Dan Wheldon took a canny victory in Iowa after covering the final 90 laps without stopping for fuel – and he did it all on his birthday! He was able to stretch out his final stint thanks in part to a length caution period after Tony Kanaan crashed out of third on lap 212 of … Continue reading Birthday boy Dan Wheldon wins in Iowa (Indy Car)
IndyCar articles archive
The most famous IndyCar race is the Indianapolis 500, held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in front of huge crowds. However American open-wheel racing has a chequered history.
The championship reached its peak in the late eighties and early nineties under the sanctioning body CART. It attracted huge international attention as Formula 1 champions including Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti competed in it.
However the creation of the rival Indy Racing League in 1996 created a split which badly damaged the championship. CART, which rebranded as Champ Car, fell into decline. By 2008, with Champ Car on the bring of collapse, the two series finally merged, but the damage had been.
Nonetheless today’s IndyCar championship retains a reputation for spectacular racing with its single-specification chassis and features a broad range of circuits including road, street and traditional American oval courses.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 9
IndyCar
Posted onThe final part of our look at Champ Car drivers who raced in Formula 1 includes one of the most incredible stories of survival in any sport – never mind just motor racing.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 8
IndyCar
Posted onPart eight of our look at drivers who raced in both F1 and IndyCar.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 7
IndyCar
Posted onNelson Piquet and Bobby Rahal are two of the most successful drivers in F1 and Champ Car respectively. Read more about them here plus the driver who started just one race in each category.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 6
IndyCar
Posted onOne of the most exciting talents to join F1 from Champ Car, Juan Pablo Montoya, is among the names in today’s installment of the CART drivers who raced in F1 series.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 5
IndyCar
Posted onOne of the biggest names to cross from F1 to CART was Nigel Mansell – who did so after winning the 1992 F1 championship and claimed the Champ Car title at his first attempt. He wasn’t the only F1 champion to try his hand at CART – Alan Jones did as well, though only for … Continue reading CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 5
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 4
IndyCar
Posted onToyota driver Timo Glock is one of the racers to have competed in both Formula 1 and Champ Cars. So is the man who inadvertently gave Michael Schumacher his F1 break.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 3
IndyCar
Posted onThe third part of our series on F1 drivers who raced in Champ Car includes two-times Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, whose American career included a CART title as well as two Indianapolis 500 victories.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 2
IndyCar
Posted onPart two of our series on Champ Car drivers in F1 includes a look at the last driver to make the switch – Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais.
CART drivers who raced in F1: From Andretti to Zanardi part 1
IndyCar
Posted onIn three decades of Champ Car from 1979 to 2008, 72 drivers from the American series also started F1 races. Starting today this nine-part feature will recall the careers of all of them.
Video: The five greatest Champ Car moments
Posted onI’ve been working on an article about CART drivers who races in F1 for F1 Fanatic but inevitably I got distracted watching old Champ Car videos on YouTube… From 1979 to 2008 Champ Car gave fans some of the most stunning examples of great motor racing. These are the five moment I remember best – … Continue reading Video: The five greatest Champ Car moments
Scott Dixon wins Indianapolis 500 from Vitor Meira and Marco Andretti
Posted onScott Dixon started on pole position, and he won the race, but there was plenty of action in between. His Target Ganassi team mate Dan Wheldon made the early running but dropped back with handling problems and ended the race in a lowly twelfth. Alex Lloyd, making his first start, spun coming off the final … Continue reading Scott Dixon wins Indianapolis 500 from Vitor Meira and Marco Andretti
I will drop Sky if they don’t put Indy Car on live
Posted onSky aren’t showing this evening’s Indy Car race live again, and once again it’s because they’re showing live NASCAR instead. On their many other sports channels at the same time they appear to be showing non-live events and even one non-sporting event (wrestling). When I got a SKy subscription a few years ago it was … Continue reading I will drop Sky if they don’t put Indy Car on live
Danica Patrick becomes first woman to win an Indy Car race
Posted onAs this site has been down for a couple of days due to a server move I’ve not had chance to write about a remarkable weekend for Indy Car racing in America (however I did write about it in my weekly column for Auto Trader). It was always going to be strange with half the … Continue reading Danica Patrick becomes first woman to win an Indy Car race
Sky drop live Indy Car for NASCAR
Posted onTurned on Sky Sports looking forward to watching the second race of the re-unified Indy Car series… and found they’re showing NASCAR instead. It’s a disappointing choice because I expect the more F1-like Indy Car to be a lot more comprehensible to British fans and therefore more popular. I’m certainly not interested in watching NASCAR … Continue reading Sky drop live Indy Car for NASCAR
Kanaan loses win to Dixon at Miami
Posted onA new era in Indy Car racing began as the re-unified series assembled for its first race in Miami. Fear of a crash-strewn race as the Champ Car converts got up to speed on the ovals were not realised as the race saw only three safety car appearances. But the last was by far the … Continue reading Kanaan loses win to Dixon at Miami
F1 blogs review: Champ Car and IRL merge
Posted onThe Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League have ended their 12-year feud and joined back together, a move that could have interesting consequences for Formula 1. Also in the F1 blogs this week, video of Juan Pablo Montoya wrestling, Spyker describe Formula 1 as a ‘massive bleeder’, F1 Racing gets a new editor … Continue reading F1 blogs review: Champ Car and IRL merge
Champ Car and IRL end war and confirm merger
Posted onThe Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League have ended a rift that has lasted over a decade and issued a statement that the two championships are to merge. The full details of the merge are not yet known, including what the series will be called, how many teams will participate, and what races … Continue reading Champ Car and IRL end war and confirm merger
IRL-Champ Car merger announcement expected
Posted onAccording to Speed’s Robin Miller the long-awaited IRL Indycar / Champ Car World Series merger is a done deal and an announcement is due soon. Such a thing has been promised several times before and I’m won’t believe it until I see Newman-Haases and Penskes sharing the tarmac at Long Beach, but I think even … Continue reading IRL-Champ Car merger announcement expected
IRL-Champ Car reunion: it’s looking good
Posted onMore promising news today that not only might the IRL and Champ Car finally re-unify, but they might even do it in time for the 2008 season. This can only be good news for open wheel racing in America. The prospect of Justin Wilson, Graham Rahal, Paul Tracy et al taking on Dan Wheldon, Marco … Continue reading IRL-Champ Car reunion: it’s looking good