Officials made the decision after receiving driver feedback relating to the slippery concrete along the front straightaway portion of the track. Drivers also complained of very bumpy conditions in the same section of the 2.6-mile, 11-turn street circuit.

Part of the straight rests on an area referred to as the Anbembi Sambodromo, whichis one-third of a mile in length.

WILL GANASSI'S REIGN CONTINUE? Dario Franchitti capped off his return to IndyCar in 2009 with his second championship. Franchitti edged 2008 series champion and Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon by 11 points.

After winning his first title with Michael Andretti's team in 2007, Franchitti joined Ganassi and moved over to NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series competition the following year, but his efforts in stock car r

The IndyCar Series -- with new title sponsor IZOD -- will compete in South America for the first time with the Sao Paulo Indy 300 on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Dario Franchitti also will begin his campaign to repeat as series champion. Franchitti ended the 2009 season with an 11-point margin over his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon. Four of his five wins last year came on road/street courses.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and CEO Jeffrey Belskus formally introduced Bernard on Thursday.

"Randy is the right person at the right time to head the Indy Racing League," Belskus said. "He brings a superb sports marketing and promotion background, proven CEO skills, energy and enthusiasm at a time when the Izod IndyCar Series is positioned for growth." Bernard, 43, has headed PBR for the last 15 years. Under his leadership, attendance for stand-alone rodeo bull-riding events increased 12 percent and ratings with television partner VERSUS rose nearly 30 percent last year.

The team said on its twitter account that it will continue to search for sponsorship to resume operations. Menards sponsored Vision's effort during the 2009 season.

George, who founded the Indy Racing League in 1996, along with his wife Laura, daughter Lauren and actor Patrick Dempsey, who stars on the hit television show "Grey's Anatomy," own the team.

IndianapolisMotor Speedway officials announced Tuesday that Pole Day Qualifying for the Indy 500 will occur on May 22, which is one week later than normally scheduled.

The 33-car field will be determined in the final qualifying session -- known as Bump Day -- on May 23.

Patrick, who reportedly was considering a move to the NASCAR circuit, finished a career-best fifth in IndyCar points in the final year of her contract with Andretti Green Racing this year. She spent her first two years with Rahal Letterman Racing before moving over to AGR in 2007.

Andretti Autosport also announced Go Daddy has signed a multi-year primary sponsorship agreement with the team.

Izod will become the series' first title sponsor since 2001.

Financial terms of the six-year agreement were not disclosed, but the deal is reported to be $10 million per year.

SUPER DARIO One year after his return to IndyCar following a brief stint in NASCAR, Franchitti captured his second series championship with a victory in last weekend's season-finale at Homestead.

Franchitti won his first title in 2007 before switching from open-wheel to stock car racing. When his efforts in NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series competition went off track, Franchitti joined Chip Ganassi Racing's IndyCar team in September 2008, and his comeback was nothing short of success.

Franchitti capitalized on pit strategy when he made his final stop with 50 laps remaining.

Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe made their stops earlier than Franchitti, but both drivers had to pit again with less than 10 laps to go, allowing Franchitti to take the lead for good. He scored his fifth victory of the season.

Franchitti, the second driver to qualify in the 23-car field, turned a four- lap average on the 1.5-mile oval at 212.696 m.p.h. for his fifth pole of the season and the 11th of his IndyCar career. By winning the pole, he was awarded one bonus point, which moved him to within four points of leader Dixon.

"I was pleasantly surprised since we hadn't run quite well in practice this morning," Franchitti said.

Franchitti, the second driver to qualify in the 23-car field, turned a four- lap average on the 1.5-mile oval at 212.696 m.p.h. for his fifth pole of the season and the 11th of his IndyCar career. By winning the pole, he was awarded one bonus point, which moved him to within four points of leader Dixon.

"I was pleasantly surprised since we hadn't run quite well in practice this morning," Franchitti said.

Franchitti, the second driver to qualify in the 23-car field, turned a four- lap average on the 1.5-mile oval at 212.696 m.p.h. for his fifth pole of the season and the 11th of his IndyCar career. By winning the pole, he was awarded one bonus point, which moved him to within four points of leader Dixon.

"I was pleasantly surprised since we hadn't run quite well in practice this morning," Franchitti said.

Eight points, three drivers and one race remaining.

That's the point separation among the top-three drivers -- Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti and Ryan Briscoe -- heading into the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Indianapolis Star reported the agreement Thursday night.

The 27-year-old Patrick, who was third at this year's Indy 500, was reportedly considering making the move to NASCAR. This is her third season with AGR and her fifth in the IndyCar Series. She became the first woman to win an IndyCar race by capturing the Indy Japan 300 in April 2008.

Dixon, the pole sitter, capitalized on Ryan Briscoe's costly pit road accident midway through the race. He led a race-high 139 laps and easily held off his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti at the finish for his series- leading fifth victory of the season.

Briscoe lost control of his car after he left his pit stall and slammed into the inside wall. The Team Penske driver spent 15 laps on pit road for repairs before ending up with a disappointing 18th-place finish.

Dixon, the last driver to qualify on the 1.5-mile oval, recorded a four-lap average of 202.031 m.p.h. for his first IndyCar Series pole of the season. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver also earned a bonus point, as he attempts to defend his series title with just two races to go in the season.

"It's definitely all out for me," Dixon said. "We've got to try to gain obviously the pole point. It's only one, but it definitely helps. It's also good for the ego coming into the race, maybe confidence over some of the others." Dixon is now 32 points behind leader Ryan Briscoe, who qualified on the outside of row two.

Orthopedic specialist Dr.

Terry Trammell examined Power on Monday and determined the IndyCar driver sustained fractures of his second, third and fourth lumbar vertebrae and a fracture of his fifth thoracic vertebra in the crash. Trammell expects Power to recover with rehabilitation for the remainder of the year.

Briscoe, the pole sitter, encountered a fuel problem on his first pit stop and fell back as far as tenth. He made his way through the field before catching Dixon. The two exchanged the lead several times in the final laps, but Briscoe edged Dixon at the finish by .007 seconds -- the fourth closest finish in Indy Car Series history -- to claim his third victory of the season and the fifth of his career.

Mario Moraes finished a career-best third, while Dario Franchitti came in fourth. Graham Rahal was fifth.

Briscoe, the current IndyCar Series points leader, recorded a four-lap average of 215.364 m.p.h. to capture the pole at the 1.5-mile oval for the second year in a row. He was awarded one point for his pole victory, which gives the Australian driver a five-point advantage over Dario Franchitti in the championship standings with three races to go this season.

"Definitely at this point, we'll take any points we can get," Briscoe said. "It's an extra point for the pole." Briscoe qualified 0.07 seconds quicker than Castroneves, who secured the outside pole. Last year, Castroneves had to start from the rear of the field after Indy Racing League officials disallowed his time for running below the white line several times.

Franchitti started on the pole and avoided a seven-car pileup on the opening lap. He led all 75 laps, holding off Ryan Briscoe, to claim his fourth win of the season.

Briscoe finished second and captured the lead in the IndyCar Series championship standings. Briscoe holds a four-point advantage over Franchitti with just three races remaining this season.

Franchitti overcame a mishap during the Fast Six segment - the third and final session in qualifying - when he missed a turn and spun into the dirt. He cleaned the dirt off his tires in the closing minutes before turning in a lap around the 2.303-mile, 12-turn road course in one minute, 16.7987 seconds. Franchitti recorded his fourth pole of the season and the 10th of his IndyCar Series career.

"Sometimes you have to hang on to it as well, and sometimes you have to wheel around," Franchitti said after winning the pole at Sonoma for the second time. "Today I had a pretty good car. In a couple corners I had to commit to them and hang on, but in general the car was really good. I'm very happy to get the Target car on the pole for the race." Franchitti's first pole here cam

Power sustained two compression fractures in his lower back, while Philippe suffered an open fracture to his left foot.

Both drivers also sustained concussions. They were transported to nearby Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Dixon, the defending series champion, passed Justin Wilson for the lead on lap 36 when Wilson got caught up in lap traffic with Milka Duno. Dixon benefited from a quick late-race pit stop and then cruised to a 27-second margin of victory. It was his fourth win of the season.

Ryan Briscoe, the pole sitter, held off Dario Franchitti in the closing laps to finish second. Franchitti came in third, followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay and Hideki Mutoh.

Briscoe, the current IndyCar Series points leader and last weekend's winner at Kentucky, threw down the fastest lap at 121.905 m.p.h. (one minute, 6.6814 seconds) in his No.6 Team Penske car.

His lap was .03 seconds faster than Wilson from Dale Coyne Racing. Both drivers ran on the softer Firestone "red" tires.