The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based open-wheel racing series. Modern Formula One Renault 1993 Indy Car Open wheel car is a term for cars, usually purpose built racecars, with the wheels located outside the cars main body, as distinct from cars which have their wheels below the body or fenders, in the manner of most street cars, stock... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... The Indianapolis skyline Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... Tony George, born Anton Hulman George on December 30, 1959, is the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... Brian Barnhart is the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Indy Racing League. ... Open-wheel racing refers to a type of motor racing in which the wheels of the cars are not housed inside fenders, as in stock car or touring car racing, but rather out in the open at the end of readily-visible axles and suspension systems. ... Motor racing and Motorsports redirect here. ...

The League consists of two series, the premiere IndyCar Series (usually considered synonymous with the Indy Racing League), whose centerpiece is the Indianapolis 500, and the Indy Pro Series, which is a developmental series for the IRL. The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. ... “Indy 500” redirects here. ... The Indy Pro Series is a developmental racing series sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. ...

The IRL is owned by Hulman and Co., which also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex and the Clabber Girl brand. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Clabber Girl. ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate town completely surrounded by Indianapolis) in the United States, is the second-oldest surviving automobile racing track in the world (after the Milwaukee Mile), having existed since 1909, and the original Speedway, the first racing facility historically to incorporate the word. ... Clabber Girl factory in Terre Haute, Indiana Clabber Girl is a brand of baking powder popular in the United States, manufactured by Hulman & Co. ...

Founding

The IRL was founded in 1994 by Tony George and began racing in 1996. CART had sanctioned Indy car racing since 1979, when the organisation broke away from USAC. George blueprinted the IRL as a lower-cost open-wheel alternative to CART, which had become technology-driven and dominated by a few wealthy multi-car teams, much like Formula One. It initially attracted some of the smaller teams who believed in the vision presented by Tony George. In later years, the IRL has come full-circle and become similar to the CART series it sought to separate from. The IRL is now dominated by a few wealthy teams, including those from the old CART series, like Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske, has a strong contingent of foreign-born drivers, and is a mix of ovals and road/street courses. // February 20 — In Boston, Massachusetts, Irelands 41-year-old Eamonn Coghlan becomes the first man over the age of forty to run a sub-four minute mile when he clocked 3min. ... Tony George, born Anton Hulman George on December 30, 1959, is the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... The first season of Indy Racing League competition consisted of only 3 races. ... “CART” redirects here. ... See also: 1978 in sports, other events of 1979, 1980 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Artistic Gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Mens all-around champion: Alexander Dityatin, USSR Womens all-around champion: Nellie Kim, USSR Mens team competition champion: USSR Womens team... ... Formula One - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a racing organization with teams in NASCAR, Champ Cars, and the IRL. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

At its inception, the series and George himself were widely ridiculed by members of the media and some CART competitors. The IRL's early seasons consisted of sparse schedules, mostly unknown drivers, and novice-level teams, even in the Indy 500. Eventually the schedule expanded, and caliber of drivers improved. The IRL began to draw teams from CART starting in 2000, contributing to the latter's bankruptcy in 2003. Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration—see text) in the United Kingdom. ...

History of the IndyCar name

"Indy car" is sometimes used as a descriptive name for championship open wheel auto racing in the United States. The Indy car name derived as the result of the genre's fundamental link to the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race (often referred to as the "Indy 500"), the best known and most-popular open-wheel auto race in North America. Modern Formula One Renault 1993 Indy Car Open wheel car is a term for cars, usually purpose built racecars, with the wheels located outside the cars main body, as distinct from cars which have their wheels below the body or fenders, in the manner of most street cars, stock... “Indy 500” redirects here. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...

Beginning in 1980, the term Indy car was often used to describe the race cars in the events sanctioned by CART, which had become the dominant governing body for open-wheel racing in the United States. The Indianapolis 500, however, remained sanctioned by USAC. CART recognized the Indy 500 on its schedule, and awarded points for finishers in the race from 1980-1995 despite not sanctioning it. The two entities operated separately, but utilized the same equipment. Thus, the use of the term Indy car to describe the race cars in the CART-sanctioned events was arguably accurate. See also: 1979 in sports, other events of 1980, 1981 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: NASCAR Championship - Dale Earnhardt Buddy Baker won the Daytona 500 CART Racing - Johnny Rutherford won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Johnny Rutherford Formula One Champion - Alan... Champcar has been the name for the class of cars used in the United States premier open wheel auto racing series for decades. ... USAC Logo The United States Automobile Club (USAC) is an open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. ...

In 1992, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway registered the IndyCar trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and licensed it to CART, which renamed its championship the IndyCar World Series. All references to the name "CART" were decidedly prohibited, as the series sought to eliminate perceived confusion from casual fans with the term kart. // August 1 — Olympic Marathon, Barcelona (Spain) Womens Winner: Valentina Yegorova (EUN) 2:32:41 August 9 — Olympic Marathon, Barcelona (Spain) Mens Winner: Hwang Young-Cho (KOR) 2:13:23 October 11 — Enschede Marathon, Netherlands Mens Winner: Willie Mtolo (RSA) 2:13:39 Womens Winner: Natalia Repescko... Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate town completely surrounded by Indianapolis) in the United States, is the second-oldest surviving automobile racing track in the world (after the Milwaukee Mile), having existed since 1909, and the original Speedway, the first racing facility historically to incorporate the word. ... PTO headquarters in Alexandria The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides patent and trademark protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and corporate and product identification. ... World Champion Davide Fore demonstrates the 2007 KF1 Zanardi chassis and KF1 at the Paul Ricard in Feb. ...

In 1996 season, the IndyCar mark was the subject of a fierce legal battle. Prior to the 1996 season, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George had created his own national championship racing series, the Indy Racing League. In March of 1996, CART filed a lawsuit against the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in an effort to protect their license to the IndyCar mark which the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had attempted to terminate. In April, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway filed a countersuit against CART to prevent them from further use of the mark. Eventually a settlement was reached in which CART agreed to give up the use of the IndyCar mark following the 1996 season and the IRL could not use the name before the end of the 2002 season. Following a six year hiatus, the IRL announced it would rename their premier series the IRL IndyCar Series for the 2003 racing season. Brickyard Trademarks, Inc., a subsidiary of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation, is the current owner of the IndyCar mark and licenses that mark to the Indy Racing League for use in connection with the IndyCar Series. Use of the IndyCar mark in connection with any other racing series is improper. See also: 1995 in sports, other events of 1996, 1997 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Terry Labonte Rusty Wallace wins the Suzuka NASCAR Thunder 100 at Suzuka City November 24, the first NASCAR... Tony George, born Anton Hulman George on December 30, 1959, is the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... It has been suggested that civil trial be merged into this article or section. ...

IndyCar Series

Main article: IndyCar Series

The IndyCar Series is the name adopted in 2003 for the premier series of the Indy Racing League. Due to the legal settlement with CART, the IRL was unable to utilize the name until the beginning of the 2003 season. With the introduction of the Indy Pro Series in 2002, it was necessary to differentiate the two series. The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. ... The 2003 Indy Racing League season brought some of the biggest changes in its history. ... The Indy Pro Series is a developmental racing series sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. ...

The IRL developed a consistent engine package and chassis rules which have produced some of the closest finishes in any racing series. The series initially raced exclusively on oval tracks, as the league was founded partly in response to the increasing prominence of road and street courses on the CART schedule. In 2005, the series abandoned its unofficial ovals-only stance, and added three road/street course events (Watkins Glen, Infineon and St. Petersburg). For 2007, two more road/street events (Mid-Ohio and Belle Isle) have been added. Road racing can be a term involving road running, road bicycle races, or automobile races. ... Street racing scene. ... Watkins Glen International (nicknamed The Glen) is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. ... Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills. ... The Honda Grand Prix of St. ... IndyCar Series Logo The 2007 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series season began with a night race on Saturday March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Lexington, Ohio. ... The Detroit Indy Grand Prix is an Indy Racing League Indycar Series race held at The Raceway on Belle Isle in Detroit on Labor Day weekend. ...

Controversy

The Indy Racing League may be unique in being the only sporting series in the world to measure opposition by lack of negative attention. The split between Tony George and the CART governing body was extremely acrimonious, and both series have suffered since, as the fan base also split. The 'war' between competing groups of fans is most active now on the Internet, especially on motorsports message boards, and tends to affect any attempts at impartial views of either racing series. Auto racing (also known as automobile racing or autosport) is a sport involving racing automobiles. ...

The most bitter point of conflict between Champ Car and the IRL is the Indianapolis 500, long considered the crown jewel of North American motorsports. After the beginning of the IRL in 1996, Tony George restricted entry of the starting 33 cars to 25 IRL cars from full-time IRL teams, with only eight other cars being permitted to start. In retaliation, CART scheduled what was supposed to become its new showcase event, the U.S. 500, at Michigan International Speedway on the same day, but it drew far less fan interest and was discontinued after its 1999 running. Although modified in 1999, the initial Indy 500 policy toward CART has continued to be held up as proof of George and the IRL's ill-intent towards CART. Since the lifting of the ban, many of the former top teams in CART (now Champ Car) have moved to the IRL and, as they dominated in CART, so do they now tend to dominate in the IRL. “CART” redirects here. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... See also: 1995 in sports, other events of 1996, 1997 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Terry Labonte Rusty Wallace wins the Suzuka NASCAR Thunder 100 at Suzuka City November 24, the first NASCAR... The U.S. 500 was an automobile race sanctioned by CART between 1996 and 1999 at the Michigan International Speedway as an alternative to the Indianapolis 500. ... Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile (3. ... See also: 1998 in sports, other events of 1999, 2000 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics Hicham El Guerrouj sets the new World Record in the mile at the World Championships in Rome. ...

Weak attendance and TV ratings have also plagued the IRL since its inception. While the League's race broadcasts struggle to find an audience, this is counterbalanced by the improved and increased TV coverage and improving attendance at many events. The continuation of the ABC network contract, as well as the establishment of successful races in Texas and Japan, and renewed interest in and attendance at the flagship Indianapolis 500 are seen by some as additional signs of stability. In addition, the IRL has all its races broadcast on XM Satellite Radio, the exclusive satellite radio partner since 2005. Also, the Champ Car series temporarily lost its broadcast network television exposure, and to many its losses equate with IRL's gains, although to many others this is just demonstrative of an overall loss of interest in open-wheel motor racing in North America, engendered at least in part by the IRL/CART split. Some IRL fans have also become disgruntled with the current direction of the series, feeling that its current domination by ex-CART drivers and teams goes against the League's founding principles. Although they believe that the absence of oval-trained open-wheel drivers is primarily to blame for the IRL's woes, it should be pointed out that USAC still runs sprint car races, mainly with developmental drivers, on a regular basis. However, those drivers are more likely to sign contracts with NASCAR teams for financial reasons. “TV” redirects here. ... Rating is a means of classifying things in different categories. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... “XM” redirects here. ... A satellite radio or subscription radio (SR) is a digital radio signal that is broadcast by a communications satellite, which covers a much wider geographical range than terrestrial radio signals. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... World of Outlaws drivers make a Four Abreast lap at the Knoxville Raceway Sprint cars, high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short dirt or paved tracks. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...

Driver safety has also been a major point of concern, with an alarming number of drivers injured, primarily in the early years of the series, some of them seriously, even fatally. Unlike road racing venues, the lack of run-offs on oval tracks, coupled with higher, sometimes far higher, speeds due to the long straightaways and banked turns, means that there is simply far less margin for error. Car design was attributed as a leading cause of early injuries, but the series has made significant and continuous improvements to chassis safety to address these safety concerns as they have become apparent. Following a series of spectacular high-profile accidents in 2003, including American racing legend Mario Andretti and former champion Kenny Bräck, and the death of Tony Renna in testing at Indianapolis, the IRL made additional changes to reduce speeds and increase safety. These included a significant review and changes in the chassis, and a further reduction in engine displacement. As a result, the 2004 season, while still far from perfect, was the safest IRL season to date. Road racing can be a term involving road running, road bicycle races, or automobile races. ... // World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Mens all-around champions: Paul Hamm, USA, Yang Wei, China Womens all-around champion: Svetlana Khorkina, Russia Mens team competition champion: China Womens team competition champion: USA April 13 — Rotterdam Marathon, Netherlands Mens Winner: William Kiplagat (KEN) 2:07:42 Women... Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940 in Montona dIstria, Italy, now Motovun, Croatia) is an Italian American racing driver, and one of the most successful Americans in the history of auto racing. ... Kenny Bräck (born March 21, 1966 in Arvika, Värmland) is a race car driver from Sweden. ... Tony Renna (November 23, 1976-October 22, 2003) was an American race car driver in the Indy Racing League. ...

The IRL was also the first race series to adopt the new SAFER soft wall safety system, which debuted at the Indianapolis 500 and has now been installed at almost all major oval racing circuits. Recognized as one of the most significant improvements ever in racing safety, the SAFER system research and design was supported and funded in large part by the Hulman-George family and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The system's full name, Steel And Foam Energy Reduction, accurately explains the method used to attenuate high-G impacts that in the past led to serious driver injuries. The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier, sometimes called a soft wall, is a new technology found primarily on oval automobile race tracks and intended to make racing accidents safer. ...

The IRL's tenth anniversary season in 2006 was marked by improvements in some arenas and continued difficulties in others. Television ratings for the 2005 Indy 500 were up approximately 40% from the previous year. Almost all of this increase has been attributed to increased interest in the event due to the entry of Danica Patrick, considered to be the first female driver whose team was strong enough to provide her with a competitive, even potentially race-winning car. The predictions of pundits with regard to this seemed accurate when Patrick, despite several "rookie"-type mistakes, actually led a good portion of the final stages of the race, not relinquishing the lead until only seven laps remained and still finishing fourth, the best finish ever for a female driver in the Indy 500. However, as Patrick's season wore on, her unspectacular on-track performance led to a decline in "Danicamania." Still, signs of Patrick's ability to attract new viewers were apparent. Overall television ratings improved 53% from 2004 to 2005, attendance increased 9%, merchandise sales were up 75%, and Web traffic on the series' site rose 162%. According to Joyce Julius and Associates, an independent Ann Arbor, Michigan-based media research firm, sponsors got 57% more exposure during 2005 IRL telecasts than in 2004. The 2006 Indy Racing League season began on March 26 and concluded on September 10. ... Results of the 2005 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 29, 2005. ... Danica Patrick on Pole Day prior to the 2007 Indianapolis 500 Danica Sue Patrick (born March 25, 1982 in Beloit, Wisconsin) is an American auto racing driver competing in the IndyCar Series. ...

In September 2005, the IRL announced its 2006 schedule. The series dropped races at California Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and Pikes Peak International Raceway (the latter due to track closure) and added no new events. The IRL received substantial negative publicity for its "streamlined" schedule. It is believed that this streamlined schedule of 14 races is due to the new NASCAR television contract that will begin in 2007 and the closure of Pikes Peak. ABC/ESPN, which has the broadcast rights for the IRL now, will begin broadcasting NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events in the latter part of 2007. The early conclusion of the IRL season leaves little conflict for the television networks, and the league hopes this will keep ratings strong throughout the season. The California Speedway is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to that of sister track Michigan International Speedway. ... Phoenix International Raceway is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, AZ. It opened in 1964, but wasnt used by NASCAR until 1988, with the first race won by the late Alan Kulwicki. ... Pikes Peak International Raceway is a one mile oval Auto Racing track located in Fountain, Colorado, just south of Colorado Springs. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCARs top racing series. ...

The sharp reduction in manufacturer support for the series in 2006 resulted in a struggle by teams to find financial backing to compete. Several teams, including Panther Racing, were forced to cut back their operations and, in some cases, quit racing activities altogether. This trend continued in 2007, with only 18 full-time competitors (one more than in the rival Champ Car World Series). The 2006 Indy Racing League season began on March 26 and concluded on September 10. ... “CART” redirects here. ...

See also

• 2007 IndyCar Series season
• 2007 IndyPro Series
• List of current Indycar races
• List of Indycar teams
• IRL drivers
• Indianapolis 500
• Indy Pro Series
• ABC Sports Indy Racing (video game)

IndyCar Series Logo The 2007 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series season began with a night race on Saturday March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... Indy Pro Series Logo The 2007 Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series started on Saturday March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... Atlanta Motor Speedway California Speedway Dover International Speedway Gateway International Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Lowes Motor Speedway Nazareth Speedway New Hampshire International Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Pikes Peak International Raceway Walt Disney World Speedway Category: ... This is a list of the teams in the Indycar Series of the Indy Racing League. ... “Indy 500” redirects here. ... The Indy Pro Series is a developmental racing series sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. ... ABC Sports Indy Racing is a racing computer game made in 1997. ...

External links

• IndyCar.com - Official Site
• Indy500.com- Official Site of the Indy 500
• SPEED TV - IRL news from SPEED Channel

References