing after a six-year absence.
Franchitti, who also won the 2007 Indianapolis 500, left the IndyCar Series for NASCAR at the end of last season to sign with Chip Ganassi Racing. But Ganassi never secured sponsorship for that team, and was forced to shutter it in July because of the weakening economy.
Franchitti lingered in NASCAR, running a handful of second-tier Nationwide Series races before Ganassi finally offered him the IndyCar ride.
“I’m really looking forward to getting into the Target IndyCar and to do so in Surfers Paradise, which is one of my favorite tracks, is a big bonus,” Franchitti said. “I’m excited to start working with the team, and Scott as my new teammate. I think this will give us a good jump-start on the 2009 season.”
Franchitti was the 1999 winner of the CART sanctioned event at Surfers Paradise.
That was one of 18 open-wheel victories for the driver from Scotland.
Wheldon, the 2005 Indy winner and series champion, last drove for Panther in September 2002, finishing 15th in a race at Texas Motor Speedway.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to work together on a race weekend and determine what the team needs from me and what I need from them,” Wheldon said. “The key to the 2009 championship is coming out strong in the first five races, and the work we do now will help us accomplish that.”
FLAG WAVER: New folk hero Boo Weekley, who helped the United States team upset the Europeans last week in golf’s Ryder Cup, has been picked as the honorary starter for the AMP Energy 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 5.
“I can’t believe I’m actually going to wave the green flag at Talladega,” Weekley said. “I have actually been to a race there before and it was so much fun to be in the middle of all those fans. It’s going to be intense to see all those cars come roaring past at 200 mph, I can’t wait.”
Over the course of his first Ryder Cup event, Weekley went 2-0-1, with a team victory in Saturday fourballs competition with teammate JB Holmes and a singles victory over Oliver Wilson on Sunday.
Weekley also had one of the most best moments of the weekend when he hit a great drive off the first tee on Sunday then put his driver between his legs and galloped down the fairway as if it were a horse. He drew laughter for his antics and cheers for his five birdies and an eagle he holed from the bunker later that day.
He is currently ranked 17th on the PGA Tour Money list and owns two career PGA Tour victories.
WINNING BIG: Drag racing’s Tony Schumacher led the third quarter Driver of the Year balloting after going undefeated through the voting period.
The NHRA Top Fuel star won seven straight POWERade Series events, culminating with his 53rd career victory. That broke a tie with Joe Amato for career Top Fuel wins.
“It’s an honor to be singled out for this award,” said Schumacher, known as “The Sarge.” ”Of course, I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in right now if I didn’t have the best team that’s ever been assembled in the history of the NHRA.”
Schumacher took 10 of 17 first-place ballots and received votes from the entire panel, totaling 111 points. Second, with 74 points, was Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR’s two-time reigning Sprint Cup champion and two-time Driver of the year.
Indy 500 winner and 2008 IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon received one first-place vote and had 67 points, while NASCAR’s Carl Edwards was fourth in the voting with one first-place vote. Others receiving first-place votes were NASCAR star Kyle Busch, who won both the first- and second-quarter votes, and Helio Castroneves, the runner-up to Dixon in the IndyCar Series.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
