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