| The tenth date of the IRL IndyCar Series will be | | | | wasn't very good in the following years to the |
| held next Sunday June 22 at the Richmond | | | | championship, including having to retire early in |
| International Raceway. The SunTrust Indy | | | | 2005 race, his worst year to date, and finishing in |
| Challenge has become one of the most popular | | | | the 11th place in 2006. Nevertheless, last year |
| and successful races in the "Nascar Country" since | | | | was definitely better for him and he managed to |
| it became part of the IndyCar Series in 2001. | | | | finish as runner-up in both the SunTrust Indy |
| Racing fans generally follow this race closely | | | | Challenge race and in the 2007 IRL season. |
| because four of the past seven drivers that have | | | | Brazilian Helio Castroneves, who is currently in the |
| won this event have also gone to win the | | | | second place of the IRL rankings and just 48 |
| championship that same year and the champions | | | | points away from Dixon, also have won Richmond |
| of the other 3 years had also finished in the top | | | | once in 2005 and has finished in the top 10 |
| positions in Richmond, so there is high chance to | | | | positions other four times even though last year |
| catch a glimpse of the 2008 IndyCar Series | | | | he ended in the 11th place. |
| Champion next Sunday. | | | | English Dan Wheldon, who celebrated his 30th |
| The winner of last year's SunTrust Indy Challenge | | | | birthday last weekend winning the Iowa Corn Indy |
| was the Italian 2007 champion Dario Franchitti; | | | | 250 race, has being competing in Richmond since |
| however he will not be defending his title this year | | | | 2002. He won in 2004 and has always |
| since he's now dedicated full time to the Nascar | | | | finished in the top 10 positions of the RIR |
| Sprint Cup Series, driving #40 Fastenal Dodge for | | | | challenge. Wheldon currently holds the third |
| Chip Ganassi Racing team. Therefore, Richmond | | | | position of the IRL rankings. |
| will have a new winner. | | | | However, past statistics to this race might not |
| This year's IndyCar Series have been dominated | | | | have such an impact this time because this year's |
| so far by the IRL 2003 champion from New | | | | race will represent a new challenge for the drivers |
| Zealand Scott Dixon, who also races for the Chip | | | | since it has changed its format a bit, introducing |
| Ganassi Racing team, and he will certainly try to | | | | four lap qualifying for the first time and scheduling |
| add some points to his total score this time. Dixon | | | | 50 more laps than previous years to head 300 |
| has won this race only once before, in the same | | | | laps that will reach a 225 miles distance. |
| year he won his only championship since he is | | | | Furthermore, the number of cars competing this |
| another of those four champions mentioned | | | | year has also increased. |
| before. However, his performance in Richmond | | | | |