Nascar and Racing Indianapolis Motor Speedway

This time it's official. As of July 1, Tony George is out as CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Instead he'll focus his efforts on the Indy Racing League and will continue on as member of the board of directors of the Speedway and the family's Hulman & Company.

George's mother, Mari Hulman George, made the announcement Tuesday. It comes four weeks after several news outlets, including FanHouse, reported the move was imminent -- only to have George deny the reports then.

"[George] has decided that with the recent unification of open-wheel racing and the experienced management team IMS has cultivated over the years, now would be the time for him to concentrate on his team ownership of Vision Racing with his family and other personal business interests he and his family share," Hulman George, the IMS' chairwoman of the board, said, while also praising her son's "leadership and direction."

The rumor that wouldn't stop after the shuffling of Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George's job duties finally has some teeth.

Humpy Wheeler -- the longtime and now ex-President and General Manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway -- told the Indianapols Star this week that he and his company are in talks with IndyCar officials about promoting the American open-wheel series.

Humpy's name first entered the IndyCar fold after he attended the Indianapolis 500 instead of the 50th-running of the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

OK, Brickyard fans, Jeff Gordon "guarantees" you a good race when NASCAR returns to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the AllState 400 on July 26.

The four-time race winner Gordon promises the tire issues that ruined last year's Sprint Cup Series race -- and a lot of fan goodwill - will not be a problem this summer.

"I'm 100 percent confident, it's a dead issue," Gordon said Tuesday during a break in Goodyear's final tire test at Indy before the race. "The race might come down to a lot of different factors ... but it's not going to come down to a 10-lap shootout to see whose tires will last. I can promise all the fans out there, if they want to come to the Brickyard, they'll see a great race and be confident the tires are not going to be an issue.

"Trust me. And I hope that's going to go be enough for the fans."

NASCAR driver Jeff Burton said he felt a little like the great speed pioneer Chuck Yeager when he showed up at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week for a tire test.

The 2.5-mile track's surface has confounded Goodyear Tire Company engineers and the result has frustrated the Speedway, fans and NASCAR drivers after an embarrassing debacle in last year's Sprint Cup race at Indy, when drivers had to pit about every 12-15 laps for new tires and the ensuing competition caution periods ruined the show.

Subsequent tire tests at Indianapolis to avert a repeat of the situation had shown little improvement. Until now.

Refuting multiple reports, Tony George, 49, said Wednesday he remains Chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

After multiple news outlets ran reports (which FanHouse covered) that George may have been voted out, George and his mother Mari Hulman George released a statement Wednesday confirming that there was a Board of Directors meeting Tuesday night, but denying reports that George was voted out as Chairman of the famous 100-year-old Speedway.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The 93rd running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing lived up to the billing on Sunday with wild action (eight caution periods), a historic finish (Danica Patrick's third place) and a popular victory (Helio Castroneves' third Indy win).

Here's a look at some other storylines from Sunday's Indianapolis 500:

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INDIANAPOLIS -- After parking his race car in front of the main grandstands -- still emotional after claiming a dramatic third Indianapolis 500 victory -- Helio Castroneves tried to climb out and celebrate.

"A yellow shirt [security] guy kind of pulled me in, he was literally holding my helmet and myself there in the car,'' said Castroneves, laughing about the scenario. "Finally I saw the team come to me and I said, 'I'm sorry, I've got to get out.' "

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INDIANAPOLIS -- We needed this. Actually, I needed this. Otherwise, a question would continue to linger for the ages: Has the race that made the Indianapolis Motor Speedway famous sprinted past its NASCAR counterparts to regain the lead after blowing a few cylinders for more than a decade?

Yes, and Helio Castroneves had the tears to show it.

The man couldn't stop crying. In fact, soon after Castroneves completed his improbable journey during the last two months from an acquittal for income-tax evasion to a third championship at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, he screamed between tears during his victory lap, "Thank you. Thank you, God. Thank you."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The newly mellow version of Danica Patrick clearly still knows how to use every bit of finesse and gumption available when it comes to the race of races, the Indianapolis 500.

A career best-third place effort in Sunday's Indy 500 is her fourth top-10 finish in five starts. It's the best ever showing for a woman, but more importantly a great result for anyone.

"I'm doing my job," said Patrick, who finished behind winner Helio Castroneves and Dan Wheldon. "My job is to finish as high as I can and I'm glad about that shift [in thinking].

"I'm glad people are seeing it more as a good finish from a good driver [not as the best finish for a woman]."

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has kicked off its 100th birthday celebration with the closest Indy 500 starting field in history, the largest crowd in recent memory and a vibe reminiscent of the race's heyday.

Even NASCAR's "King" Richard Petty will be trackside today as Jim Nabors sings "Back Home Again in Indiana" -- to wrap up a traditional pre-race show unlike anything in sports.

Sure, the Penske and Ganassi and Andretti Green teams are odds-on favorites to win today's Indianapolis 500. But with the reunification of the two open-wheel series last year, the grid boasts a legitimate 13-14 contenders and has finally put to rest the notion that Indy has lost its competitive edge.