ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Not less than six drivers with IndyCar roots will compete within the second season of Tony Stewart’s all-star racing league, together with a stunning one-off look by a present Staff Penske driver.
Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden was given permission by Penske to race within the Famous person All-Star Expertise on July 9 at Nashville Fairgrounds, his house observe in Tennessee.
Don Hawk, employed final month as CEO forward of the second season of SRX, informed The Related Press on Wednesday he has commitments from a half-dozen IndyCar drivers. Hawk mentioned he was attending Sunday’s season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida, for extra discussions.
“I see an enormous worth in signing IndyCar drivers, previous and current,” Hawk mentioned. “They seem to be a complement to SRX as they carry celebrity expertise and passions to followers of every kind of racing.”
Hawk mentioned former champion Paul Tracy and Marco Andretti, who has once more entered this yr’s Indianapolis 500, have each dedicated to the complete six-race schedule. Each ran the complete SRX schedule final yr.
They are going to be joined by former IndyCar champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, who misplaced his experience with Andretti Autosport and has time to run all six SRX races. Hunter-Reay can be slated to drive the 12 Hours of Sebring sports activities automobile race for Chip Ganassi Racing subsequent month.
Tony Kanaan will run 5 SRX races, and Helio Castroneves will run three — each Brazilian drivers have been a part of SRX’s first season. Hawk mentioned that Ernie Francis Jr., who parlayed a win in an SRX race final season right into a experience this yr in Indy Lights, will race twice.
Hawk didn’t disclose whether or not any NASCAR drivers might be becoming a member of the SRX subject this season. He mentioned SRX is exploring the power to get Robert Wickens right into a race. Wickens suffered a spinal wire harm in a 2019 crash and returned to racing solely final month in a sports activities automobile occasion in Daytona. His automobile was outfitted with hand controls.
SRX was conceived by Stewart and Ray Evernham, each NASCAR Corridor of Famers. The collection pits all-star drivers towards each other in Evernaham’s equally ready automobiles. SRX races stay on CBS over six summer time Saturday nights at historic tracks within the grassroots racing motion.
Final yr, within the sixth and remaining race, then-NASCAR champion Chase Elliott beat his 65-year-old father, Invoice Elliott, the night time earlier than a Cup Sequence race and Stewart was topped the primary SRX champion.