Catchfence

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Bryan Herta Autosport and Vision Racing, technical partners in Firestone Indy Lights competition, will both start in the top-ten for Friday’s Firestone Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

BHA driver Daniel Herrington will start ninth behind the wheel of the No. 28 Le Bleu/BHA Dallara/Firestone machine in his first start on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval, while Vision Racing’s James Davison will start tenth in his second attempt at the Brickyard, but his first in the No. 21 People’s Liberation/Vision Racing Dallara/Firestone car.

Herrington’s two-lap qualifying average in the No. 28 Le Bleu Special was 188.412 mph.

Herrington has actually raced at Indianapolis two other times in his Firestone Indy Lights career, however he drove the Speedway’s road course circuit and not the famed oval. His career best oval finish actually came in the most recent race of the 2009 season when he finished sixth at Kansas Speedway.

In four races this season Herrington has finished in the top-five once and the top-ten three times. He is currently sixth in the championship point standings and his most recent accomplishment came off the track as he graduated Magna Cum Laude from North Carolina State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering earlier this month.

Bryan Herta Autosport is making their debut to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month while Vision Racing is returning to Indianapolis in Firestone Indy Lights competition for the first since 2005 where they finish third with driver Jay Drake.

Davison is looking to put Vision Racing back on the podium at Indianapolis again this year as well. Starting tenth in his newly sponsored People’s Liberation No. 21 machine, Davison’s two-lap qualifying average was 187.868 mph. Davison will be driving for a new team co-owner as 18-year-old Lauren George was announced in the role just yesterday.

It was Lauren George’s half-brother and current Vision Racing IndyCar Series driver, Ed Carpenter, who won the inaugural Freedom 100 at Indianapolis in 2003, starting from the pole position for A.J. Foyt Racing.

Davison’s first attempt last year with Sam Schmidt Motorsports saw him start from the second spot and finish in the 17th position.

Last month on the 1.5-mile oval at Kansas Speedway, Davison drove to an eighth place finish for his third top-ten finish of the 2009 season. That put him at the tenth spot in the championship point standings. His best career-oval finish is second which came last year at Kentucky Speedway.

Firestone Indy Lights action resumes Friday, Miller Lite Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Firestone Freedom 100 at noon 12:20 p.m. (ET). Live television coverage of the race begins at noon on VERSUS.

Qualifying and Practice Results and Quotes: (May 21, 2009)

Daniel Herrington – No. 28 Le Bleu/BHA Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Qualifying Position: 9th

Qualifying Speed: 188.412 mph

Top Speed in Practice: 189.536 mph

Overall Rank in Practice: 14th on speed chart

On qualifying:
“We made a bunch of changes before qualifying to try and get a bunch of speed out of it. Track conditions are definitely hotter than they were this morning or the test earlier this month. On new tires it’s not that big an issue but for the race it will likely be a bigger issue. We’re looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

James Davison – No. 21 People’s Liberation/Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Qualifying Position: 10th

Qualifying Speed: 187.868 mph

Top Speed in Practice: 189.947 mph

Overall Rank in Practice: 13th on speed chart

On qualifying:

“Starting 10th is just about where we expected to be prior to qualifying. The car felt fine and we got everything we could out of it. The balance was fine and there wasn’t any scrubbing at all which means we had good mechanical grip. Going into tomorrow’s race It’s a different scenario for me this year from last when I came here as a rookie and started on the front row but we are in a development stage of the Indy Lights program at Vision Racing. We’re progressing very well and I’m happy with the direction we are headed in.”

Bryan Herta – Owner Bryan Herta Autosport

On qualifying:

“We qualified about where we were expecting based on practice this morning. I don’t think we have yet unlocked the key to a really good qualifying set up in these cars. It is something we are still learning about. This being our second oval race with these cars, we’re still trying to figure out a little bit, but we out qualified a lot of good teams in good cars today. Daniel (Herrington) and James (Davison) are in good qualifying positions and we feel better about our race set up. We’re feeling optimistic we can get a pair of top fives in the Freedom 100 on Friday.”

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About the Firestone Freedom 100: The 40 lap/100 mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will run Friday, May 22nd. Television coverage will air live on VERSUS.

About Vision Racing: Vision Racing is owned and operated by Tony and Laura George as well as actor Patrick Dempsey of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana in a 32,000 square foot facility. The team competes full-time in the IndyCar Series and is entering its fifth season of IndyCar Series competition. The team features returning IndyCar Series driver Ed Carpenter and welcomed veteran Ryan Hunter-Reay for 2009. In the past calendar year, the team has scored nine top-ten finishes and five additional top-five finishes including a fifth place finish in the Indianapolis 500 by Ed Carpenter and a second place run by Ryan Hunter-Reay on the streets of St. Petersburg in the 2009 season opener. Also new for 2009 is a return to the Firestone Indy Lights Series with driver James Davison, as well as a technical partnership with new FIL team Bryan Herta Autosport and driver Daniel Herrington. Vision Racing continues to proudly perpetuate the legacy of the Hulman-George family through motorsports excellence, by demonstrating the traditions and heritage of the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Racing.

About Bryan Herta Autosport: Bryan Herta Autosports is owned and operated by veteran driver Bryan Herta and Steve Newey and will field a car in the Indy Lights Series for the first time in 2009 with driver Daniel Herrington.

Bryan Herta enjoyed considerable success in the lower formulae, winning the Barber Formula Ford and Barber Saab series championships, and dominating the 1993 Indy Lights championship, then graduating to IndyCar racing in 1994. As of 2006, Herta has started in the Indianapolis 500 five times (1994-1995, 2004-2006) with three top ten finishes, including a best of third (3rd) in 2005. Herta moved to American Lemans Sports Cars full time in 2007. He joined Vision Racing as Road Course Consultant for the 2008 season and will continue that role through 2009.

Steve Newey has been involved at the highest level of professional auto racing for over 20 years. Subsequent to earning his engineering degree, Newey lived in England where he was a design and race engineer in Formula One. On his return to the United States, he engineered the car driven by Bobby Rahal that won the IndyCar World Series Championship in 1992. Newey assembled the Patrick Racing in 1993 then helped put together Mo Nunn Racing in 1999. In 2003, he took over as Vice president of Operations at Kelley Racing. Most recently Newey lent his expertise in Sportscar series, namely with Andretti Green Racing and their ALMS program.

- Bryan Herta Autosport/Vision Racing, Press Release