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Wow! Who would have thought that the 2008 IndyCar season would be as eventful as memorable as it turned out to be. It will definitely go down in history as one to remember. From the last minute Champ Car merger weeks before the season opener at Homestead Miami Speedway all the way through Helio Castroneves drive from last place to first place at the season finale at Chicagoland Speedway. This year has also been a year of firsts. Graham Rahal went on to become the youngest winner in open wheel history with his first IndyCar Series start on the Streets of St. Petersburg. Danica Patrick went on to be the first female in open wheel history to win an event, doing so at Twin Ring Motegi when she passed Helio Castroneves with just a few laps left in her 50th IndyCar Series start and Ana Beatriz became the first woman in the Firestone Indy Lights to win an event at Nashville Superspeedway. It is going to be tough to top the eventful history making 2008 season.

It was a long trip for IndyCar Series teams for a non-points race in beautiful Surfer’s Paradise Australia. The teams and drivers did not hold back at all on the 2.795 mile street circuit. Ryan Briscoe pulled off a first place victory followed by Scott Dixon and Ryan Hunter-Reay rounding up the top 3. The question is, will the IRL return to Surfers Paradise next season. The racing proves to be fast and the teams love being there. The only negative side to this would be the cost. The IRL already travels overseas to race at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. Having two overseas races might sway teams from trying to start an IndyCar program. If these smaller teams were to not attend these races they would lose out in the IRL’s TEAMS program. Many have even called the race at Twin Ring Motegi, Honda’s corporate picnic. If the IRL does decide to keep an overseas venue, then perhaps they should go with Surfers Paradise and scrap Japan. Let’s not forget Motegi almost did not happen this year due to rain. The fact that it is an oval only allows for racing in dry conditions. Australia, which is a street circuit, can be run rain or shine.