Updated Engine Availability

With three races remaining on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, the league released Wednesday an updated engine availability list for the 25 full-time entries.

#2 - Ryan Briscoe - Begin use on Engine 5 in Sonoma
#3 - Helio Castroneves - On Engine 5
#4 - JR Hildebrand - On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#5 - EJ Viso -  On Engine 4 (1 remaining) 
#6/7 - Katherine Legge/Sebastien Bourdais - On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#8 - Rubens Barrichello - On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#9 - Scott Dixon - On Engine 6
#10 - Dario Franchitti - On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#11 - Tony Kanaan - On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#12 - Will Power - On Engine 5
#14 - Mike Conway - On Engine 5
#15 - Takuma Sato - Begin use on Engine 6 in Sonoma
#18 - Justin Wilson - Begin use on Engine 5 in Sonoma
#19 - James Jakes -  On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#20 - Ed Carpenter -  On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#22 - Oriol Servia -  On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#26 - Marco Andretti -  On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#27 - James Hinchcliffe -  On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#28 - Ryan Hunter-Reay - On Engine 5
#38 - Graham Rahal - On Engine 4 (1 remaining)
#67 - Josef Newgarden - On Engine 5
#77 - Simon Pagenaud -  On Engine 5
#78 - Simona de Silvestro - Begin use on Engine 7 in Sonoma
#83 - Charlie Kimball - Begin use on Engine 5 in Sonoma
#98 - Alex Tagliani - On Engine 5

Sebastian Saavedra will also be penalized 10 grid spots for an unapproved engine change in his last event at Indianapolis.

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Foyt To Field Austin In '500'

A.J. Foyt Racing announced Saturday the signing of Chase Austin to pilot a 2nd entry for the team in next year's Indianapolis 500.

“My son Larry and I have watched Chase drive and we want to give him a chance,” said A.J. Foyt. “What I like about him is that he has driven all types of race cars with different horsepower in his career, and I believe that’s important when evaluating talent. He’s done a real good job in the Lights series, and I believe he can qualify for the Indy 500 with Honda on board.”

The entry is backed by a partnership with American Honda and Starting Grid, Inc., an 18-year-old organization meant to 'facilitate equal opportunities for minority participation within all facets of the motorsports industry'.

“For me to say that I am anything other than excited about this opportunity to compete in the Indianapolis 500 with AJ Foyt Racing and Honda next year, would pretty much be an understatement," said Austin. "However, at the end of the day, I will have a job to do and that is what Chris and A.J. will be expecting out of me.”

With two starts under his belt at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Freedom 100, the Kansas native will attempt to become the 3rd African American to compete in the Indianapolis 500.

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Pantano In For Kimball

Chip Ganassi Racing announced Tuesday that Giorgio Pantano will fill-in for the injured Charlie Kimball this weekend in Mid-Ohio. Kimball was injured in an incident last week at the sports car course suffering a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand.

“I’m very disappointed to miss out on the Mid-Ohio race weekend.  We had such a good race there last year and I was really looking forward to another shot at the podium.  However, I trust the medical professionals at INDYCAR, and we’re making sure I’m back to 100 percent for Sonoma.  We’re lucky to have Giorgio in the seat of the No. 83 car while I’m healing up, and I’ll be there this weekend to help him and the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team."

The Italian Pantano, who ran his first two IZOD IndyCar Series races in 2005 with Chip Ganassi Racing, returned to the series to compete in 3 events last season all with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to be rejoining Chip Ganassi Racing and the IZOD IndyCar Series this weekend at Mid-Ohio.  You never want to have something happen to another driver and I wish Charlie a quick recovery.  Nonetheless, the opportunity is here and I am looking forward to working with the team again and making the best of it.”

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