2008 IndyCar Series season

The IndyCar Series 2008 season is the 13th season of the American IndyCar Series. Originally it was to be held in 16 races. Due to the short-term " merger " of the IndyCar Series and the Champ Car World Series in February 2008 ( insolvency of the Champ Car ) but there were some changes. The season was supplemented by three former Champ Car events. The following races have been added to the calendar: Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfers Paradise. In Long Beach but only drove the old ChampCar teams, while during the day the old IndyCar teams were previously at the Twin Ring Motegi road. This was mainly the fact that the IRL from, originally from Champ Car, concluded contract did not get out and had to organize a race. Points were fully assigned for both events. The race in Surfers Paradise took place at the end of the season; But no points were awarded because of Joliet Tony George had written undertaking to be allowed to elect the master.

Teams and Drivers

This season again drove all drivers with a Dallara- Honda unit and a Firestone tire. Exception was the race in Long Beach, where only the old ChampCar teams with the Panoz DP01 - Cosworth were at the start.

As of October 16, 2008

*) Former Champ Car team that is now driving in the IndyCar Series.

Some of the former Champ Car teams competed in Long Beach again. Here there was some duplication in the start numbers.

Race Results

Homestead -Miami Speedway At the opening race in Miami, there was as expected " two worlds ". While the "old" IndyCar teams were relatively close together, the former Champ Car teams were largely closed the end of the field. Three of the experienced IndyCar driver, however, had to start from the rear: The Vision Driver Ed Carpenter and AJ Foyt IV because of irregularities on the rear wing and Dan Wheldon as he had to start after an accident in the spare car. Graham Rahal was due to an accident during testing at Sebring after even a new car could be rebuilt, not at the start. The relatively uneventful race was won by Scott Dixon; only four riders were on the lead lap at the end.

Saint Petersburg The second race in Florida launched after heavy rain under yellow and in the further course there were many incidents, so that the race was ultimately terminated on the two - hour rule. The Champ Car teams were here absolutely competitive, so with Graham Rahal even one of them won - his first IndyCar race at all.

Twin Ring Motegi The Japan race was also accompanied by a lot of rain, so there was no qualifying and the race itself had to be postponed. The grid therefore resulted after the championship standings, with only the established IndyCar teams were at the start. Guest starter was Roger Yasukawa for Beck Motorsports, which was, however constant of the slowest. The former Champ Car teams, however, held a day later her farewell race. For both races full points were awarded. The race was won by Danica Patrick through a clever pit strategy. To save an additional pit stop, she had consciously significantly worse lap times in purchasing. As she had half a lap down to "only" the tip, had all the other once more to stop what at least one full round costs.

Long Beach The farewell race of the Champ Cars took place a day after Japan race held only with the former Champ Car teams. Since here also some teams were at the start that are not competed in the IndyCar season, there was a field of 20 vehicles; more than most of the time at the end of the Champ Car series. The completely discharged under the old rules race won superior Willpower.

Kansas Speedway The race in Kansas has remained largely uneventful. Here again dominated the established teams, the distance was getting closer. Winner was Dan Wheldon. In preparation for the Indy 500 Tomas Scheckter and Luzco Dragon Racing was my first time at the start.

Indy 500 see Indianapolis 500 2008

Milwaukee Mile Were in Milwaukee, a week after the Indy 500, as in Kansas, 27 cars on the grid, which required some adjustments in the pit lane; the track is really only designed for 26 IndyCars. Guest driver this time was Mario Dominguez for Pacific Coast Motorsports. The race ended due to a collision between Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter and Vitor Meira just before the end under yellow and was won by Ryan Briscoe, who thus was the fourth driver in the seventh race, who celebrates his first IndyCar victory at all. Overall, this was the 300th victory of Penske Racing on all racing series together.

Texas Motor Speedway In Texas, the field grew again, to now 28 cars; Scheckter and Dominguez as a guest. The television broadcast on ESPN2 was the most successful that had the remote control in the IndyCar Series to date. Also, this race ended after an accident with Marco Andretti under yellow; this time he had got together with Ryan Hunter -Reay. The winner was Scott Dixon.

Iowa Speedway In Iowa, it had rained heavily the whole week before the race, so the qualifying session had to be canceled. The rather small grandstand was still sold. During the race also drew a thunderstorm in the direction of the track, so that had to constantly be expected to abort, it did not happen. For a long time saw Tony Kanaan out to be the winner until he ended up in the wall. The race was won by Dan Wheldon

Richmond International Raceway The race at Richmond had comparatively many, but for the final outcome only slightly significant incidents. One of the most notable moments were few laps led by Jamie Camara, located in the more usual for the last rows of the grid Conquest car even temporarily could defend themselves against the eventual winner Tony Kanaan. Oriol Servia succeeds to achieve a top 5 result on an oval as the first and so far only driver of one of the former Champ Car teams.

Watkins Glen The race on the traditional track looked especially unhappy active top riders. Castroneves had technical problems, Wheldon collided with Darren Manning and fell out ( Manning, however, was second ), Dixon collected in a spin in the lead of the Second Briscoe identical with a, Vitor Meira ended after he was disconnected from EJ Viso, in stacks of tires and AJ Foyt IV had similar bad luck with Milka Duno. Also, there was a variety of departures from ex - Formula 1 driver Enrique Bernoldi. In the end, won Ryan Hunter -Reay ( the fifth winner of the season premiere ) before Darren Manning and Tony Kanaan.

Nashville The bumpy concrete oval in Nashville in mid-July had his last IndyCar race. After a few rounds of Marco Andretti made ​​acquaintance with the bumps, collecting Ryan Briscoe on. Apart from an accident by Ryan Hunter -Reay, however, caused quite the weather for interruptions. First, the race between round 139 and 152 was neutralized due to rain only to be stopped after 171 laps. Scott Dixon was the lucky winner; he had not come because of a communication error with the only interruption to the last pit stop. Had the race been restarted yet, Dixon would therefore probably have been a chance. With only 24 starters had the race the smallest field of the season: The second car of Roth Racing is not been on since starting this race and HVM had to pause because of mumps disease of Ernesto Viso.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course In Mid-Ohio, the majority of the field was wet tires in the early laps, after it had rained hours before violently. But after a few curves was clear that the rain tires were only suitable for the rapidly drying track and up to round six changed all drivers on slick tires. When restarting after a yellow light phase, triggered by a spin by Milka Duno in the 39th round, Mario Dominguez touched the rear of Justin Wilson, creating a chain reaction was triggered in the Dan Wheldon, Marco Andretti and AJ Foyt IV were involved. At the top of Ryan Briscoe was able to expand its leadership position and finally won seven seconds ahead of his teammate Helio Castroneves.

Edmonton In Canada, Scott Dixon won before Hélio Castroneves, but the real star of the race was a guest driver. Paul Tracy was with a third vision car and Subway as a sponsor at the start and took a more than impressive fourth place; the other two cars the team landed on the other hand, the sites 12 and 13

Kentucky Speedway In oval racing in Kentucky for a long time fell on especially Vitor Meira, who could work to the top again and again. The lead changed hands several times between various top riders back and forth, in the end, however, repeated the result from Edmonton: Dixon before Castroneves. Behind Marco Andretti, Meira and Oriol Servia. Guest driver Sarah Fisher was in his own team, with whom she has ever been in Indy at the start.

Infineon Raceway The race in Sonoma would have been the first opportunity for Scott Dixon to win the championship. Penske Racing, whose drivers Hélio Castroneves is the only serious competitor, had also lost a complete truck with equipment and two vehicles by fire. However, both the qualifying session as well as the race dominated the two Penske cars impressive: 1st and 2nd place on the grid and double win. Dixon, however, slipped up with rank 12

Detroit Also saw in Detroit Dixon, who had started from pole position, after an early pit stop, not happy, but was at the end of the fifth. Hélio Castroneves dominated the race, but had to leave just before the end past due to a controversial decision of the Race Director Justin Wilson because he had blocked it. Wilson was thus the sixth winner of the premiere season. It was the last victory of Newman / Haas / Lanigan Racing, the Paul Newman was able to experience for yourself.

Chicagoland Speedway At the season finale 28 cars on the grid, including Scheckter, Fisher and Frank Perera were again ( for Foyt ). Castroneves was the qualifying time disallowed after he had run over the only the white line on the inside and so abbreviated. This he had to start from the back, but was able to work full forward in the race very quickly. The race became extremely narrow, so Castroneves, Wheldon Brisoe and drove three laps three abreast with time intervals ranging from 1 /1000 seconds. Castroneves and Wheldon translated this for some time continued to second; some with four or five lead changes in one round. In the squares behind it was hardly different, practically the entire field drove in two - and three - rows. At the end there was a photo finish to match: Castroneves won with 0.0033 seconds lead over Dixon in the second closest finish ever.

Surfers Paradise The race in Australia was without championship points; the field was still, except for Marty Roth, who has his team closed the meantime, fully occupied. In addition, Vitor Meira, Dan Wheldon and NASCAR returnees Dario Franchitti drove already for their new teams for which they will be at the start in 2009. All training sessions were dominated superior to that of Will Power - at times he was over a second faster than the rest of the field. Similarly, the race in which power had part, four seconds ahead of Ryan Briscoe began. Later, however, he allowed himself a driver error, by which the suspension was damaged and he failed. As a result, Briscoe won the race ahead of Scott Dixon. In addition to the three " locals " were mainly two drivers positively to Dario Franchitti with a fourth place in qualifying and a few laps led and Alex Tagliani, who scored with a fourth place and also some leading laps the best result of the team throughout the season - apart from two hits early in the season was otherwise rank 14 the highest.

Tabular

* Held by former Champ Car teams with Champ Cars, but it will be the full points awarded to the teams that participate in the IndyCar Series.

** In this race, no points were awarded since Joliet was the promise to be able to carry out the end of the season.

Drivers' championship

Franck Montagny 1 was second in Long Beach, but received no points because he was not a regular driver of the IndyCar Series in 2008.

Rule Changes

In the 2008 season, there are both the oval racing, as well as the city and circuit new qualification systems. On the oval courses you have taken over the traditional Indianapolis rule. Projected is now with the average of four flying laps in a row that decide at the end of the grid. On all round courses and street race groups fought for 20 minutes each at the fastest times on Saturday afternoon at two. The top six in each group will progress to the second segment, all others are based on their best lap time sorted from rank 13. The remaining twelve vehicles take part in a 15-minute second session. After the interval, the top six have qualified for the last ten minute qualifying section in which the pole position is determined.

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  • IndyCar Series season
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