The PULSE on ESPNEWS (Sat., 1-4pm)

...Cutler: NFL draft QB prospect Mary Carillo: ESPN tennis analyst Tomas Scheckter: Indy Racing League driver Marco Andretti: Indy Racing League driver PJ Chesson: Indy Racing League driver Vince Van Patten: World Poker Tour...

Chat: Futaba Freedom 100 Winner

...on ESPN2 from 2-4 p.m. ET on Friday. The field includes Al Unser and Marco Andretti. The race winner will stop by to chat approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the...

Castroneves' uncertain future putting the pinch on Team Penske

Roger Penske is playing the waiting game with Helio Castroneves. Does the IndyCar Series team owner fill Helio's seat now or wait till the driver stands trial on tax-evasion charges? That's a tough one, writes John Oreovicz.

Franchitti, Wheldon, Meira debut with new teams at Australia's Gold Coast

It wasn't all fun and games at Surfers Paradise. For some IndyCar Series teams, the exhibition race on the streets of Australia's Gold Coast was a chance to get acquainted with their new drivers -- or in Dario Franchitti's case, renew old friendships, writes John Oreovicz.

Race drivers Marco Andretti, left, and Danica Patrick wait for the start of practice on the final day of qualifications...

Champ Car-IndyCar merger beefed up car numbers, series credibility

Year 1 in the open-wheel unification went about as well as can be expected. Car counts were up. So were fan attendance and TV ratings. And the racing was pretty good, too. The true test, however, will come in 2009, writes John Oreovicz.

2008 campaign offered the best of times, the worst of times

If you like roller coasters, you probably liked the 2008 IndyCar season. The highs? The open-wheel merger, Scott Dixon's mastery at Indy, Danica's historic first win. The lows? Helio's tax-evasion indictment and the passing of a legend. John Oreovicz recaps the season.

Atlantic Championship forced to reinvent itself after open-wheel unification

AP Photo Vicki O'Connor had her work cut out after the IndyCar Series swallowed up the Champ Car World Series. Atlantic: Survival season ending ...

MOTORSPORTS DEPT

MOVING TARGET Every week, teams must change how they race the Chase. By Ed Hinton After stumbling out of the gate with finishes of 34th and 43rd,...

Marco Andretti back at Infineon two years after getting lone IndyCar win

He learned the hard way that having one of racing's most famous surnames can be a blessing and a curse. When your name is Marco Andretti, expectations -- realistic or not -- can be sky-high, writes John Oreovicz.

In this May 10, 2008 file photo, race driver Marco Andretti, left, his father and car owner Michael Andretti, right, and his grandfather Mario Andretti talk in...

IRL driver Marco Andretti raises the winner's trophy after winning the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma Sunday, Aug. 27...

The car of IRL driver Marco Andretti breaks apart as he hits the wall after colliding with Ryan Briscoe at the IndyCar Series...

Kanaan re-signing with Andretti puts more heat on Ganassi team

It's no secret the Andretti Green Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing teams don't like eachother very much. Add the recent derby for star driver Tony Kanaan, who elected to stay at AGR, to the mix and things are only getting bitter -- er, better, writes John Oreovicz.