Music: {allcanada} Notes: Hinchcliffe in for 24-hour race

IZOD IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe will join Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series frontrunner SpeedSource to race in the 50th Rolex 24 At Daytona in late January.

The Canadian, who won the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award, will join regular drivers Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito as well as Marino Franchitti in co-driving the team's No. 70 Mazda RX-8 in the GT category.

"I'm thrilled to be able to race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona this year," Hinchcliffe said. "That race has been on my bucket list and to get the chance now is awesome. I know a little bit of what to expect because I did a race with SpeedSource back in 2005, so it will be great to reunite with Sylvain and the guys and get back in the RX-8. It's a huge opportunity."

Additional IZOD IndyCar Series drivers who will participate in the Jan. 28-29 twice-around-the-clock event will be announced soon.

INDYCAR represented in Dan Wheldon Memorial Kart Race

Hinchcliffe also will join reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti and fellow series drivers Mike Conway and James Jakes in participating in the Dan Wheldon Memorial Kart Race on Dec. 5 at Daytona Milton Keynes in England.

The charity race will raise funds for the Wheldon family's chosen charity, the Alzheimer's Society.

Others confirmed to drive include Jenson Button, Anthony Davidson, David Coulthard, David Brabham, Marino Franchitti, Martin and Alex Brundle, Adam Carroll, Nic Minassian, James Rossiter and Duncan Tappy.

"The response for Dan's Memorial Kart Race has been unbelievable and really touching, from members of the public wanting to race in honor of their hero to professional drivers all too willing to give up their free time for their fallen friend," said race organizer and sports car driver Johnny Mowlem, a longtime friend of Wheldon.

Newgarden in for Dixon for Indy Karting Classic

Firestone Indy Lights champion Josef Newgarden will replace Scott Dixon on the INDYCAR team for the Indy Karting Classic on Dec. 11 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis because of a scheduling conflict.

The event bisects engine manufacturer development dates at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Sebring International Raceway. Dixon, the two-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, is driving the 2012 Honda-powered Dallara during the late rounds of testing. He completed two days of testing, totaling more than 325 laps, on the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval this week.

Dixon is looking forward Sept. 15 -- when the IZOD IndyCar Series returns to Auto Club Speedway for a race under the lights – after a six-year absence.

"It's going to be a great race with the new cars and new engine manufacturers," he said. "By that time, I suspect the competition to be even tougher and this track provides fantastic racing for the cars we're bringing next year."

Alex Tagliani, Graham Rahal, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jay Howard and Tomas Scheckter comprise the remainder of the INDYCAR team that will compete against NASCAR drivers (including 2011 Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart) on the indoor circuit.

Sarah Fisher Racing hosts food drive

Sarah Fisher Racing will host its fourth "12 Days of Christmas Food Drive" through Dec. 16, with Indianapolis' St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry as the beneficiary.

Indianapolis-area collection sites for non-perishable food donations are the SFR shop (4701 Rockville Road, Suite A), O'Gara's Irish Pub (522 Main St., Beech Grove), Cardwell Do-it-Best Home & Garden Center (3205 Madison Ave.), Hogan's Pub (104 N. 2nd Ave., Beech Grove) and Lamping Cleaners (625 Main St., Beech Grove; 3939 S. Keystone Ave.; 4030 Emerson Ave.).

Cash donations also will be accepted at Sarah Fisher Racing.

Camden Yards picnic area could get makeover

The street-level picnic area behind the center field wall at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which was a focal point for spectators during the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix in September, might be getting a makeover for the stadium's 20th anniversary season in 2012.

The promenade – between the baseball stadium and Camden Yards warehouse -- would be reconfigured into a park offering concessions, green space and an area where fans can view the playing field year-round, according to a Maryland Stadium Authority plan.

Of note

TrueCar, Inc., publishers of new car transaction data, announced a multi-year commitment to sponsor Shannon McIntosh in the USF2000 National Championship and Ashley Freiberg in the Star Mazda Championship beginning in 2012. ... The Sonoma (Calif.) Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities will distribute $273,072 to 38 qualified youth organizations in Sonoma County. Speedway Children's Charities is the charitable arm of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which owns and operates Infineon Raceway. The monies were generated through a combination of events held during the raceway's major event weekends. ... Danica Patrick was Yahoo's "most searched" athlete in 2011.