THE PROFITS OF CAPTAIN PENSKE

Success on the racetrack is not the only source of good news for US racing legend Roger Penske. Penske’s US based Auto sales and dealer network, has reported an impressive $29.4 million second quarter operating profit. Penske Automotive Group Inc. is the United States’ second-largest dealer holding company, and it has seen a 16% rise in [...]

BRISCOE TAMES TEXAS (& Danica too)

Pole sitter Ryan Briscoe held off Danica Patrick to win the Firestone 550K at Texas Motor Speedway last Saturday night. Marco Andretti finished third for the second consecutive race and New Zealand's Scott Dixon, the 2008 race winner, finished fourth. Briscoe had a late race dice with Patrick who continued her return to form after Indy. "Danica got by us and I didn't want to make any aggressive moves and block." said Briscoe. "I gained some momentum on the next lap, used the push-to-pass and was able to pass her out of Turn 4 and into Turn 1. She gave us a real run for our money tonight. It was fun racing side-by-side with her." Dixon's Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti was fifth, ending the two-year streak of the Indianapolis 500 winner repeating at Texas the same year.

AUSSIE BRISCOE ON POLE FOR TEXAS INDY

Australian driver Ryan Briscoe will start from pole in Saturday night's Indy car race at Texas Motor Speedway. Driving for Team Penske, Briscoe recorded a four-lap average speed of 215.273 mph (1 minute, 37.3275 seconds) to earn the PEAK Performance Pole Award for the Firestone 550K race which will be held under lights at the high banked 1.5 mile oval. Dario Franchitti, seeking to be the third consecutive Indianapolis 500 champion to win at Texas in the same year, was 0.0057 of a second off Briscoe's pace. He'll start on the outside of the front row for the 228-lap race under the lights after an average of 215.261 mph. Briscoe's teammate and fellow aussie, Will Power, will be on the second row along with New Zealand's Scott Dixon.

INDYCAR SAYS GOODBYE TO THE V8

Indycar have announced the end of the V8 with it's new engine rules for 2012 and beyond. The new rules stipulate a maximum of six cylinders as well as a 2.4 litre limit. According to the IRL the new engines will produce between 550 and 700 horsepower and will be turbocharged to allow for flexibility in power. "The ICONIC Advisory Committee has researched future engine platforms with manufacturers, teams, drivers and fans, and they felt this strategy best highlights key attributes of the sport - speed, competition and diversity," said Randy Bernard, chief executive officer of the Indy Racing League. "We feel this open and all-inclusive platform will make our sport an attractive option to engine manufacturers, while allowing development of a relevant and innovative platform to the current and future automotive industry by highlighting efficiency, performance, durability, quality, environmental responsibility and safety."

FRANCHITTI WINS SECOND STRAIGHT INDY 500

A dominant performance by Dario Franchitti has given the Scotsman his second straight win in America's biggest motor race, the Indianapolis 500. Franchitti started from position three but by the end of lap one he had already passed both Will Power and pole man Helio Castroneves for the lead. Second place went to England's Dan Wheldon. Wheldon came on strong late in the race to overhaul Marco Andretti who was the first American driver home in third. Alex Lloyd, drove from 26th to finish fourth. Initially credited with third place, Lloyd was relegated to fourth after stewards determined that he had passed under the yellow flag following the huge accident that took out Mike Conway and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Conway and Hunter-Reay made contact catapulting Conway into the air. His car hit the catch fencing, shredding the car, sending debris flying and leaving Conway with injuries to his left leg. The in-car footage from Hunter-Reay's car shows just how lucky he was to avoid any serious injury.

CONWAY CRASH AT INDY 500

AUSSIE POWER TAKES EDMONTON INDY

Australian driver Will Power has recorded his first IndyCar Series victory with a win in the Indycar Grand Prix of Edmonton in Canada. Starting from pole Power won the 95-lap race from Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves and New Zealand driver Scott Dixon. Power's fellow Australian, Ryan Briscoe was fourth ahead of Dario Franchitti and local fan favourite Paul Tracy. "It caps a perfect weekend," Power said. The race was headed for the first without a caution in IndyCar Series history until Tomas Scheckter's No. 23 MonaVie car for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing made contact with the concrete barrier in Turn 10 of the 1.973-mile, 14-turn circuit. The previous low was one yellow flag for two laps at Infineon Raceway last August. A scary situation developed during what was supposed to be a routine Lap 34 pit stop when the fueling hose remained open after the stop, splashing 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol onto the side of the car and on driver Tony Kanaan. The fuel ignited, with Kanaan scrambling to extricate himself from the car as Team Penske and Panther Racing crew members doused the car to retard the flames. Kanaan suffered burns on his thumbs and face and will be re-evaluated by Indy Racing League medical personnel this week. Graham Rahal finished seventh, Justin Wilson was eighth and Robert Doornbos tied his season high with a ninth-place finish. Marco Andretti, who started 18th, finished 10th. Dixon now leads the series as the teams head back to the oval at Kentucky Speedway on August 1. with Indycar Media

PENSKE POWERS SATURN ?

  Roger Penske has always been ambitious in his business pursuits and this week it has been announced that 'The Captain' is set purchase all of Saturn. However after being told that he could not legally purchase the hydrogen filled luminous body, he decided to simply to turn his attention to the defunct GM brand of the same name.  General Motors is in the midst of a fire sale, yes thats right, all the big brands, Saab, Hummer, Pontiac and more, have all got to go! As the automotive giant remains on a $15.4billion government subsidised life support system, its restructure has meant bargains are to be had!. Considering their dire financial situation, the announcement made last week of GM's brand restructure, surprised noone. The move will see GM offload several brands in a move to focus their attention to their 'core four', Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC. Saturn is one of the brands that didn't make the cut. Saturn Corporation was established in 1985 to combat the success of  Japanese imports in the small car market. First dubbed as 'The different kind of car company', it was always the poor cousin to GM's more premier brands such as Chevrolet and Cadillac. Like much of the US Automotive industry, Saturn suffered heavily from mismanagement and the imports it was designed to compete with, eventually accounted for its demise. Saturn spokesman Steve Janisse has revealed that several bids for the company have been made, however they wouldn't be revealing any of the interested parties until early June. A cautious Tony Porson, spokesman for Penske Automotive Group has stated they are considering the Saturn purchase, “It's very premature to assume anything will be done. I can confirm to you that we are looking at it”. Roger Penske has achieved virtually everything in the automotive world, however resurrecting a car company may be too much even for 'The Captain'.  Saying that, Roger Penske's motorsport interests are as vast as they are succesful, with teams running in IndyCar, NASCAR and ALMS. His stint into Formula One in the mid 70's recorded a victory and he has more Indy 500 than any other team owner. Off the track the Penske Empire also includes the world's second largest automotive dealer network, Penske Automotive, representing over 250 franchises. If anyone can do what General Motors couldn't, It'd be Roger Penske to do it.  

AUSTRALIAN MOTORSPORT MOURNS LOSS OF GRAHAM WATSON

Team owner, driver patron and former CAMS Gold Star winning driver Graham Watson has passed away after a brief battle with cancer. Watson who won the Australian Drivers Championship in 1986 was a prominent supporter of openwheel racing in Australia actively supporting several young drivers in their local careers. Most recently he had thrown his support behind young NSW driver Tom Tweedie in this years Australian F3 championship. Despite his illness Watson was alongside Tweedie at the opening round of the season on the streets of Adelaide. Watson was an integral part of the local openwheel scene, his roster of drivers reading like a who's who of local and international motorsport. Current Indy Racing League stars Scott Dixon and Will Power both drove for Watson in the early stages of their careers as did current F1 star Mark Webber, Le Mans endurance driver David Brabham, Brazilian Roberto Moreno and V8 Supercars star Craig Lowndes. The Australian Formula Three Association said that the loss of Watson was a huge blow to the community that surrounds the Gold Star championship, and will be felt around Australian Motorsport in general - such was his influence on so many drivers, teams and people working throughout the industry. The Association have announced plans to honour Watson at the next round of the championship to be held at Wakefield Park in conjunction with the Shannons Nationals on April 24 – 26. In Pit Lane passes on its sincere condolences to the family and many friends of a great friend of Australasian motorsport. 

INDY OUT, A1GP IN

  The A1GP is to replace the Indy Cars on the Cold Coast. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced this morning that a compromise could not be reached with the Indy Racing League bringing an end to the history of a major US racing category on the circuit. Ms Bligh rather pointedly said the the new series would feature the faster A1GP cars instead of Indy cars as well as V8 supercars. "I am sure the A1GP will be a terrific attraction for both `revheads' and new fans to the world of motorsport," Ms Bligh said. The State Government has been negotiating with the owners of the Indy Racing League over scheduling clashes but refused to move the racing carnival to March at the request of the US-based league.  An in-principle agreement with the European A1GP has been drawn up and the deal will be finalised within a week.