Hornish to try 500/600 double?

Roger Penske

While deeming it unlikely next year, when Sam Hornish Jr. will be learning the ropes in NASCAR, neither the driver nor team owner Roger Penske is ruling out an eventual return to the Indianapolis 500 for the 2006 winner. "If at some point we have our heads above water, we're going to have to ask the question, 'What about we go and run Indy?' " Hornish said Sunday morning at Phoenix International Raceway, where he later finished 30th in his first Nextel Cup start. Penske, who confirmed Ryan Briscoe as the replacement for Hornish in the IndyCar Series, said it's something he would consider. "We'll evaluate when we get there and see where we're at," Penske said. "It's not something we couldn't think about." The 2008 Indy 500 likely will be missing its two most recent winners as reigning champion Dario Franchitti also is joining NASCAR. Indy Star