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Izod will be IndyCar title sponsor; IRL hopes 6-year deal will take series to ‘new level’

IndyCar to partner with Izod next season

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indy Racing League will have Izod as a title sponsor next season, an agreement the IRL hopes will expand its fan base and take the series to a “new level.”

Izod ready to become title sponsor for IndyCar series in 2010

IndyCars ready to partner with Izod next season

After a year to forget, Franchitti’s IndyCar championship makes ‘09 a year to savor

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Dario Franchitti’s path to another IndyCar series championship might have started when he broke his left ankle in a Nationwide Series crash last year at Talladega.

A well-deserved break awaits Castroneves, who had a 2009 season unlike any other

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Helio Castroneves is looking forward to an offseason vacation.

The power of 10: Franchitti wins IRL season title at Homestead, his 2nd in 3 years

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Dario Franchitti basked in Victory Lane, getting showered by an enormous amount of red, white and blue confetti.

Caution: Championship contenders will be watched carefully by other racers in IRL finale

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — In two rounds of practice and then in qualifying, three names stayed atop the leaderboard all day on the eve of Saturday’s Indy 300.

Danica’s dilemma? Earnhardt Jr. says talks between Patrick, JR Motorsports in “early stages

FONTANA, Calif. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he’d love to see good friend Danica Patrick in NASCAR, but isn’t sure when — or even if — the IndyCar star will make the transition to stock car racing.

At Homestead, 2 former IRL champions and an upstart will decide seasonlong points battle

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Scott Dixon has this unshakable feeling, that the three remaining contenders for the IndyCar championship will enter the final turn of the season having decided nothing.

Super Bowl trophies ignored? For IRL contenders, there’s only 1 trophy that matters right now

DAVIE, Fla. — Dario Franchitti was getting dressed at the Miami Dolphins’ training facility Thursday afternoon, when someone warned him that the adjacent pile of football playbooks were top secret.

The championship track: Homestead the site for both IRL, NASCAR title weekends

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — For seven years, the IndyCar series tried to woo fans to its season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Nothing really worked. Half-empty stands were almost an annual guarantee.

Patrick testing at Homestead for IRL finale, not revealing much in the way of plans after that

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — If Danica Patrick knows specifically what her future after this season holds, she’s not saying.

Ex-Cup champion Stewart understands losing regular season points lead part of Chase racing

DOVER, Del. — Tony Stewart understands losing his regular-season points lead is part of Chase racing. He’s just puzzled why so many critics want to change the points system.

Report: Danica Patrick agrees to 3-year contract to stay with Andretti Green Racing

Danica Patrick has agreed to a three-year contract to remain at Andretti Green Racing and stay in the IndyCar Series, according to a report in the Indianapolis Star.

Dixon wins Indy Japan to take series lead; Briscoe falls to 3rd after pit lane mishap

MOTEGI, Japan — Scott Dixon’s IndyCar series championship hopes got a huge boost at the Indy Japan 300, while Ryan Briscoe’s took a hit from a pylon at the end of pit lane.

Scott Dixon wins Indy Japan 300 to take over series lead

MOTEGI, Japan — Scott Dixon won the Indy Japan 300 on Saturday to take over the IndyCar series points lead with one race remaining.

Danica Patrick and Ryan Briscoe looking for success at Indy Japan 300

MOTEGI, Japan — Danica Patrick will be looking to repeat history. Ryan Briscoe is hoping to make his own at the Indy Japan 300, the penultimate event of the 2009 IndyCar series.

AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Fans, drivers get chance to connect by tweeting and then meeting

JOLIET, Ill. — Hours before the race, under a large white tent in the midway at Chicagoland Speedway, things are already moving along briskly at Vision Racing’s “tweetup.”

In The Pits: Somehow, some way, Danica Patrick will leave IndyCars in the dust for NASCAR

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Danica Patrick plans to give NASCAR a try.

Pain free: Penske’s Power looking ahead as pain subsides, rehab begins after ugly crash

INDIANAPOLIS — IndyCar driver Will Power looks at 2009 as a success.

Ryan Briscoe, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon the only contenders left for IRL title

MIAMI — Dario Franchitti won the IndyCar title in 2007, Scott Dixon took the series championship in 2008, and the Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammates are two of the three remaining contenders for this year’s crown.

Points leader Briscoe beats fellow title contender Dixon by a nose at Chicagoland

JOLIET, Ill. — Ryan Briscoe grabbed the IndyCar series points lead by stringing together quietly consistent finishes. Then he took control by putting on a remarkable wheel-to-wheel show under the lights at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday night.

IndyCar series points leader Ryan Briscoe wins pole for Chicagoland race

JOLIET, Ill. — Ryan Briscoe took a small step to boost his IndyCar championship bid Friday, winning the pole for Saturday night’s race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Patrick sidesteps questions about expiring contract, future with Andretti Green and IRL

JOLIET, Ill. — Danica Patrick wouldn’t address her future with Andretti Green Racing or the IndyCar series, sidestepping questions Thursday about her expiring contract.

Danica Patrick sidesteps questions about expiring contract, future with Andretti Green and IRL

JOLIET, Ill. — Danica Patrick isn’t ready to address her future with Andretti Green Racing or the IndyCar series, sidestepping questions about her expiring contract.

Owner Michael Andretti said Andretti-Green Racing close to re-signing Danica Patrick

SONOMA, Calif. — Owner Michael Andretti is confident Andretti Green Racing will re-sign Danica Patrick beyond this IndyCar season — and perhaps soon.

After slow start and turn in the dirt, Franchitti takes pole for Sonoma Grand Prix

SONOMA, Calif. — Dario Franchitti made an impressive comeback on his final qualifying lap to capture the pole for the Sonoma Grand Prix.

Andretti signs Montagny in 5th car for Infineon race

INDIANAPOLIS — Frank Montagny has been hired to drive a fifth car for Andretti Green Racing later this month.

Dixon becomes IndyCar’s leader in career wins with victory at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ohio —Scott Dixon doesn’t have the star quality of Helio Castroneves, the Scottish brogue of teammate Dario Franchitti or the All-American stature of Sam Hornish Jr.

Points leader Ryan Briscoe takes pole for Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ohio —IndyCar points leader Ryan Briscoe has captured the pole for the Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

Carpenter hopes near miss at Kentucky provides boost for Vision Racing

LEXINGTON, Ohio — Ed Carpenter thought his long wait to get to Victory Lane was finally over.

Former Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran to retire from Le Mans Series at end of season

LEXINGTON, Ohio — Former Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran is ready to get out of the cockpit and back into the IndyCar Series — but as an owner, not a driver.

Philippe gets new IRL job, will drive for Conquest Racing

INDIANAPOLIS — Nelson Philippe will drive in two more IndyCar races this season for Conquest Racing.