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Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights headlines:

1. Doubleheader format returns to Indy car at Texas

2. SSM secures Malloy to serve as engineer

3. Knowles joins INDYCAR staff as director of engine development

4. Firestone Indy Lights to race twice at Edmonton

5. Cenveo named INDYCAR’s Official Printer, Visual Communications Partner

1. Doubleheader format returns to Indy car at Texas:

INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard and Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage announced last August that almost 20 years after Rick Mears won both races at Atlanta Motor Speedway that the IZOD IndyCar Series would revisit the twin race format.

Excitement for the Firestone Twin 275s (formerly the Firestone 550k) on June 11 – consisting of two full-field races on the 1.5-mile, high-banked oval – has been building ever since.

“IndyCar Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have never disappointed, and with a record 30 cars on the track the excitement of the Firestone Twin 275s will reach a whole new level,” Gossage said. “Texas Motor Speedway hosting the first twin races in IndyCar Series history makes it big and this only enhances the significance.”

Four of the 21 IZOD IndyCar Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have featured 28-car fields. Fourteen of those 21 races have had a margin of victory of less than one second, and seven have been decided by less than one-tenth of a second.

There were 17 doubleheaders (nine on ovals) under USAC and CART sanction from 1967-81, with a driver sweeping both races 10 times. The grid for the second race was determined by finishing order in the first contest in all 17 events.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Q. How will the grids be set?

A. Traditional oval qualifying (combined time of two green flag laps) will be employed for the first race, and the starting positions for the second race will be determined by a blind draw conducted approximately 15 minutes after the checkered flag for Race 1.

Each driver will draw his/her starting position for Race 2 on the frontstretch stage (punching through the paper center of one of 30 Firestone Firehawk tires to select their number). The draw will be conducted in reverse order of finish.

All drivers will sign a Firestone tire that will be presented to Gossage to auction, with proceeds going to Speedway Children’s Charities.

Q. How are championship and bonus points/prizes awarded?

A. Each race winner will receive 25 points through 5 points for the 25th-place and subsequent finishers (all half points). The driver leading the most laps in each race will earn the two bonus points, but the driver starting on the pole in Race 2 won’t receive the one point that the first race pole winner receives through PEAK Performance Pole qualifying.

Half bonus money — $17,500 for first place through $5,000 for fifth – also will be allocated for each race.

Q. Will teams have to switch pit locations between races?

A. Entrants will utilize the same pit locations, based upon qualifications results for the Indianapolis 500, for both races. The No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins car, driven by Alex Tagliani for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, will occupy the first pit stall (closest to pit out).

Q. Can crews work on their cars between races?

A. At the conclusion of Race 1, all cars other than the race winner’s proceed to their pit boxes and are held until the winner’s car returns to its pit box from Victory Circle. Teams will be given a signal that they can work on their cars until the “all drivers to your cars” command is given about 5 minutes to rollout.

Q. What about technical inspection?

A. All cars will go through technical inspection for Race 1 in starting grid order. After a car has successfully completed inspection, it will be escorted to the fuel depot for filling and then will be placed in impound until “push out” (about 35 minutes to green flag). Only changes permitted on the grid are front wing adjustment, changing of tires, tire pressure adjustments, and plugging in the probe after final warm-up.

All cars will go through technical inspection following Race 2.

Q. Will teams have access to extra engines?

A. Honda Performance Development will make available one spare engine per team, which can be installed in a backup car and fired up for leak checks for potential use in Race 2.

If an engine is installed in a backup car, it will go through technical inspection on race day. After a backup car has successfully completed technical inspection, it will be placed in impound.

Backup cars are not included on the entry for the Texas event so an entry change form is required to be submitted to INDYCAR for Race 2. The sanctioning body in its discretion may permit an entry to remain in its starting grid position through the blind draw for Race 2 (not assign it to the rear of the field) though it will use a backup car because of crash or other circumstance in Race 1.

If a driver change for Race 2 is necessary for any reason, that car will start at the rear of the field.

Q. How much track time do drivers get?

A. Track activity gets underway with a 75-minute session at 12:30 p.m. (local time) that leads into PEAK Performance Pole qualifying at 3:45 p.m. A 30-minute practice begins at 6:45 p.m. There is not a race day warm-up session.

Q. What’s the fuel limit and the overtake assist numbers?

A. Each entry will have 125 gallons of 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol for both 171-mile (114-lap) races. Drivers will have 20 uses of the Honda overtake assist at their disposal — each of 12-second duration and a 10-second recharge period. One overtake assist will be available for the final practice session (6:45-7:15 p.m. June 10).

2. SSM secures Malloy to serve as engineer: Todd Malloy will be the race engineer for the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins car driven by Alex Tagliani for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in this weekend’s Firestone Twin 275s at Texas Motor Speedway.

He replaces Allen McDonald, who earlier this week returned to Andretti Autosport as director of engineering and race engineer for the No. 27 car driven by Mike Conway.

“We are very fortunate to have Todd with us this weekend,” team manager Rob Edwards said. “Since he was part of the engineering group (Nos. 77, 98 and 99 teams) working together at Indy, it will help the transition. At the same time, Allen was part of the founding group of this team; so much of the continuity that has built up over the last 18 months will be lost. Instead of work happening intuitively, we will have to learn to work together as we go.”

McDonald was the chief race engineer for Tagliani, who earned the PEAK Performance Pole Award presented by AutoZone for the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500.

3. Knowles joins INDYCAR staff as director of engine development: INDYCAR, the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series, has hired Trevor Knowles as director of engine development.

Knowles, who will report to INDYCAR’s Vice President of Technology Will Phillips, will work in developing the rules and performance standards for the three IZOD IndyCar Series engine manufacturers beginning in 2012.

“Trevor’s primary role will be to monitor all engine manufacturers’ performance and competition for the 2012 INDYCAR program and beyond,” Phillips said. “This will ensure they are competing within the rules defined by INDYCAR. I’m happy to have someone of Trevor’s experience join the team.”

Knowles has an extensive motorsport background with experience in INDYCAR, NASCAR and Formula 1. He worked with Penske Racing and Evernham Motorsports in NASCAR and also worked with Honda Performance Development, helping develop the 2003-2006 Honda Indy V-8 engine and the Acura’s P2 engine for ALMS.

4. Firestone Indy Lights to race twice at Edmonton: The Firestone Indy Lights schedule has expanded with the addition of a second race during the Edmonton Indy race weekend July 22-24 at the new City Centre Airport circuit.

The first race of the doubleheader will precede IZOD IndyCar Series qualifications July 23, and the second race will take the green flag a few hours before the IZOD IndyCar Series feature July 24.

“We are glad to host two rounds of the Firestone Indy Lights Series at this year’s Edmonton Indy,” said François Dumontier, president of Octane Motorsports Events, the Montreal-based event promoter. “Our spectators will get a real open-wheel racing treat, no less than 12 hours of track time with IndyCar and Indy Lights racing. With this doubleheader, coming to Edmonton is now very attractive for teams and drivers.”

Canadian James Hinchcliffe, who graduated this season to Newman/Haas Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series, won last year’s Firestone Indy Lights race on the temporary circuit.

Octane Motorsports Events also announced the return this year of the NASCC Eurasia GT Invitational and of the Canadian Drift Mania Championship programs.

Tickets are available through the Edmonton Indy box office, at 1-855-350-4639 and at www.edmontonindy.com. Corporate packages and trackside suites also are available.

5. Cenveo named INDYCAR’s Official Printer, Visual Communications Partner: INDYCAR announced a multi-year print services contract and sponsorship deal with Cenveo that will assist the governing body of IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and its bNet sponsors with printing and visual communications, delivery solutions, and fulfillment services.

“We understand INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard’s call to action,” said Cappy Childs, President, Cenveo Sales, Digital Operations and Logistics. “Our ability to quickly understand the league’s growth and profitability goals is key to accelerating the entire communication process. We aim to deliver increased ROI for the league and extend strategic value to IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights teams, tracks, suppliers and sponsors alike.”

The deal between Cenveo and INDYCAR leverages the complete Cenveo platform: commercial and digital printing, envelopes, forms and labels, publisher services, e-commerce and distribution services.

“We are excited to be working with Cenveo to help us get closer to our fan base and our partners,” said Greg Gruning, Vice President of Sales for INDYCAR. “Its manufacturing assets will allow us to focus on delivering the INDYCAR promise, worldwide.”

***

The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season continues with the Firestone Twin 275s on June 11 at Texas Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 8 p.m. (ET) by VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM channel 94 and www.indycar.com. The 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season continues with the David Hobbs 100 at the Milwaukee Mile on June 19.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

Indy Racing League

INDYCAR released the following statement regarding the cancellation of its Edmonton event:

“We are disappointed that the city and the promoter were unable to reach an agreement on the venue changes.   It’s unfortunate that in a time when IndyCar is experiencing momentum and growth, the city would want to miss out on the opportunity to be part of it. We’ve enjoyed our time at Edmonton as the fans there truly embraced Indy car racing.  We currently are examining options for our schedule to see if there are opportunities to replace the event.  As we move ahead into 2011, we are confident that our schedule will continue to produce the fastest and most versatile racing in the world, challenging both driver and team alike while providing exciting entertainment for fans.”

Octane Motorsports Events Inc., which received approval through a City Council vote days before the July 25 race won by Scott Dixon to take over promotion of the event for three years, and the City of Edmonton could not come to an agreement by an Oct. 29 deadline.

Octane sought to retain the original course, but the city closed Runway 16-34 a week after the Honda Indy Edmonton and moved air traffic to Runway 12-30, which was repaved prior to the IZOD IndyCar Series’ initial visit. Retaining the circuit would close the airport – primarily used for cargo, by the military and private pilots – during the three days of the event.

The sticking point is who would cover the financial obligation – projected at $3.2 million (Canadian) — for repaving and site improvements on the closed runway and taxi roads at the airport a mile from the city’s hub.

- Indy Racing League, Press Release

DPW Racing

During the initial practice session carburetor issued hampered the #99 DPW/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet. “It was a nagging little problem with the carburetor but after the Friday practice I managed to take care of it once and for all” said White. “The rest of the weekend you could really feel the difference in the cars performance” he added.

Relegated to the slower group for qualifying Derek White managed only to place the #99 DPW/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet twentieth on the grid. “With the carburetor issues we got a little behind and I still have some work to do on qualifying” said the rookie driver.

As the green flag waved on for the 100km event on Sunday afternoon White knew the #99 DPW/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet was a fast race car. “I could feel the car pulling down the straightaway so well” he said. “There was lots of horsepower and the car was handling really well too” he stated.

It turned out it was almost as if the #99 DPW/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet was too strong. As White was looking to continue his move forward in the field he felt something in the rear end of the car go wrong exiting a corner. “We had a little too much bite in the corner and we snapped an axle” said the driver dejectedly.

The race at Edmonton proved to be another lesson in the rookie season for the #99 DPW/OCR Gaz Bar team. “These guys worked so to get the car ready just to make it out here, they did a great job” said White. “We’ve just got to chalk this up to learning experience. I did get some more seat time in the car, it felt great to be out there and it was a lot of fun. But knowing how good the car could have finished this one is a little bit frustrating” he added.

Derek White and the #99 DPW/OCR Gas Bar Team are scheduled to race next Saturday July 31st at Motoplex Speedway near Vernon, BC. The team is scheduled to compete in all thirteen series races this season. As in years past all NCATS races will also be seen on TSN. You can follow the team all year long by following this link to their website and by logging onto www.nascar.ca

- TL Sports & Entertainment Press Release

IZOD IndyCar® Series

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights headlines:

1. Dallara’s U.S. tech home will be inviting

2. Barber recognized for environmental excellence

3. Conway gets in some laps — on simulator

4. Scheckter back in No. 24 MonaVie car for Edmonton

5. Of note

1. Dallara’s U.S. tech home will be inviting: Dallara Automobili envisioned establishing a U.S. facility that would serve as a technology center, engineering classroom, visitor destination and magnet for other auto racing-related industries. It will come to fruition with Dallara’s selection July 14 to manufacture the IndyCar Safety Cell beginning in 2012.

A multi-million dollar brick-and-glass facility in the final design stages will be a cornerstone of the Main Street redevelopment in Speedway, Ind., a few hundred yards from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League headquarters.

The facility will house the Dallara USA technical center, as well as areas for Indy Parts Inc. (the official Dallara spare parts distributor), the Indy Racing Experience (two-seater and single-seater IndyCar programs), Experiential Marketing Inc. (show cars and promotional activities) and the Indy Engine Group (high-performance engine shop).

Plans also include an interactive area, co-sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, where fans can:
• Use an interactive touch-screen wall to learn how an IndyCar is designed and manufactured.
• See the assembly area and watch IndyCar chassis being assembled.
• View the operation of the state-of-the-art vehicle dynamics simulator.
• Drive a scaled down version of the race car simulator.
• Take a ride in a street-legal race car.
• Participate in a pit stop competition.

Future plans also include a restaurant, along with facilities for meetings and parties.

“Dallara are really looking forward to being a part of the community,” said Sam Garrett, U.S. technical liaison for Parma, Italy-based Dallara Automobili. ”We’ve been discussing the possibility of opening a U.S. location for several years. The contract to supply the new IndyCar chassis is the catalyst that finally allows it to happen.”

Discussions have been ongoing between Dallara and several Indiana universities regarding the promotion of an engineering curriculum with an emphasis on motorsports, including internships, connection with Formula SAE events, and using the simulator to train engineering students in controlled and repeatable conditions.

“These engineers can then learn to make quick decisions when time is tight, to dig into a lot of data to find the appropriate synthesis, to interact with the driver in real-time situation under pressure and under unexpected but programmable scenarios,” Garrett said. “This is applicable to both road and race cars.”

Formula SAE is a student design competition organized by SAE International (formerly Society of Automotive Engineers) that has been held since 1979. The concept is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a design team to develop a small formula-style race car. Each student team designs, builds and tests a prototype based on a series of rules whose purpose is both to ensure onsite event operations and promote clever problem solving.

Dallara principals Gianpaolo Dallara and Andrea Toso are Formula SAE design judges.

The IndyCar Safety Cell will be the core of the next generation of IZOD IndyCar Series car. Entrants and constructors, including Dallara, will have the opportunity to “dress” the rolling chassis in aero kits (front and rear wings, sidepods and engine cover) for the series’ diverse set of racetracks that they will market to teams. The rolling chassis will cost $349,000 – a reduction of almost 50 percent of the current race car.

“Dallara welcomes diversity in the look of the car,” Toso said. “IndyCar is no more a de facto spec formula. Third-party companies, including sponsors, engineering centers, race teams, race car manufacturers, automotive manufacturers, can submit to the IRL their design and have the teams race it. The design includes the main bodywork parts and the front and rear wings.

“This diversity aims at promoting interest from the fans, favoring engineering research into more efficient bodywork shapes and creating a strong marketing platform for all partners.”

Also, beginning in 2012, Dallara will offer a $25,000 credit to the Firestone Indy Lights champion for any Dallara parts or services to be used to assist the driver in advancing to the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Already, Town of Speedway officials say three other auto racing-related manufacturers have inquired about locating near Dallara’s building. In November 2009, the commission broke ground on its first construction project. The $10 million Main Street project is part of a $500 million plan for 400 acres of multi-use development.

“Dallara will encourage and welcome other manufactures, shops and motorsports industry suppliers to expand their business around its facility in Speedway, to create a ‘motorsports valley’ for exchanging the know-how and developing activities to increase more jobs in engineering and motorsports industries,” said Stefano de Ponti, Dallara Automobili’s director of U.S. operations.

2. Barber recognized for environmental excellence: Barber Motorsports Park, which played host to its first IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights race weekend in April, has received certification in Environmental Planning from the Audobon Cooperative Sanctuary Program – the only motorsports park in the world to hold such certification.

The program is designed to help landowners preserve and enhance the environmental quality of their property.

“We welcome Barber Motorsports Park’s commitment to managing their property in an environmentally-sensitive manner,” Audubon International staff ecologist Jim Sluiter said.

3. Conway gets in some laps — on simulator: IZOD IndyCar Series driver Mike Conway, recovering in the United Kingdom from injuries suffered in a crash in the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, last week began driving in a racing simulator as part of his workout regimen.

“It is great to be back in the cockpit after the accident seven weeks ago,” said Conway, who the same day had the cast from his left leg removed. “It’s the first time I put weight on (the foot) so I was surprised how well I could hit the brakes. I am pleased to say that I have feeling in my foot and it felt good.”

4. Scheckter back in No. 24 MonaVie car for Edmonton: Tomas Scheckter, who competed in the Honda Indy Toronto for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, will drive the No. 24 MonaVie entry this weekend in the Honda Indy Edmonton.

He’ll team up with Justin Wilson, who earned the PEAK Performance Pole Award in Toronto in the No. 22 Z-Line Designs car.

5. Of note: “The Early Show” segment with anchor/reporter Erica Hill getting a ride in an Indy Racing Experience two-seater and driving an Indy car on the Honda Indy Toronto street circuit will air July 28 on CBS…Andretti Autosport driver Danica Patrick is among the three top female sports stars in the nation, according to an annual Harris Interactive poll. Tennis siblings Venus and Serena Williams are Nos. 1 and 2. Patrick was also selected as one of 30 women who are “Utterly Inspiring Role Models” by Forbes.com. Also included on the list were Melinda Gates, Michele Obama and Oprah Winfrey. … Olympic curling gold medalist and Edmonton resident Kevin Martin will be the grand marshal of the Honda Indy Edmonton. … KV Racing Technology driver Paul Tracy said the impetus for his weight loss was seeing himself in early shots of his SPEED Channel series “Battle of the Supercars.” The show, which co-stars rally and drifting standout Tanner Foust, debuts July 22 at 10 p.m. (ET) … USF2000 driver Zach Veach is featured in the latest issue of Amazing Kids.

***

The 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season continues July 25 with the Honda Indy Edmonton at Edmonton City Centre Airport. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 5 p.m. (ET) by VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 212. The race also will be carried on www.indycar.com. The 2010 Firestone Indy Lights season continues with the Edmonton 100 on July 25 at Edmonton City Centre Airport.

- Indy Racing League, Press Release

Will Power

Joining forces with Team Penske teammates Helio Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, and Ryan Briscoe, a top contender for the 2009 IndyCar Series championship, Power will complete a powerful three-car lineup in 2010 for Penske Racing.

Today’s announcement is a key element of a multi-year program between Penske Racing and Verizon Wireless that began in 2009. The 2010 Verizon Championship Racing platform will include the IndyCar Series with Power, Castroneves and Briscoe and NASCAR competition with Brad Keselowski and Justin Allgaier.

Power joined Penske Racing last season, filling in for Castroneves during pre-season testing and at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg. After Castroneves returned to the team, Power competed in the No. 12 Verizon Wireless car and won the pole position and finished second at Long Beach before he earned an impressive fifth-place result at the Indianapolis 500. Power went on to win his first race for the team at Edmonton and produced a win, two poles and four top-five and six top-10 finishes in six races in 2009. He suffered a season-ending back injury during a practice session at Infineon Raceway on August 22. Power continues to recover from his injuries well ahead of schedule and he is expected to be ready to participate in 2010 pre-season testing with the team.

“Will did a terrific job for Penske Racing this past season and we are excited that he will be able to drive full-time with the team in 2010 in the Verizon Wireless car,” said Roger Penske. “Will proved that he could consistently compete for wins and poles in 2009, despite his limited time on track. We believe he can be a legitimate championship contender next season for our team, along with Helio and Ryan. I want to thank Verizon Wireless for their continued support of our racing programs.”

Power, the 28-year-old native of Toowoomba, Australia, established himself as one of open-wheel racing’s most talented drivers before he joined Penske Racing last season. Power excelled in European competition as he produced strong performances in the British F3 and World Series by Renault championships before he moved to the United States in 2005 to compete in the Champ Car World Series. He captured the series Rookie-of-the-Year honors in 2006 and claimed three wins and six pole positions in two plus seasons in Champ Car. In 2008, Power won on the streets of Long Beach in Champ Car’s final race, and after he joined the IndyCar Series, he earned his first series pole in front of his home crowd at Surfers Paradise, Australia.

“To be able to compete for a full season with Penske Racing is really a dream come true for me,” said Power. “Working with the team this past season was the best experience of my career and I can’t wait to race for the IndyCar Series championship in 2010. I really have to thank everyone at Verizon Wireless and the Penske Racing team for this opportunity. I intend to make the most of it.”

“Verizon Wireless is excited to begin its second season with Penske Racing and we look forward to having Will Power compete and win races in the Verizon Wireless Indy car in 2010,” said John Stratton, chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “We have had a very successful first season with Verizon Championship Racing in 2009 as we established ourselves as a major motorsports presence in North America. The 2010 season should be even more exciting with Will battling for the IndyCar Series championship and with Justin Allgaier and Brad Keselowski racing for wins and championships in NASCAR.”

Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 314 major race wins, 373 pole positions and 22 National Championships. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

- Penske Racing Press Release

Photo Credit: Autostock

KV Racing Technology

Tracy, substituting for Mario Moraes whose father passed away on Wednesday, started 10th in the #5 Azul – Votorantim – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry. Driving a smart, patient race he moved into ninth place on lap two where he remained through his first pit stop. Taking advantage of other competitor’s mistakes, Tracy moved into seventh place on lap 42 where he remained until the end of the 85-lap contest.

“First of all I want to thank Mario (Moraes),” Tracy said. “This was a good result and it is for him and his family. It was a good race for the Azul – Votorantim – KVRT team and I want to thank the team for all their hard work. The car wasn’t super quick and it wasn’t slow. It was just a good solid race and we earned solid points. Hopefully we moved the team up the pit lane a little bit.”

Tracy made his 12th appearance on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn permanent road course today. It was his eighth career IndyCar start and sixth of the 2009 season, five of those coming with KVRT. Tracy has now finished in the top-10 nine times with five top-three showings including a win (2003) at Mid-Ohio. Today’s finish is his fifth career IndyCar top-10 showing including two top-five performances, a career high second at the 2002 Indy 500 and a fourth at Edmonton in 2008. Three of his five top-10 finishes have come this year with KVRT including consecutive top-10 finishes at Edmonton, season high sixth, and here at Mid-Ohio.

This was KVRT’s sixth top-10 finish of the season and the fourth time in four starts that the team has finished in the top-10 at Mid-Ohio (best showing a fourth by Will Power last year).

Next up for KVRT is the Infineon Indy Grand Prix, August 21-23, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. The race will be broadcast live on Versus at 5:00 p.m. ET.

- KV Racing Technology Press Release

Track: Kentucky Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval)

Location: Sparta, Kentucky

NOTES/NEWS

Thoughts on Kentucky with TCGR Managing Director Mike Hull: “It’s great to be back racing on a high speed oval that is very technical due to working hard to get it right over the humps and bumps that the track has – the driver needs to work with his team to find the smoothest route with a race set-up that keeps the car under him throughout the night as the track grip level changes. Our Target guys have won at Kentucky due to having the fastest car combined with good stops while running full rich. It’s not a fuel mixture race, it’s a race track that requires you to race in a full out manner to win, and that’s fun. With the aerodynamic parts that finally have been given back to us by the IRL, it should help to provide better racing, and more importantly gives the platform for a true two-groove oval. It’s high speed, and in the first person, the demonstrated speed is impressive.”

Dario, Scott, Scott Dario: Last weekend at Edmonton, Dixon (finished third) took over first place in the IndyCar Series point’s race, with Franchitti (finished fifth) dropping to second. It was the fourth consecutive weekend the Target drivers swapped the points lead, and the seventh race of the season that either Dixon or Franchitti have been atop of the IRL standings.

TCGR at Kentucky: Dixon won for team in 2008 after TCGR had finished second in 2003, 2006 and 2007. TCGR has seven top-5 finishes and has led 243 laps since their first race at the track in 2002 with Jeff Ward.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Oh What Finish! – Kentucky Rewind: Dixon started from pole, led 151 of 200 laps and made a last lap pass of Helio Castroneves to win at Kentucky Speedway in 2008. Dixon’s win marked his sixth on the IndyCar Series season, tying the record for most wins in a year held by former teammate Wheldon from 2005. The Kiwi extended his lead in the championship standings from 65 to 78 over Castroneves with three races remaining on his way to a second IRL title. The dramatic ending to the race saw Dixon close in on Castroneves over the final two laps, finally catching and passing the Penske driver who ran out of fuel in the final turn.

Dixon on Last Year’s Race: “What a day. I think we tried to play it kind of safe and just be conservative. Even in traffic we really didn’t rush things. The car was fantastic. We didn’t have as much speed, actually, as we thought we did, especially in practice and qualifying. The car was super fast. We had a couple of guys that definitely sped up, with (Vitor) Meira and Marco (Andretti) toward the end, their cars were very fast. It was strategy in the end, it was crazy. There was no way we were going to catch him. He was half the track ahead of us. I knew our car was probably quicker than his, but not 20 miles per hour faster. It was nice to get it the way we did. I think about the run that Dario (Franchitti) had for the championship in 2007, and it’s nice to be able to be in that position after how we lost it last year.”

Last Week: Dixon finished third at Edmonton, his seventh consecutive top-five finish.

On the verge: Dixon’s win in Richmond still has him tied with Sam Hornish Jr. for the most wins in IndyCar Series history with 19. A repeat victory this weekend in Kentucky would give him a 20th win and sole position of the IRL record.

Points: 1st in points with 380, +3 over Franchitti.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

Target Paint Scheme: Kentucky marks the return of two Target paint schemes for the No.9 and 10 cars.

Last Time at Kentucky: Dario missed the 2008 race in Sparta while competing in NASCAR. In 2007, his car left the racing surface after making contact with another car for the second consecutive race – within six days. Aug. 5 at Michigan International Speedway, Franchitti walked away uninjured from a spectacular crash on the backstretch after touching wheels with the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car driven by Dan Wheldon on Lap 143 of 200. At Kentucky Speedway, Franchitti ran up/over the rear of the No. 55 car of Kosuke Matsuura after the checkered flag. “That one was completely my fault; there’s no excuse,” said Franchitti. “I didn’t realize it was the checkered. I got the ‘Hey, it’s a checkered’ just as I was hitting him.”

- Target Chip Ganassi Racing Press Release

Panther Racing National Guard

National Guard driver Dan Wheldon has been consistent in his first full season in Panther Racing’s No. 4 car, and the season’s final six races are comprised of some of Wheldon and Panther’s best tracks. After slipping to seventh in the IndyCar Series point standings following a Canadian swing that featured races in both Toronto and Edmonton, the team looks to get back on track and get back into the top five championship contenders by season’s end. Wheldon is currently just four points behind sixth-place Marco Andretti and 30 behind Danica Patrick.

The team’s consistency is highlighted by Wheldon completing 1,810 of a possible 1,828 laps this season, more than any other driver in the series. His eight Top Ten finishes are second behind only Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti, who have nine total.

Panther’s Indy Lights team has won each of the past two races at Kentucky, in 2007 with Hideki Mutoh and last season with Dillon Battistini. Those drivers have led a staggering 132 of a possible 134 laps combined in those races, which each pilot leading all but one lap en route to their respective victories. Mutoh won from the pole in 2007 and Panther’s only other Indy Lights race at Kentucky came in 2003, when Mark Taylor won the pole position, but did not start the race the following day due to illness.

In 13 career IndyCar Series starts in Kentucky, Panther has twice started from the pole, won the race in 2003 with Sam Hornish Jr. and has amassed a total of four podium, five Top Five and eight Top Ten finishes. In Firestone Indy Lights, Panther has two poles, two victories and has never finished outside the Top Five. Wheldon has four Top Five finishes in his six starts at Kentucky, including three podium finishes and a best finish of third in 2004 and 2005. He finished fifth there last year with Ganassi.

The Meijer Indy 300 will be broadcast live on VERSUS next Saturday at 8 p.m. (EST), with additional coverage provided by the IMS Radio Network, www.indycar.com and Sirius XM channel 211.

Dan Wheldon, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda

“When you look at all the races coming up, both myself and Panther Racing have had good results there. We should have competitive equipment on the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car and I hope to be driving well because Kentucky is the type of place where we should be good. We’ve been doing our homework and I’m pretty hopeful after looking at what happened at Toronto and Edmonton, we know the areas where we need to continue to work and that will only help us at places like Kentucky. Honestly, it should help us at all the tracks we go to, especially now that we know the path we need to follow.”

Martin Plowman, No. 15 Firestone Indy Lights

“After this stint of street courses I’m looking forward to get back on the 1.5 mile ovals. Back in the beginning of the year we had a good Top Five result in Kansas nearly missing a podium, so I can’t wait to get to Kentucky this weekend to get the result that we’ve been promising in the last few weeks.”

Pippa Mann, No. 16 Firestone Indy Lights

“I’m happy to go to Kentucky this weekend, a track that Panther had tremendous success in the past two years, winning with Dillon in 08 and Hideki in 07. I had a tough break the last time we went to a 1.5 mile track, so I’m looking forward to capitalizing on Panther’s achievements at Kentucky and bring home a good result.”

- Panther Racing Press Release

Tracy, in the #15 Edmonton Honda Dealers – Wounded Warriors.ca – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine, made his fifth appearance on the 1.96-mile, 14-turn City Center Airport temporary street circuit and second in a row in his native country. Starting an IndyCar career high ninth he moved into sixth place on the opening lap following the incident with Moraes and essentially remained there throughout the 95-lap contest.

“I have mixed emotions about the race today,” Tracy said. “It was obviously a good race for the Edmonton Honda Dealers – Wounded Warriors.ca – KV Racing Technology car, but I have a bit of a heavy heart with Mario and myself touching on the first lap, which sent him spinning and I didn’t realize it had put him out of the race. I feel terrible for that and it has kind of put a damper on the rest of the weekend.”

Tracy went on to say, “Other than that, we had a little bit of a tire issue on the first stint and once we had the pressures right, the second and third stint the #15 car was pretty good and we just ran around, pretty much alone for the whole race.”

Moraes, contesting his second race in Edmonton, started seventh. The talented Brazilian, behind the wheel of the #5 Azul – Votorantim – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone picked up 12 points and is in 17th place in the standings with 169 points.

Tracy, 40, made his third consecutive start, and fourth of the year, for KVRT today. Today’s sixth place finish is his best in five races this season and third best in seven career IndyCar starts behind a runner-up finish at the 2002 Indy 500 and fourth place showing here in Edmonton last year. Tracy has now finished in the top-six in all five of his starts in Edmonton. He previously ran for KVRT in Toronto, Watkins Glen and at the Indy 500. His other IndyCar starts were this year at Milwaukee, for AJ Foyt Racing, at Indy in 2002 and last year here at Edmonton for Vision Racing.

Moraes, 20, in his second IndyCar season and first with KVRT, made his 27th career IndyCar start and 11th on a road/street course today. Prior to this season, Moraes had three career top-10 finishes, with a best showing of seventh at Watkins Glen and had earned just one top-10 qualifying spot,10th here in Edmonton. Since joining KVRT he has scored career high finishes on six of the 11 tracks, had two top-10 showings and earned his career best oval finish placing ninth at Milwaukee. His IndyCar career best finish is seventh at Watkins Glen in 2008. Moraes’ qualifying record has shown even more dramatic improvement. He has qualified in the top-seven in six of 10 races (Iowa qualifying cancelled), twice in the top-five, including an IndyCar career high fourth at Watkins Glen and an oval career high fifth at Milwaukee.

KVRT contested its fifth race, 10 starts, in Edmonton today. The team has now finished in the top-10 four times, two top-five showings with a best finish of fourth by Servia in 2006.

Note: Race fans in Toronto and Edmonton were given the opportunity to make a donation to Wounded Warriors.ca, a charity that benefits wounded Canadian veterans, and sign Paul Tracy’s fire suits at both events. Over $28,000 in donations were made, which Honda Canada matched. The total amount donated to the non-profit charity was $56,021.

Next up for KV Racing Technology is the Meijer Indy 300, July 31 – August 1, at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky. The race will be broadcast live on Versus at 8:45 p.m. ET.

- KV Racing Technology Press Release

- TAKING THE VISION TO EDMONTON: Vision Racing and the IndyCar Series ventures to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and the Edmonton City Centre Airport for the second time. In the team’s debut at the 1.937-mile road course in 2008, they added driver Paul Tracy in the No. 22 Subway sponsored car along side the team’s regulars, Ed Carpenter and A.J. Foyt IV. Tracy made a lasting impression in his debut with the team in his native country as he battled the odds to work his way from a 15th place starting spot on the grid to run with the leaders, and narrowly missed out on a podium finish in his first outing for the Vision team in a collaborative one-race effort with Walker Racing. Fellow team drivers A.J. Foyt IV and Ed Carpenter finished 12th and 13th respectively. The team’s best road and street course finish came earlier this year on the streets of St. Petersburg when Ryan Hunter-Reay finished in the second position. Ed Carpenter’s best road/street course finish came at Watkins Glen when he took sixth place in 2006.

- NEW LOOK FOR CANADA: Vision Racing is pleased continue the running of William Rast branded livery in Canada as Carpenter will drive the No. 20 William Rast Dallara/Honda/Firestone entry for the second-consecutive race, after debuting the car two weeks ago at Toronto. William Rast, a People’s Liberation subsidiary known for its stylish high-end denim, is the primary sponsor on the No. 20 car this season for the IndyCar Series’ Canadian swing through Toronto and Edmonton.

While William Rast, a premium lifestyle brand with emphasis on stylish denim, has been a mainstay on the Vision Racing body work all season, it was also featured earlier in the year as a primary on the team’s No. 21 car driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in April. However, the William Rast moniker has been featured on the Vision Racing entries at each event this season. Carpenter’s car will feature a grey matte finish, day-glow orange accents and of course, William Rast branding.

- HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: After forming and joining the Indy Racing League in 2005, Vision Racing is celebrating its fifth season of competition in 2009. Since the team embarked upon IndyCar Series competition, eight drivers have piloted five (Nos. 2, 20, 21, 22, 90) different team entries. Those drivers have combined for an additional 45 top-10 finishes, plus 10 top-five finishes, three more podium finishes and 42 laps led. Over the previous four years the quest for the team’s first victory has been top priority and Vision Racing is confident that year five will be the season where that it happens. The team’s best ever finish occurred in the 2009 season opener as Ryan Hunter-Reay drove from 14th to finish second in the race. That podium finish also put Vision second in the championship point standings which was also its’ the highest-ever ranking. The Rexall Edmonton Indy will be the team’s 77th IndyCar Series event since their first season in 2005.

- SUMMER VACATION: Thanks to a mid-season break in the schedule this past weekend, team members got to enjoy some rare time away from the racetrack to spend with their families and friends. Team co-owners, Tony, Laura and Lauren George and driver Ed Carpenter, and their respective families spent their free time in the beautiful state of Montana before making the trek up to Edmonton for the race.

- ON ROAD/STREET COURSES: The team’s best finishes on a road or street course is second, recently scored in the 2009 season-opener at St. Petersburg by Ryan Hunter-Reay in his debut with the team. It’s is also the team’s highest finish overall. Prior to Hunter-Reay’s podium finish, the previous best road and street course drives include a fourth place finish scored by Paul Tracy in 2008 at Edmonton, and a pair of sixth place drives; one captured by Tomas Scheckter on the streets of St. Petersburg in 2007 and the other by Ed Carpenter in 2006 at Watkins Glen International

- FIND US ONLINE, ANYTIME: Just a couple of weeks ago, the team launched the newly remodeled www.VisionRacing.com. The site not only features great design and features, but also boasts its own fan site with additional content just for fans. The site is also the hub of the team’s social media experiment for the 2009 season. Vision Racing has established itself in the realm of online social media and networking via accounts at Twitter, Facebook and YouTube this season; allowing fans, friends, followers and even members of the media the opportunity to closely follow and interact with the five-year IndyCar Series participant. Be sure to follow the team’s Twitter feed all race weekend long for behind the scenes info, pictures and maybe even an impromptu, trackside “tweet-up!” The team’s new site was designed by RACERSITES.COM.

- ON LOAN: Considered a win-win situation for all involved, Vision Racing driver Ryan Hunter-Reay has taken over piloting duties of A.J. Foyt’s No. 14 ABC Supply entry for the remainder of the 2009 IndyCar season in a deal that began at Iowa. Hunter-Reay, who drove the No. 21 Vision Honda Dallara to a second place podium finish in the 2009 season opener at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida, and has transferred his driving services to A.J. Foyt Racing as a temporary replacement for the injured Vitor Meira.

- 2009 TEAM HIGHLIGHTS: This season’s highlight to date came in the season-opener in St. Petersburg, Fla. when Ryan Hunter-Reay started 14th and drove all the way to finish in second place. Since then, Carpenter has added four top-ten finishes at Kansas, Indianapolis, Texas and Iowa.

- AS SEEN ON TV: Patrick Dempsey joined Vision Racing prior to the 2006 season, taking on a new role that has been making hearts race in a literal way as a team co-owner. Known for his scene-stealing turns in such ’80s nostalgia classics such as Can’t Buy Me Love and Loverboy, Patrick Dempsey continues to please America with his explosive charisma and versatile talent. Dempsey is the star of the ABC drama “Grey’s Anatomy.” Dempsey’s no stranger to the racetrack when he’s not in front of the camera. A true racer at heart, he’s currently driving professionally in Grand American Cup class sports car racing with Dempsey Racing, formerly Hypersport. He raced a Ferrari F430 GT with Team Seattle in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and also competed in the 2009 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

- A TEAM WITH A VISION: Vision Racing is owned and operated by Tony and Laura George, their daughter Lauren George and actor Patrick Dempsey of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana in a 32,000 square foot facility. The team competes full-time in the IndyCar Series and is entering its fifth season of IndyCar Series competition and second year of Firestone Indy Lights racing. Vision Racing continues to proudly perpetuate the legacy of the Hulman-George family through motorsports excellence, by demonstrating the traditions and heritage of the Indianapolis 500 and Indy car racing.

Ed Carpenter

Birthday: March 3, 1980;

Hometown: Marshall, Ill.;

Residence: Indianapolis, Ind.

Making second career start at Edmonton.

- AT EDMONTON: Carpenter will be making his second start at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. Last year, driving the Vision Racing No. 20 Menards machine, he started from the 23rd spot and advanced ten places to finish in the 13th spot.

- MOST RECENTLY: Starting from the 19th spot on the grid in his debut on the streets of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Carpenter held on and persevered through a wild and exciting Honda Indy Toronto to finish the race in the 15th spot. He fell back as far as the 23rd spot after running as high up as 12th and overcame a pair of spins and contact with Graham Rahal to move his way back up through the field and finish in 15th. Unfortunately, Carpenter dropped one spot again in the IndyCar Series championship point standings to the 15th position with 172 total points (175 points behind the leader).

- BABY ON BOARD: Just as planned, Carpenter and wife Heather (Pettigrew) welcomed their second child into the world on June 1st as the 8 lb. 1 oz., 20 inch long Ryder Carpenter arrived on his due date. Young Ryder has been traveling the IndyCar Series circuit with his family at just a few weeks old; joining the schedule back in June for the Iowa event and tagging along ever since. Big sister, Makenna was born in October 2007, while the couple was married November 8, 2005 on the Island of St. Thomas.

- TWEET, TWEET: With the birth of his second child, son Ryder, Carpenter decided it would be the perfect time to make his debut on Twitter.com as well; joining Vision Racing’s Twitter efforts. You can view Carpenter’s Twitter updates at www.twitter.com/edcarpenter20 and follow the team at www.twitter.com/visionracing.

- 2009 SEASON: This is the sixth full season in IndyCar Series competition for Carpenter and the seventh season that he has participated in overall. Carpenter is looking to build off of four top-ten finishes earned in the last six consecutive oval races. His top-ten finishes came on the ovals of Kansas, Indianapolis, Texas and Iowa. The Rexall Edmonton Indy will be Carpenter’s eleventh event of the 2009 IndyCar Series season.

- LEADER LAPS: In his fifth IndyCar Series start in at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2008, Carpenter recorded his first laps led in an IndyCar. He led the field for three laps under caution and finished an Indianapolis 500 career-best, fifth. His most recent leader lap came this season at Texas Motor Speedway when Carpenter was credited for leading one lap. He has a total of four (4) career-leader laps.

- BACK WITH MENARDS: The No. 20 Vision Racing machine again features the most recognizable car on track as it carries the day-glow yellow color of Menards for the second consecutive season. Menards returned as the primary sponsor of the No. 20 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone, driven by Ed Carpenter. The Menards sponsorship also continues a long-lasting relationship between the home store retailer with Carpenter. The 28-year-old driver carried the Menards livery in 2002, with Sinden Racing in Firestone Indy Lights competition and well before that his days of dirt track racing behind the wheel of quarter midgets.

- NEW VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT: Carpenter still has the same view from the cockpit that he’s always had, but fans of the driver will notice a different look coming from his cockpit this season as his helmet is carrying the distinct colors and logos of the premium jean and clothing retailer, William Rast, for the 2009 season. For the Canadian events at Toronto and Edmonton, Carpenter’s helmet will match his car as his No. 20 machine will carry William Rast primary sponsorship at those races.

- ED “CARPENTER”: Carpenter and his arsenal of power tools have been busy again this past off-season as he has been knee deep in a house flipping project with a long time friend as well as occupied with rehab projects around his own home. Of course, Menards has been an essential part of Carpenter’s home repair ventures. Prior to his current real estate investment, Carpenter and his “do-it-yourself” mentality crafted his home repair skills with his first home and family heirloom. The home is located in Speedway, Ind. was purchased as new in 1955 by stepfather Tony George’s parents, Elmer and Mari George. Tony grew up in the home as a boy and for a time, drivers A.J. Foyt and Roger McCluskey lived in the basement.

- DOUBLE DUTY: Ed Carpenter made history in September 2003 at Chicagoland Speedway when he became the first driver to compete in a Firestone Indy Lights event and an IndyCar Series event on the same weekend.

- INAUGURAL BRICKYARD WINNER: Carpenter won the inaugural Firestone Indy Lights Firestone Freedom 100 in 2003 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Making him an inaugural winner at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway along with Ray Haroun (Indianapolis 500), Jeff Gordon (Brickyard 400), and Michael Schumacher (United States Grand Prix).

- BIG MAN ON CAMPUS: Carpenter graduated from 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament qualifying Butler University, Indianapolis, Ind., with a marketing degree in May 2003.

- DID YOU KNOW? Carpenter enjoys water skiing, snowboarding, hunting and cycling. His racing heroes include Al Unser Jr., A.J. Foyt, and Lance Armstrong and he has two dogs; a Rottweiler named Bentley and a Chihuahua named Rosco.

- ED AT-A-GLANCE: Carpenter is participating in his sixth season in the IndyCar Series, and his fifth with his second team in Vision Racing. The 28-year-old made his IndyCar debut at Chicagoland Speedway in 2003 for PDM Racing, which made him the first driver to compete in an IRL Indy Pro Series event and an IndyCar Series event on the same weekend. Carpenter, who has been with the team since it’s inception in 2005, is determined to make his sixth season overall, the best for both he and the team. Last year Carpenter recorded seven top-10 finishes, two top-fives and his first leader laps.

- Vision Racing Press Release

Race: Rexall Edmonton Indy, July 26 (5:00 PM ET, Versus)

Track: Edmonton City Centre Airport (1.96-mile street/airport course)

Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

NOTES/NEWS

Thoughts on Edmonton with TCGR Managing Director Mike Hull: “Edmonton is a fantastic race track. Once again we’re in front of knowledgeable fans who demonstrate their love for Indy Car racing. It’s the combination of a road and street circuit with real passing zones. The visibility for the spectators and race teams is unparalleled. You can see racing on the entire course – like watching a big video game in the first person. In terms of winning the 2008 race, it came down to the end as it should with the competitiveness of Indy Car racing.

Dixon and Helio had a fantastic race and both deserved to win the race, it just happened to go Dixon’s way. The way that they raced each other clearly defines the skill set to carry speed into bumpy corners under braking while working to get the bite necessary to exit in front of each other. When you think about an Indy Car race you think about ovals, but Edmonton adds a whole new dimension to the requirement to win a championship.”

TCGR at Edmonton: Dixon recalled, “That was probably our best weekend of the season from a team standpoint. At the start of the weekend the car was maybe top-10. And we slowly worked at it and come qualifying we were fourth, but only a tenth or two off pole. I couldn’t believe we’d come that far after being so far off in first practice that morning. Then we had a fantastic race car. Oriol Servia was pretty easy to get past, then Briscoe played a bit of team tactics to give Helio a chance to pull away. But we really nailed the pit stop and came out ahead of both of them. Then the car was so good that I could stay ahead of Helio and save fuel at the same time. We had about a three-second gap and he was pushing hard, then he made a mistake, slid wide in turn one and from then on it was smooth sailing. But again, to go from a car like that to a dominant car in that weekend was one of the most satisfying races of the year for all of us.”

TCGR Open Wheel History Lesson: Franchitti’s win in Toronto two weeks ago was the 70th for TCGR (40 in CART, 30 in IRL). Overall it was win number 111 for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. across open wheel, stock car and sports car racing (1990-present). Dixon’s win in Edmonton in 2008 was win number 102 for the team.

Swapping the points lead…again: Two weeks ago at Toronto, Franchitti (finished 1st) took over first place in the IndyCar Series point’s race, with Dixon (finished 4th) dropping to second. It was the third consecutive weekend the Target drivers swapped the points lead, and the sixth race of the season that either Dixon or Franchitti have been atop of the IRL standings.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Defending race winner: “You look at races where you kind of didn’t have the best car but you came away with the win, and other races throughout the season you had the best car and didn’t win. So it’s nice to get those occasionally and it was a real team effort that day. We weren’t maybe the best car, but we put everything together when it counted and that’s what pulled us through especially at the end. For a lot of the drivers it really brings back a lot of memories of Cleveland — very similar, very wide.

It’s extremely bumpy, you have to get really aggressive and it has a great flow about it once you get into it. Tracks like that create great racing because there are such wide entries to many of the turns and you can try different things. It’s a good all-arounder but it’s a tough, tough place. It’s fun and it’s a track everyone can see from the grandstands. There are a very limited amount of circuits, apart from an oval, where everybody can see everything that’s going on. It’s like a Milwaukee. For the fans it’s fantastic, and to race in Canada is always a ton of fun. The fans are really enthusiastic and knowledgeable.”

On the verge: Dixon’s win in Richmond still has him tied with Sam Hornish Jr. for the most wins in IndyCar Series history with 19. A repeat victory this weekend in Edmonton would give him a 20th win and sole position of the IRL record.

Points: 2nd in points with 345, -2 to leader Franchitti.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Vaseline MEN Team

Vaseline MEN Paint Scheme: Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, will announce later this week a deal that introduces Vaseline® MEN as an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Vaseline® MEN will be the primary sponsor for of the No. 10 Honda Dallara driven by Franchitti and the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex Jr. at select races across the IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). The Vaseline® MEN paint scheme will make its debut for Target Chip Ganassi Racing this weekend on the No. 10 car. Vaseline® MEN will debut on the No. 1 Chevrolet in the NSCS at Dover, Del. on September 27 (ABC, 1:00pm ET) and again in Martinsville, Va. on October 25 (ABC, 1:00pm ET).

Edmonton Debut: When the unified IndyCar Series debuted at Edmonton in 2008, one prominent name missing was 2007 series champion Franchitti. After a stint in NASCAR last season, Franchitti will participate in his first race at Edmonton City Centre Airport. Championship contenders Dixon, Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves all competed at Edmonton last season, with Dixon and Castroneves taking podium position and Briscoe scoring the pole. Franchitti will look to make up ground quickly getting acclimated to the 1.96-mile track.

Dario’s Testing and Overseas Travel: After his win in Toronto two weeks ago, Franchitti traveled with the team to Mid-Ohio the next day to test in preparation for next month’s Honda Indy 200. From there Dario went to his homeland of Scotland for the week to relax before arriving in Edmonton Wednesday.

Points: 1st in points with 347, +2 over Dixon.

About Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR)

On the strength of eight wins in 17 races last season, Target Chip Ganassi Racing is the reigning IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner. Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today TCGR includes two entries in the Indy Racing League for 2008 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon, and 2007 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti. TCGR has collected six championships and 70 wins since 1994 and operates out of a state-of-the-art race shop facility in Indianapolis, Ind., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Panther Racing National Guard

Wheldon moved up to 17th quickly from his starting position of 21st when – on Lap 8 – Richard Antinucci attempted to get inside the No. 4 in the third turn of the course and contacted the No. 4 car. He continued, and the National Guard car needed to be restarted after making light contact with the outside wall. The incident caused minor damage to the rear wing and forced the team to lose a lap, but Wheldon was still able to complete the race clean while many other competitors were knocked out in crashes.

Ganassi Racing driver Dario Franchitti was the eventual winner, with Team Penske teammates Ryan Briscoe and Will Power finishing out the podium.

The Rexall Edmonton Indy will be broadcast live on VERSUS at 5 p.m. (EST), with additional coverage provided by the IMS Radio Network, www.indycar.com and Sirius XM channel 211.

Dan Wheldon, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda

“I must say it was a difficult weekend for all of us on the National Guard Panther Racing team. We all worked extremely hard, especially during the race, but we all know that we can do better. Some of the best cars I’ve driven this year have been on the road and street courses, so we’re all looking forward to a break next weekend and then we’ll all bounce back in Edmonton. It’s times like these that you grow stronger as a group, and in the long run we’ll learn from experiences like this.”

- Panther Racing Press Release

Power is scheduled to drive for Penske Racing at IndyCar Series events in Toronto (July 12), Edmonton (July 26), Kentucky (August 1), Sonoma (August 23) and Miami (October 10).

Upon joining Penske Racing prior to the start of the 2009 season, Power drove for the team throughout pre-season testing and in three of the first four events on the IndyCar Series schedule. He produced solid results, earning a pole position, two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

“Will has done a terrific job for Penske Racing and he has earned the opportunity to compete in more races,” said Roger Penske. “Will is a great asset to the team and we are excited to have him compete at these additional five races in the Penske Truck Rental Indy car.”

Filling in for three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda, Power earned a sixth-place finish in the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg.

After Castroneves returned to the team in April, Power remained with Penske Racing and drove the No. 12 Team Verizon Wireless car. He won the pole position and finished second in Long Beach and enjoyed a strong month of May at the Indianapolis 500, earning a ninth-place starting position and running up front all race en route to a fifth-place finish.

“I am really looking forward to getting back on the track and driving for Penske Racing,” said Power. “I have learned so much working with everyone on the team this season and I plan to make the most of this opportunity to drive the Penske Truck Rental car at these five upcoming races and help the team however I can.”

Power, 28, will join Castroneves, driver of the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda, and Ryan Briscoe, driver of the No. 6 Team Penske entry, in the Penske stable at these five select events.

“We help hundreds of thousand of families move ahead every year,” said Jim Feenstra, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Penske Truck Rental. “The similarity in quality of product, people and dedication at every turn between Penske Truck Rental and Penske Racing creates great brand-building opportunities. We’re excited about seeing a proven success like Will Power drive the bright yellow Penske Truck Rental No. 12 in the IndyCar Series.”

A native of Toowoomba, Australia, Power was named the Champ Car World Series Rookie of the Year in 2006 and he produced three wins and six pole positions in two plus seasons in Champ Car. In 2008, Power won on the streets of Long Beach in Champ Car’s final race, and after joining the IndyCar Series, he earned his first series pole in front of his home crowd at Surfers Paradise, Australia. Power joined Penske Racing in January of 2009.

Penske Truck Rental is a service of Penske Truck Leasing. With one of the newest fleets, Penske Truck Rental provides do-it-yourself moves with clean, safe and reliable trucks as well as moving equipment, packing supplies and accessories.

Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P., headquartered in Reading, Pa., is a joint venture of Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group and General Electric. A leading global transportation services provider, Penske operates more than 200,000 vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,000 locations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Product lines include full-service truck leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer truck rentals, transportation and warehousing management, and supply chain management solutions. Visit www.GoPenske.com to learn more about the company and its products and services.

Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 310 major race wins, 367 pole positions and 22 National Championships. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

- Penske Racing Press Release