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Newman / Haas Racing

Indy Japan 300 – Twin Ring Motegi

RACE NOTES/QUOTES – Sunday, September 19, 2010

QUICK TRIM DRIVER RAHAL FINISHED EIGHTH IN THE INDY JAPAN 300; FORMULA DREAM DRIVER MUTOH RAN SECOND AND FINISHED 14TH IN HIS HOME EVENT

Graham Rahal, No. 02 Quick Trim Dallara/Honda/Firestone:  “I am very happy with our finish to be honest.  Really, you have to give all the credit to the Quick Trim team because they’re the ones who made up the spots in the pits for me.  We didn’t quite have a car that was good enough to pass people really.  Fourth gear was too long and every time out of Turn 4 I was getting pulled bad so that killed us.  Fortunately we got by Marco in the pits and got by Hunter-Reay when he made a mistake.  And that’s where we had to be all day; we had to wait for others to make mistakes.  The team did a great job in the pits so I have to give the credit to them.  Going from where we fell back to at the start to move all the way back up to eighth was down to them.  I think I only passed a few guys on track so the rest was done in pit lane.  The Quick Trim guys did a good job and got us this finish.”

• FAST FACTS: Was his second race here.  Qualified fifth, led eight laps and finished third in 2009.  He also came as a spectator with his father, Bobby, in 1999.  His third place finish matched his best career result on an oval (Richmond, Japan – 2009)…Of his PREVIOUS oval races in 2010, his highest oval start was seventh in Indy and his highest oval finish was ninth in Iowa.

Hideki Mutoh, No. 06 Formula Dream/Panasonic Dallara/Honda/Firestone:  “For the start of the race I think I was a little too conservative.  It was my home Grand Prix and I wanted to make sure I didn’t mess up the first stint.  After that the car was getting better and better; I was chasing it with the cockpit adjustments.  At one point I was running second and it was awesome.  It looked like our pit strategy was working out but it didn’t in the end because of the yellow but I was so happy to run in front for the Japanese fans.  I think that was the highlight of this race.  On the last stint I was able to pass many cars; I just wanted to show the Japanese fans that I’m here.  I think this is good momentum to carry to the last race at Homestead.”

• FAST FACTS: Was his third IICS event here and first with NHR after competing here with Andretti Green Racing twice.  In 2008, he started ninth and finished 11th.  In 2009, he again earned the highest finish of his countrymen of 14th despite racing with a severe headache after a crash the day before on his second of what would have been four qualifying laps and started 22nd…His highest overall series start is THIRD at Nashville Speedway (oval) and best overall series finish is SECOND (Iowa 2008).

1 WIN, 3 PODIUMS IN SEVEN MOTEGI EVENTS FOR NHR: In total the team has earned 1 WIN (Mi. Andretti 2000), and 3 PODIUMS (3rd- Rahal 2009, Fittipaldi 1999) here.

- Next Up… The series will take next weekend off before traveling to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the IZOD IndyCar Series season-finale on Saturday, October 2.  The team has two wins there (Michael Andretti 1997, 1998) and three podiums (Mi. Andretti 1999).

- Newman/Haas Racing, Press Release