INDY RACING LEAGUE

• IndyCar returns to U.S. with Mid-Ohio

  Lexington, OH (Sports Network) - Series: IZOD IndyCar. Date: Sunday, August 8. Race: Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Site: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Track: 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course. Start Time: 3:00 p.m. (et). Laps: 85. Miles: 191.25. 2009 winner: Scott Dixon. Television: VERSUS. Radio: IMS Radio Network/SIRIUS XM Satellite.

  After running its last two races in Canada, the IZOD IndyCar Series returns to the United States with this weekend's Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

  Mid-Ohio is the eighth of nine road/street course events on this year's schedule.

  The series will conclude road/street course racing for the season in two weeks at Sonoma, CA.

  Last month's race at Edmonton turned out to be a bizarre finish and an expensive outcome for Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves.

  Castroneves was leading in the closing laps at Edmonton when he was issued a black flag for blocking his teammate, Will Power, just after the final restart. He failed to take the drive-through pit-lane penalty.

  At the conclusion of the race, Castroneves was penalized 20 seconds and placed at the tail end of the lead lap, which resulted in a 10th-place finish. Castroneves had crossed the line first, but Scott Dixon was awarded the win.

  Castroneves was furious with the outcome of the race.

  He confronted two officials on pit road and made physical contact with one of them after he exited his car.

  As a result, IndyCar officials earlier this week fined Castroneves $60,000 and placed him on probation for the remainder of the year for his post-race outburst at Edmonton.

  The Brazilian driver recently met with officials in Indianapolis to discuss his actions.

  "I regret what occurred following the IZOD IndyCar Series race in Edmonton, and I apologize for my behavior, as I let my emotions get the better of me," Castroneves said in a statement. "Although my disappointment with being black- flagged while leading the race with just a few laps to go will probably always remain with me, I understand and accept the league's decision to penalize me for my reaction.

  "I am ready to move forward, and I'm hoping to add to Team Penske's success at Mid-Ohio this weekend." Heading to Mid-Ohio, Power holds a 50-point lead over Dario Franchitti, the defending series champion, and a 71-point advantage over Dixon, who is Franchitti's Chip Ganassi Racing teammate.

  Power could clinch the series' new road/street course championship on Sunday. Earlier this year, IndyCar announced the expansion of its championship format, with the highest-scoring oval and road/street course drivers winning separate titles, starting this season.

  So far, Power has won four road/street course events -- Sao Paulo, Brazil; St. Petersburg, FL; Watkins, NY and Toronto.

  After Sonoma, the series will run its final four races on ovals.

  The October 2 season-finale at Homestead will determine the oval titleholder and the overall IndyCar champion.

  Dixon won last year's race at Mid-Ohio.

  He also scored the victory in the inaugural event here in 2007.

  Twenty-seven teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

  08/03 19:22:40 ET