Friday, Oct. 1, 2004 | 9:29 a.m.
Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at [email protected] or (702) 259-4089.
Sam Hornish Jr. must have had a strange feeling when he walked into the paddock at California Speedway this morning.
For the first time in the three years the Indy Racing League has been racing in Fontana, Hornish is not in contention for the series championship going into the penultimate race of the season.
Hornish, a two-time IRL champion who moved from Panther Racing to Marlboro Team Penske during the winter, is seventh in points and out of the championship race. After winning at least three races each of the past three seasons, Hornish has only one victory in 2004 -- in the season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"Obviously ... we had high hopes and were obviously expecting a little bit more than what we've ended up getting this year," Hornish said as he prepared for Sunday's Toyota Indy 400, which he has won the past two years.
"I've been pretty lucky to be able to have three good years where even though we had problems at the beginning of 2003, we were fighting for a championship all three years. To win two championships was great, and I think next year we're going to be stronger than we've ever been."
Hornish's struggles this year can be tied to the performance of the Toyota engine this season. Toyota's only victory this season came in the season opener; rival Honda has won the past 13 races. The top three drivers in IRL points all are powered by Honda engines -- a fact not lost on Hornish.
"If we were getting really beaten up by a couple other Toyota teams, I would say that we are not doing our job," Hornish said. But (teammate Helio Castroneves) and I are the top two Toyota cars in the championship right now. So, when we look at that, we know that we're doing the best that we can do at this point in time.
"I know that (Toyota is) doing the best that they can do, also. We're just not where we need to be. That's unfortunate for us but we'll keep working at it 'til we get to where we need to be at."
Tony Kanaan, with three victories and 13 top-five finishes in 14 races, can clinch the IRL championship by finishing fourth or better in Sunday's race. Kanaan holds a 75-point lead over Andretti Green Racing teammate Dan Wheldon after 14 of 16 races.
Penske Racing South president Don Miller said Blount, 25, is not being auditioned as a possible replacement for Rusty Wallace, who is retiring at the end of the 2005 season, or Brendan Gaughan, a Las Vegas native who is rumored to be in jeopardy of losing his ride in the No. 77 Kodak Dodge.
"We are not grooming anyone for Rusty Wallace's or Brendan Gaughan's seat," Miller said. "This is simply a reward for a job well done.
"Chad has done an outstanding job testing cars for DaimlerChrysler and for us and, therefore, deserves this chance we are giving him at Talladega."
Blount's only other Nextel Cup start came at Chicagoland Speedway in July in a car owned by John Carter and Roger Craven. Blount qualified 37th but dropped out after only three laps due to electrical problems and finished 43rd.
"I am very honored that DEI asked me to drive the car at Talladega," Wallace said. "It's great to be back in the No. 1 Chevrolet again; it was probably the best time of my career when I drove the car before and I hated to leave.
"I know I am going to have a big part in Talladega. The same crew that helped get Ron Fellows to a second-place finish at Watkins Glen is going to be helping me. (DEI director of motor sports) Richie Gilmore, DEI and Michael Waltrip have been great through all this and I can't wait to get there."
Wallace, who drove for DEI on an interim basis in 2001 and 2002, has made three Nextel Cup starts this season. His best finish was 25th at Bristol Motor Speedway in August.
Bill Weber, who serves as the pre-race host and a pit reported on NBC's and TNT's NASCAR telecasts, will fill in for Bestwick as the play-by-play announcer at Talladega.
The elder Lewis cited a lack of sponsorship as the reason for closing the team.
"Regretfully, Lewis Motorsports cannot continue to operate without sponsorship past the final event at the Homestead-Miami Speedway," he said. "Our sponsorship search has been unsuccessful, so we have no choice but to close the doors at the end of the season.
"With the rising costs of racing, it is hard for an independent team, without additional resources, to make it these days. It is only fair that we give our employees time to find jobs within the industry before next season."
Lewis Jr. is 11th in points and has posted four top-10 finishes in 27 races this season. His best finish this year was fifth at Chicagoland Speedway in July.
Among the riders confirmed to compete in the 250cc class include defending Maxxis U.S. Open champion Chad Reed, reigning THQ World Supercross GP champion Heath Voss, three-time THQ AMA Supercross Series champion Ricky Carmichael, Kevin Windham, Travis Pastrana and Mike LaRocco.
Tickets can be purchased at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office or online at www.ussx.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
More than 1,200 competitors will be racing for more than $120,000 in prize money in the eight-day event. IJSBA World Championships will be presented in 34 classes as well as Pro Freestyle and Amateur Freestyle.
The event also will feature freestyle motocross, skateboarding, BMX and mini-moto racing as well as live concerts and an interactive lifestyle festival spread over 12 acres.
Additional information and a complete schedule of events can be found at www.ijsba.com.
The event is free to spectators and the public is invited to join in the racing by registering at www.scootercross.com. Racing will be in multiple classes from Junior to Pro, as well as Veteran (ages 35 and older). Qualifying will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16 and finals will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17.
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