Tony Kanaan Signs With DeFerran Dragon Racing for 2011 IndyCar Season

In the second major IZOD IndyCar Series team announcement in the last week, de Ferran Dragon Racing named 2004 series champ Tony Kanaan to drive its No. 2 car for the 2011 season.

Kanaan, one of the most popular drivers in the series (shown above with his three-year-old son, Leonardo), parted ways with Andretti Autosport at the end of the season when his car's primary sponsor, 7-Eleven, withdrew its funding of the car.

The new job unites Kanaan, 35, with fellow Brazilian and longtime friend, team co-owner Gil de Ferran, a two-time former CART champion and the 2003 Indy 500 winner. Legendary owner Roger Penske's son, Jay Penske, and Steve Luczo are also owners of the three-year-old team, which is still looking for its first IndyCar victory.

"We are still young and developing and Tony is a big addition,'' said de Ferran, who joined Kanaan in their native Brazil for the announcement on Monday. "I have no doubt he will bring speed and determination but he'll also help us shortcut a lot of the development process.

"This news certainly clarifies that we are serious in our intention to become a major force in series.''

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Chevrolet Back to IndyCar Series With Roger Penske

The IZOD IndyCar Series announced Friday that Chevrolet will partner with the sport's legendary Team Penske race team for a return to Indy car competition in 2012.

The Penske cars will have a new twin-turbocharged direct-injected V-6 engine using renewable E85 ethanol fuel that will be built jointly by General Motors and Ilmor Engineering. Team owner Roger Penske,a partner with Ilmor, is the first owner to commit to the new power plant giving the series two engine manufacturers (also Honda) for the first time since 2005.

"With a competitor on the race track, we're going to see the game move up,'' said Penske, who is credited with brokering the negotiations that brought Chevy back to open-wheel racing.

Team Penske driver and three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who won his first two Indy 500s (2001-2002) driving a Chevrolet, joined a Who's Who's list of the sport's most celebrated drivers past and present, team owners and Chevrolet executives at the announcement in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

"Turbo charge is back, baby,'' Castroneves said. "It's about fun and as a driver it will be enjoyable again. And as a fan, they are going to see competition. You'll cheer whatever manufacturer you're looking for. It's a win-win situation.

"We are going to create excitement again and make people want to come back.''

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