From the intrepid Curt Cavin at IndyStar.com.

Andretti Green Racing will remain a four-car team even if it loses Dario Franchitti, a team co-owner said Sunday.

Kevin Savoree confirmed a sponsorship program with a company brought to them by the group owned by rock singer Gene Simmons. AGR's drivers were introduced this weekend to the owners of an energy drink company.

Believed to be on it are IndyCar Series veterans Tomas Scheckter, Darren Manning and Vitor Meira. Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd remains a possibility.

You'd never know it from the glove-throwing incident in Texas, but I'm told Scheckter and Young Marco are total buds. Not sure if that makes Tomas the front-runner, but if Dario is indeed gone for 2008 then it's time for some serious musical chairs.

And, did Gene Simmons actually DO SOMETHING? What the...?

Folks, our good buddy MoneyCJ has called in to say his internet connection is toast. Ain't happening. As pressdog would say, she's BLOWN UP, sir.

So, since I personally need to congregate with some fans during this most glorious finale, I am inviting all of you (gasp!) to IM me during the race. I will be here, doing my best Money impersonation, but without the four-letter-words. Which pretty much makes me the anti-Money. Sorry.

All right, everyone. Time to buckle up. Here we go.


PRE-RACE:

ESPN says this is a two-driver race. Oops, sorry Tony.

They gotta be bummed that Dario may be leaving the series. There won't be anything to do with all of the Flying Franchitti footage.

2: Well, there go the Penske cars to the lead. Buh-bye, guys.

8: ESPN busts out the POINTS NOW for the whole race. Nice. No math required on my part.

12: Penskes, Ganassis and Mr Judd pulling away. Danica around Kanaan for 6th.

18: RaceCast indicates Kanaan has pulled off. What the...?

24: Brienne Pedigo is telling me "as you can see" Kanaan had a puncture. Sorry, Bree. All I see is a nosecone.

28: Both TCGR cars around Franchitti. Pullllllllllling away.

33: Here comes Marco to help Franchitti. If you have fingernails, start chewing them now.

34: Nevermind - Marco wrecked.

deBASHmode (1:22:37 PM): DAMN! MARCO!
deBASHmode (1:22:59 PM): (Had ta swear - CJ'd be all sailor on this one...)
MyNameIsIRL (1:23:17 PM): LOL- Marco is his own worst enemy
MyNameIsIRL (1:23:46 PM): Or in this case, his car is.

36: Looks like Scheckter got collected as well. The pain at Chicagoland starts early this year.

38: Dixon witha SICK 6.8s pit stop. Only picks up one spot though. These guys (and gals) are that good.

40: My bad - Dixon picked up two spots. Helio, Dixon, Sam, Wheldon, Dario, SHARP!

tankyxtrordinare (1:27:20 PM): So what did Marco do??
MyNameIsIRL (1:27:45 PM): looks like something broke, sent him into the wall then sliding down
tankyxtrordinare (1:27:47 PM): ohhh
MyNameIsIRL (1:27:54 PM): don't think it was his fault
MyNameIsIRL (1:28:02 PM): he was charging like Paris Hilton at Nieman Marcus
tankyxtrordinare (1:28:04 PM): that sucks.... I hope i didn't jinx him though :/
MyNameIsIRL (1:28:18 PM): how so?
tankyxtrordinare (1:28:50 PM): i was talking to my sister about his season and i said, "watch i'll get a DNF at Chicagoland.... as a cycle.... begin with a DNF end with a DNF"
MyNameIsIRL (1:29:44 PM): so it's your fault. nice!

44: Green flag and Quattro is in 8th!

53: Danica and Sharp are battling each other for 6th. I'm sure after Detroit their BFFs.

58: Hideki Mutoh is in 9th. Color me impressed.

60: Helio and Sam are 1-2. Come on, Marty. Say "lock step". Say it!

67: RaceCast says PJ Chesson is 27 laps back. Because...?

63: Heeeeeere comes Danica! Right behind Franchitti in 6th.

72: Marty just said Scott Sharp leads all drivers with laps completed this year. All but 22 laps. I'd have a shot of Patron now but that stuff is expensive.

75: Scheckter seems to be back, albeit one lap back. Darren Manning is four laps back. Because...?

80: Danica is now back over two seconds. A five-horse race again.

81: Let's talk Dancing with the Stars. Oy. Julianne Hough appears to have HUGE racer-sized sunglasses. Get her in a car?

deBASHmode (1:48:58 PM): Severe handling issues in traffic for Manning
deBASHmode (1:49:14 PM): He's out.
MyNameIsIRL (1:49:23 PM): bummer

93: Everybody has pit and no one in the top 5 changes. Helio, Sam, Dixon, Wheldon, Dario. Lock-lock-lock-lock-step.

deBASHmode (1:51:05 PM): Radio's talking about electrical issues for Tomas and Ed, both in the pits
deBASHmode (1:52:43 PM): Both Vision cars are headed to the garage

Vision cars? Marty and Scott are not familiar with Vision cars.

98: Kanaan is up to 8th, 8 seconds back. Impossible!

102: We're halfway through and we have a "pass of the race?" Whatever. Sam passes Helio for the lead.

111: Hey ladies, MoneyCJ has a new show. "Dirty Sexy Money" this fall on ABC.

117: Dario is now two seconds back of the lead group of four. Insert ominous music here.

120: Money just called. Said he was so upset he couldn't LiveBlog that he went and got a tattoo. I am totally not making that up.

124: Sam Hornish Jr was just saying in one of those spotlight bits. I think he's on cold medication. WAKE UP, Sam!

deBASHmode (2:08:56 PM): Bet PJ's getting another tatoo also, while the Dussault team tries to track dow TWO mirrors for his car. (Green monster got hungry, I think.)
MyNameIsIRL (2:09:38 PM): is that what happened? more Dallara mirror failure?
deBASHmode (2:09:53 PM): yeah, BOTH mirrors. Freaky.

136: Speaking of Mirrors, the Mirror Man goes into the wall and brings out the yellow. That would leave Dario as the ONLY car on the lead lap since he didn't pit. More ominous music, but for Dixon this time.

139: Replay shows a nice move by Sharp to squeeeeeze by Meira. Another virtual Patron shot here.

141: RaceCast is showing Dixon in the lead. No freaking way, folks. Dario is at the back of the whole yellow-flag group but he's a lap ahead of everyone.

144: SAFER barrier repairs required. Marty says Franchitti will be the leader when the "wave by" occurs. Smells like Lucky Dogs for everyone.

147: Dixon tops off to try to make the distance. Dario follows suit. So much for the Iceman's attempt at strategy.

151: Green again. Dixon apparently IS the leader. Makes no sense. I'm watching under protest.

158: Dario is dropping like a brick. Hornish and Danica past Franchitti.

161: Sam boldly charges to the lead. Hornish, Dixon, Wheldon, Helio, Dario, Danica, Kanaan. Shocking group, I know.

175: No lead changes but Hideki Mutoh - who is a lap down - has pulled up and is dicing with the lead group. "Welcome to the party, pal!"

183: Kanaan has dropped back (pitting?) and Sharp has taken his place. Hornish is pitting for fuel. Bye, Sam.

186: Helio pitting. Dixon, Wheldon, Franchitti, Danica on the lead.

192: Same lead group of four.

193: Wheldon and Danica peel off.

194: DANICA SLIDES ON PIT ROAD! YELLOW! The Bryan Herta maneuver.

evlk7 (2:48:33 PM): Nice work Danica....scream on the radio some more
MyNameIsIRL (2:49:16 PM): hand gestures always help

197: "This is gonna be a two lap shootout". Hang on, everybody. Dixon, Franchitti to the finish. Literally. Win the race, win the title.

200: DIXON RUNS OUT OF FUEL IN TURN 3! DARIO WINS! I MAY PASS OUT!

deBASHmode (2:52:29 PM): HOLY HAGGIS CANNOLI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

joeb (2:53:10 PM): well, that deserves a HFS

evlk7 (2:55:04 PM): There can be only one...(cue Highlander theme music)

POST-RACE:

Dario has run out of Ethanol somewhere on the track. He's chillin with a bottle of water, chatting up the Delphi Safety Team. Ashley is hugging everyone since "my husband" is the winner. She is sans the hat, which by my count makes him 2-0 in hatless races (counting Indy, of course)

Now Ashley is wearing a Scottish flag as a scarf. Yikes. Calls him "Dario", but then "My Sweet Little Husband"! Oh. My. Now she's calling out Milka, saying to get off the track. I smell a cagematch.

Dixon still finishes in second as the only other car on the lead lap. Hornish and Helio third and fourth. Mutoh 8th! (Beware Gozilla in 2008!)

And of course the perfect ending is that Brian Barnhart isn't here to give Dario the trophy. Alien abduction. Jack Arute represents - doing it ALL.


Congrats to Dario, but I'm winded. I don't know how MoneyCJ does it. Livebloggin' ain't easy. HUGE THANKS to all of the folks who enjoyed the race here with me. That's all, folks - I'll have a recap up later. Drive safely everyone.

Congratulations to Indiana's own Logan Gomez, who won the Chicagoland 100 Indy Pro race by 1.65 inches. I don't care what kind of racing you prefer, having a race decided by 0.0005 seconds is incredible. We may need a new word to describe a finish this tightly contested - something like thscls.

The 19-year-old Gomez's first IPS win came at the expense of his glorious teammate, Alex Lloyd, who was likely competing in his final IPS race. Lloyd seems confident he is headed for the IndyCar series in 2008, and considering he won 7 races at the lower level this year one can hardly argue with his awesomeness.

Of note, Robbie Pecorari - who drives for Sammy Hagar's Team KMA - finished an impressive third. My Name Is IRL chatterbox Mike Potekhen stormed up to fifth, and Leilani Munter finished 13th after spinning out at the start of the race. Zero points of flair for that one.

Also, Jimmy Kite finished 10th, although he was called out by Adam Andretti for chopping him off and ending his day. Lots of yellow laps, including a flip by Wade Cunningham, who of course drives an Andretti Green IPS car. Further proof AGR cars have ailerons.

Sorry friends, no favorites this week. I can only give you these few facts on the three drivers that are contending for the championship in the spectacular finale of the Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 (presented by Mr Clean, too) on Sunday.

Tony Kanaan has won twice times on 1.5-mile ovals this season and has four career wins on 1.5 mile ovals.

Scott Dixon's only win on a 1.5-mile oval was at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2003.

Dario Franchitti has yet to win on a 1.5-mile oval. Ever.

Dixon has earned all of 5 more points than Franchitti on 1.5 mile ovals in 2007.

Kanaan has earned 188 points on 1.5 mile ovals in 2007 (26 more than Dixon and 31 more than Franchitti).

Starting the first three rows:
1. (27) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 214.646
2. (6) Sam Hornish Jr., Dallara-Honda, 214.492
3. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 214.380
4. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 214.310
5. (10) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 214.246
6. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 214.217

Check out those speeds - they're all within a tenth of a second on lap times. Oh, and this too just for fun.

13. (60) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 212.234

I'm. So. Ready. See you at MoneyCJ's place at FastMachines for the LiveBlog.

Our buddy pressdog is providing live coverage of all of the festivities from Chicagoland Speedway this weekend.

The Sultan of Sarcasm is even reporting from his motel, where he was nearly mauled by a Doberman.

Yes friends, all dogs are not created equal. Go there now.

He's NOT going to Penske, but...

Chip Ganassi Racing is expected to announce next week that Dario Franchitti will drive the No. 40 Energizer Dodge in 2008, sources told FOXSports.com.

Franchitti, 34, who won the 2007 Indianapolis 500 with Andretti-Green, currently leads CGR driver Scott Dixon by three points in the Indy Racing League Series with the season finale scheduled for this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.

Franchitti will participate in a training program similar to the one Juan Pablo Montoya (who beat Franchitti for the 1999 CART title) used to prepare for his rookie season. Franchitti will drive in a variety of series, including NASCAR's Busch Series in Ganassi's No. 42 Dodge. (MORE from FoxSports.com)

Maybe this is why Michael Andretti was yelling at Chip so much after Detroit. Or why Dario was so non chalant about the late incident with Scott Dixon. Or both.

My head hurts. I need to lie down.

The intrepid Curt Cavin gives a double-secret probation update.

(Brian) Barnhart said Helio Castroneves will not be punished for crashing Tomas Scheckter even though all of the Indy-car drivers are on probation for rough driving. "It looked more like an error in judgment rather than frustration (by Castroneves)," Barnhart said.

Maybe Security Chief Charles dispensed the necessary justice when he clamped onto Helio's arm and rapidly escorted the limping Castroneves away from a possible scuffle with Scheckter. Charles IS THE LAW.

(Also notice in that video how Dan Wheldon gives Tony Kanaan a kiss on the head. What's with all the kissing!?! Indy maybe, but Detroit? Come on!)

Cavin also notes that:

Twenty-one participants are expected at this weekend's race: the 18 regulars plus the two cars of Roth Racing (for Marty Roth and P.J. Chesson) and the third from Super Aguri Panther Racing (Indy Pro Series driver Hideki Mutoh). Rookie Milka Duno was scheduled to participate, but Barnhart has been told "she's questionable."

Indeed she is.

UPDATE: But wait, there’s more discussion of competitive shenanigans with the less-than-Iron Hand of Justice in the USA Today.

"I think everyone understands what is accepted and what is not," Barnhart says. "It is in everyone's best interest to perform within the code of ethics that is expected of everyone. It is an important issue from our standpoint as we balance the integrity of our sport with the competitive nature of these teams and what they are trying to accomplish this weekend."

"We've been talking about this at great lengths for the last several events, and our position is not going to change," Barnhart says.

And that position would be...what? Please feel free to PUBLICLY EXPLAIN any of this wink-wink, nudge-nudge policy at some point.

Sarah Fisher checks in with her (sorta) weekly column for ESPN.com, saying that lately she’s been tanning and planning in avid preparation for “more wedding crap”. Of note near the end:

The offseason is two weeks from now, after the wedding and after Hawaii. I'm excited to continue to build and grow our program for 2008.

Hmm. Gotta wonder after her comments a few weeks ago if “our program” is inclusive of Dreyer & Reinbold. Don't see D&R mentioned anywhere in that sentence.

Also, do you think she’s booked the Indy limo for this occasion?

I’m sorry Mr King, but you just said what?

Q. Is Sam Hornish Jr. going to leave the IndyCar Series to drive stock cars in 2008?

A. No. And here's why. Sam really loves four things: his wife Crystal, his family, Northwest Ohio and racing. Sam and Crystal are expecting their first child Feb. 10. If you think that Sam would leave Crystal to drive a race car in late January or early February, then allow me to laugh out loud. Sam and Crystal would be miserable if they had to move to North Carolina, away from their respective families (in fact, I'm not sure they would ever consider moving, which would make the stock car scenario pretty tough to pull off).

Sam still has some mountains to climb in the IndyCar Series. He is regarded as the oval meister, but unlike his mentor, Rick Mears, Sam has yet to master a road or street course. Lastly, money will not be the determining factor in the decision. Make no mistake, 2007 has been tough on Sam. He has had to deal with a bumper crop of bad breaks and many drivers that I've talked to say Sam's reaction time has been negatively affected by the time he's spent trying to adapt to racing a 3,400-pound stock car. My prediction? Sam Hornish Jr. returns to the IndyCar Series next season loaded for bear with, not one, but two teammates: Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe.

Three Team Penske drivers? That’s a bold statement, but then this was just as bold. Ahem.

Clearly the tension among the championship contenders isn't THAT high.



There's also one with Dixon ambushing Kanaan's suit. Unfortunately it's about as funny as itching powder. Come on - as if Nariz doesn't ALREADY drive like he's got a bad rash.