IRL: RHR gets a special win at Long Beach

Fans of open-wheel racing have been clamoring for American drivers, and an American star who could back it up on track. Ryan Hunter-Reay may have answered the call.

The former Dana Point resident won the 36th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, the marquee event in the IZOD IndyCar Series that isn’t the Indianapolis 500. He is guaranteed only another three races in the series, but he’s going to make it difficult for team owner Michael Andretti to park him should funding run dry.

If you would like to read racescribe author Martin Henderson’s story for ESPNLosAngeles.com on Hunter-Reay’s victory at the 2010 Grand Prix of Los Angeles, click here.

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IRL preview: Dario an investment in the future

What’s so special about the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season?

Will Power.

The third driver in the Penske stable should help the Captain, Roger Penske, win a championship.

The key word is should.

Extra technical information should be an advantage to Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe, and there are times when Power will wedge himself between a Penske car and one owned by Chip Ganassi.

But if you’re projecting to early October, the championship comes down to Castroneves, Briscoe and Power vs. Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon.

Franchitti won the title last season. He also won in 2007 while driving for Michael Andretti’s team. In between was his foray into NASCAR, which didn’t go very well. In fact, it went pretty badly, and reflected more poorly on open wheel racers than it should have.

IRL: Taxing, Not Dancing, is Castroneves’ Situation

Any time the federal government decides to press charges against a celebrity, it ain’t for kicks and grins. That’s what makes the Helio Castroneves situation so distressing. It’s reasonable to assume the Feds dotted their I’s and crossed their T’s before trying to make an example of one the sport’s most marketable stars.

Indicted for tax evasion and free on a $10 million bond, Castroneves was at the press conference in which Team Penske announced Will Power will handle preseason testing in Castroneves’ No. 3 prior to the start of the IRL’s Indycar Series.

Team owner Roger Penske had previously indicated that Castroneves didn’t need racing to get in the way of proving his innocence. If he can’t contest the entire season, which begins on April 5, the ride is Power’s. The trial is scheduled to begin March 2.

At the press conference, Castroneves almost apologetically reiterated his innocence, that he was “very confident.”

“I can’t wait for this thing to be over, for me to be back in the race car, do what I love most, which is racing,” Castroneves said.

If those words stand up, Castroneves will almost certainly have an opportunity to win the Indianapolis 500 for the third time.

Yet, it’s not the 500 that needs Castroneves. It’s the 2009 season.