European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 24, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 24 2007 stars and stripes Page 39 agr could make irl race even tighter Andretti Green believes it can win 2007 Crown by Mike Harris the associated press Homestead Fla it seems unlikely the 2007 in Tycar series could get any More competitive than last season but that exactly what defending Champion Sam Hornish or is expecting a year ago Hornish and team Penske teammate Helio Castron Eves fought it out All season with Chip Ganassi ratings Dan when Don and Scott Dixon the four some winning 12 of 14 races in the end Hornish got his third irl championship by beating when Don on a tiebreaker and the other two finished within is Points of the leaders so How could it get any closer Hornish says the answer is new Andretti Green racing team mates Marco Andretti and Dani Ca pair who have the potential to make things even More interesting than they were in 2006 in looking Forward to the 07 season because i think you add a couple of Andretti Green Rac ing cars in there Marco Danica whoever else it might be and things Are definitely going to be shaken up Hornish said As everyone prepared for saturday nights indy 300 the Start of a 17race season the Andretti Green team which got victories from former Champion Tony Kanaan and top 2006 Rookie Andretti was a disappointment most of the year we spent a lot of time in the of season working very hard to close the Gap Kanaan said the Winter tests have shown were getting closer to the red and White after struggling most of last sea son Andretti Green racing feels Good about its chances to contend for the irl title driving for agr in 2007 Are Tony Kanaan Marco Andretti near Dario Franchitti and Danica Patrick Mike Carlson and Ben cars Penske and Ganassi and hopefully youll see us win More races this season Andretti the 20yearold son of team co owner Michael Andretti is expected to be a bigger Factor in the title Chase this year along with Veteran teammates Kanaan Dario Franchitti and team new Comer Patrick who left Rahal let Terman racing during the offset son after losing the Indianapolis 500 to Hornish last May by a few feet then winning on the Road course in Sonoma Calif the confident Andretti has his sights set a lot higher than his seventh place finish in last years standings i think whats realistic is a championship i really do said Andretti who Only failed to finish once after breaking axles in each of his first two races people thought i was crazy when i said i think i can win the indy 500 be fore that race in not going to say it to make me look Good or any thing like that i think its pretty realistic with the team we have this year a championship is one of my goals and theres one thing left to do at indy As Well in Here to win this year Patrick who will turn 25 on sunday is coming off a disappointing Sophomore season she finished ninth in the standings but rarely was in Contention for her first race Victory As the team struggled All year after Rahal let Terman Rookie Paul Dana was killed in a crash during the raceway Warmup for last years opener at Homestead Miami Speedway As the races go on and the sea sons go on i feel More pressure to do Well to perform said Patrick who was unable to improve on a Rookie season that ignited Danic Amania if it was As simple As one More season should give you better re sults then that should have happened from season one to season two but the circumstances were that we had an engine advantage the first year we had a Chassis advantage in certain places the first year the team was in much bet Ter condition than it was the Sec Ond year she said while i drove better and More flawlessly and More aggressively and with More knowledge it didst translate As much because of All those circumstances that disappointment led to her move to Andretti Green where a Friendly rivalry with Andretti could be Good for both Drivers As Well As an open wheel series still struggling to gain a foothold with american race fans former indy Winner buddy Rice also left Rahal Letterman and will join an expanded Dreyer Reinbold racing that also signed Sarah Fisher former series co Champion Scott Sharp moves to Rahal Letterman where he joins Holdover Jeff Sim Mons while Darren Manning moves to Foyt racing a Foyt in joins de Carpenter and Tomas Scheckter at vision racing and Kosuke Matsuura will team with Vitor Meira at pan ther racing the cars Are virtually unchanged for 2007 but now will use 100 percent ethanol fuel last season the irl used a 10 percent blend As a transition to the cleaner Grain based ethanol Sextel cur race 5 food City 500 at Bristol motor Speedway Bristol Tenn 3 am monday of extra last race Jimmie Johnson used a late race charge to pass Tony Stewart three laps from the end and drive away with a Victory at Atlanta motor Speedway last year Kurt Busch rashly bumped Matt Kenseth his former teammate out of his Way with four laps to go to win the food City 500 his fifth Victory in the last nine races on the half mile track it was also his first Victory with Roger pen see racing Driver to watch the last time he raced in Bristol Kenseth won both the Busch series and Sextel cup races taking the Check ered Flag in the food City 250 and the Sharpie 500 in August warn div Etc standings after 4 of 36 races 1 Mark Martin 629 2 Jeff gordon621 3 Jeff Burton 618 4 Jimmie johnson601 5 Matt kenseth567 6 Tony Stewart 507 7 Kevin harvick482 8 Denny Hamlin 48o 9 dint bowyer479 10 cart Edwards 471 11 David Stremme 463 12 Ujj yeley462 13 Elliott sadler456 14 Kyle busch449 15 Juan montoya443 16 Robby gordon433 17 Bobby labonte428 18 Ryan newman422 19 Joe Nemechek 420 20 Kurt busch416 Busch series this week Sharpie mini 300 at Bristol Tenn 4 am sunday last race Jeff Burton made it two Victo Ries in a Row easily holding off Richard Chil dress racing teammate and reigning Cham Pion Kevin Harvick to win at Atlanta motor Speedway last Yean Kyle Busch benefited from Greg baffles late tire problem to take the Lead with 12 laps to go and held on to win the Sharpie mini 300 on a cold snowy Day next race Pepsi 300 april 7 Lebanon Tenn craftsman trucks last race Mike Skinner bumped past Clint Bowyer to take the Lead on a restart seven laps from the finish and raced away to his second straight Victory Todd Bodine last Springs Winner at Atlanta followed Skinner past Bowyer to grab second place on Lap 124 of the 130lap event but the Leader was just too Strong pulling away to a five length Vic tory next race Kroger 250 March 31 Martins Willeva indy racing this week pm satellite radio 300 at Home Stead Fla delayed pm sunday last Yean Rookie Paul Dana died in a trocar crash during the Warmup for the sea so opening race at Homestead Miami Speedway while streaking around the Oval during a Warmup session Dana failed to no Tice the car of de Carpenter had spun to a Stop slamming into it at close to 200 Mph the race went on As planned with Dan when Don beating Helio Castr Neves by a nose Cone next race grand prix of St Petersburg Fla april 1 formula one last race Kimi Raikkonen won in his first race for Ferrari dominating the sea so opening australian grand prix for his 10th formula one Victory Raikkonen started from pole position and led almost through out the race to Edge world Champion Fernan do Alonso who was making his Mclaren debut next race malaysian grand prix april 8 Kuala Bumpur standings for other series on Page 33 for More coverage