SunTrust Indy Challenge notebook

Teammates, maybe

Dario Franchitti, who won the SunTrust Indy Challenge in 2007, said unlike in NASCAR, IndyCar Series drivers are really teammates. He and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon worked together yesterday during practice in an effort to share valuable information that will give them an edge in tonight's race.

However, Franchitti acknowledges he's prepared to draw the line. But he'll stop short of taking out his teammate with the checkered flag within site.

"We have one of the best teams in the paddock, and I value my relationship with Scott Dixon," Franchitti said. "I've had some good teammates in the past, with Tony Kanaan as a benchmark.

"Scott pushes me to the absolute limit and that's what helps us move the team forward. We both are contending for wins. If you have the right attitude, it's going to help. I think I would get in trouble if I bump Scott. But if there's a pass to be made, I'll be trying to make it."

Kanaan and Andretti struggle in qualifying

Kanaan and Marco Andretti will have to fight their way into contention tonight. Kanaan will start from the 17th position while Andretti starts 16th.

"TK and Marco had some problems out there," said Dixon, the defending IRL champion. "They'll be on alternate strategies, and trying something tricky to win."

Kanaan, still smarting from his fiery crash on Lap 98 of the Indianapolis 500, said after his qualifying run he's "80 percent right now. But it's been better every day. It's going to be a very physical race anyway, even if I was 100 percent." Kanaan only logged 13 laps in the afternoon practice session after his team discovered a leak in his fuel cell.

Last year's winner at this race, Kanaan hasn't finished three of his past four races. "Hope is the only thing I have right now," he said.

Andretti Green Racing, with the star-studded lineup of Kanaan, Andretti, Danica Patrick and Hideki Mutoh, hasn't claimed a win since Kanaan triumphed here last year. The team has an IndyCar record 34 wins. Team Penske is second with 32.

Sponsors put target on Franchitti's back

Franchitti, who will start on the pole tonight, was given a Sprint Cup and Nationwide pink slip, mostly because he didn't satisfy his sponsors. He's having no such problem driving the No. 10 Honda-Dallara for Chip Ganassi Racing. He has two wins this season, giving two primary sponsors, Target and Tom-Tom, every reason to continue their sponsorship deals.

"At Iowa, he won in the Tom-Tom car," said Chip Ganassi Racing managing director Mike Hull. "I don't know how you can satisfy your sponsors more than we did at Iowa.

"We have created a value-back system where we have to support the people who support our race teams. First of all, we give them value in terms of presentation and in winning. If we can do those two things, we are providing a future for our teams."

Penske, Ganassi renew long-ago CART rivalry

So far this season, Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing have dominated the IndyCar Series. They have combined to win seven of the first eight races.

Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe have three wins, including Castroneves' victory at the Brickyard. Both members of Ganassi's tandem, Franchitti and Dixon, have won twice.

And they'll occupy the top four starting positions tonight with pole-winner Franchitti and Dixon starting on the front row.

It's a renewal of a rivalry that began in 1992, then gathered steam in 1996. Penske and Ganassi drivers pulled away from their nearest pursuers, specifically Newman-Haas Racing.

"When we started, Penske and Newman-Haas were the best teams -- ones that we patterned ourselves after," Hull said. "We started to run with them consistently in 1996.

"Mr. Penske has a record is that's going to be very difficult to beat. It's a situation where you want to aspire to be the best. We want to compete on an equal basis with them. This could be a throwback to the late 1990s."

Lugnuts

Rafael Matos, while a rookie in the IndyCar Series, has tested at RIR twice before as he readies for tonight's maiden voyage around the track. He enters tonight with a one-point lead over Robert Doornbos in the rookie points race.

The Dreyer & Reinbold Racing duo of Mike Conway and Scheckter finished eighth and sixth, respectively, at Iowa last weekend. The team's best finish here is Buddy Rice's fifth in 2007. Scheckter has finished fourth here twice (2002, '05) and seventh on two other occasions (2006, '07) for other teams.

In last night's late qualifying session, Mario Moraes spun out in Turn 1, damaging his car. It won't hurt his standing today -- he was already seeded into the last row based on qualifying times. No other cars were affected.

Points leader Briscoe is the only driver to complete all 1,288 laps this season. He's also led a series-high 509 laps. . . . Franchitti also was quickest in the afternoon practice session with his lap of 166.135 mph.

-- Ralph N. Paulk and Shawn Fenner