Notes: From one course to a much greener one

BALTIMORE – Less than 24 hours after the checkered flag falls on the Grand Prix of Baltimore, Ed Carpenter and Graham Rahal will unwind on the golf course.

Or will they be able to? The IZOD IndyCar Series drivers will be seeking long drives on the 7,316-yard Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., which this week plays host to the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, in the Celebrity Shootout.

Carpenter and Rahal will join course architect Pete Dye, Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel, former Masters and U.S. Open champion Fuzzy Zoeller, and former IZOD IndyCar Series driver A.J. Foyt IV among others in the nine-hole scramble tournament. A donation of $5,000 will be made to the winning team's preferred charities.

“I’ve been playing a little bit more lately. Once I found out I was going to play in the event I felt a little more pressure to try to improve my game,” said Carpenter, the only team owner-driver in the IZOD IndyCar Series. “I don’t play as much as Graham or Simona (de Silvestro), but it will be fun and hopefully we’ll raise some money for charity.”

Zoeller’s namesake company, Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, is the primary sponsor of Carpenter’s No. 20 car. Carpenter said that Zoeller’s demeanor relaxes recreational golfers such as him in events on championship courses.

“He always keeps it loose, especially in events that are for charity. He makes sure everyone around him is having a good time, and he’s always having a good time,” Carpenter said.

In March, Rahal was a member of the team that won the Kenny G Gold Pro-Am preceding the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Foyt competed in INDYCAR in 2002-08 (winning the Indy Lights championship in ’02) and now is a scouting assistant with the Indianapolis Colts.

The BMW Championship at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind., is the penultimate event of four in the PGA Tour playoffs for the FedEx Cup and determines the field of 30 for the TOUR Championship. There’s a 70-player field based on qualifying points.

Junqueira impressed by new car

One thing stood out to Bruno Junqueira as he raced between the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series paddocks over the weekend: "I love this new car.”

Junqueira, thrice a CART championship runner-up, drove the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car in lieu of rookie Josef Newgarden (recovering from surgery on his left index finger). The 2012 Dallara chassis and Honda engine package obviously impressed the veteran driver from Brazil.

“It's a real rocket ship. It’s very fast and brakes really well. I haven't gotten to drive a single-seater race car for a while so this was a real treat,” said Junqueira, who was competing in his first IZOD IndyCar Series event since 2008.

Junqueira qualified 10th on the 2.04-mile, 13-turn temporary street course. He started from the Prototype Challenge pole position and finished second with co-driver Tomy Drissi in the ALMS race.

“I’m in cars a lot,” Junqueira said. “You have to completely change your mind-set when you are moving between the two cars. They are very different … night and day.”

Creativity with markers

In June at the annual Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Motorsports Summit, all partners were given a “create your own helmet” project.  Each partner had the opportunity to design a mini replica race helmet as they would like to see a driver wear. 

No guidelines. Just markers.

As a surprise to the partners, two helmets were selected by the team owner and guest speaker Joe Montana to be produced and worn in races. This weekend, Rahal wore a helmet designed by Mickey Holmes of Lincoln Electric. 

It will be signed and presented to Holmes.

Of note

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing co-owner and former IZOD IndyCar Series driver Robbie Buhl celebrated his 49th birthday Sept. 2. ... Simona de Silvestro, driver of the No. 78 Nuclear Clean Air Energy Lotus HVM Racing car, turned 24 on Sept. 1. ... U.S. Army Col. Gregory Gadson was the grand marshal. ... A 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford paced the field on the Baltimore street circuit. ... Carpenter, whose car made left-side contact with the concrete barrier after the chicane, had his first DNF of the season.