Briscoe has edge in tight points battle

Ryan Briscoe is the first driver to hold the points lead for more than one race, maintaining three-point advantages after Texas and Iowa. Prior to that, a different driver had been atop the standings after every race. Leaders after each race have been Briscoe (St. Petersburg), Dario Franchitti (Long Beach), Tony Kanaan (Kansas), Franchitti (Indianapolis), Scott Dixon (Milwaukee) and Briscoe (Texas, Iowa). Briscoe has finished second in each of the last three races, but he’s picked up six bonus points by leading the most laps in each of those races. Can Briscoe continue to score enough points to hold the points lead?

Andretti Green’s turn?

Andretti Green Racing hopes to return to Victory Lane for the first time since Tony Kanaan’s win at Richmond last June. AGR drivers have won the last two races at Richmond (Dario Franchitti, 2007), and its drivers have led 506 of the last 550 laps at the track. Will Richmond be the site of another AGR win?

Dreyer & Reinbold on a roll

Tomas Scheckter (6th) and Mike Conway (8th) both finished in the top 10 at Iowa, marking the first time two Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers scored top 10s in the same race since the 2008 Indianapolis 500. Conway will be making his first start at Richmond, but Scheckter has a history of strong runs at the “bullring.” Scheckter finished fourth at Richmond in 2002 and 2005 and seventh in 2006 and 2007. DRR finished fifth at Richmond in 2007 with driver Buddy Rice and eighth last year with Townsend Bell. Will DRR continue its hot streak at Richmond?

Is all forgiven?

Race car drivers have long memories. In 2005, current teammates Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti had contact during the SunTrust Indy Challenge. Dixon’s race ended with a last-place finish, while Franchitti continued on to a second-place finish. How does the recollection of the incident by the teammates and friends differ?

Drivers ready for return to the bullring

Thirteen drivers competed at Richmond for the first time last year with three of those drivers – Oriol Servia, Justin Wilson and E.J. Viso – recording top-10 finishes. Wilson, Viso and others from last year return for another round with three first-timers joining the action. How much will it help these drivers to have a year of experience under their belts as they return to Richmond?

Moraes much improved on ovals

What a difference a year makes. Last year, Mario Moraes headed to Richmond with six races on ovals behind him. Average starting position – 24th. Average finish – 18.5. Moraes started 20th last year at Richmond and finished 17th. Year two has been much better for the 20-year-old. He’s qualified in the top seven at Kansas, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Texas, and he’s recorded top-10 finishes at Milwaukee and Texas. Will he continue his success at Richmond?

Race Notes:

The SunTrust Indy Challenge will be the ninth IndyCar Series event at Richmond International Raceway. Past winners Tony Kanaan (2008), Dario Franchitti (2007), Helio Castroneves (2005), Dan Wheldon (2004) and Scott Dixon (2003) are entered in the event.

Helio Castroneves has won two poles at Richmond (2004, 2006). Tony Kanaan (2008), Scott Dixon (2003) and Jaques Lazier (2001) also have won poles at Richmond.

Seventeen drivers entered in the event have competed in previous races at Richmond. Six of those drivers have led laps: Dario Franchitti (377), Scott Dixon (206), Helio Castroneves (187), Tony Kanaan (174), Marco Andretti (90) and Dan Wheldon (58).

Helio Castroneves has four podium finishes at Richmond in seven starts.

Scott Dixon has two consecutive podium finishes at Richmond.

Dario Franchitti has three consecutive podium finishes at Richmond.

Tomas Scheckter has three consecutive top-10 finishes at Richmond.

Dan Wheldon has finished in the top 10 in all six starts at Richmond, including four top-fives.

Season-to-Date:

·         Twenty-four drivers have recorded top-10 finishes.

·         Fourteen drivers have recorded top-five finishes.

·         The top 10 drivers in points come from five teams.

·         Ryan Briscoe is the only driver to be running at the finish of all seven races and the only driver who has completed all 1,288 laps. Briscoe also leads all drivers with 509 laps led.

·         E.J. Viso is the only full-time driver who has not been running at the finish in 2009.

·         Team Penske has had at least one of its cars finish in the top two of every race.

·         Ryan Briscoe earned his third career victory and Team Penske’s 30th IndyCar Series victory in the season opener at St. Petersburg.

·         Dario Franchitti earned his ninth career victory and Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s 25th IndyCar Series victory in the race at Long Beach.

·         Ryan Hunter-Reay gave Vision Racing its best-ever finish with a second at St. Petersburg.

·         Justin Wilson gave Dale Coyne Racing its best-ever IndyCar Series finish with a third at St. Petersburg.

·         Andretti Green Racing placed all four drivers in the top 10 at Kansas for the first time since Milwaukee 2006.

·         Helio Castroneves became the ninth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three times or more. The win gave Castroneves at least one victory in a record nine seasons and a victory from the pole in a record eight consecutive seasons.

·         Scott Dixon’s win at Milwaukee gives him two or more victories in three consecutive seasons.

·         Tony Kanaan recorded back-to-back DNF’s at Indianapolis and Milwaukee for the first time in 103 IndyCar Series starts.

·         Dreyer & Reinbold Racing placed two drivers in the top 10 at Iowa for the first time since the 2008 Indianapolis 500.

·         For the second consecutive season, four different drivers won the season’s first four races.

Milestones & Records:

Tony Kanaan will attempt to make his 105th consecutive start, the active leader among IndyCar Series drivers.Scott Dixon has 22 consecutive top-10 starts, and Ryan Briscoe has 15 consecutive top-10 starts. Sam Hornish Jr. holds the record with 32.Scott Dixon ranks second with 18 career victories. Sam Hornish Jr. holds the record with 19.Andretti Green Racing’s next victory will be its 35th. The team ranks first in the IndyCar Series.Team Penske has 32 IndyCar Series victories.Target Chip Ganassi Racing has 28 IndyCar Series victories.A victory in 2009 will give Tony Kanaan a victory in seven consecutive seasons, becoming the fourth driver to do so.Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves have 69 career top-five finishes, the most in IndyCar Series history.Helio Castroneves has 93 top-10 finishes, the most in IndyCar Series history.Helio Castroneves has led 76 races, the most in IndyCar Series history.Helio Castroneves has at least one race victory in each of the last nine seasons, an IndyCar Series record.Helio Castroneves has at least one victory from the pole in each of the last eight seasons, an IndyCar Series record. His eight career wins from the pole is also a record.Helio Castroneves has 27 career poles, the most in IndyCar Series history.Helio Castroneves ranks second all-time with 104 races running at the finish. Scott Sharp holds the record with 111.Helio Castroneves ranks second all-time with 3,202 laps led. Sam Hornish Jr. holds the record with 3,428.

Schedule (all times local):

Friday, June 26

1-2:30 p.m. – IndyCar Series practice

5:30 p.m. – PEAK Performance Pole Qualifying

9-9:30 p.m. – IndyCar Series practice

Saturday, June 27

8 p.m. – SunTrust Indy Challenge pre-race

8:45 p.m. – SunTrust Indy Challenge (300 laps/225 miles)