Auto Racing Capsules: IndyCar returns to Milwaukee for June 16 race
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The IndyCar Series is returning to the Milwaukee Mile after all.
A marketing company led by former Indy driver and current team owner Michael Andretti announced Friday it will promote a race weekend at the one-mile oval June 15-16. The race will be held Saturday afternoon, and the two-day event is expected to include a concert and other entertainment.
The Milwaukee Mile is one of the nation's most historic tracks, but it originally was left off the 2012 IndyCar schedule that was announced in December.
"Andretti Sports Marketing is excited about promoting IndyFest at the Milwaukee Mile," said Andretti, who won at Milwaukee five times as a driver and three more times as a team owner. "It's a historic track in a great city, and it's a place that has always been a favorite for my family. But, more importantly, it's an ideal track for Indy cars and always produces exciting racing for the fans."
The Andretti-led effort will try to succeed where a string of promoters have failed in recent years.
The Milwaukee Mile withdrew from hosting major racing events in 2010 after previous track promoters ran into financial problems and the Wisconsin State Fair Park board of directors, which oversees the track, could not find a suitable replacement.
A new promoter was found to bring IndyCar back to Milwaukee last year, but the Father's Day race — held on Sunday — drew one of the smallest crowds of the season.
"It is essential that we keep The Milwaukee Mile's legacy alive, and we stand committed to continuing its IndyCar racing heritage," IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. "We know there are passionate IndyCar fans in Wisconsin that want to see a successful event at the track. Together with Andretti Sports Marketing, we can deliver great racing at a great value to the loyal fans in the area while adding to the storied history of The Mile."
The Milwaukee Mile has held auto racing events since 1903. Although it began hosting NASCAR races in 1984, it is most closely linked to Indy-style racing.
NASCAR dropped it from its Nationwide and Truck Series schedules at the end of the 2009 season and has not been back.
IndyCar puts Carpenter, Penske in Leaders Circle
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — One car each from Ed Carpenter Racing and Jay Penske's Lotus Dragon Racing team have been selected as the final two members of the IndyCar Leaders Circle program.
Eighteen of the 20 cars finished in the top 22 in entrants points last season, and on Friday series officials exercised their option to award money to two additional teams planning to run full-time schedules in 2012. Each club member will receive about $1.1 million if the cars qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and the race in China, and will compete for bonuses ranging from $35,000 for first place to $10,000 for fifth at each race with the exception of Indy.
Non-members will earn bonuses ranging from $80,000 for the highest finishing car to $26,000 for the fifth-highest finishing car.
NHRA
Tasca tops Funny Car field at NHRA Winternationals
POMONA, Calif. (AP) — Bob Tasca raced to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in Funny Car on Friday in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway.
Morgan Lucas led the Top Fuel field, and Mike Edwards topped the Pro Stock competition after the second round of qualifying.
Tasca had a 4.109-second pass at 309.34 mph on Friday in his Ford Mustang. Courtney Force, the 23-year-old daughter of 15-time NHRA champion John Force, was eighth in her first NHRA Funny Car event. John Force as sixth.
Defending Top Fuel event winner Lucas led the field Friday with a 3.835-second pass at 316.38 mph, but topped the standings with his Thursday run of 3.832 seconds at 320.28 mph. Edwards' Thursday mark of 6.545 seconds at 211.86 mph also stood up.
There are two more rounds of qualifying Saturday and the final eliminations are Sunday.
Formula One
Ferrari's Alonso ends 1st F1 test with fastest lap
JEREZ, Spain (AP) — Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished with the fastest session Friday in Formula One's first preseason test. The Spanish two-time world champion had a quickest lap of 1 minute, 18.877 seconds to go seven-tenths faster than the field.
The Italians rallied from a subdued start with the second fastest time this week among 2012 designs. Alonso's running was restricted to 39 laps because of a hydraulics problem.
Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso was second Friday ahead of defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, whose best lap was 1:19.606.
Lewis Hamilton was fourth for McLaren in front of Lotus' Romain Grosjean, whose quickest lap on Thursday has so far set the pace for the 2012 cars.
