IRLblog.com

The IRL is getting some more help from mechanical manufacturers.

XTrac, the company that produces gearboxes for the IRL is reducing its cost to help ease current financial troubles. This is good news after the IRL recently announced that the usual three year engine cycle would be extended to five years to help out finances. Financial help usually never comes from outside a company no matter what line of work one could be involved in, the IRL needs all it can get.

“We have been a part of the IRL formula since 2000 and we are willing to share in the pain of the economic crisis,” said Peter Digby, Xtrac’s managing director. “In some cases, we will be offering savings of over 15 percent plus reduced AGS service costs and intervals. This is a big step.”

The combination of saving money on engines and gear boxes will give the IRL a chance to adjust to the hard economic times.

Without the help they have received I wonder how the IRL and its teams would be holding up. Teams should be counting their lucky stars.

“I think it shows what a great partner the Indy Racing League has in Xtrac,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and operations for the sanctioning body. “In these economic times, to help reduce the costs of participation in the IndyCar Series is quite a gesture on their behalf.”

… is definitly what Helio Castroneves should have said when finding out that he would be standing over Scott Dixon on the podium at Chicagoland for placing first at the Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300.   The IRL stated that a faulty transponder in Scott Dixon’s #10 TCGR car was to blame for the erroneous finish at this season’s finale at Chicagoland this past Sunday. Helio Castroneves, although falling short from winning the IndyCar Series Championship by 17 points beat out Scott Dixon by less than 12 inches of asphalt. Scott Dixon was surprised as well as he was climbing out of his car in victory lane to receive his $1 million check and championship trophy. Thank goodness for slow motion replay.