Three IndyCar racers put on probation

Britain's Mike Conway, Canada's Alex Tagliani and American Ryan Hunter-Reay are on probation for the remainder of the IndyCar season for multiple instances of initiating avoidable contact. Series officials announced the penalties on Tuesday, five days before the Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, the 11th of 17 events in the 2011 campaign. More punishments could be imposed for future violatons. "We're disappointed in these actions, which have exhibited a pattern of driving that endangers on-track safety and adversely affects competition," said IndyCar president Brian Barnhart. Conway was put on probation for making contact with Australian Ryan Briscoe at Toronto and Spain's Oriol Servia at Edmonton. Tagliani made contact with Aussie Will Power at Toronto and American Graham Rahal at Edmonton. Hunter-Reay, a teammate of Conway on Michael Andretti's team, was cited after making contact with Briscoe at Alabama and Japan's Takuma Sato at Edmonton. Scotsman Dario Franchitti, the defending IndyCar champion, leads the season points chase with 388 points with Power second, 38 points adrift, and New Zealand's Scott Dixon third, 106 points back.