Catchfence

Fort Worth, Texas (June 9, 2011) – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is ready to conquer Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. After coming off of a bittersweet result at the Indianapolis 500 two weeks ago, the Indianapolis-based squad is rejuvenated and ready for the Firestone Twin 275s in Fort Worth, Texas this Saturday. Piloting the team’s cars will be Ana Beatriz, who will drive the No. 24 Ipiranga machine, Justin Wilson, who will get behind the wheel of the No. 22 Z-Line Designs car, and Davey Hamilton will return to the No. 11 HP cockpit.

This weekend will mark Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s 17th time to compete at the 1.5-mile oval. The team has started at least one car in every race at the track since 2000. In 2001, Robbie Buhl finished team best of 3rd in 2001. DRR has led a total of 33 laps at Texas Motor Speedway.

The weekend off was exactly what Dreyer & Reinbold Racing needed. As soon as the checkered flag waved after the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, the team got high behind preparing for the next race. In the time off, the team had a very successful test in Milwaukee immediately following the historic event and made some changes internally as well. Ana Beatriz, who was the second quickest overall out of all the cars that tested at the Mile last week, will now have Matt Curry, as her engineer and Larry Curry as her strategist for the remainder of the season. Justin Wilson, who was the fifth quickest at the test, will now have Yves Touron as his engineer and Dennis Reinbold as his strategist for the No. 22 machine for the rest of the year. Before the change, Matt Curry was the engineer on Wilson’s car and Yves Touron was Tracy’s engineer for the Indy 500 and on the No. 24 car last season.

Now in the full oval-swing, Wilson is fully prepared to take on Texas Motor Speedway. This weekend will be the Brit’s fourth time to compete at the 1.5-mile oval. In 2008, he started 23rd and finished 27th in his first start at this track. In 2009, he started 17th and finished in 15th place, earning his best result at Texas. Last year Wilson started 12th and finished in 19th position. Since joining the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2008, Wilson has recorded seven top-10 finishes (2008: Kansas-9th, Milwaukee-7th, Richmond-7th, 2009: Chicagoland-10th, Homestead-10th, 2010: Indianapolis-7th, Chicago-7th) on ovals. He has led on an oval twice, (2008–Kansas led for five laps, 2010-Indianapolis 500-led for 11 laps). Wilson’s best qualifying position on an oval was 6th position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2010.

Making her first appearance at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend will be Brazilian Ana Beatriz. Last year, in the four IZOD IndyCar starts that she made, three of them were on an oval. The rookie’s best finish on an oval was 21st for this year and last year’s Indianapolis 500. Beatriz’s best starting position on an oval was 15th in Miami last year. She is ready to take on the 1.5 mile oval. After a very successful test last week in Milwaukee, Beatriz is ready to continue the momentum.

After nearly 10 years of not competing at Texas Motor Speedway, Davey Hamilton is ready to get back to Texas and settle some unfinished business. In 2001 Hamilton’s life changed after a crash at the circuit in which he nearly lost his feet and legs. After 21 operations and two years of rehabilitation Hamilton returned to IndyCar racing at the Indianapolis 500 in May 2007. Prior to his accident at Texas Motor Speedway, the Idaho native did a have a number of successes at the 1.5 mile oval. Prior to his accident, Hamilton has competed at the track eight times. Out of those eight starts he has finished in the top-10 five times. He earned a 3rd place finish in 1997 and a second place result in 1999.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will be on track for the Firestone Twin 275s in Forth Worth, Texas on June 11th. The race telecast will air live on Saturday, June 11th at 8:00 pm (ET) on VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 94, and Sirius channel 212. For more updates on the team, please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

What they have to say about the Firestone Twin 275s:

Justin Wilson, No. 22 Z-Line Designs:”Texas is a fun track. It’s a good racetrack because with the high-banking you can take any groove. It always produces entertaining races and I’m looking forward to it. I’m hoping that we can be a little bit stronger than last year. We had a great qualifying car, but we struggled in the race and we’ve got plenty of ideas and I can’t wait to get started and get stuck in. The twin races will make it interesting. I think you’ll see some close racing and it will be interesting to see how hard people push in the first one to make sure that they save their car for the second race.”

Ana Beatriz, No. 24 Ipiranga:”I’ve never been to Texas so this will be new for me. Indy Lights never went there so this will be a whole new experience. I’ve always watched the race on TV. It’s very tight racing and a lot of running really close together so it will be important to have a good race car. We made some changes that will hopefully make the team even better and we can continue to improve our results. I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

Davey Hamilton, No. 11 HP: ” First of all I’m excited about coming back to Texas. It’s been 10 years since I last raced there and it was my worst race there. I’m excited to get back on track there and I hope we can get a good result. I’ve been to Texas many times before my accident and always had good results there running 2nd and 3rd. I’m obviously anxious and nervous, but I’m also excited as well. The best thing about Texas is that it produces some great racing. It also produces some big crashes, not just mine, but others as well. It’s a very Jekyll and Hyde track. I think with the twin races it will add to the excitement. It’s good for me coming back with them introducing it. Eddie knows how to add excitement. I think it will offer a level playing field and it will be new for everyone. I can’t wait.”

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