Catchfence

SPEEDWAY, IN – MAY 18, 2011 – For the second day in a row KV Racing Technology – Lotus did not turn a wheel due to inclement weather at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

In the five days that the Brickyard has been open for practice this is the third full day and the fourth in all that mother nature has affected preparations for the 2011 Indianapolis 500.

Today it was rain and yesterday team officials decided not to practice due to extremely cold conditions. Sunday was lost to rain and Opening Day on Saturday was abbreviated by rain. The only full day of practice was Monday.

With just the full day of practice on Monday and a partial day on Opening Day (Saturday), Tony Kanaan, No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, has recorded the team’s fastest lap with a speed of 223.033 mph. He has run a total of 50 laps. Takuma Sato, No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus, has a top speed 222.505 mph in 57 laps, while E. J. Viso, No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, the team leader in laps completed with 67, has posted a speed of 221.096 mph.

KVRT – Lotus will attempt to resume practice tomorrow, weather permitting, in preparation for this weekend’s Indianapolis 500 qualifying. Pole Day, when the pole and the first 24 spots on the grid will be determined is scheduled for Saturday, May 21. Bump Day, when the final nine cars will qualify is scheduled for Sunday, May 22. The 100^th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 will be held Sunday, May 29. It will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET.

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Qualifying for IZOD Pit Stop Competition postponed:

The bad weather also cancelled qualifying for the IZOD Pit Stop Competition. Nine crews, including Takuma Sato’s No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus crew, have already qualified for the event based on their pit stop performance at previous races. A total of nine other crews will compete tomorrow starting at 9:00 a.m. to fill the final three slots. The IZOD Pit Stop Competition will be held on Carburetion Day, Friday, May 27, from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. ET.

Sato visits local school:

Takuma Sato spent this morning talking with students at Towne Meadow Elementary school in Carmel, Indiana as part of his “With you Japan” program. Sato, who created the “With you Japan” program to help empower child-care professionals in Japan to provide proactive care to the thousands of children affected by the recent disasters in Japan, has been visiting schools in the various cities he races in to educate local children about the situation in Japan and to encourage them to send messages of hope to Japanese children. The children, Kindergarten through fifth grade assembled in the gym to listen to Sato speak about the situation in Japan and to ask questions. The fifth grade class, 137 students in all, participated in an art project assembling themselves in a recreation of the Japanese flag. The students also made cards with words of encouragement for children in Japan.

- KV Racing Technology – Lotus, Press Release