By Dustin Dow
Enquirer staff writer

Sam Hornish Jr. didn't have to return to Kentucky Speedway this weekend to defend his Belterra Casino Indy 300 title.

The Indy Racing League's two-time series champion could have bolted the IRL for the more popular and more lucrative NASCAR Nextel Cup series after his contract with Panther Racing expired in 2003.

Yet, the 25-year-old Defiance, Ohio, native is still driving open-wheel cars, albeit with a new team that seems to have reaffirmed his commitment to the IRL.

Penske Racing is the team, and along with the storied Indianapolis 500, is the reason Hornish passed on NASCAR.

One of the league's most popular drivers, Hornish had 10 offers from IRL and NASCAR teams after last season, the final year of his three-year deal with Panther Racing.

So he chose the IRL team with the most potential to deliver a coveted Indianapolis 500 victory, while keeping open the NASCAR option.

"The best part about Penske Racing was if I wanted to do NASCAR, I had a team that cared about it as much as I did," Hornish said.

Penske Racing, which has won 13 Indianapolis 500 titles, also owns three Nextel Cup teams. But for now, it is chasing that elusive Indianapolis 500 victory that drives Hornish, the IRL champion in 2001 and 2002, the first two-time series winner.

Despite his IRL success, Hornish has never finished better than 14th in the Indianapolis 500.

"I'd trade both of my championships to win at Indianapolis," Hornish said. "It's amazing what one race can mean to you."

Since Penske re-entered the IRL from Championship Auto Racing Teams in 2001, it has added three Indianapolis 500 victories in 2001 and 2002 with Helio Castroneves and 2003 with Gil de Ferran. When de Ferran retired after the last season, the chance to join Penske was too enticing to reject for Hornish.

"I considered all my options, but the opportunity to drive for Roger Penske was the end of it," Hornish said. "The resources that Penske Racing has are unbelievable. There are guys who have been working there longer than I've been alive."

The partnership hasn't been perfect, however. Hornish's only win this year came in the first race of the season in Miami, and he had more bad luck at Indianapolis, finishing 26th because of an accident.

"You have to get to know the new team," Hornish said. "I've been the enemy for three years, so you have to get comfortable with everybody."

Coming into the Belterra Casino Indy 300, Hornish is in fifth place with six races left. Though another IRL championship would be nice, Hornish won't stop thinking about the Indianapolis 500 until he wins it.

"Winning the Indianapolis 500 is my major goal in racing," Hornish said. "I've been able to be fast and have good luck everywhere else except Indy. If I ever do win there, I guess it will be worth it."

E-mail ddow@enquirer.com

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