Celebrity Apprentice - Michael Andretti

Indianapolis, IN – February 9, 2012 -

Andretti, son of racing legend Mario Andretti, has the third most victories (42) of any driver in IndyCar history, and he lead 6,702 IndyCar laps during his career. Currently, he is the Chairman, President and CEO of Andretti Autosport. As one of the most well-known racing personalities in the U.S., Andretti continues to set the standard in the industry, albeit from behind the pit wall.

After the mother of one of Andretti’s racecar drivers, Ryan Hunter-Reay, passed away of cancer, Tom Vossman, a past associate sponsor of Andretti Autosport, started Racing for Cancer with Hunter-Reay. The non-profit organization is aimed at uniting motorsport fans, racing organizations, drivers and sponsors in support of the global fight against cancer. Michael Andretti has supported this charity from its inception. When contacted by the producers of “Celebrity Apprentice,” charity selection was an easy choice.

“I chose Racing for Cancer because I believe that the effort put forth by this organization is helping to win the fight and helping people,” says Andretti. “My mother is a cancer survivor and Ryan (Hunter-Reay) lost his mother to the disease, so the cause is near and dear to me and our team. We need to continue to fight this disease in any way we can. Racing For Cancer is fully committed and I’m honored to be competing on “Celebrity Apprentice” to benefit this great organization.”

The season premiere of “Celebrity Apprentice,” broadcast on NBC, airs on February 19, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Andretti will compete against 17 other celebrities for a donation of $250,000 or perhaps more, to Racing For Cancer. Only a month after the premiere, Andretti and Racing For Cancer CEO, Tom Vossman, will head to the streets of St. Petersburg, FL, for the season opener of the IZOD IndyCar Series on Sunday, March 25.

To donate to Racing For Cancer and support Michael’s “Celebrity Apprentice” attempt, please visit www.RacingForCancer.org.

About Racing For Cancer, Inc.

Racing For Cancer, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) organization, is “helping pick up the pace… one fan at a time.” Racing For Cancer was formed to unite motorsports fans around the world, racing organizations, drivers and sponsors to help those afflicted with cancer. The mission is simply to beat cancer. Support is focused towards early detection and prevention, and efforts to help raise awareness and support of fighting childhood cancer. One hundred percent of the net proceeds of fundraising efforts are committed to the cause. Racing For Cancer also partners with various marketing efforts to aid in the global cancer awareness campaign. For more information, visit www.RacingForCancer.org.

Source: 242MPH for Racing for Cancer, Press Release

INDYCAR Logo

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1.      If you missed it: Bobby Rahal and Takuma Sato Conference Call

2.      Hinchcliffe to field questions at Canadian Motorsports Expo

3.      HVM welcomes new team manager

4.      Open Test set for Barber Motorsports Park

1. If you missed it: Bobby Rahal and Takuma Sato Conference Call: Rahal Letterman Lanigan co-owner Bobby Rahal and IZOD IndyCar Series driver Takuma Sato were guests on an INDYCAR conference call today to discuss Sato’s signing with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Selected quotes from the interview are below.

Q. Bobby, talk about the team’s recent news. How excited are you to add a driver of the quality of Takuma and how did your relationship start? 

BOBBY RAHAL: I’m excited that Taku has joined us for our 2012 IndyCar season. I had a chance to see Taku not when he first started racing but when he was Europe in England in Formula 3 in 2001 when I was over there with Jaguar Formula One. I managed to watch Takuma win a lot of Formula 3 races. I think Formula 3 has always been considered a very good judge of talent.

Of course, you know, I kept an eye on him when he was in Formula One. So I’ve known his competitiveness, his speed. I’ve seen that many times over the years.

I was very pleased that we were able to come together. We’ve spent some time together. Taku spent a lot of time in England, so he’s got a lot of English slang and colloquialisms, so it’s almost like being back in England when you’re around him.

I think we all look forward to having him with us because, as I said earlier, he’s shown his pace over the last couple years in IndyCars. As I said in the beginning when we reentered IndyCar racing, it was important for us to do so with someone who was going to be competitive. I had no real interest in just being here. Taku certainly fits that bill.

I think we are quite excited for the start of the year. We have testing to do yet. We’ve done a little bit already in December which went I think pretty well. So I think everybody’s just anxious to get going.

Q. Obviously adding Takuma to your driver lineup isn’t the only change for your team, which is going to base its IZOD IndyCar Series operations in Brownsburg, Ind. Why move the operation to Indianapolis? 

BOBBY RAHAL: This has actually been under consideration for a number of years. It’s really become the center of IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis area. You look at the resource that exists here within the area, both the human resource, but the subcontractors, what have you, that can provide services for an IndyCar team.

It just seemed to me that we needed to be in sort of the epicenter of IndyCar racing now that we were going to come back into it on a full-time basis. So we managed to lease the space that Gil de Ferran used to be in from my friend Don Prudhomme. It’s a nice shop up here in Brownsburg. This is a start for us. But the IndyCar team will certainly be headquartered here for many years to come because we think this is the place to be both for now and in the future.

Q. Taku, it has to be a relief for you to get your plans for 2012 settled after what has been a pretty long off-season.

TAKUMA SATO: Yes and no. Obviously I’m very excited to be announced I’m joined with Bobby’s big project. I’m extremely pleased and extremely excited.

As Bobby said, I made the first contact immediately after the season ends last year. When I heard from Bobby, it was such an excitement project for his 2012 restart with the IndyCar project.

We talk about lots of various options, the great stories, what could be the scenario. It was just a matter of all the preparation.

It was a long winter. But I was always confident that we could do a great deal with it. Suddenly the announcement this February, very excitement. But I’ve known it’s going to be happen from very early stage of the end of the season last year, so I’m extremely pleased.

Q. This will be your third year in the IZOD IndyCar Series. What led to your decision to change teams and do you feel that Rahal Letterman Lanigan can help you get the first win in the series that you’ve been so close to getting? 

TAKUMA SATO: Yeah, sure. As a driver you have to look at the options, the various options, after the season ends. As I said, Bobby gave me a great offer. I believe very strongly this team is going to be huge potential.

I mean, Bobby’s team, Rahal Letterman Lanigan team, it’s shown great history. The numbers in racing is very impressive winning record. It’s just great success. Okay, the IndyCar Series wasn’t entering full-time in a couple years, but they showing great speed last year every single time they were entering IndyCar. So I was very confident.

Of course, with the new operation, (indiscernible) very experienced, and such a great opportunity to see all the possibility for the great performance. When I discuss with Bobby how it’s going to operate with the new team, I was very excited.

My expectation is ever so high. I was very confident we could do a great job this year.

Q. Bobby, I know you talked about not only having Taku, but having a second car. Since you’re coming back into the series, have you gone over with the series how Leaders Circle money might be allocated? Is there a date where you need to have the second car confirmed or else that engine contract, you might not have that? 

BOBBY RAHAL: First off, on the Leaders Circle situation, I’m not quite sure what the situation is there. We certainly made a presentation to them, as did many other teams.

I think we bring some unique assets to the equation that can really help IndyCar. I think we’ve already utilized many of those, thanks to David Letterman. But that process is still going on as far as I know. We’ve not heard one way or the other.

We certainly hope to receive one of the Leaders Circle memberships and believe we deserve to be, frankly. But, again, it’s out of our hands at this stage and we’ll just have to wait like everybody else. I think it is important for us to be one of the members of the Leaders Circle, so we’re certainly hopeful.

In regards to the second car, we’re very close on that. All of our efforts are being split right now between getting Taku’s car ready for the Barber test. This last week we did not go to the Sebring test because we felt it was more important for us to understand the car, what we have a little bit better, so we spent several days on the seven-post rig up in Canada, which we’ve used quite extensively in the past in IndyCar Series and ALMS cars. We came away with a lot of good information from that.

Quite frankly, there’s plenty of time. You’re limited to 1,000 miles per driver pre-season anyway. So by doing Barber, Sebring and Sebring again, we’ll be able to accomplish 1,000 miles.

I think right now it’s getting Taku’s car ready for those tests and working hard to finalize our second driver. The second car is being prepared as we speak. As far as we’re concerned, we’re going to have two cars, two drivers, and that’s really our focus at this point in time.

Q. Bobby, what is the importance of having multiple cars, with your new car? Do you have more chance to find out more about them? 

BOBBY RAHAL: For sure having multiple cars within a team is better I think up to a point. I think ideally a two-car team is probably the right number. We’ve run three in the past and been successful with that. But, nevertheless, organizationally it’s a much tougher deal. That’s part of the reason why we want to be a two-car team.

Having said that, I had my best years, some of my best years, on a single-car team. We’ve gone to Indy the last several years as a single-car team and done I think pretty well.

While a single-car team may not be ideal, I think your ability to be competitive is just as good there as anywhere else because you’re able to focus all your efforts on one driver, one car, a small group of people tightly knit. That can do a lot of good things.

In the end, if we have our options, we want to be a two-car team. We’re working hard for that. I think we will be. So that’s how we’re going forward at this stage.

2. Hinchcliffe to field questions at Canadian Motorsports Expo: Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe, the 2011 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, will be on the Mazda Stage from 12:45-1:30 p.m. Feb. 12 for a Q&A session at the Canadian Motorsports Expo at the International Centre adjacent to Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

Hinchcliffe will then head to the Inside Track Motorsport News booth to sign autographs and chat with the show goers.

“It’s been a couple of years since my last visit and I know it’s grown in stature since then, which is fantastic to see,” said Hinchcliffe, 25, a native of suburban Toronto. “Canadian fans are truly passionate about their motorsports and it’s always a great experience to hang out with them.”

The IZOD IndyCar Series returns to the streets of Exhibition Place July 6-8 for the Honda Indy Toronto.

3. HVM welcomes new team manager: Lotus HVM Racing has added Shane Seneviratne as the team’s new manager. Seneviratne, former principal of US RaceTronics, has an 18-year history in Indy Lights and Atlantics, amassing multiple championships.

He worked with Simona de Silvestro in Atlantics in ’09.

“I’m excited to be part of HVM Racing and happy to help Simona once more continue her remarkable racing career,” he said. ”The new IndyCar brings new challenges to teams that have not had to be dealt with for many years. I’m looking forward to contributing to this team in overcoming these challenges, and in strengthening the great chemistry that exists within HVM Racing.”

4. Open Test set for Barber Motorsports Park: Firestone Indy Lights and the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will share Barber Motorsports Park on March 19-20 for an Open Test. Each series will have seven sessions on the 2.38-mile road course.

Both series will be part of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 23-25 and return to Barber Motorsports Park on March 30-April 1 as part of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

Source: INDYCAR, Press Release

INDYCAR Logo

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. IZOD IndyCar Series to feature new rules for 2012

2. Busy days ahead for Pagenaud

3. Cape cars cover field at Sebring round of Cooper Tires Winter Fest

4. Freiberg joins Star Mazda with JDC Motorsports

1. IZOD IndyCar Series to feature new rules for 2012: Sporting and technical regulations that comprise the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series rulebook were distributed electronically to teams today by INDYCAR.

INDYCAR President of Competition and IZOD IndyCar Series Race Director Beaux Barfield said the goal was to re-format the 2012 rulebook for ease of use in conjunction with the debut of the Dallara DW12 chassis and participation by three engine manufacturers.

“A rulebook is written to protect the rights of its competitors and empower the officials,” said Barfield, who joined INDYCAR in January after several years as Race Director of the American Le Mans Series. “It’s that balance you’re trying to strike when you’re writing rules, and it’s very important in generating the product we long for on-track. I’m confident that we’ve created the proper balance with this rulebook moving forward this season.”

Highlights include:

• An instant messaging system during events between Race Control and officials, individual entrants or the entire field to communicate track conditions, warnings, penalties or other information. Team managers also will be able to directly contact Race Control. The system will complement radio communication.

• Standard INDYCAR tech bodywork parts must be able to fit a team’s car during technical inspection.

• A minimum of two Track Condition Radio steering wheel lights are standard. They will act in unison with dash lights and complement audio and trackside visual caution warning systems.

• Manufacturer points will be awarded on a race-by-race basis and added throughout the season to crown a Manufacturer Champion between Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus. The highest-finishing engine manufacturer earns 9 points; the second highest-placing manufacturer earns 6 points and the third-highest manufacturer receives 4 points.

• An oval Open Test has been added March 13 at Texas Motor Speedway to complement the private test Feb. 19-21 at the 1.5-mile oval and supplement the March 5-6 and March 8-9 Open Test at Sebring International Raceway.

Barfield said his intent was to review instead of rewrite. He will take notes throughout the season for points of discussion relating to the 2013 rulebook.

“For me, it’s important that certain rules make sense for my style, but be careful to not cut out too many elements that have value,” Barfield said. “There’s a lot of heritage to these rules that you want to preserve and make sure you don’t create any pitfalls by getting rid of items. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, this rulebook will be the base and we’ll start immediately on 2013.”

INDYCAR Vice President of Technology Will Phillips and the technical officiating group have been reviewing regulations since autumn with 2012 and beyond in mind as multiple aerodynamic bodywork kits will be introduced for 2013. INDYCAR also has added engine support engineers to aid Director of Engine Development Trevor Knowles and police the Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus programs.

The comprehensive technical inspection process, which measures, weighs and checks more than 100 items of the car, now will include matching INDYCAR standard car parts to an entrant’s car.

“Our goal is to ensure as quickly as possible that everybody is following the letter of the law and the intention,” Phillips said. “INDYCAR officials started with a clean sheet when developing the 2012 technical regulations, and through the diligent enforcement of the rules we can help maintain an environment of safety and fair competition that benefits the participants and fans.”

2. Busy days ahead for Pagenaud: Simon Pagenaud and his engineer with Sam Schmidt Motorsports, Ben Bretzman, have been almost inseparable the past few weeks as they process, plan and prepare for the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 25.

“We just had another deep conversation about the car; it’s something we talk about every day,” said Pagenaud, who will take the No. 77 Honda-powered Dallara DW12 out for a test drive Feb. 20-21 at Barber Motorsports Park (where last April he competed in his first of three IZOD IndyCar Series races). “It’s a very interesting time right now because the car is very interesting and different from the old car driving-wise and setup-wise. It’s just a matter of the group needing to have a certain chemistry to be ready for St. Pete. We’re in the right direction.

“I’m happy with the car to be honest already.”

To a degree, so is Bretzman, a veteran of open-wheel and sports car racing who joined the Schmidt organization in July. He and Pagenaud worked together at Highcroft Racing in 2010, when Pagenaud co-drove the American Le Mans Series championship-winning car.

“If you read the Internet, the first couple of months the car came out everyone was down on it and worried about speed,” he said. “It’s just been so long since people had new car. There are a lot of people in IndyCar that never had a new car. So it’s getting used to learning about a new car and what it takes to get up to speed. It will be learning all year; the fundamentals of this car are much different than the old car. Every time you get on the racetrack it will be something new.

“Between the three engine manufacturers and the competition it will be a clean slate. The competition is so high in IndyCar right now. With an equal playing field of cars now and the manufacturers it will be interesting to see where it goes. I think you’ll see multiple teams win this year.”

Scheduled to join Pagenaud at the 2.38-mile Barber road course that features 80 feet of elevation change will be Mike Conway of A.J. Foyt Racing, Takuma Sato of Rahal Letterman Lanigan, Alex Tagliani of Bryan Herta Autosport, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Graham Rahal of Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing, Charlie Kimball of Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing and Justin Wilson of Dale Coyne Racing. James Jakes will also be testing with Dale Coyne Racing.

On Feb. 23-24, Pagenaud, Tagliani, Sato and the four Chip Ganassi Racing drivers will be joined at Sebring International by Lotus Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Oriol Servia.

Additionally, Alex Tagliani (Feb. 19-21), Tony Kanaan (Feb. 21) and the Team Penske trio of Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves and Will Power (Feb. 21) will test at Texas Motor Speedway. JR Hildebrand will be at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 22. Feb. 25 is the homologation deadline – when Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus must submit final specifications to INDYCAR for their 2.2-liter, turbocharged V-6 engines.

“It’s a big gain for us for Simon to have driven car already (in mid-January at Sebring), to hear what he thinks of the car,” Bretzman said. “It will be a very busy week on track for four or five days straight in two different states. At Barber, our focus is much more on permanent road courses (Barber, Mid-Ohio and Infineon). That’s a lot more grip racetrack, a faster racetrack so we focus on those situations. Sebring is a pure street course and we have seven or eight of them on the schedule so that’s why everyone is living in Sebring right now.

“The setup of the car and the mentality of the car changes between the two, so there’s a lot to learn and figure out where we should take it.”

3. Cape cars cover field at Sebring round of Cooper Tires Winter Fest: Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing drivers Spencer Pigot and Matthew Brabham each brought home a race win as the Cooper Tires Winter Fest concluded a two-day race meeting at Sebring International Raceway.

Pigot, who claimed Race #1 on Feb. 6, held off the hard-charging Brabham in damp conditions to win the first of two races on Feb. 7.

Pigot, who finished second to Petri Suvanto in the 2011 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda season, took the lead from pole sitter and teammate Trent Hindman on the opening lap and built a three-second advantage.

Brabham got past Hindman and began to close on Pigot, who held on by .079 of a second. Hindman finished third to sweep the podium for the Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing squad.

Brabham, by virtue of his fast lap in Race 2, started on pole in Race 3 and led flag to flag. Pigot, who started third, was able to pass Hindman again, but couldn’t challenge Brabham for his third win.

Hindman finished third for the third-straight race with Matthew DiLeo and Thomas McGrgor rounding out the top five.

The Cooper Tires Winter Fest concludes with three-races on Feb. 11-12 at Palm Beach International Raceway.

4. Freiberg joins Star Mazda with JDC Motorsports: JDC MotorSports will add American Ashley Freiberg to its driver line-up for the 2012 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear season. Seeking to repeat as series champion, the Minnesota-based squad will have the talented rookie behind the wheel in the Mazda Road to Indy series via the newly created TrueCar, Inc. “Women Empowered Initiative.”

The former Skip Barber Racing champion, who has four Star Mazda races on her resume, including a top-five finish in 2010 at the Autobahn Country Club, will contest the entire upcoming 18-race campaign, partnering with fellow up-and-comer Juan Piedrahita under the JDC awning.

“We are really excited about working with Ashley during the 2012 season,” stated JDC MotorSports team principal John Church. “The opportunity to work with Ashley and TrueCar is a real honor, and we look forward to a great season.”

“It’s hard to express how excited I am for this opportunity that TrueCar has given me,” Freiberg said. “I have an awesome team around me, with TrueCar, JDC, Burke Harrison, and Mike Zimicki. I am thrilled for the chance to work and learn with all of them this season. The only way to describe all of this coming together is like a ‘dream come true’. Let’s go racing!”

The 2012 season is just the latest step on Freiberg’s on-going quest to reach the top echelon of motorsports. The Illinois native, who currently resides in Vermont, first made her mark in the karting ranks, winning multiple races and championships. In 2007, she made the transition to car competition in Skip Barber.

Freiberg made history in 2010, becoming the first female to win both a Skip Barber National race and championships, capturing two Barber Series titles via a 25-win season. Thanks to this success, she was selected as one of six female racers in 2011 for the inaugural TrueCar ‘Women Empowered Initiative,” a multi-year commitment to support rising female racers in several series.

Source: INDYCAR, Press Release

Jay Howard

“I’ve been looking forward to the Super Bowl coming to Indy ever since it was announced,” said Howard. “I knew one of the events I definitely had to do was the Zipline and was lucky enough to secure tickets. I also knew I wanted to encourage someone who hadn’t been to the Indy 500 to come back after the Super Bowl and I’m going to give them the ‘keys’ to do that and bring a friend. I plan to pick someone out in the Super Bowl Fan village following my zipline ride, so put your Sunday’s best on and impress me!”

The 30-year-old Englishman announced plans last month to give away two tickets through Howard’s social media channels for the sold-out Super Bowl Zipline ride good for two fans to ‘try out’ the zipline prior to Howard taking the 800-foot soar, 95 feet above the Super Bowl fan village towards Lucas Oil Stadium, site of this year’s Super Bowl.

The contest attracted a bevy of testimonials on why fans should be selected to take the plunge on Howard’s behalf, with the winner borrowing from Howard’s team owner, David Letterman’s ‘Top 10″ list, detailing out 10 reasons why he should win. The eventual winner, Ed Smith, a feisty 69-year-old from Indianapolis, ziplined last Friday, Jan 27.

Howard himself will do the zipline ride on Feb. 3 around 3:30 p.m. EDT. GoPro, maker of the world’s most versatile cameras and producer of some of today’s most engaging sports programming, is supplying Howard with a specialized camera to record the experience.

Following the ride, Howard will hand out two race tickets good for the 2012 Indianapolis 500, the largest single-day sporting event in the world. Howard plans to attempt to qualify for his second Indianapolis 500 this coming May 2012, following his successful rookie start in last year’s race for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Howard encourages fans to keep a close eye on his Twitter account, @JayHoward66, as he will be tweeting live from the Superbowl Fan Village before and after his Zipline ride on Fri., Feb 3.

About Jay Howard

Jay Howard is a professional racecar driver in the IZOD IndyCar® Series and Indianapolis 500. In 2006, the England-born driver won the Firestone Indy Lights championship, an essential step into the top-level of open-wheel racing, the IZOD IndyCar Series. Howard won the championship by four points, marking the closest margin in the Series’ history. That same year, he won two races, had five podium finishes and won two pole positions. He ran five events for Roth Racing in the IndyCar Series in 2008, with a best start of 14th and a best finish of 13th. He competed in three Firestone Indy Lights events in 2007, and took home the U.S. Formula Ford Zetec Championship and Rookie of the Year Honors in 2005; breaking Indy 500 winner Dan Weldon’s Series record, with nine wins. That year, he captured six pole positions and established a Series record, with six consecutive victories. Howard has been a guest or profiled on national platforms such as MTV’s Real World Road Rules Challenge. For more information, please visit Jay Howard online at http://www.jayhoward.com.

- BRANDed, LLC. Press Release

Cooper Tires presents USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda

Strong Field on Deck for Six-Race Mini-Series

PALMETTO, Fla. – Nineteen drivers and nine teams are lined up for a head start on their 2012 campaigns when the USF2000 Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship kicks off next week. The six-race mini-series organized by the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda will visit two Florida road courses in the span of seven days with tripleheader rounds of competition taking place on February 6/7 at Sebring International Raceway and February 11/12 at Palm Beach International Raceway.

“This is our second year of hosting the Cooper Tires Winterfest and we are extremely pleased with the interest level and tremendous growth in our pre-season series,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions, the series promoter. “We have a terrific entry list and look forward to some great racing as drivers and teams work together for the first time in a race setting. The talent level is high and clearly this event will be a fantastic launch pad for the 2012 USF2000 Championship, which is shaping up to be our best season yet.”

The first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system, USF2000 is in its third year of sanction by INDYCAR and is riding a wave of momentum. The series is enjoying growth in all areas in 2012 with an expanded, high-profile 14-race schedule in support of INDYCAR and the American Le Mans Series, a series-high confirmed car count of 20 entries with additional announcements expected, six new team entries and an expanded National class which will welcome SCCA Enterprises’ FE entries. In addition, the series will see its 2011 Champion Petri Suvanto join Team Pelfrey and graduate to the Star Mazda ranks with his scholarship package from the Mazda Road to Indy.

The opening rounds of the Cooper Tires Winterfest at Sebring International Raceway are a precursor to the ALMS official “Winter Test” which takes place on February 8/9. USF2000 will share the 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit with the IMSA Development Series Winter Test running alongside the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship Powered by Mazda and IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge.

The series’ first appearance at the 2.034-mile, 11-turn Palm Beach International Raceway road course four days later will run in conjunction with test sessions for the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights in addition to the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites.

Entries currently include Shelby Blackstock and Thomas McGregor of Andretti Autosport; Scott Anderson, Luca Forgeois, Roman Lagudi and Colin Thompson with Belardi Auto Racing; Matthew Brabham, Trent Hindman and Spencer Pigot of Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing; Jason Wolfe with JAY MotorSports; Neil Alberico, Scott Hargrove, Michael Johnson and Zac Silver with JDC MotorSports; James Dayson with Jensen MotorSport, Inc.; Matthew Di Leo with MDL Racing; Dalton Kellett and J.R. Smart with Pabst Racing Services; and Paul Asbach with Robinson Motor Sports.

The inaugural Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship title was won by Zach Veach of Andretti Autosport. In addition to bragging rights, competitors in this year’s championship will vie for $15,000 in prizes including awards for individual race winners, overall champion, second-place overall, National Class champion and team champion.

Live Timing and Scoring will be available at www.usf2000.com.

The doubleheader opening rounds of the 2012 USF2000 season will take place at the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on March 14-17.

2012 USF2000 Cooper Tires Winterfest Schedule
All Times Eastern 

February 6 – Sebring International Raceway (with Cooper Tires Prototype Lites/IMSA GT3 Cup)
9:50 am -  10:20 am         Practice
1:30 pm -    2:00 pm          Qualifying
4:20 pm -    5:00 pm          Race #1

February 7 – Sebring International Raceway (with Cooper Tires Prototype Lites/IMSA GT3 Cup)
9:40 am -  10:10 am         Practice
1:20 pm -    2:00 pm          Race #2
4:20 pm -    5:00 pm          Race #3

February 11 – Palm Beach International Raceway (with Cooper Tires Prototype Lites/Star Mazda/Firestone Indy Lights)
9:40 am -  10:10 am         Practice
12:20 pm -  12:50 pm         Qualifying
4:20 pm -    5:00 pm          Race #1

February 12 – Palm Beach International Raceway (with Cooper Tires Prototype Lites/Star Mazda/Firestone Indy Lights)
8:00 am -    8:30 am          Practice
10:55 am -  11:35 am         Race #2
3:15 pm -    3:55 pm          Race #3

*The grids for Race 2/3 are set by fastest race laps.

###

About USF2000: The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debuted in 2010 and is a revival of the highly-regarded USF2000 series which ran from 1990 through 2006, launching the careers of many of today’s top drivers. Sanctioned by INDYCAR and managed by Andersen Promotions, the series is the first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system. The top driver in the Championship class will earn a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Star Mazda Championship.

The series also is part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder program which assists young drivers in advancing from the Skip Barber Racing School to USF2000.

About Mazda:  On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car. In fact, the largest road-racing class in the world is Spec Miata, with more than 2,500 first- and second-generation Miatas tearing up America’s racetracks, making it the most-raced production car in the world. Mazda’s involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with INDYCAR, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world’s premier road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing.

With over 40 years of experience in North America, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. It oversees the sales, marketing, parts business and customer service of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company with affiliates, subsidiaries and joint-ventures that specialize in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck tires. The Company also has subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires.

With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 10 countries around the world.

Source: USF2000, Press Release

Lotus Dreyer & Reinbold Racing IndyCar Team Logo

Sebring, FL (February 1, 2012) -

This week marked the third in a series of tests conducted for the Lotus test team, which is comprised of crew members from Lotus DRR, HVM, and Bryan Herta Autosport. The goal for the test was to check a few more boxes off of the “to do list” and continue further engine developments as well as setup work, and that’s exactly what the Lotus test crew did. Servia completed 110 laps (183 miles) yesterday and logged in a total of 135 laps (225 miles) around the 1.66 mile short road course. Unfortunately, today was a cut a little bit short and the Lotus test crew wasn’t able to get everything in as planned. Fortunately, Servia was still able to get track time in this morning as he recorded a total of 25 laps (42 miles) for today.

“It has been awesome to finally get a taste of the car for ourselves after hearing comments on it from all of the other drivers and teams,” said Servia. “I really liked it. We were able to get a good feel of the Lotus engine and the Dallara. The first day we didn’t get to do what we wanted because the engine got held in customs and that didn’t help. However, on the second day we did lots of laps and we got a lot of data so we were able to do a number of things with the engine and the car. We learned a lot, which is what you want. For today, we got a lot of good laps in and started to be more competitive on lap times. We are still far from where we are going to be, but we are getting closer to the faster guys and it’s encouraging. We are definitely getting there. I am very excited about this season for IndyCar, Lotus, and the Lotus DRR team. Lotus has a solid package for us to work from. I am encouraged by the progress that Lotus and the Lotus test teams of Lotus DRR, Bryan Herta Autosport, and HVM Racing are making with this car. I am looking forward to the season opener at St. Petersburg.”

Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, Lotus DRR team owners, were both on hand for the test and were pleased with the progress and results. “We had a good overall test. We got a lot of miles in and made a number of changes on the car, which seemed to add some speed. We are pretty happy with our progress and we think that we are coming along very well. Oriol ran a lot of laps and just got comfortable in the car. It was our first time working with him so that was good, and we are really happy about the chemistry we are building up with our engineering staff and Oriol. We had the opportunity to work closely with Lotus and EDL and it all went well. We are pleased with the way everyone worked together as Lotus teams and with all of the progress that we made on the car,” commented Reinbold.

“We definitely made a lot of progress and had a pretty successful test. It was good for Oriol to get in the car and get a sense of where it was going. Yesterday was a productive day and went according to plan. We were able to put more miles on the motor and make more chassis changes that helped to improve the car. For us to not get a full day of running today wasn’t a part of the plan and it’s unfortunate to miss that bit of mileage, but we will be back on track shortly,” stated Buhl.

Equally satisfied with the test results was Lotus IndyCar Manager, Olivier Picquenot. “We definitely learned some things over the two day test,” he said. “We didn’t get to complete the full three days of testing but, overall, it was very positive because Oriol did a very good job at trying to work on the setup as well as the engine. We did a good 225 miles and, from a technical aspect on behalf of Lotus and EDL, we are very pleased. Oriol was great to work with and was very positive. Lap after lap he gave good feedback and we are very happy.”

Last week, Bryan Herta Autosport driver Alex Tagliani took to the Homestead-Miami road course and HVM pilot Simona De Silvestro completed the first test run two weeks ago at West Palm Beach and at Sebring International Raceway. Both drivers recorded valuable mileage and data for the collaborative group.

The next Lotus test will occur in a few weeks and will be at a different track, which will allow Lotus and the Lotus test teams to continue to develop the engine and the suspension of the car. The first of the Lotus production engines are due to arrive soon and the Lotus DRR team will be able to begin testing their car at the end of the month in preparation to have a successful season opener at St. Petersburg, FL on March 25th.

About Lotus DRR:
Lotus DRR will be entering its 13th season of full-time competition in 2012, 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 Lotus DRR’s 200th series start. DRR now has over 305 starts to tuck under its belt and has qualified a total of 31 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.

E.J. Viso Joins Rubens Barrichello and Tony Kanaan for Testing at Sebring in the No 5 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet Firestone IndyCar

SEBRING, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 1, 2012 –

Viso, got into the seat of the #5 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone IndyCar.  In the morning session he ran 40 laps, approximately 64 miles and in the afternoon 27 laps.  He spent the entire day working on car setup, but in the process still produced competitive times.

“These testing days at Sebring have been very successful for the KV Racing Technology team.  I think we have found some solutions and new options for running this new chassis, which has definitely been a big challenge for all the teams.  However, I am impressed with the performance we have been able to get out of this car. By having such an experienced driver as Rubens Barrichello, who has completed 19 full seasons in Formula One, is definitely giving us a few tips, which is helping to develop this new car for the start of the first race.”

Barrichello, returned for a half day of testing.   He adopted his “brother’s” #11 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone car, which coincidentally has been his favorite number all his life.  He ran a total of 57 laps, 92 miles this morning and was able to provide valuable feedback to the entire team.

“It’s been a really good morning,” commented Barrichello.  “I was able to do a lot of laps in Tony’s car and very happy to be in the #11, it’s been my favorite number all my life.  The small amount of laps I did yesterday was compensated today and I want to thank the team again for letting me return.  My feedback I think will be very beneficial to Tony and the whole team and I am satisfiedwith what we have achieved.  I leave Sebring now with a good taste in my mouth.”

Kanaan, reclaimed his #11 car for the afternoon session. He continued making what he likes to call his “cook book” so when he arrives at a race he can open it up and find the dish he wants. He completed 63 laps, approximately 101 miles in the new car.

Talking about the test, Kanaan said, “It has been a positive day, having three drivers helps with the setup and gives us a lot of feedback and information.  Obviously we are not racing at Sebring but we are now able to go back to the shop and work on what we need to do for the future.“

For more information about KV Racing Technology visit: www.kvracingtechnology.com or follow us on Twitter:www.twitter.com/kvracing and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kvracingtechnology

Source: KV Racing Technology, Press Release

INDYCAR Logo

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. Barrichello completes successful test with KV Racing Technology

2. Rahal, Andretti join Super Bowl promotions

3. By the Super numbers

4. Wilson still reveling Rolex win

5. Helping Hands for Freedom event at Panther Racing

6. Panther Racing CEO receives medal for outstanding service

1. Barrichello completes successful test with KV Racing Technology: Rubens Barrichello apparently was having so much fun driving the No. 5 KV Racing Technology car that he decided to stay an extra day.

The Formula One veteran was scheduled to leave Sebring International Raceway after testing Jan. 30-31 of the new Dallara DW12 chassis powered by Chevrolet’s 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. He canceled an appointment in Brazil to get in more laps Feb. 1 before turning over the No. 11 entry to longtime friend Tony Kanaan for the remainder of the session.

“It’s been a really good morning,” said Barrichello, who totaled 334 miles over the three days. “I was able to do a lot of laps in Tony’s car and very happy to be in the No. 11. It’s been my favorite number all my life. My feedback I think will be very beneficial to Tony and the whole team and I am satisfied with what we have achieved. I leave Sebring now with a good taste in my mouth.”

Barrichello’s smile at the completion of the first two days was an apt display of the sense of accomplishment. He had positive thoughts about the car, the atmosphere of the IZOD IndyCar Series and his abilities after a four-month layoff.

He left with an open invitation to compete in the series, and with options. Racing on ovals (there presently are four on the schedule, with the Indianapolis 500 on May 27 the first after four road/street course events) isn’t a deal-breaker. An oft-repeated statement to that effect was made without consideration of ever competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

“I never thought I could come over to this side because I thought I would race 25 years in Formula One and I should be over and couldn’t come this way,” said Barrichello, who has made 332 F1 starts. “I did say that. It came out of my mouth. It is a not a big issue. It is not a problem. There are so many different situations that I could run. I could run on the road tracks; I could run Indy. There are so many options available, and I’m thankful for the choices at age 39 and still going fast in the car. That’s all I could pray for when I was a kid.

“(He and wife Silvana) I’m sure we’ll be talking about it. I’m not putting pressure on it; I have to think it through. If you go purely from joy, it wouldn’t be a problem. I still have so much passion for the speed and I’m quite young in my mind and I’m not up to my top level of fitness. I’m just getting better and better.

“I’m just a kid enjoying myself. I woke up a few times before the alarm and wondered if I was on time because I was excited to get behind the wheel.”

Another option for Barrichello, of course, would be a return to Formula One with another team. He said the move to replace him in the second seat at Williams F1 was precipitated by team economics and not his driving.

“I have an open mind,” said Barrichello, who broke into F1 with the Jordan team. “I’ve been living there for 19 years and have been a fan of the Indy series for a long period as well. I’ve been to Indy, Milwaukee, Sao Paulo and many tracks. I like what I saw always; it’s a great atmosphere with great racing.”

Team co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven said “his feedback is amazing.”

“Whatever happens for the future, all I said is I want Kevin, (co-owner) Jimmy (Vasser) and Tony to remember the day that I was here and say that Rubens tried it, made us go faster and let’s try that at different circuits,” Barrichello said. “I’m truly happy with the times I set and like what I saw.”

Kanaan won’t necessarily lobby his compatriot.

“Knowing Rubens, his timeline will be pretty short,” said the 2004 IZOD IndyCar Series champion, who is entering his second year with the team. “You can tell by his face he’s having a lot of fun.”

2. Rahal, Andretti join Super Bowl promotions: Graham Rahal isn’t concerned if he’s upstaged by a celebrity Bulldog.

Rahal and Butler Blue II, the Butler University mascot, both spent an hour in front of the lights last week in filming “Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials,” which will be broadcast at 8 p.m. (ET) Feb. 1 on CBS.

It was an opportunity to showcase the IZOD IndyCar Series and the City of Indianapolis, which is playing host to the NFL championship game Feb. 5.

Rahal’s segment was filmed with celebrity fitness expert Jillian Michaels. Blue II shared the camera with Michaels and model Adriana Lima.

“Maybe I am taking second place,” said Rahal when informed of the canine’s on-camera companions. “I got a call from Robert the producer last night and he said mine was going to be the best part of the show, so I hope it is.”

The segment was filmed at the new Dallara Automobili facility on Main Street in Speedway, Ind.

“It was fun and great to be with Jillian Michaels,” Rahal said. “I must say she was awesome. I came to find that she’s quite the gearhead actually; she loves cars, motorcycles and is a big Indy car fan. (For the conclusion of the scene) she got in the two-seater and had to go burning out of the building into the parking lot. She did an amazing job for someone who had never driven a race car with a clutch and all. For her to launch out of that I think she had some fun.

“I’m excited to see it.”

Marco Andretti is also involved in a Super Bowl cross-over promotion between the Speedway, the IZOD IndyCar Series, the NFL and entertainment outlets this week in Indianapolis.

“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” taped a segment, featuring Marco Andretti “racing” his Indy car against a Chevy Malibu with Fallon. The episode airs on the show at 12:35 a.m. (ET) Feb. 2.

3. By the Super numbers: Super Bowl XLVI will be contested Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, which is synonymous with another annual event that’s been contested a tad bit longer: the Indianapolis 500.

There are multiple tie-ins between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IZOD IndyCar Series and the NFL in the days leading up to the big game at Lucas Oil Stadium, including the Speedway playing host to a party for media from around the world.

So here are some numbers they can chew on relating “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” to the 46th title game:

• Car No. 46 has appeared in the Indianapolis 500 13 times (1911, 1929-30, 1932-36, 1947, 1960, 1967 and 1979-80).

• The best finish for car No. 46 was third in 1980 with Gary Bettenhausen driving.

• The best start for car No. 46 was 11th in 1932 with Luther Johnson driving.

• A lap time around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track of 46 seconds is an average speed of 195.652 mph.

• An average speed of 46 mph around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway would take 3 minutes, 15.65 seconds.

• Bobby Unser ran the first sub-46-second qualifying lap. It was his second qualifying lap on May 14, 1972. His final two laps were also under 46 seconds.

• 46: Emerson Fittipaldi’s age when he won in 1993.

• The 46th Indianapolis 500 was won by Rodger Ward in 1962.

• The 1946 Indianapolis 500 was won by George Robson.

• 46: Combined starts for brothers Al (27) and Bobby Unser (19).

4. Wilson still reveling Rolex win: Justin Wilson was more than happy to tell people the time.

The Dale Coyne Racing driver arrived at Sebring International Raceway about 24 hours after co-driving the winning Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian entry in the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona. He teamed with AJ Allmendinger, Oswaldo Negri Jr. and John Pew.

Of course, Wilson was sporting the winner’s watch from the title sponsor (though he’ll have to withdraw a few links in the band for it to fit properly). Wilson took in the completed Honda-powered No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing car, which he’ll be shaking down Jan. 31 on the Sebring short course, for the first time.

Wilson, twice at runner-up in the endurance race on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course, earned the victory in his fifth attempt. It was the first for Shank, who will enter a car in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to finally do it,” said Wilson, whose final stint in the early morning lasted more than 3½ hours. “It was flat out. We gave it everything on every lap and took every opportunity.”

Six teams with INDYCAR drivers finished in the top 10 of the race.

5. Helping Hands for Freedom event at Panther Racing: Helping Hands for Freedom, a military charity that supports military children of fallen and wounded soldiers, will host its “Touchdown for Heroes Championship Party” from 5-10 p.m. Feb. 4 at Panther Racing. It’s open to the public.

The party will feature live music, silent auctions, racing simulators, appearances by professional athletes and a stand-up comedy program that will include nationally recognized comedian Mark Viera.

Proceeds from the event will be used to help military children in Indiana through Helping Hands for Freedom. Tickets start at $100. For more information, visit www.hhffparty.com. Panther Racing is located at 5740 Decatur Blvd. in Indianapolis.

6. Panther Racing CEO receives medal for outstanding service: Panther Racing CEO and managing partner John Barnes last week was presented the Arizona Adjutant General’s Medal for outstanding service and unwavering commitment to the United States National Guard.

The National Guard returns as the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Panther Racing car to be driven by JR Hildebrand in the 2012 season.

“I’m just unbelievably humbled by this honor and have to thank my good friend Gen. (Hugo) Salazar for everything he’s done for Panther,” Barnes said. “I say it all the time, but we’re just doing what we feel is right for the soldiers who serve this country. I feel like every honor we receive as a team is more a testament to the hard work they do and how eager we are to help support those efforts.”

Said Salazar: “Patriot citizens such as yourself have made the National Guard a proven operational force that is always ready and always there to defend America both at home and abroad. Your efforts reflect great credit upon yourself, your family and the Panther Racing team.”

Source: INDYCAR, Press Release

Andres Mendez

Dallas, TX / February 1, 2012 -

Méndez is a 19 year-old Colombian racer who has been competing in both karts and open-wheel cars for the past four years in Colombia, Europe and the United States. His karting credentials include major championship events in Colombia, Italy and Mexico, as well as the Florida Winter Tour, Rotax Max Challenge, the Pan-American Rotax, and the Super Kart SKUSA championships in the USA.

He has tested F2000 cars with the Red Bull-sponsored Korainenbros Motorsport Team in Estoril, Portugal, participated in the Jim Russell Future Driver Search and was chosen for the Ferrari Driver Academy as junior future driver. In Colombia, he has competed in the Van Diemen 2.0 National Championship, and is a three-time winner of the 6 Horas de Bogotá race, one of the most important motorsport events in Latin America, driving a Van Diemen sports racer.

“The main thing that attracted me to come and race in the United States and the Star Mazda Championship was the Mazda Road to Indy and how it makes getting from where I am now to the top levels of racing very clear,” says Méndez. “I’ve raced a lot over the last four years, in many countries and many different series, and it’s all very confusing. Now I’m with a really good team, GDT, racing in a very professional series and in a driver development program where the goal, racing in IndyCar and at the Indy500, is right there in front of me. I’m very excited for the start of the season and to finally get my career going in the right direction.”

In 2011, Team GDT won its second Expert Series championship in a row with driver/team owner J.W. Roberts. The Expert Series is a race-within-a-race and a championship-within-a-championship for drivers 30 and older. Roberts won the Expert title, driving his #65 Team GDT / General Data Tech Mazda to a total of five in-class victories. Team GDT has also had success with young drivers over the past several seasons, including Motorsport Ireland ‘Young Racing Driver of the Year’ Patrick McKenna and multi-race winners Alex Ardoin and Richard Kent. Méndez is the latest ‘young hotshoe’ to join the Team GDT squad, and is only the first of several driver announcements the team has planned for the coming weeks.

“As a team owner I am very pleased to have a driver with Andrés talent and international experience on board,” says Roberts. “He has shown a lot of promise in some very competitive series and now, with a clear direction and a team that cares a great deal about getting him where he wants to go, I expect he’ll be a top Star Mazda competitor in 2012. And we’re hoping to add some equally quick teammates for him to work with, so this should be a breakout season for Team GDT where we can battle for both the overall and Expert Series championship.”
As part of Team GDT’s ‘championship upgrade,’ top engineer Eric Purcell was added to the team’s roster of talent in 2011, with additional engineering announcements also in the works. Purcell, who engineered John Edward’s Star Mazda Championship-winning car for AIM Autosport in 2008, is an MIT-trained engineer with more than thirty years of experience in Europe and the U.S. as a driver, engineer and team manager. His experience includes road courses, street circuits and ovals, as well as such series as Formula BMW, Formula Atlantic and Indy Lights. He also had a major role in the early development of the Formula Mazda series.

Adding to the championship mix at Team GDT for 2012 will be experienced team manager Paul Mata and driver coach and nutrition/lifestyle consultant Chuck West, a championship-winning open-wheel driver – including the 1992 Star Mazda Championship — and the original founder of the championship-winning Worldspeed Motorsports team. West’s ‘whole life’ approach to driver training, which includes everything from fitness and nutrition to lifestyle, is credited by the team owner Roberts with being a major factor in his back-to-back Expert Series championships.
“I’m very excited to have Andrés on board for 2012 season,” says Mata. “The chemistry of a race team is both critical and difficult to control, but I see him fitting in very well with the team of drivers, engineers and mechanics that we are assembling. This is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Star Mazda seasons in recent years and to have a young driver with his speed, ambition and willingness to learn is a great start.”

As a part of the 2012 Mazda Road to Indy, drivers in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear are competing for a prize fund valued in excess of $1.2 million – including a $600,000 scholarship to help the series champion move up to the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights series. The 2012 Star Mazda Championship season begins with the series’ ‘Spring Training’ test at Barber Motorsports Park March 19-20. The 2012 Star Mazda season-opener takes places at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg IndyCar weekend, March 24-25.

About Team GDT

Team GDT is owned by J.W. Roberts and is based in Dallas, TX. General Datatech (GDT) is a Certified Cisco Gold Integration Partner delivering world-class network infrastructure professional services. For further information about the team, visit the team’s Facebook page or www.gdt.com. Contact team manager Paul Mata at pmata@gdt.com / 214.282.1646

About Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear

For 2012, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will be again be a major part of the Mazda Road to Indy. The 2012 schedule currently includes 17 races on 10 weekends, most with IndyCar. Rising stars from around the world will compete on road courses, street circuits and ovals in front of more than a million fans as they compete for prizes valued at $1.2 million, including a scholarship to move up and race in the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights series. Drivers 16 and older are welcome to compete and the Star Mazda Championship also features the Expert Series for drivers 30 and older. The Star Mazda Championship features standing starts, wheel-to-wheel racing at 160 mph and budgets a fraction of other top open-wheel ladder series. For more information on the Star Mazda Championship please visit www.starmazda.com.

Source: Star Mazda, Press Release

Day driving the #9 Belardi Auto Racing car at MSR Houston

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Jan 31, 2012 -

“I am absolutely delighted with the outcome from the Houston test,” said Day. “It was my first test as an official BAR [Belardi Auto Racing] driver so it was very important for me to perform well and learn more about the team and the personalities in the team and visa versa.

“I am honestly very happy with the people which I will be working with this year and believe, as an overall package, we will be very strong. We had a great pace over the course of both days and I learned a vast amount about the Indy Lights car and how it needs to feel to get the most out of it. For sure, the team and I are crossing the days off our calendar and can’t wait to get started!”

First encountering snow and an ice storm in Indianapolis while visiting the Belardi Auto Racing shop for his seat fitting, Alon then battled rain and subsequent delays while at MSR Houston. However, nothing seems to be stopping the Indy Lights rookie who made impressive runs straight out of the box while testing in Texas.

“Alon continues to impress us and reiterates our faith in his natural ability and intelligence,” Brian Belardi, team owner, said. “He is absolutely incredible in the No. 9 car, and we are itching to go racing. I definitely see 2012 being a great year for Alon.”

Alon will next be in action at Sebring International Raceway on February 21 and 22 where both he and Belardi Auto Racing will be undergoing their final two days of testing prior to the official Firestone Indy Lights series’ tests in March.

About Belardi Auto Racing
Belardi Auto Racing is a USF2000 and Indy Lights team based in Brownsburg, Indiana. The 2011 season saw two race wins, 10 podiums, 17 top-five finishes and 36 top-tens. Follow the team on Twitter, www.twitter.com/BelardiRacing and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/BelardiAutoRacing. Belardi Auto Racing can also be found online at www.belardiautoracing.com.

Source: Belardi Auto Racing, Press Release

Tony Kanaan (left) and Rubens Barrichello (right) - Photo Credit: KV Racing Technology

SEBRING, FLORIDA – JANUARY 30, 2012 –

Barrichello, #5 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone, who was driving an IndyCar for the first time and for the first time at Sebring, ran 94 laps, approximately 150 miles, making progress throughout the day. By the end of the day he was posting times that were competitive with drivers who have been in the series for several years and tested at Sebring before.

“I had a very very nice day with KV Racing Technology,” Barrichello said. “In the morning I was getting used to the car and not doing anything silly because obviously you don’t want to put it in the wall. It’s a different machine from what I’m used to, but it had a good feeling. Whatever happens for the future, which might change, all I said at the beginning was I want Kevin (Kalkhoven), Jimmy (Vasser) and Tony to remember when we were here at Sebring, ‘Rubens tried that and it was really good and made us go faster, so let’s try that again for this circuit’. So, I’ve had a very good and productive day behind the wheel and with all the setup options that I have tried, I think it went well. You could call me a rookie, even though I’ve had 33 years doing this job, but today I was an IndyCar rookie. ”

Kanaan, #11 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone, who was testing at Sebring for the second time with the new car completed 84 laps, approximately 135 miles. He spent the entire day working on car development, but in the process still produced competitive times.

“Well, there really isn’t much to say,” said Kanaan. “The guy comes here for the first time and after 20 laps he’s already running the same lap times as me! His knowledge and experience helped confirm some ideas that we had for this test, so it was very productive having Rubens around.”

Barrichello and Kanaan have known each other for almost 30 years and refer to each other as brothers.

This was the first time in their careers the two drivers have tested the same type of car on the same day.

Commenting on today’s test KVRT co-owner Jimmy Vasser said, “On behalf of Kevin (KVRT co-owner Kevin Kallkhoven) and everyone here at KV Racing Technology, I can say that we are all very pleased with today’s test. The entire team did an excellent job. This was Ruben’s first time in an IndyCar and I think he enjoyed himself. Certainly, we had a lot of fun working with him. Most importantly, if he is going to have this kind of effect on Tony we are going to have to figure out a way to keep him around.”

Barrichello, 39, is the only driver in Formula One history to make 300 or more starts having contested 322 races over a 19-year career (1993 – 2011). The talented Brazilian, who was runner-up in the Formula One championship in 2002 and 2004, has earned 11 victories, been on the podium 68 times and scored 106 top-five finishes and 171 top-10 showings. Last season, Barrichello competed for Williams – Cosworth.

Kanaan, 37, is entering his 15th U. S. based open-wheel season and 11th in the IZOD IndyCar Series. The 2004 IndyCar Series champion has 14 IndyCar wins (15 career) with 52 podiums (58 career), 85 top-five showings (101 career) and 111 top-10 performances (159 career) in 149 IndyCar starts (242 career). He holds the series record for most consecutive IndyCar starts with 148. Kanaan finished fifth in the championship race last year with 367 points.

KV Racing Technology was founded in January 2003 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2008. The Indianapolis based team is owned by successful venture capitalist Kevin Kalkhoven and 1996 IndyCar Champion Jimmy Vasser. Veteran Motorsports manager, Mark Johnson is the team’s General Manager. Johnson is assisted by Team Manager Tom Wurtz, Technical Director Eric Cowdin and Operations Manager Steve Moore.

For more information about KV Racing Technology visit: www.kvracingtechnology.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kvracing and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kvracingtechnology

Source: KV Racing Technology, Press Release

INDYCAR Logo

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. Barrichello samples IZOD IndyCar Series with KV Racing

2. Wilson helps Shank team win Rolex 24

1. Barrichello samples IZOD IndyCar Series with KV Racing: What began as a pick-me-up message from Tony Kanaan two weeks ago has developed into serious consideration by Brazilian Formula One veteran Rubens Barrichello to join the IZOD IndyCar Series for the 2012 season.

“We’ll see,” said Barrichello, who drove a second car prepared by KV Racing Technology. “I don’t have anything else (competitive driving), so we’ll see.”

Kanaan, who sent the note to his good friend after Barrichello was replaced by Bruno Senna at Williams F1, welcomed Barrichello with a dinner attended by Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Oriol Servia (“he noticed the atmosphere; how we all get along”) on Jan. 29. Kanaan was happy to have Barrichello accept the invitation to join him at Sebring.

“Over the winter we talked about it, but it became serious when I was testing (at Sebring) and they announced that he wouldn’t be with Williams, and I tweeted a picture of my car saying ‘It’s ready for you,’” said Kanaan, who is godfather to one of Barrichello’s sons and vice versa with his son, Leonardo. “Then I called him up and said, ‘Hey, you want to come test at the end of the month?’ And he said yes, so I called Jimmy (Vasser).

“It’s great to have a guy I can call a brother with us. (His future) is in his hands. Right now, it’s just an invitation for him to help us out as far as his feedback. Nineteen years in Formula One, the guy has so much knowledge we need to take advantage of . What goes beyond that, it’s up to him.

“Knowing Rubens, his timeline will be pretty short. By the time he gets out of the car (Jan. 31), he’ll have a pretty good idea what he wants to do. Right now, we don’t have anyone signed for the other two cars. You can tell by his face he’s having a lot of fun.”

Barrichello, who has recorded 11 wins, 68 podiums and 14 pole positions in F1, is not ready to hang up the helmet. He was joined at the facility by his family, who were greeted by INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard.

“If Rubens joins the IZOD IndyCar Series, it continues to strengthen the caliber of drivers that we’re attracting,” Bernard said. “His record alone is the type of excitement that we want to build within the series and give our fanbase. When you look at the history of Indy car and the greats such as Nigel Mansell and Emerson Fittipaldi, it only helps the stature of Indy car. If there is a transition, I want him to know that we’re here to help him.”

Servia (in the Lotus development car), Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe (Andretti Autosport), JR Hildebrand (National Guard Panther Racing), and the Team Penske trio of Ryan Briscoe, Castroneves and Power also were on the track Jan. 30 preparing for the 2012 season, which kicks off March 25 on the streets of St. Petersburg.

Justin Wilson (Dale Coyne Racing), who co-drove the winning entry in the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 29, Mike Conway (A.J. Foyt Racing), Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon (Target Chip Ganassi Racing), Graham Rahal (Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing) and Charlie Kimball (Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing) join them Jan. 31.

2. Wilson helps Shank team win Rolex 24: Dale Coyne Racing’s Justin Wilson teamed with AJ Allmendinger, Oswaldo Negri Jr. and John Pew to win the 50th anniversary endurance race in the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian. The entry won by 5.198 seconds over the Starworks Motorsport team anchored by Ryan Dalziel.

Michael Shank Racing’s previous best finish in the event (second place) came in 2006 with Wilson, Allmendinger, Negri and Mark Patterson co-driving. Overall, six Daytona Prototype teams with INDYCAR drivers finished in the top 10.

A second Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian Daytona Prototype entry, with Firestone Indy Lights drivers Gustavo Yacaman and Jorge Goncalvez among the co-drivers, finished third as the only other car on the lead lap (761) in the twice-around-the-clock race on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn course.

Wilson was competing for the first time since early August when he suffered fractured vertebrae during a practice incident at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which forced him to miss the final six IZOD IndyCar Series events.

“We all managed to comprise enough to get by between all four of us in being comfortable and being able to push the limit every single lap, because this was a tough race,” said Wilson, who will be returning to Dale Coyne Racing for the 2012 season that begins March 25 with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

A day to recuperate and it will be back behind the wheel for Wilson, who’ll be able to stretch his legs in the new Dallara DW12 chassis at Sebring International Raceway. A dozen other IZOD IndyCar Series drivers will join him on the short course, including Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon of the fourth-place Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates car in the Rolex 24.

Shank also will have few hours to revel in his first Rolex 24 victory in nine attempts before he focuses on wrapping up details of entering the IZOD IndyCar Series with MSR Indy and likely Paul Tracy as the driver.

“We are so close to being able to run our car at St. Pete and I’m not giving up,” Shank said before the green flag. “This is about passion for me and business. First passion, then business. We have a great relationship with Ford and the Grand Am series and I could make a living here just fine. But it’s been my dream and my intention since I was 7 years old to get in the Indianapolis 500, so when there’s opportunity – like I believe there is in INDYCAR right now – we decided to go for it.

“In a perfect world, I could announce (now) what I’m doing. We’re going to work as hard as we can to make it happen. The interest has been great and we have a lot of new fans.”

Tracy, who confirmed he’s working with Shank to finalize a deal, was among the drivers of the Doran Racing car that finished seventh overall – one spot behind the 2011-winnnig Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates car co-driven by Graham Rahal.

“We need to put together an engine program this week and tie up a couple of other lose ends of some other contractual stuff, and if we can do that, then we’ll get the car put together and try to get to Sebring to test,” Tracy said following a twilight stint.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, who looked to be out of the endurance race when sponsorship for a second Starworks Motorsport car fell through five days earlier, rejoined the team before the initial practice of the weekend and then qualified ninth.

More last minute was the addition of Marco Andretti, Hunter-Reay’s teammate at Andretti Autosport, to the driver lineup. Andretti was granted a late license (he had never driven a Daytona Prototype) and fared well, though he became dehydrated.

Another Andretti Autosport teammate, James Hinchcliffe, co-drove a SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 that finished seventh in the GT class and 16th overall.

Source: INDYCAR, Press Release

AJ Foyt Racing Logo

HOUSTON January 27, 2012—

Halliday’s connection with Foyt can be traced to one of Foyt’s former drivers, Kenny Brack, who won the IndyCar championship in 1998 and followed that up by winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1999.

“Kenny and I were talking about AJ’s situation,” Halliday explained. “Kenny and AJ have remained in touch ever since Kenny drove for him, and Kenny is a very good friend of mine, so there was a connection,” said Halliday.

Contact was made with Larry Foyt, team director of AJ Foyt Racing, who has been working the phones since October interviewing several drivers and engineers as he began reshaping the team in preparation for the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series season.

“It’s really exciting to have Don on board with us,” said Foyt. “The chief engineer is obviously a very important piece of the puzzle when you talk about building a race team, so getting to know him and watching him interact with our group as we started to work together makes me very optimistic. I really enjoy his approach to engineering a race car and his methodology, and I think it’s going to fit in really well with our team. So far everyone has jelled very quickly and we’re all really looking forward to getting on the race track and going racing.”

After meeting the team principals, Halliday was encouraged by the friendly atmosphere and spirit of cooperation among the team members. “It should be fun, the people are very friendly here,” he said.

More importantly, Halliday is looking forward to the challenge of sorting out the new Dallara. It was precisely that challenge that motivated him to become involved in the sport he had stepped away from after the 2003 season.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see how everyone handles this new car,” said the New Zealand native who has been a U.S. citizen for a number of years. “It’s what I’ve always been used to from working in Formula 1 and through designing Indy cars as well – that’s part of what you do. It’s going to be a different challenge for everyone but it’s one that I’m quite used to. Plus I enjoy the challenge and it’s one of the reasons for getting back in the series.”

Halliday’s open wheel resume dates back to the late ‘70s, working with the Bruce McLaren Formula One team before moving on to Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team in 1983-1984. He moved to Indy car racing in 1985 with Maury Kraines Kraco team, spent a couple years in Formula 3000 before returning to Indy cars for good in 1989. During the 1990s and early 2000s, he enjoyed success with some of the top teams and drivers in the series including Truesports (with driver Scott Pruett), Tasman, Team Kool Green (with drivers Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy), and Team Rahal (with driver Kenny Brack).

Halliday’s return to the IndyCar Series last year followed a productive entrepreneurial period for his automotive engineering company Halliday Technologies Inc. which he founded in 1994. Halliday Technologies Inc. holds several patented designs in auto safety related areas, including the Grip Evaluation and Management (GEM^TM) Device – a breakthrough technology that determines measurable levels of grip between individual tires and the road surface. This technology has been used in auto racing and by Firestone in the development of race tires.

Halliday also designed a military vehicle using DMACS technology which vents the blast through the vehicle providing enhanced protection for the war fighter in the event of an IED blast.

“I’ve become a bit of an inventor,” he acknowledges.

Halliday’s being able to think outside the box is one factor that appeals to team owner A.J. Foyt.

“We spoke about a lot of things and I like the way he thinks,” Foyt said. “I believe he will bring a lot to our team this year. My son Larry has done a great job putting together one of the strongest teams I’ve ever had. I’m really looking forward to the racing season.”

The ABC Supply team is planning to test in Sebring, Florida next Tuesday and Wednesday (Jan 31-Feb 1) with Conway. It will mark the first time that both team and driver experience the new Dallara/Honda package.

Source: AJ Foyt Racing, Press Release

Panther Racing Logo

Helping Hands for Freedom Event Night Before Super Bowl Features Comedy Acts, Entertainment

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (January 26, 2012) – Helping Hands for Freedom, a military charity that supports military children of fallen and wounded Soldiers, announced today it will host its “Touchdown for Heroes Championship Party” on the Saturday evening prior to the Super Bowl at the headquarters of IndyCar Series team Panther Racing. The party will feature live music, silent auctions, racing simulators, appearances by professional athletes and a stand-up comedy program that will include nationally recognized comedian Mark Viera. The party will be held from 5 pm until 10 pm on Saturday, February 4^th.

All proceeds from the event will go to support Indiana military children who lost a parent serving in the armed forces, wounded in action, or whose parent(s) are currently deployed. All proceeds from the event will be used to help military children in Indiana through Helping Hands for Freedom. Ticket prices start at $100, for more information visit: www.hhffparty.com

Helping Hands for Freedom co-founder, SSG Patrick Shannon, is a bronze star and Purple Heart recipient, who was severely injured in Iraq while serving for the Indiana National Guard. SSG Shannon was Panther Racing’s original Hometown Hero, and was honored during the month of May with the team during the Indianapolis 500 in 2008.

“When I was injured and recovering I noticed there were a lot of non-profits thatwent above and beyond helping our Warriors, but I wanted to be involved withsomething that focused specifically on the children of those Wounded Warriors,” SSG Shannon explained. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to host the Touchdown for Heroes party, where all the proceeds we raise will stay righthere in Indiana and go directly to the children of our fallen and our wounded.”

Entertainment for the evening will be highlighted by comedian Mark Viera, who performs regularly at top comedyclubs throughout the city, while also headlining colleges and universities across the U.S. Recently he secured a coveted role as a featured comic on the critically acclaimed “Martin Lawrence Presents 1^st Amendment Stand-Up.” Mark’s also made his network television debut on NBC’s Emmy award winning show, “30 Rock.” Mark’s reputation as a comic trailblazer earned him the opportunity of a lifetime; a leading position with the hottest, most recognized and highly sought after comedy group in the U.S. The Latin Prince is a member of the “Top Dogs of Comedy,” rounding out a company of notable performers that includes Capone, Rob Stapleton, Corey Holcomb and Wil Sylvince. He can currently be seen in the Comedy Central show, “Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up at the El Rey.”

Additional entertainment will include comedian Matt Holt, who is a regular on the comedy landscape and just released his first CD I’m in Show Business!

The celebration – Indy’s Touchdown for Heroes Championship party – has all the bells and whistles of the Super Bowl glitz, but what partygoers pay to get inside will have a bigger pay off.

DETAILS: Panther Racing Team Facility, 5740 Decatur Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46241, 5p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. Tickets start at $100. For more information, visit www.hhffparty.com or contact Rodney Smith (Cell: 602-625-9547)

Helping Hands for Freedom

MISSON: Providing for military children whose parents are injured, lost to war, andfacing multiple deployments.

MILITARY CHILDREN “THE STORY BEHIND THE SCENE”: The children of our wounded service members, and those who lose a parent to war, suffer not only from the devastating loss of a parent and a life-changing home environment, but also from the absence of a significant contributor to their growth, development, and education. Children whose parents serve multiple deployments also face considerable change. To these children facing such significant issues, caring mentors and proven leadership provide the vital support, encouragement, and inspiration to help them reach their goals in life. We work to address the gaps in the military and government’s support for the immediate needs facing our service members, the wounded, their families and the families of the fatally wounded.

Source: Panther Racing, Press Release

Leilani Münter

How does someone whose livelihood involves getting only 1.3 miles per gallon of gasoline call themselves an environmentalist? Recognizing that Indy or NASCAR racing is “not an eco-friendly sport,” Münter has a strategy for minimizing an oversized carbon footprint. “I have a passion for racing, as well as protecting our planet,” she said. “I am committed to using this vehicle to introduce the millions of racing fans to the message of sustainable living.” Her goals include convincing auto racing executives to develop more fuel-efficient engines and eco-friendly venues.

Münter races in the ARCA Series, a development league of NASCAR. She is the fourth woman in history to race in the Indy Pro Series, the development league of IndyCar. She set the record for the highest finish for a female driver in the history of the Texas Motor Speedway when she finished fourth in 2006. Sports Illustrated named her one of the top 10 female race car drivers in the world.

To help offset her carbon footprint, she adopts an acre of rainforest each time she races and is a long-time vegetarian and eco-activist. Münter calls herself “Carbon Free Girl” and says her science background led her into activism.

- Augusta Free Press