NEW CASTLE, Ind. – Could a half-dozen years really have passed since Josef Newgarden was all that on the North American karting scene? The Tennessee native, who turns 22 on Dec. 22, shakes his head at everything that has transpired in the interim: Team USA Scholarship winner, Firestone Indy Lights champion, IZOD IndyCar Series competitor.

On Oct. 14, Newgarden returned to his racing roots in the ninth RoboPong 200 at New Castle Motorsports Park. He teamed with former Indy car driver Mark Dismore, owner of the karting facility, to win the 2011 event. There wasn’t a repeat this year, with youth triumphing over veterans in the 51-kart field that included IZOD IndyCar Series drivers -- and past RoboPong 200 winners -- Ed Carpenter and Jay Howard.

“We led some laps and win or lose it’s great to come out here and compete with the young karters and young drivers who are aspiring to be IndyCar drivers because I was one of them six, seven years ago,” said Newgarden, who completed his freshman season with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. “It’s a lot of fun and I’ll compete in this event every year that I can and support it.”

Four days earlier, Newgarden lent his support at the Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which featured drivers in USF2000, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights.

Carpenter and Dismore talk at RoboPong 2012“I want to do as much as I can for the young talent in the motorsports industry,” Newgarden added. “I see myself five, six, seven years ago and I think it’s so important to help talent get the opportunities all the way from karting to INDYCAR. The Mazda Road to Indy is great and doing that through the stepladder series. I needed the help myself and I wanted to give back.”

Sam Beasley, who was the 2011 runner-up with teammate Brandon Jones, teamed with Jacob Donald to earn the $10,000 first-place prize and will have their names etched on the Dan Wheldon Cup that is on permanent display at the facility. They finished almost 30 seconds ahead of Jimmy Simpson and Robbie Seward, the pole sitters in the 200-lap race on the 15-turn circuit.

Carpenter (in photo above with Mark Dismore) co-drove with Nathan O’Rourke – Newgarden’s engineer at Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing – to seventh place after starting 31st.

Two IZOD IndyCar Series champions in Petit Le Mans

Four-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti will co-drive a Level 5 Motorsports Prototype Challenge class car with brother Marino this weekend in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

Franchitti has a class victory (2007) at Sebring in his other American Le Mans Series start. The brothers have co-driven in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, but this will be the first time they share a car in an ALMS race.

Level 5’s second car, driven by Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut, leads the P2 championship standings by 16 points over the Conquest Endurance duo of Firestone Indy Lights winner and IZOD IndyCar Series starter Martin Plowman and David Heinemeier-Hansson.

IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay will co-drive an SRT Viper GTSR for SRT Motorsports in the GT class with Kuno Wittmer and Dominik Farnbacher. Townsend Bell also will compete in the GT class for Lotus/Alex Job Racing.

“It’s a great opportunity with SRT at Road Atlanta,” said Hunter-Reay, who will compete in the race for the first time. “I’m looking forward to it. Get done with the INDYCAR season and get right back into another type of race car.” 

The 1,000-mile, 10-hour race on the 2.54-mile road course is scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. (ET) start Oct. 20.

Tveter replaces champion Hawksworth behind wheel in finale

After clinching the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear for Team Pelfrey with one race remaining, Jack Hawksworth and his management team have elected not to contest the season finale at Road Atlanta.

Hawksworth will serve as driver coach for Ryan Tveter who will drive the No. 82 Team Pelfrey entry in the final round Oct. 19.

Quick construction

Check out this time-lapse video of construction of the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing shop on Main Street in Speedway, Ind.