Catchfence

Birmingham, AL (April 7, 2011) – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is extremely motivated as they gear up for the second round of the IZOD IndyCar Series season. After a tough first race in St. Pete, where both DRR drivers sustained injuries, the team is ready to put that behind them and continue to show their competitiveness on the road/street courses. This will mark DRR’s second time to compete at the 2.38-mile picturesque circuit. Road racing pros, Justin Wilson (No. 22 Charter), and Simon Pagenaud (No. 24 Ipiranga/Blazemaster), are ready to hit the track this weekend.

As the Indianapolis-based squad embarks on their 12th year of open-wheel competition, they have taken every opportunity to capitalize on making the most of the 2011 season. As a result, the team had a very successful test at Barber a couple of weeks ago to prove they were ready for the job at hand. Last year both DRR cars finished in the top ten (Wilson-7th, Conway-9th).

After a weekend off, team veteran, Justin Wilson is rejuvenated and ready to bring the No. 22 Charter machine to victory lane. Despite breaking his wrist at the season opener in St. Pete two weeks ago, the Briton is prepared to carry that determination into this weekend. He sustained a small fracture of a wrist bone and was fitted with a special carbon fiber brace. Wilson, who started sixth and finished 10th, was injured on a Lap 44 restart when his car and Tagliani’s made contact. With a successful test at Barber just a couple of weeks ago, Justin feels completely prepared for Sunday’s event. Last year he started 11th and finished in 7th place.

As he ventures on his quest for victory at Barber Motorsports Park, Wilson will pilot the No. 22 Charter primary livery for the first time this season. Charter is a leading broadband communications company, and the nation’s fourth-largest cable operator providing broadband entertainment and communications services that includes advanced Charter TVTM, Charter InternetTM access, and Charter PhoneTM to homes and businesses across 25 states.

Making his IZOD IndyCar Series debut is Frenchman, Simon Pagenaud, who will be filling in for the injured Ana Beatriz and will drive the No. 24 Ipiranga/Blazemaster car. It was announced on Wednesday that he would sub for the Brazilian who broke her wrist. Last Sunday, Beatriz incurred the injury on the fifth lap in Turn 5 when she made contact with the No. 38 car driven by Graham Rahal. The Brazilian managed to soldier through the race as she advanced six positions and brought the car home in 14th place. As a result of the incident, she fractured her scaphoid bone (wrist) and had to have surgery last week.

The reigning ALMS champion is a native of Poitiers, France and made his way up the racing ladder starting out in go-karts in France from 1994-1999. Pagenaud then went on to compete in various racing series in Europe from 2000-2004 where he won the Elf ACO French title, claimed 2nd place in the Formula Renault Elf Campus French Series, placed third in the Formula Renault French Championship as a rookie, earned 3rd place in the championship in the Formula Renault Masters Series, finished 2nd in the Formula Renault European Championship and competed in the World Series by Renault European-based championship. In 2006, Pagenaud came to America and competed in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship with Walker Racing and was crowned the Champ Car Atlantic Champion, earning six podiums, 10 top-ten finishes, one pole, one victory in Edmonton and Rookie of the Year honors.

He took home a $2 million prize for winning the title, which he would graduate to the Champ Car World Series with Team Australia/Walker Racing teaming up with Will Power. In 2007, Pagenaud finished 8th in points in what was a very consistent debut season in the Champ Car World Series, with three consecutive 4th place finishes. After the demise of the CCWS, the Frenchman made the move to the American Le Mans Series in 2008 co-driving the De Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-01b LMP2 with former CART champion Gil de Ferran. He finished 14th in the drivers standings. In 2009, Pagenaud and de Ferran Motorsports took second place overall in the ALMS LMP1 class.

The duo of Pagenaud and de Ferran earned 5 wins in 10 total races and 3 pole positions, turning the fastest lap of the ALMS weekend 6 times. That year, Simon drove in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP1 for Pescarolo Sport team in the Peugeot FAP 908. For 2010, Pagenaud moved over to the Patrón Highcroft racing team, replacing Scott Sharp to co-drive with Brabham in the ARX-01c in LMP1. Pagenaud and Brabham led the LMP1 class and won the 2010 Championship. He also earned a seat driving for the factory French Peugeot team.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will be on track for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama in Leeds, Alabama on April 10th. The race telecast will air live on Sunday, April 10th at 3:00 pm (ET) on VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145, and Sirius channel 211. For more updates on the team, please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

What they have to say about the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama…

Justin Wilson, No. 22 Charter: “I’m really looking forward to a new weekend. We have a lot of ideas that we took from the test and I think that we will be right on pace. Obviously, my wrist will be a factor and hopefully I will be fine. I have a brace, which helps a lot and we will just have to take the weekend a step at a time. I also have a new teammate this weekend, which I think will be good. Obviously, we wish Bia was back in the car this weekend, but I’ve broken that bone before and it’s not fun. I think she made the right decision to sit out and let it heal. I hope that she has a speedy recovery.”

Simon Pagenaud, No. 24 Ipiranga / Blazemaster on Bia:. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to drive Bia’s No. 24 IndyCar this weekend. It’s an awkward situation and not the best for a driver to race in circumstances like this, but I wish her the best and hope she has a very quick recovery and I will work hard for a good finish for DRR, Bia and Ipiranga/Blazemaster. I want to thank Dennis, Robbie and Larry for giving me the opportunity. I’ve been looking to get into IndyCar for several years and now is my chance, so I just have to say thank you to everyone for giving me the opportunity,

Simon Pagenaud, No. 24 Ipiranga/Blazemaster on his approach for the weekend: “I think it will be pretty straight forward. I need to go to Barber with the approach to just learn and adapt. It will be a great place to get my feet wet in an IZOD IndyCar and Barber Motorsports Park is a beautiful place to start. I got some good advice from my mate Will Power and my main goal is to learn and just do my best.”

About Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is entering its 12th season of full-time competition in 2011, making it one of the longest-tenured teams in IZOD IndyCar Series competition. Current Co-Owners, Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, first teamed in full-time competition at the Walt Disney World Speedway in January of 2000. With Buhl behind the wheel, the two owners tasted victory in their debut race. The 2009 IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener, on the streets of St. Petersburg, marked Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s 200th series start. DRR now has over 270 starts to tuck under its belt and has qualified a total of 27 cars for the Indianapolis 500. In its history, the team has boasted a championship list of alumni drivers. Besides Buhl, the team has run Indianapolis 500 winners, Al Unser, Jr., Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Rice, along with IZOD IndyCar Series race winner, Ryan Briscoe. The team has one of the longest lines of heritage in American open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 as Dennis Reinbold’s grandfather, “Pop” Dreyer, built leading roadsters that raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

More information on the team can be found at www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

More information on the IZOD IndyCar Series can be found at www.indycar.com.

- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Press Release