Danica Patrick to Tryout for Honda’s F1 Team

Danica Patrick started racing in the Indy Racing League in 2005 and she has quickly risen as a star.  She is ultra-competitive in a league that is predominantly male, which has attracted a lot of new attention from females to the sport.  Danica drives for Honda, but after she took 1st place in the Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 race, Honda thinks she may be on track for the Formula 1 series.  Honda will put Danica to the test later this year to see if she is ready for it.  Time will tell, more on this story as information develops.

Source: Yahoo! Sport

Indy to Make the Switch to Turbos

The Indy Racing League has used their 650hp, naturally-aspirated 2.4 liter V8’s since 1997, but drivers and manufacturers alike have been pushing for the ability to use turbos. That call has been heard and answered by the IRL who now plans to make the switch by 2011. The new engine will either be a 4 or 6-cylinder engine producing between 650-750 horsepower, offering up to 100 more horsepower than what is currently used; this will be a big boost for Indy cars power-to-weight ratios.

While Honda is the only manufacturer that currently competes in the IRL, 2-3 more manufacturers may enter the race series if the new engine guidelines are enforced. If more car manufacturers sign on, this could really help the IRL become an even bigger part of the racing world by attracting more fans and more sponsors. The Junkyard will follow this story and keep you updated on any news, so stay tuned!

Photos: IndyCar.com