Sad departure for troubled Harrington.

The 1999 Indy Racing Northern Light Series Rookie of the Year Scott Harrington has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a situation which has seen him removed from the Mid America Motorsports team for the rest of the year.

Harrington only secured the drive just prior to the last round of the series in Atlanta and had planned to use the final three events of this season as a test session for a full bodied campaign in 2001. According to team boss David Didero, Scott is still contracted to the team for next year but will not race again this season.

Didero told US Sports Network Speedvision, "I want to emphasise that Scott is still a driver for our team, and I'm planing on fielding a car with him as our driver next year."

The team are concerned for Harrington, who has no less than five previous convictions for the same offence in recent years and are looking to support their driver in any way they can.

"At this point what I'm going to do is make sure that Scott is good personally," added Didero. "He's got to take some time off and get himself good. I chose Scott because he's very talented and I still believe he is, but DUI is very serious and we want him to get better."

Doug Didero began the year behind the wheel of the #43 machine but was replaced after several poor showings. It is not clear whether he will return to the team owned by his father or a new face will appear in Kentucky on August 27th. Harrington meanwhile is being urged to enter an alcohol treatment programme similar to the one he attended last year after being arrested just before the Indy 500.