Catchfence

Sonoma, Calif. – (August 21, 2009) – Panther Racing driver Dan Wheldon advanced to the second round of
qualifications Saturday at Infineon Raceway and will start 12th for tomorrow’s Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. The start is the team’s second-best on a road and street course this season, only bested by 11th-place starts at St. Petersburg and Watkins Glen.

Wheldon posted a quick lap of 106.733 mph, 1:17.6782 seconds, and will start alongside Andretti Green Racing driver Danica Patrick. In the final stages of the second round, Wheldon was on pace to improve his position but was trailing Ryan Briscoe who went slightly off course on two occasions that slowed the No. 4 car. Tomorrow’s 75-lap race will be the final non-oval event of the season, as the IndyCar Series championship will be decided on oval tracks at Chicagoland, Japan and Homestead – courses that Wheldon (all three) and Panther (Chicagoland, Homestead) have been victorious on in the past.

The Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma will be held Sunday August 23 at 5 p.m. (EST) with live coverage provided by VERSUS and IMS Radio Network and Sirius XM channel 211.

Dan Wheldon, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda

“The team has done a really good job; we had a couple of bad races and it was frustrating for everybody involved. But we found something at Mid-Ohio in the race that definitely helped me get the feel I need from the racecar and since then we’ve had a really good run. We were quick in the test here last week and we’ve been quick yet today. I even felt like there was a touch more in the car, but the No. 4 National Guard team has worked really hard and we’re hoping for a good race tomorrow where we can get back on track.”

- Panther Racing Press Release