2007 IRL IndyCar Series Track Previews.........

[mlittle]

With 46 days remaining until the start of the 2007 IndyCar Series season, it's time to roll out the track previews for 2007(...drumroll, please..... .........)

Rd. 1--Homestead/Miami Speedway, Homestead, Miami
1.5-mile variable-banking(18-20 degrees) asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners.........
2001: Jeff Ward/Sam Hornish, Jr.
2002: Sam Hornish, Jr./Sam Hornish, Jr.
2003: Tony Kanaan/Scott Dixon
2004: Buddy Rice/Sam Hornish, Jr.
2005: Tomas Scheckter/Dan Wheldon
2006: Sam Hornish, Jr./Dan Wheldon

Built on the grounds of the former Homestead Air Force Base, the season starts under the bright lights of Homestead. A "champions track" faces the drivers; in 4 of the 6 visits the series has made to south Florida(2001, 2002, 2003, 2005) the winner of the race has gone on to win the series championship. With variable banking in the turns, expect drivers to use all three grooves during the race.



Rd. 2--Streets of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Fla.
1.8+ mile temporary street & airport circuit
Previous pole/race winners.............
2005: Bryan Herta/Dan Wheldon
2006: Dario Franchitti/Helio Castroneves

This is a hybrid circuit, combining parts of Alfred Whitted Field and the streets around St. Pete. In 2005, the circuit was the first non-oval event in IRL history and was also the first to see the "Firestone Shootout" a format where, after qualifying, the top-6 go back out for a no-holds-barred, 10-minute fight for pole.



Rd. 3--Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan
1.5-mile low-banked asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners...............
2003: Scott Dixon/Scott Sharp
2004: Dan Wheldon/Dan Wheldon
2005: Sam Hornish, Jr./Dan Wheldon
2006: Helio Castroneves/Helio Castroneves

Twin Ring Motegi marks the IRL's lone overseas visit of the year and it has a reputation similar to NASCAR's Darlington Speedway; an egg-shaped oval, the track is deceivingly fast, with drivers going flat out through 1-2 and occasionally brake-tapping entering 3-4. Although this track isn't in front of Indy on the schedule, the same general rule applies......do well here and the momentum will likely carry you through Kansas and onto the Brickyard.



Rd. 4--Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Ks.
1.5-mile moderately-banked asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners..........
2001: Scott Sharp/Eddie Cheever, Jr.
2002: Tomas Scheckter/Airton Dare
2003: Scott Dixon/Bryan Herta
2004: Buddy Rice/Buddy Rice
2005: Danica Patrick/Tony Kanaan
2006: Dan Wheldon/Sam Hornish, Jr.

Set on the Kansas side of Kansas City, this marks the first time that Kansas will host the series prior to "the Greatest Spectacle in Racing". It's seen it's share of great moments, from Airton Dare's win in 2002(when he beat Sam Hornish, Jr. and Gil de Ferran on the final restart to win) to Danica Patrick's pole-winning qualifying run in 2005; 2007 shouldn't be any different.



Rd. 5--Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Ind.
2.5-mile low-banked(9.2 degrees) asphalt oval
note....for list of previous pole/race winners in the modern era, visit the 89th Indianapolis 500 thread......

Every major series has "la place de magica", the magic place; NASCAR has Daytona, Formula One has Monaco, the Australian V8 Supercars have Mt. Panorama(Bathurst), Champ Car has the streets of Long Beach.........the IRL has the Brickyard. The last two years have seen some of the best races in the history of the Brickyard, and every Memorial Day Sunday 33 of the best drivers in the world will begin the 500-mile race with one goal.....to "kiss the bricks". Win here, and you'll be forever remembered, your visage going on the Borg-Warner Trophy. It's a High Noon-showdown with 650-hp IndyCars instead of six-shooters, and it is still one of the premier sporting events in the world.


That covers rounds 1-5 of the 2007 season; as the season approaches, I'll provide previews of the other venues on the schedule.

[mlittle]

With rounds 1-5 in the book, let's look at the next four venues on the schedule......

Rd. 6--The Milwaukee Mile @ the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, W. Allis., Wisc.
1-mile flat concrete oval(w/asphalt patching in the turns)
Previous pole/race winners.......
2004} Vitor Meira/Dario Franchitti
2005} Sam Hornish, Jr./Sam Hornish, Jr.
2006} Helio Castroneves/Tony Kanaan

While many traditions in AOWR have come-and-gone, one tradition is returning; until the CART/IRL split in 1996, drivers coming off the emotional highs and lows of "the Greatest Spectacle in Racing" would make the trek up to Beertown, USA to take on the Milwaukee Mile, America's oldest continously operated racetrack. To win here requires cast-iron nerves and 10/10th effort every lap. 2007 marks the first year since the split that Milwaukee will follow Indy and thus, a new chapter in AOWR will begin; how will it be written?



Rd. 7--Texas Motor Speedway, Arlington, Texas
1.5-mile high-banked asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners.........
1997--Tony Stewart/Arie Luyendyk
1998(1)--Tony Stewart/Billy Boat
1998(2)--Billy Boat/John Paul, Jr.
1999(1)--Mark Dismore/Scott Goodyear
1999(2)--Greg Ray/Mark Dismore
2000(1)--Buddy Lazier/Scott Sharp
2000(2)--Greg Ray/Scott Goodyear
2001(1)--Mark Dismore/Scott Sharp
2001(2)--Sam Hornish, Jr./Sam Hornish, Jr.
2002(1)--Tomas Scheckter/Jeff Ward
2002(2)--Vitor Meira/Sam Hornish, Jr.
2003(1)--Tomas Scheckter/Al Unser, Jr.
2003(2)--Gil de Ferran/Gil de Ferran
2004(1)--Dario Franchitti/Tony Kanaan
2004(2)--Helio Castroneves/Helio Castroneves
2005--Tomas Scheckter/Tomas Scheckter
2006--Sam Hornish, Jr./Helio Castroneves

"It's our Talledega." Veteran IndyCar race Scott Sharp said that back in 2005, and he wasn't kidding; Texas is by far the toughest venue on the IndyCar Series schedule amongst the ovals, and for good reason.....speeds range in the 215-220 mph range, the cars travel in 2-and-3-wide packs mere inches apart in multi-car packs and one slight twitch can ruin your day in an instant. It has crowned series champions over the years(Hornish in 2001 and 2002) and sent legends into retirement with victory(de Ferran in 2003). Ask any driver in the IndyCar Series which race they'd want to win, and he or she will say without hesitation(after Indy, of course! )...Texas.



Rd. 8--Iowa Speedway, Newton, Ia.
0.788-mile variable-banking asphalt oval
Inagurual event for 2007.....

Set amongst the cornfields of central Iowa, the ultra-modern Iowa Speedway is the first of two, short-oval bullring-style tracks on the schedule. With next-generation SAFER barriers on the outside walls to an 80-foot wide racing surface, this track looks like Richmond on speed. Speaking of which, after Iowa.......



Rd. 9--Richmond International Raceway, Henrico Co., Virginia
0.75-mile low banked asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners...........
2001--Jaques Lazier/Buddy Lazier
2002--Gil de Ferran/Sam Hornish, Jr.
2003--Scott Dixon/Scott Dixon
2004--Helio Castroneves/Dan Wheldon
2005--Sam Hornish, Jr./Helio Castroneves
2006--Helio Castroneves/Sam Hornish, Jr.

Located along the banks of the James River near the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, Va., the 3/4-mile bullring is a challenging track for drivers; with 16-second laps on average, lateral g-loads in the 4+ range and constant traffic lap after lap, the driver who keeps his/her head straight throughout will see victory lane at race's end.

[mlittle]

With half of the tracks in the rearview, let's turn to rounds 10-13.........

Rd. 10--Watkins Glen International Raceway, Chemung, N.Y.
3.34-mile natural terrain road course
Previous pole/race winners.........
2005--Helio Castroneves/Scott Dixon
2006--Helio Castroneves/Scott Dixon

Set amongst the Finger Lakes of upstate New York, this track has a little bit of everything--sharp turns, a wicked-fast esses sesction, a Spa-style bus-stop chicane, a long carousel turn and multiple overtaking areas. With the championship fight in full swing by now, drivers will be looking to pull away from the competition, and a win here will help.



Rd. 11--Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn.
1.33-mile moderately banked concrete oval
Previous pole/race winners...........
2001--Greg Ray/Buddy Lazier
2002--Billy Boat/Alex Barron
2003--Scott Dixon/Gil de Ferran
2004--Buddy Rice/Tony Kanaan
2005--Tomas Scheckter/Dario Franchitti
2006--Dan Wheldon/Scott Dixon

Just outside of Music City USA is the 1.33-mile concrete oval o/k/a Nashville Superspeedway, one of two concrete ovals on the calendar. Its' abrasive surface and tricky groove will test the drivers here, especially entering and exiting the turns. Speed's not the key here; mechanical grip is. Find it, and you could find yourself in victory lane.



Rd. 12--Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio
2.258-mile natural terrain road course
Inaugural event for 2007

The second inaugural event on the 2007 calendar, this track is a welcome addition to the schedule(it was previously on CART's calendar in 1980 and then from 1983-2003) and is still a challenging track for drivers to race at. It's also a unique circuit; the reason is that drivers receive the green flag to start the race not at the start/finish line but on the long backstraight approaching turn 4.



Rd. 13--Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.
2-mile high-banked asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners...........
2002--Tomas Scheckter/Tomas Scheckter
2003--Tomas Scheckter/Alex Barron
2004--Tony Kanaan/Buddy Rice
2005--Bryan Herta/Bryan Herta
2006--Helio Castroneves/Helio Castroneves

Set amongst the Irish Hills of central Michigan, this track is a pure horsepower track; speed is the name of the game and drivers who can push it to the knife's-edge will surely find themselves up front.

[mlittle]

Rd. 14--Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky.
1.5-mile low-banked asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners...............
2000--Scott Goodyear/Buddy Lazier
2001--Scott Sharp/Buddy Lazier
2002--Sarah Fisher/Felipe Giaffone
2003--Sam Hornish, Jr./Sam Hornish, Jr.
2004--Buddy Rice/Adrian Fernandez
2005--Danica Patrick/Scott Sharp
2006--Helio Castroneves/Sam Hornish, Jr.

This track could, in a sense, be Michigan's little ole' brother......set amongst the deep, verdant greens of Kentucky bluegrass country, this a wide, low-banked and very fast intermediate-oval. By now, the championship fight will have entered its' penultimate stages and it will be a no-holds-barred race to the championship.



Rd. 15--Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California
2.3-mile natural terrain road course
Previous pole/race winners...........
2005--Ryan Briscoe/Tony Kanaan
2006--Scott Dixon/Marco Andretti

From the land of mint juleps and bluegrass, the IndyCar Series travels to the Left Coast.......I meant, the West Coast(....oops...... .............) and to the Sonoma wine country and Infineon Raceway. Built in/around the Infineon dragstrip, this track is a driver's circuit; fast corners, a negative-g carousel and lots of high-intensity driving reflect the fast and twisty nature of this track.



Rd. 16--Belle Isle/Detroit, Detroit, Michigan
2.096-mile street circuit
Inaugural event for 2007..........

Dormant since CART left in 2001, Belle Isle Park returns to NA motorsports for the penultimate round of 2007........yet another chapter will be written come Labor Day 2007..........



Rd. 17--Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Illinois
1.5-mile egg-shaped asphalt oval
Previous pole/race winners..............
2001--Jaques Lazier/Jaques Lazier
2002--Sam Hornish, Jr./Sam Hornish, Jr.
2003--Richie Hearn/Sam Hornish, Jr.
2004--Helio Castroneves/Adrian Fernandez
2005--Danica Patrick/Dan Wheldon
2006--Sam Hornish, Jr/Dan Wheldon

The 2007 season comes to its' conclusion, interestingly enough, in the land of the Blues Brothers, Joliert, Ill. and the Chicagoland Speedway. Last year saw the points' battle come down, literally, to a tiebreaker.....how will this year's battle shape up. As they say......THAT's WHY THEY RUN THE RACES!!!