Catchfence

MILWAUKEE, WI – MAY 30, 2009 — Round #5, 2009 IndyCar Series season – KV Racing Technology driver Mario Moraes qualified an IndyCar career high fifth today for tomorrow’s ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 at The Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Moraes, making his second appearance on the historic Milwaukee one mile short oval, posted a four-lap average of 166.791 mph. He will grid the #5 Azul – Votorantim – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine on the inside of Row #3. 

“I am very happy with our qualifying position,” Moraes said.  “The KV Racing Technology team has been working really hard since last weekend’s Indy 500 and I spent a lot of time at the shop talking to the engineers.  This is just my second time at Milwaukee, so I haven’t got that much experience on short ovals, but after our performance today I am confident that we have a good car for the race tomorrow.”

Today’s fifth place qualifying effort is Moraes’ best in 21 career IndyCar events, just 13 on ovals, surpassing a sixth place starting position earned earlier this season at Kansas.  In his last three races, all ovals, Moraes has qualified sixth at Kansas, seventh at Indianapolis and fifth here in Milwaukee.  Moraes, in his second IndyCar season and first with KVRT, had never qualified higher than 20^th on an oval prior to this season.  His best qualifying position on any circuit before joining KVRT was 10^th on the airport street circuit in Edmonton last year.

Moraes was eighth on the speed charts after morning practice with a speed of 162.973 mph.  In the afternoon session, which was split into two groups, he ran with the first group and posted the fourth quickest lap in his group, 165.283 mph, placing him seventh on the combined practice report.  For qualifying Moraes went out 10^th of the 19 cars that made an attempt and ran four consistent laps each one faster than his quickest practice lap.

In 12 oval starts to date, Moraes, the second youngest driver in the series, has a best finish of 10^th in Nashville last year.  His IndyCar career high showing is seventh on the Watkins Glen road course also in 2008.  Last year in his Milwaukee debut he started 23^rd and finished 23^rd.  His best finish so far this season is 11^th at Kansas.

The ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 will be broadcast tomorrow live on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET.

- KV Racing Technology, Press Release