Johansson to Retire?
40-year-old IndyCar driver Stefan Johansson has announced he may be retiring as a driver. It is reported that Bettenhausen Racing was letting him go after a disappointing, no-results, 1996 season.

Stefan is looking to become involved in a new Indy Lights team, as an co-owner, for 1997 along with businessman Carl Johansson, to whom he's not related, and former driver Vern Schuppan, who will act as managing director of the Johansson Motorsports.

"I've been driving race cars for more than 25 years and it's a natural progression for me to be involved in team ownership," said Stefan Johansson, who's driving career spans 14 years. Stefan drove nine years in Formula One and the last five driving for Tony Bettenhausen in IndyCars.

"I have thought about this for a long time and, although I've enjoyed five great years with the team, I have come to the decision to move on."

Della Penna to Focus Exclusively on IndyCar
Team owner John Della Penna announced he would race exclusively in the PPG IndyCar World Series in 1997. Della Penna and driver Richie Hearn ran a schedule split between IndyCar and Indy Racing League events in 1996.

"The Indy 500 was a key ingredient for our 1996 season," Della Penna said. "We really enjoy competing on ovals. However, we don't see ourselves competing in a series which offers no road racing.

Della Penna went on to say that the team has contemplated running the 1997 Indy 500 and the 1997 IndyCar season, but that he, and the sponsors felt that the entire team effort would be best served by concentrating soley on the 1997 PPG IndyCar World Series Championship. The main factor in that decision was the huge disparity in the cars that will be run at the 1997 Indy 500.

Beginning in January 1997, the IRL chassis and engine rules will change from the 1995 (CART) rules to a totally different formula. The IRL teams will run a 4.0 normally-aspirated powerplant and the chassis will look similar to a Toyota-Atlantic car.

It will become monetarily impossible for a CART team to race in the Indy 500's of the future.

Della Penna's sponsors, Ralph's Food-4-Less markets and Fuji Film, will continue with the team.

Brix-Comptech and Motorola extend contract to 2000
Earlier this year is had looked that the Brix-Comptech IndyCar would close its doors after this season and Parker Johnstone would have to go shopping for a ride.

But, Motorola just announced that they have signed a deal with Brix-Comptech and Parker that will take them IndyCar racing to the year 2000.

Andretti owes Fittipaldi $200,000
Michael Andretti, courtesy of teammate, Christian Fittipaldi, made an extra $200,000 when Christian was ordered to let Andretti by to secure the number 2 spot in the final 1996 PPG IndyCar standings.

Though Michael and Alex Zanardi tied (in points) for second-place, Andretti owns the #2 number because he won 5 races to Zanardi's cluster of 3 wins.

Jimmy Vasser earned one million dollars for winning the PPG Cup. Second-place earns $500,000 and third-place receives a check for $200,000.

"Christian helped me out at the end," Andretti said. "Our team saw Alex make that pass and they knew I needed to finish ninth to take second place in the championship. They asked Christian to move over and let me by and he did. It was a great thing for him to do and I know someday I'll be able to pay him back for that."