Takagi put on probation for Texas crash

The Mo Nunn Racing driver tried to squeeze inside Scott Sharp's car with 10 laps to go in the race. Sharp was racing side-by-side with Felipe Giaffone at the time.

Takagi's car went below the white line onto the apron. It made contact with Sharp's car, which lost control and took out Giaffone, Takagi's team-mate. Takagi receoverd from the incident and finished third in the race, won by Al Unser Jr.

"I am disappointed to view actions that exhibit reckless, careless and overly aggressive driving," said Brian Barnhart, the IRL's senior vice president of racing operations who handed down the penalties. "I have had several driver-only meetings dating back to May 4 at Indianapolis to discuss what I perceived as a trend of unacceptable driving habits that developed at Phoenix and Motegi among several drivers."

Barnhart imposed Rules 8.1 and 8.3-A regarding improper conduct from the Indy Racing League's rulebook. Takagi may appeal the penalty, IRL officials said.

If it stands, the 23-point loss is critical to Takagi, dropping him from eighth to 10th in the standings and pushing him 85 points behind series points leader Tony Kanaan before Sunday's Honda Indy 225 at Pikes Peak International Raceway.