robin_miller's avatar
Author:
Robin Miller
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
  • Related Photos
SPEEDtv.com Store
Grand National:America's Golden Age of Motorcycle Racing, by Joe Scalzo
Joe Scalzo’s book captures the spirit of the Golden Age of motorcycle racing.
Our Price: $39.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
INDYCAR: Transporter Fire Totals Castroneves and Briscoe’s Primary Cars
Written by: Robin Miller   
08/20/2008
Mooresville, N.C.
 
Briscoe and Castroneves will have to resort to their oval-track chassis, adapted to road courses, on this weekend's Sonoma race. (LAT Photo) ยป More Photos

The Team Penske transporter carrying the primary cars of Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe to this weekend's IndyCar race at Sonoma, Calif. caught fire and burned to the ground early Wednesday morning in Wyoming.

A wheel bearing triggered the fire, which then became an inferno on Interstate 80 about 60 miles west of Cheyenne, according to Tim Cindric, president of Penske Performance Inc.

"It melted the ceiling and we lost both primary cars, all our pit equipment, all the team uniforms, the shock dyno and a lot of gearbox stuff," said Cindric from his office in Mooresville, N.C. "There was also a fab shop and it was gutted.

"My guess is a couple million bucks. It's a disaster."

Cindric said the two truck drivers tried to extinguish the blaze but couldn't so they unhooked the tractor and could only watch the $400,000 Peterbuilt
trailer burn.

"It was about 2:30 in the morning and they had no cell phone coverage but somebody finally saw it burning and eventually the fire department showed up. Obviously, it was too late to help."

Cindric dispatched another truck to northern California Wednesday afternoon carrying two cars and pit equipment.

"They were oval-track cars we were preparing so we'll have to turn them around and just deal with it. We tested last week with Helio's backup car so we've got that and we'll be scrambling for a few days."

Castroneves currently trails leader Scott Dixon by 78 points with three races remaining in the 2009 season.

Before it moved to North Carolina, Roger Penske's operation suffered major losses in flood damage in 2006 at the old shop in Reading, Pa.
View All Comments