INDYCAR News and Notes – Oct. 26, 2015

1. Power Biography Available Now in e-Book
2. Dixon, Kanaan Achieve Goals in Ironman 70.3 Miami
3. Team USA Scholarship Drivers Fare Well in First Event
4. Team Pelfrey Acquires 8Star Motorsports’ Indy Lights Assets

1. Power Biography Available in e-Book: Will Power took the road less traveled, making it big in the Verizon IndyCar Series instead of the V8 Supercar series path chosen by many other Australian race drivers.

“The Sheer Force of Will Power” tells the gritty story of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion and 25-time Indy car race winner. The biography, written by longtime motorsports reporter David Malsher with Power’s full cooperation and participation, is available now in e-book form. The hard-copy version will be released in his native Australia in November and in the United States in March.

The book, with a foreword from former Formula One driver and fellow Aussie Mark Webber, chronicles Power’s 20-year journey to the pinnacle of North American motorsports. It chronicles the hurdles he has overcome along the way, including serious injuries suffered at Sonoma Raceway in 2009 and the disappointments of consecutive runner-up finishes in the Verizon IndyCar Series championship three straight years (2010-2012). It is filled with quips highlighting Power’s dry sense of humor and brutal honesty, especially when it comes to insights about himself.

For information on where to purchase the e-book, visit http://www.harpercollins.com/9781460705445/the-sheer-force-of-will-power.

Power was also recently honored in his hometown of Toowoomba with a sprint car race named for him. The Will Power 500 will take place Nov. 21 at Toowoomba Speedway as part of the Queensland Ultimate Sprintcar Championship.

“This is a huge honor to have a race named after me, especially in my hometown,” Power said. “As a kid growing up here in Toowoomba, I never imagined I’d ever have a race in my name and I am very thankful for the opportunity.”

2. Dixon, Kanaan Achieve Goals in Ironman 70.3 Miami: Scott Dixon’s personal goal was to complete the Ironman 70.3 Miami triathlon Oct. 25 in less than five hours.

The reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion finished the endurance event, featuring a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run, in 4 hours, 50 minutes, 29 seconds. Dixon, 35, finished 54th in the 35- to 39-year-old category and 154th overall in the field of more than 3,200 competitors.

“Especially at this distance, you have to put a lot of time and effort into it,” said Dixon, who had not competed in a half-Ironman in nearly a decade. “I think in a few hours I’ll feel like I had a lot more fun.”

Dixon’s Chip Ganassi Racing Teams teammate, Tony Kanaan, the 2004 Verizon IndyCar Series champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, finished in 5 hours, 11 minutes, 10 seconds.

“I think it was probably my best time. It was a great race and great event,” said Kanaan, 40, who competed in the 40- to 44-year-old category. “The champ (Dixon) proved that he’s the champ again. He was so fast.”

3. Team USA Scholarship Drivers Fare Well in First Event: Team USA Scholarship drivers Dakota Dickerson, 18, from San Diego, Calif., and Michai Stephens, 23, from Evanston, Ill., finished third in their respective semifinals of the 44th Formula Ford Festival and went on to record top 10s in the main race at Brands Hatch in England.

Dickerson claimed fifth place and Stephens placed seventh.

Armstrong and Stephens will also compete for Cliff Dempsey Racing in the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone on Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

“It was hard, fun, surprising and most of all memorable. Finishing within the top 10 made for a fantastic learning experience and optimistic approach heading to Silverstone,” Stephens said. “A massive thanks to the Team USA Scholarship and all its tremendous supporters for allowing us to come out here and race our hearts out.”

For 25 years, the Team USA Scholarship has provided opportunities for promising American race car drivers. Past recipients include Indy car drivers Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Buddy Rice, Josef Newgarden, JR Hildebrand and Conor Daly as well as newly crowned Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot.

4. Team Pelfrey Acquires 8Star Motorsports’ Indy Lights Assets: Team Pelfrey, the 2015 Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires entrant champion, has acquired the assets of 8Star Motorsports and will enter Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires competition in 2016.

“After watching the development and success of our F1600, USF2000 and Pro Mazda teams this season, I decided Team Pelfrey should take the next step,” team principal Dale Pelfrey said. “Rather than start from ground zero, we researched the market and quickly realized that absorbing the great people and resources at 8Star Motorsports was the best way possible to enter Indy Lights with Team Pelfrey. We will be entering the 2016 season with an already proven race-winning package and cannot wait to get started.”

Gary Neal will continue as team manager for the Team Pelfrey Indy Lights team, and the current 8Star crew will continue to operate the Indy Lights team out of its Pompano Beach, Fla., headquarters. All Team Pelfrey teams will be run in conjunction with each other, offering transparency in diverse operations.

Santiago Urrutia drove a Team Pelfrey car to three victories and the driver’s championship in Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires this year.