After making the offer at the 2012 Sprint Cup Series award banquet, Penske said:

If he wants to do the double, I’d put him in it. We’ve talked about it before. I guess I made it official tonight.

But, Stewart decided to pass on the offer. He said:

As much as I would like to do it, we just don’t have the time to do it proper. The IRL is so competitive now, you’re not going to just show up like drivers used to do in the past and be competitive. These guys don’t leave anything on the table there. You’re not going to stroll into the Indy 500 with these guys who race every week and be as competitive as they are. It was a very humbling comment and offer that he made, for sure.

He added:

I’m very humbled by the fact that he offered it to us. It’s a great opportunity, but it’s very hard when you’re running three Cup teams right now and the obligations that we have making sure that we’re doing the right things, we have a lot of people that depend on us. And, it’s kind of like being at Thanksgiving dinner. My plate is finally full. I don’t know if I can add anymore to what I have right now.

Stewart did, however, leave the door open to doing it in the future, if the offer still stands.

According to the report, Senna has ruled out IndyCar because his family would not let him race in that series.

At a test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson said:

I wouldn’t run [IndyCar] on ovals. There’s just no need to. Those cars are fantastic for street circuits, for road courses. I hate, hate, hate that this tragedy took place. But hopefully they can learn from it and make those cars safer on ovals somehow. I don’t know how they can really do it. Myself, I have a lot of friends that race in that series, and I’d just rather see them on street circuits and road courses. No more ovals. … Their average was 225? I’ve never been 225 mph in my life – and that’s their average around an oval. They are brave men and women that drive those things. There’s very little crumple zone around the driver, it’s an open cockpit and then you add open wheels – it’s just creating situations to get the car off the ground at a high rate of speed. And you can’t control the car when it’s off the ground.

Johnson makes very valid points. To put things in perspective, this graphic shows the difference between an Indy car and a stock car. The most noticeable difference is the weight. A stock car weighs 3,400 – 3,450 lbs, compared to 1,525 – 1,600 lbs for an Indy car. Yet, a stock only produces 100 more HP than an Indy car. An Indy car’s light weight and aerodynamic shape in combination with long straightaways and banked corners makes them capable of achieving speeds in excess of 220 MPH on ovals.

At speeds that high, drivers have thousandths of a second to react, which leaves no margin for error.

In 2004, Rusty Wallace tested a stock car without a restrictor plate at Talladega Superspeedway. He reached a top speed of 228 MPH. He said afterwards:

There’s no way we could be out there racing at those speeds… it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that.

But, that’s what happens at every Indy oval. That’s what happened at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It’s not realistic to expect IndyCar to stop racing at ovals. I don’t think Johnson expects it either. He was reacting based on his emotion and the loss of a fellow racer. As the emotions subside as time passes, Johnson will surely see why that is highly unlikely. Instead, Indy should focus on making the cars safer and tracks safer; much like NASCAR did after the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt.

IndyCar officials called the race after word of his death, but drivers performed a five-lap tribute to Wheldon, one of open-wheel racing’s most popular drivers.

IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard said:

IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race. In honor of Dan Wheldon, the drivers have decided to do a five-lap salute to in his honor.

Wheldon became the first IndyCar driver to die on the track since 2006, when rookie Paul Dana was killed in morning practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Wheldon was competing in his third race of the reason, to win the $5 million bonus that was a league promotion to any driver who didn’t compete full-time in the series this year.

Wheldon was expected to replace Danica Patrick, who is moving full time to NASCAR in 2012, at Andretti Autosport. The deal was agreed to before Sunday’s race and was expected to be signed after the race.

The wreck started when Wade Cunningham appeared to swerve on the track on lap 11. JR Hildebrand drove over Cunningham’s left rear. Cunningham hit the wall and Hildebrand went airborne.

As the cars wrecked, debris spread across the track and some cars burst into flames.

Wheldon’s car went airborne and flipped as it hit the catch fence.

Several drivers openly wept at the news of Wheldon’s passing. Dario Franchitti said:

One minute you’re joking around at driver intros. The next, Dan’s gone. I lost, we lost, a good friend. Everybody in the IndyCar series considered him a friend. He was such a good guy. He was a charmer.

Danica Patrick tweeted:

There are no words for today. Myself and so many others are devastated. I pray for Suzi [Wheldon's wife] and the kids that god will give them strength.

Juan Pablo Montoya tweeted:

life is not fair…. we are gonna miss a really great guy…….. Dan we r gonna miss u…

Brad Keselowski tweeted:

Nice touch with the 5 lap salute. Kudos to indycar and most importantly the Wheldon family.

Jimmie Johnson tweeted:

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Wheldon family… My heart hurts for all of the IRL community.

Denny Hamlin tweeted:

Life shouldn’t be one of those things [that we take for granted]. We lost a great driver in motorsports and he will not be forgotten. Rest in peace Dan Wheldon

Penske Racing, JR Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Whitney Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and others took to Facebook to express their condolences.

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France also issued a statement:

NASCAR offers its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Dan Wheldon, his teammates, and the entire IndyCar Series community for their tragic loss today. They will be in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.

With all of the technology and safety innovations in use and being developed today, sometimes we take for granted how dangerous auto racing really is. At the end of the day, though, no matter how much safety equipment you have, these guys and girls are still strapping themselves to 650 HP, carbon fiber machines and hitting 220+ mph.

Rest In Peace, Dan Wheldon. You will be missed.

At Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend, Earnhardt Jr said:

I feel confident that she’s content where she is and happy with what we’re doing. I think things are looking positive for us to put something together. … I would like for her to run full-time and I’m sure she is considering that, and I think she would enjoy it.

Patrick has driven 19 Nationwide races for JRM, finishing 15 of them. Her best finish came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where she finished fourth in the Sam’s Town 300. She is slated to drive six more races for JRM later this year.

At this point, it is unclear whether JRM would field three cars in the series or if Josh Wise would be released. Currently they split seat time in the No. 7 Chevy. Also unclear is whether or not Patrick’s deal will be structured in a way that allows her to race in the Indianapolis 500.

Carpentier said:

It’s been a few years that I’ve thought about it. I discussed it with my wife. We talked about my situation on several occasions and I came to the conclusion that I must move on.

Carpentier made his NASCAR debut in what is now known as the Nationwide Series in 2007 at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve driving the No. 9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge. He started on the pole and finished second. He made his Sprint Cup Series debut eight days later in GEM’s No. 10 Dodge at Watkins Glen International. He started 40th, led seven laps, and finished 20th.

He made four more starts that season, two in Nationwide and two in Cup. He finished 19th in the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen and 42nd in the Ford 300 at Miami-Homestead Speedway in Nationwide. He finished 33rd in the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and 40th in the Ford 400 at Miami-Homestead in Cup.

In the fall of 2007, it was announced that he would run the No. 10 full time in Cup in 2008. He made 24 starts in ’08, averaging a finishing position of 29.6.

He also made eight starts in the Nationwide Series for GEM. He posted four top 10s, including a runner-up finish at Montreal. And, he made on Camping World Truck Series start driving for Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia in the O’Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. He finished 25th.

In the summer of 2008, Carpentier announced he would be leaving GEM after they hired Reed Sorenson for 2009. In October, he was released by GEM and former Red Bull Racing driver AJ Allmendinger finished the year in the No. 10.

In 2009, Carpentier drove Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Cup Toyota at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International. He also made three starts in Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 36 car in events that conflicted with Mike Skinner (TBR’s full-time driver) Camping World Truck Series schedule. He finished 11th in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 that year, his best career Cup finish.

In 2010, Carpentier ran six races for Latitude 43 Motorsports, replacing David Stremme who left the team, claiming owner Bob Jenkins was not interest in helping the team improve. He never finished better than 21st.  Latitude planned to run select races in 2011, but they have yet to make a start. They are believed to have ceased operations.

Carpentier also ran one race for MWR, the Nationwide race at Montreal. He finished 32nd.

In 2011, Carpentier ran FAS Lane Racing’s No. 32 in the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. He started 40th and finished 30th. 

Carpentier’ saw his most success in the CART Champ Car Series between 2001 and 2004. He won at least one race in each of those years while driving for Forsythe Championship Racing.

Carpentier left Forsythe to join Cheever Racing, Eddie Cheever’s Indy Racing League IndyCar Series team, in 2005. Carpentier never won an Indy race, largely due to uncompetitve Toyota engines used by Cheever Racing. The team lost its sponsor, Red Bull, and Carpentier was left without a ride.

He attempted to qualify for the 2011 Indy 500 driving for Dragon Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He failed to make the race.

Rumor has it that the team may initially be connect to Roush Fenway Racing, which means they would field Fords. There’s also an assumption that if AA moves, Danica Patrick will stay with the team as it moves to NASCAR, but Miller said he didn’t think that would be the case.

If Patrick moves to NASCAR full time without the team, she is expected to take GoDaddy.com, her current IndyCar sponsor, with her.

The car will be a joint venture between Andretti Autosport and Richard Petty Motorsports. Window World will be featured as primary sponsor for the third straight year.

John Andretti said:

It would be difficult to script a scenario any better than the one we have here. The relationship I have with Richard, the respect I have for Michael [Andretti] and his team, the partnership I enjoy with Window World and all of it focused on the Indianapolis 500 – it’s really a perfect situation. I can’t wait to get in the car and get to work. May can’t get here soon enough.

The car will feature Petty’s tradition Petty Blue and Day-Glo Red color scheme that The King made famous during his career. The car will have decals for Window World Cares, the charitable foundation of Window World Inc.

Petty said:

I’m excited to be a part of this venture with John, Andretti Autosport, and Window World for the Indy 500. There is so much history around this event and the Andretti’s have such a rich tradition in racing. I’m looking forward to watching John hit the track in May.

Andretti will join teammates Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, and Danica Patrick as a part of Andretti Autosport. If he qualifies, it will be his 11th Indy 500.

Last year, Andretti, Petty, and Window World teamed up with Dreyer & Reibold Racing to field a car in the Indy 500. He finished 19th. The team hopse to improve upon that finish by teaming with Andretti Autosport, which won the Indy 500 in 2005 and 2007.

Team owner, and John Andretti’s cousin, Michael Andretti said:

I’m really excited to be able to be a part of this. Richard Petty is one of the true legends in our sport and someone I have always admired. Window World deserves a lot of credit for bringing all of this together. … I have a lot of respect for John’s talent – I always have. I really think he will fit in very well at Andretti Autosport and can be a factor during the month of May.

Patrick unveiled her GoDaddy.com car for Andretti Autosport, with whom she signed a three-year contract extension earlier this season. The appearance served as her official announcement that she would drive for Andretti Autosport next season.

The deal was held up by Patrick’s current sponsorship deal with Motorola, and the restructuring of Andretti Green Racing, which recently changed its name from Andretti Green Racing to Andretti Autosport.

Patrick said in a news release:

My life long goal is to win the Indy 500, and I’d love to do that in the GoDaddy.com car.

She added:

Michael Andretti has helped me become a better driver and we hope to accomplish a great deal during the next few years together.

Team owner Michael Andretti said:

All of us at Andretti Autosport are looking forward to having Danica back with the team and are excited about working with (CEO) Bob Parsons and everyone at Go Daddy as the primary sponsor on Danica’s car.

The news was a disappointment for some Patrick fans who are waiting to hear confirmation or denial of the loads of rumors circulating about her potential move to NASCAR.

Update: It is being reported that Patrick’s website contained a photo of the driver in a GoDaddy.com uniform with a Chevy emblem and what appeared to be the JR Motorsports and Nationwide Series logos. The picture was later changed to her Indy uniform.

Officials that represent Patrick and JRM declined to comment.