Conquest Racing

INDIANAPOLIS (May 20, 2011) –

Bad weather plagued the week’s practice sessions at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, limiting the number of laps turned by the teams. Saavedra also encountered mechanical issues during the last day of practice in the No. 34 and searched for speed. The 20-year-old Columbian turned a best lap of 222.926 miles per hour Friday.

“It was a very positive day for us,” Saavedra said. “We made amazing progress from where we ended up yesterday. Unfortunately, we seemed to have a mechanical failure at the end of the day, and we couldn’t get the speed we wanted from it. But, we’re very positive on finding it and making it work for tomorrow.”

With 42 cars vying for the 33 starting positions, the IZOD IndyCar rookie acknowledges qualifying is going to be very tight.

“Compared to last year the competition is a lot harder,” he said. “It’s going to be twice as hard to get in. The speeds are getting very close to each other and it’s going to be very interesting. But team owner Eric Bachelart has a very good hand – he drew us the first qualifying attempt, which is the best time to go out. The cooler conditions are good for the engine and good for the aero. We’ll have to take advantage of that first 30 minutes of practice to get as much done as possible to have a good run.”

Mann had her best stint in the No. 36 on the day’s very last run with a fast lap of 225.432 mph. The British driver was last year’s Freedom 100 polesitter, and is making her IZOD IndyCar Series debut at the famed 2.5-mile oval.

“One of the things everybody has been telling me about Indy since I first got here is how much the track can change,” Mann said. “We were in a fairly good position mid-way through the afternoon and came back to the garage. Towards the end of the session, we went back out and picked up one or two issues which we then had to try and sort out.

One or two issues when you’re running that much negative rear wing is not necessarily the best preparation we could have, this close to qualifying. However, on our very last run we ran our best four-lap stint – all in clean air. We had a bit of a big drop-off on the last lap, but we got three really good ones in altogether.”

Conquest Racing team owner Eric Bachelart is hoping to see both cars make the gird Saturday on Pole Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Pippa has been comfortable this week in practice so we are looking forward to her putting the No. 36 car in the show,” he said. “Sebastian has been looking for more speed, but we found some problems with the car that will be fixed for tomorrow, so we expect progress from the practice times.

“This field is extremely competitive,” he added. “In fact it might be the most competitive I’ve ever seen in IndyCar. It’s going to be a very intense qualifying weekend, but I have faith in our both drivers and in the quality of the preparation we put into our cars.”

About Conquest Racing
Conquest Racing is entering its 15th season of professional racing. Throughout its history, the team has been known to give young up and coming drivers a chance to make it to the big leagues and Conquest is keeping up that tradition with IZOD IndyCar rookie Sebastian Saavedra this year and the IZOD IndyCar Series debut of Pippa Mann at the Indianapolis 500.

- Conquest Racing, Press Release

2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program - Driver Pippa Mann - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Mann will be one of 42 drivers – and the fourth female – vying for a spot on the grid of the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500. The Chase Rookie of the Year candidate was last year’s Firestone Indy Lights Freedom 100 polesitter and the first and only female to win a pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Pippa Mann, No. 36 Conquest Racing

“Our plan for Rookie Orientation today was simply to go out there and just work through the first three phases of the program. As it turned out, things went so well today that we went through all four phases. I actually found the balance of the car fairly similar to the Indy Lights car, so the past two years have been great training.

“It’s the first time I’ve been back in a racing car since my debut IndyCar test with Conquest Racing back in March, so I’m very happy with how things went out there today. The team did a great job to put the car together. I know just how hard they have worked, so I cannot thank them enough, and I’m looking forward to getting back out there at the weekend.”

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Racing Team Owner

“Pippa has done a sensational job today. It only took her 35 laps to go through the four phases of the program and I have to say this has been the smoothest rookie test we have ever done. She is ready, she gave us good feedback, and we can’t wait to get back on the track on Saturday for the opening of the practice week.”

Mann and teammate Sebastian Saavedra will be back on track for practice from noon to 6 p.m. (ET) Saturday for Opening Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gates open at 9 a.m.

ABOUT CONQUEST RACING

Conquest Racing is entering its 15th season of professional racing. Throughout its history, the team has been known to give young up and coming drivers a chance to make it to the big leagues and Conquest is keeping up that tradition with IZOD IndyCar rookie Sebastian Saavedra this year and the IZOD IndyCar Series debut of Pippa Mann at the Indianapolis 500.

- Conquest Racing, Press Reelase

Sebastian Saavedra - Conquest Racing

Persistent rain caused poor visibility on the 2.536-mile, 11-turn street course, forcing IndyCar to postpone the race after only 14 laps were completed on Sunday. The race resumed Monday morning with 1 hour, 19 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the two-hour window.

Saavedra, who qualified 23rd and was 11th when the race resumed, was able to stay out of trouble in the #34 car when many more experienced drivers had difficulty controlling their cars on the wet pavement. The re-start of the race was cautioned-filled and the Conquest team took a chance on an alternate pit strategy. The 20-year-old Colombian climbed to fourth when the team chose to stay out when many of the leading cars pitted. He claimed P3 when EJ Viso was black-flagged for blocking.

Rolling the dice didn’t pay off for the team, as the track conditions improved. Without a much-needed caution, they were forced to pit late in the race and give up position.

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Racing Team Owner

“Sebastian was very mature and he did not make any mistakes during the whole race. The conditions were very difficult and he was careful when needed while at the same time he pushed harder towards the end of the race and showed a fast pace. This is a good result and a good momentum before the Indy 500.”

The IZOD IndyCar Rookie of the Year candidate is 20th in the championship, just 7 points behind JR Hildebrand who currently holds the top rookie spot. The Conquest Racing team will now focus on preparing for running in the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.

Pippa Mann

The British driver joins Sebastian Saavedra to complete Conquest Racing’s line-up for the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500, where Mann will make her debut in the IZOD IndyCar Series driving the #36 car.

The team will be looking to secure two of the 33 available grid slots, in a year where 42 entries have so far been confirmed for the race.

Mann, who was last year’s Freedom 100 polesitter and the first and only female to win a pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, spoke about the announcement:

“Having the chance to compete in the Indy 500 is something that we have been working extremely hard to bring to fruition over the winter. I tested with Conquest Racing earlier this year and given how well that test went, we have since been working tirelessly to put this deal together. The past few months have been a rollercoaster ride for me, and I’m just thrilled that we’re now able to tie things up.

“There are a lot of entries for the race this year, so it’s a somewhat interesting time to be a rookie, but my qualifying record on super speedways is good and I’m definitely up for the challenge. For obvious reasons, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of my favourite ovals, so I can’t wait to get out there in the #36 car and see what we can achieve.”

Conquest Racing team owner Eric Bachelart added: “I am delighted to confirm Pippa alongside Sebastian for the Centennial edition of the Indy 500. Pippa is a natural on ovals and we could judge how good she is when we tested her about six weeks ago in Texas. She has been part of the team since then and we are all looking forward to working with her at the Speedway this year.”

Mann enters the IZOD IndyCar Series off the back of a strong Firestone Indy Lights campaign with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2010, where the British driver scored three pole positions, four top five finishes and a dominant win, seeing her finish fifth in the driver’s championship.

Mann will be the fourth female confirmed as one of the 42 entries for next month’s Indy 500, but she will be the first ever British female to be on the entry list for the 500-mile race.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Sebastian Saavedra - Conquest Racing

Saavedra was making good pace and conserving fuel throughout much of the race. With 25 laps to go, the No. 34 car was set to finish the race on the primary black tires while much of the field was on the red alternate tires.

With plenty of fuel to finish and several opportunities to use the push-to-pass overtake button left, a full course caution came out for a multi-car incident in Turn 8 with less than 20 laps to go. Saavedra got into the back of Ganassi driver Charlie Kimball and damaged the front wing, forcing an unscheduled pit stop.

When racing got back underway, Saavedra quickly moved up from 16th to 14th and held his own to the checkered flag. The IndyCar series heads next to the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 1.

Sebastian Saavedra, No. 34 Conquest Racing

“It was great to finish the race. I was very happy. That was our main goal; that was what we worked for. We maintained a great pace, unfortunately we had to use blacks at the end compared to other cars that had reds on the end.

It was a crazy race with those cautions. Unfortunately when a yellow came out in Turn 8 I had contact with (Charlie) Kimball which damaged my front wing, making me come in for a change. But, it was a great day. The guys did a great job changing the wing and we had great pit stops. We’ve got to keep going. I want a top 10.”

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Racing Team Owner

“Sebastian keeps on learning and it was good to finish this eventful race. The guys did a good job and we had a competitive car all weekend. We were looking good for a top 10 finish before Sebastian got involved in some incidents. We are building the season and we are going in the right direction.”

ABOUT CONQUEST RACING

Conquest Racing is entering its 15th season of professional racing. Throughout its history, the team has been known to give young up and coming drivers a chance to make it to the big leagues and Conquest is keeping up that tradition with 20-year-old Columbian Sebastian Saavedra this year.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Sebastian Saavedra - Conquest Racing

LONG BEACH, CALIF. (April 14, 2011) – Conquest Racing returns to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend. Driver of the No. 34 entry and IndyCar rookie Sebastian Saavedra shares his thoughts as he prepares to compete on the 1.968-mile, 12-turn circuit Sunday.

A Little Respect

“I’ve driven here in the Firestone Indy Lights series the last two years, so coming back for a third time – even though it’s the first time in an IndyCar – I’m comfortable. Long Beach is a place that you’ve got to respect. As with any street course, with any mistake it’s not difficult to end up straight in the wall. But, we’ll approach this weekend as we did St. Pete and I’m looking forward to getting started!”

Team Spirit

“Eric (Bachelart) won here (in the first-ever Firestone Indy Lights race in 1991) so it’s a special place. It’s nice to have that extra positive energy coming from our team owner. We’re prepared, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much more I can improve on street courses. It will be interesting.”

Family Ties

“My mother and father and my sister are all coming in for the race from Columbia. It will be only the second time for my sister to see my race in IndyCar. California is such a beautiful place. It’s always nice to be here and of course having my family here will make it even more so.”

Food for Thought

“I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about eating In and Out Burgers when you’re in southern California! All the mechanics like it, so any little things I can do to make the crew happy, I’ll go for it.”

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

While the team hoped for a better result after running as high as 11th early in the race, it still comes out satisfied with its 13th place finish, especially when taking into consideration that Saavedra had to start from the back of the grid in the backup car.

Starting from the last row after a crash in Saturday’s qualifying session may have ended up being a good thing for rookie Saavedra, as he was able to avoid a first lap, first turn melee at the start of the 100-lap event.

With cars stopped on course in Turn 1 and others trying to avoid the carnage, the Colombian moved all the way up to 11th from his 23rd place on the grid of the 24-car field on the first lap.

The raced was marred with full course cautions in the first fifteen minutes but all was going well for Saavedra who held on to his 11th place.

However, on what was the third restart of the day, the driver of the #34 Conquest Dallara was trying to gain a spot going into Turn 1 but with cars already spinning ahead of him, Saavedra also found himself facing the wrong way and stalled on track.

The incident cost him a lap and sent him back down to 16th at the time. Unfortunately for Saavedra, there was no chance for him to get his lap back but he still managed to run competitive lap times, gain experience and move up to 13th by the time the checkered flag fell on the first race of the season.

The Conquest Racing team and Saavedra will be back on track in two weeks time for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, which takes place April 8 – 10, 2011 at Barber Motorsports Park.

Conquest Quotes:

Sebastian Saavedra, No. 34 Conquest Racing Dallara / Honda / Firestone

“That was a crazy race but for us it was a very positive one. We had a little bit of a rough start but did show our speed and consistency. I think it was a great battle for my first IndyCar race on a street course. I want to thank my crew who were up until 1am last night to put the car together, without their hard work I wouldn’t have been racing today. I learned a lot in this first race of the season and I know that there is still a lot to learn but I am definitely up to it.”

Eric Bachelart, team owner

“Sebastian did a great job for his first IndyCar race on a street course. He stayed out of trouble at the start and was able to gain many positions. Unfortunately, he spun and stalled a little later on during a restart but he learned a lot today, all while being competitive. We can be happy with our result after what we went through yesterday with the qualifying accident. The guys did a tremendous job to get the backup car prepped for the race. This was an encouraging weekend for us and now we’re looking forward to Barber even if there is plenty of work to do until then.”

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Pippa Mann - Conquest Racing

The test, which was originally planned for Monday, was postponed to Tuesday on account of cold temperatures and high winds in the area. With the weather more cooperative the following day, Mann was finally able to turn her first laps aboard an Indy car.

The driver from Britain quickly found her comfort level in the Conquest Racing machine and thanks to her speedy adaptation to the Dallara-Honda, wasted no time getting up to speed, consistently running competitive lap times.

All while soaking in the experience, Mann was also quick to complete her IndyCar Series rookie test, which allowed the team to move on to the remainder of the day’s testing plan. Although a minor mechanical issue interrupted part of the day, the crew was able to promptly fix the problem and return to the track.

“I had a very good test day,” shared Mann. “It’s the first time I have driven an Indy car, as well as my first run at Texas Motor Speedway, so before we got started I really didn’t know what to expect. It didn’t take much time for me to get comfortable in the car and up to speed. We ran some competitive lap times, both on new and used tires. We lost some track time during the middle of the day with the fuel pump issue, but I can’t thank the guys enough for working so hard to get us back out there, which paid off because we made even more progress after that.

“Overall I’m not only pleased, but excited by how the test went,” continued the first woman to drive a Conquest Racing racecar. “I loved my first day in an Indy car as well as the high banks of Texas and running the high speeds.”

Mann wasn’t the only one content with her test. Team owner Eric Bachelart was also satisfied with the day at Texas Motor Speedway: “Pippa quickly got up to speed and was setting competitive lap times early on and that isn’t always the case for someone turning their first laps in an Indy car. She did a really great job and provided really good feedback to the team, which helped us to make some changes and make the car even better balanced and faster. Overall I’m very pleased with how the day went and with what we were able to accomplish.”

The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season gets underway Sunday, March 27 with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

With the current Indy Lights champion strapping himself behind the wheel of an Indy car for the first time, the test was mainly aimed at getting the Frenchman comfortable behind the wheel of the most powerful car he has driven so far in his career.

Thanks to Conquest Racing’s off-season preparations, the team was able to run flawlessly through its testing run plan at Sebring while letting Vernay acclimate himself with his new environment as well as gain driving experience and knowledge of the Honda powered Dallara.

“It was a great day. I really enjoyed my time behind the wheel,” shared Vernay. “It’s the most powerful car I have driven so it was definitely different to what I am use to but everything went very well. In the morning we focused on getting myself familiarized with the car and then in the afternoon we were able to work on different things. Overall, I’m happy with the test. I enjoyed working with the team and driving such a powerful race car is a great feeling.”

With this first test now in the books, the team that is looking to enter two cars once again in the IZOD IndyCar Series is anxiously awaiting the start of the new season.

“JK did a good job at the test. He accustomed himself to the car fairly quickly and we were able to do everything we had planned, so it was a very productive test for us. It’s not always easy to accomplish everything we want to in a one-day test but the crew was well prepared and it was nice to be back at a race track,” concluded team owner Eric Bachelart.

The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season kicks off on Sunday, March 27 with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

The Frenchman will be getting behind the wheel of an Indy car for the first time January 31 at Sebring International Raceway.

Vernay won the Indy Lights championship in his rookie season on the strength of eight podium finishes, including five wins, three of which came from pole position. He totaled 10 top-fives in 13 races and led a season high 172 laps while taking the title with a 23-point advantage over second place.

“I’m very happy to be taking part in my first IndyCar test and want to thank Eric Bachelart and Conquest Racing for giving me this opportunity,” shared the pilot whose JK initials stand for Jean-Karl. “I’m also glad it is taking place at Sebring International Raceway. I tested there last year with my Indy Lights team so I will be able to concentrate on driving the car and not have to worry about learning the track.

“I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible about the car and working well with my engineer and the team all while putting in good lap times. It will also be nice to return to a road course. The last road course I was on was in Sonoma about six months ago.”

“We’re thrilled to give Jean-Karl his first IndyCar test,” added team owner Eric Bachelart. “We’re known to help young drivers get their first chance in the big leagues and this corresponds well to what has become part of our team philosophy over the years. JK has proven his talent in the past and I can’t wait to see how he does in the Indy car.”

Before joining the Firestone Indy Lights Series, Vernay competed in the Formula 3 Euro Series from 2007 to 2009. In his final season in the championship he claimed two victories at Hockenheim and placed second at the famed Macau Grand Prix after setting a lap record in qualifying. In 2007, he also made three appearances for A1 Team France in A1GP, taking part in two of them as race driver.

In 2006, Vernay displayed his talent in the French Formula Renault 2.0 capturing two wins, seven podiums and three pole positions. Finally, in 2005, he won the Formula Renault French Campus Championship with 12 podiums, including six wins in 14 races.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

Conquest Racing was starting both cars within the first five rows with Belgian Baguette sixth on the grid and Tomas Scheckter 10th. Right from the start both drivers gained positions with Baguette moving up to fourth and Scheckter taking over fifth.

Bertrand Baguette

By lap 29, Baguette, who has been making great progress throughout the season, had settled into seventh place, fighting with the likes of Ryan Briscoe and Dario Franchitti.

In the meantime, Scheckter, aboard the No. 36 Norcote International car, was having a battle of his own, fighting for 10th place with Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan.

By the time racing resumed on lap 96, following a second caution period that came out on lap 80, Baguette was 14th with the South African in 11th.

While the rookie was able to make up some positions and battle with Paul Tracy for 10th, Scheckter fell back to 13th.

With no more caution periods until the end of the race, the Conquest drivers, just like everyone else, had to stop for a splash of fuel in the closing laps.

Following their final stop, Baguette was able to gain a couple of positions and finish 10th with Scheckter placing 14th.

Conquest Racing will now be heading back to its Indianapolis shop to start packing for the trip to Japan. The next round on the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule takes place at Twin Ring Motegi, September 18, 2010 with the Indy Japan 300.

Conquest Racing Quoteboard

10th – Bertrand Baguette No. 34 Conquest Racing Dallara / Honda / Firestone

“I think it was a good race for us, starting P6 and running third for a while. It felt good for the team and for me to be in that position. Unfortunately, we lost some positions during a pit stop, which put us at the back of the pack. I was able to gain some positions on the restart but then I got stuck behind Tracy. He was difficult to overtake because he was going on the inside and outside and never doing the same thing. We finally did get by him and in the end score our first top 10. We’ve been continuously improving, which is good, and hopefully we can do even better at the next one.”

Tomas Scheckter

“I struggled a little bit tonight. The car wasn’t as good as in final practice yesterday and not as good as I thought it would be with the changes we made. But overall I have to thank Conquest Racing. We had a great qualifying. I think we improved the car from Chicago to here and now we have to see how we can keep improving. A big thank you to everybody and especially to the crew who did great pit stops. I also want to thank Norcote, it was great to have them here in Kentucky.”

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

Yasukawa who started competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2003 will be competing in his sixth Indy Japan race at the 1.5-mile oval and his first with Conquest Racing.

“I am really excited to be back in the car for the Indy Japan 300 race in a couple of weeks,” expressed Yasukawa. “I always enjoy being able to race in front of my family, friends, and fans in Japan, and would like to thank Conquest Racing, CWE, and VIDA for this opportunity.

“I have not driven an Indy car for a year now, but I am very confident that the team will give me a strong car. I have worked with several crew members of the No. 36 car in the past, so it shouldn’t take too long to gel with the team.

“We’re expecting a record crowd for the Japan race this year, and I’m sure it is going to be very exciting!”

The US-born Japanese driver has been competing partially in the series these last few years with this year marking the eighth consecutive season that he competes in at least one race in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

“We’re very happy to have Roger join the team and to be able to give him the opportunity to once again compete in front of his fans and family in Japan,” said Eric Bachelart, Conquest Racing team owner. “Roger will bring great experience to the team that will be good for everyone and we look forward to working with him.”

Yasukawa started competing in karts in 1990, first racing in the Unites States then Italy. The driver who is fluent in English, Japanese and Italian came back to race on American soil in the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Western Series in 1998 taking the championship by storm, winning 10 of 11 races and placing second in the only race he did not win.

After a few more years in the Barber Dodge Series and a season in the Atlantic Series he graduated to IndyCar racing in 2003 with Super Aguri Fernandez Racing.

The Indy Japan 300 takes place September 18, 2010 and will be broadcast live on Versus September 18, 2010 starting at 10:30 p.m. ET.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

Conquest Racing will be welcoming Scheckter for a second consecutive race. The South African made his debut with the team last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, where he was unfortunately taken out of the race after five laps.

“We’re very happy to have Tomas back with us for this weekend at Kentucky Speedway,” expressed team owner Eric Bachelart. “Sadly his race was short-lived at Chicagoland but in the little time he had in the car over the weekend he did an excellent job and we’re looking forward to having him in the car again. His experience on ovals was of great help to the team.

“We’re also very happy to announce our association with Norcote International which will be featured on our #36 car as the primary sponsor.”

Norcote International is a premier manufacturer of UV curable screen printing inks and emulsions. Their products are used for flat-screen and rotary-screen printing on many types of plastic, vinyl, metal, decals used for racing graphics and other materials compatible with the UV curing process. The Crawfordsville, IN-based company also has facilities in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Mexico.

“Having an association with Conquest Racing and Tomas Scheckter at the Kentucky IndyCar race is a perfect fit for the Norcote brand,” said John Fisbeck, Norcote’s CEO. “Just like IndyCar racing, Norcote uses cutting edge technology and is able to quickly adapt to changes in order to provide our customers with unsurpassed services and products. And, just like IndyCar, we are headquartered in the Midwest but we are global leaders in our industry.”

Tomas Scheckter

This weekend’s event will be the eighth race for Scheckter at that track. His best result at Kentucky Speedway came in 2007 when he finished fifth after starting sixth.

“I’m looking forward to driving the Norcote International car at Kentucky Speedway for Conquest Racing,” said Scheckter. “It will be great to drive for them again and to continue what we started last week. We had a good first weekend together at Chicagoland despite the early retirement from the race and I really enjoyed working with everyone on the team.

“The car was really good at Chicago and I think we can keep on improving heading into Kentucky. I’m confident that we can leave there with a good result.”

As has been the case this season, Bertrand Baguette will be making his first appearance at Kentucky Speedway. The Belgian driver is coming off an encouraging run at Chicagoland Speedway where he spent the final laps of the event battling for a top five finish.

Bertrand Baguette

“It will also be great to have Tomas back with us this weekend. His experience on the ovals was a big help to the team and myself last weekend. I learned a lot from him in one weekend and I look forward to working with him again at Kentucky.”

The Conquest drivers will be on track starting Friday, September 3, 2010 at 10:15 am ET for a one-hour practice session. Qualifying for the 200-lap race starts at 1:30 pm ET and will be followed by a 30-minute final practice from 7:00 p.m. ET.

The Kentucky Indy 300 goes green at 8:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 4, 2010 and will be broadcast live on Versus starting at 8:00 p.m. ET with the pre-race show.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

Conquest Racing

The South African brings with him tons of experience gained over the course of his 100 plus starts in the open-wheel racing series. Since his first Indy car race in 2002, he has gone on to claim 43 top-tens including a couple of wins and has led over 1300 laps.

“I’m very happy to be joining Conquest Racing,” expressed Scheckter, who has made four starts this season with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. “Eric (Bachelart) and I have been talking for quite a while and when this opportunity to drive for them came up, I immediately took advantage of it.

“I know some of the guys on the team for having worked with them in the past and I am really looking forward to working with them again as well as with everyone else. We’re coming together a little bit at the last minute but I am confident that we can come out with a good result, there are a lot of good people on this team.”

Tomas Scheckter

“I’m pretty excited to be getting back into an Indy car at Chicagoland. I really like that track. I’ve led laps there and last season I had the quickest lap of the race. There’s a lot of side-by-side racing and it’s always fun to be racing at night. I can’t wait.”

Team owner Eric Bachelart was thrilled to announce that Scheckter was joining his Indianapolis-based team.

“Tomas and I have been in contact for quite some time and it is great to finally be able to put a deal together. He brings so much experience to the team. We’re really excited to have the chance to work with him.

“He will also be a good pairing for Bertrand and will be able to help him develop his oval racing skills,” added Bachelart. “I’m looking forward to a good weekend from both drivers.”

For the first time this season, Conquest Racing’s rookie Bertrand Baguette will have a veteran driver as a teammate. The young Belgian plans to absorb as much oval racing knowledge as possible from the driver who has made over 90 starts on ovals.

“It will be great to have a driver with a lot of experience on ovals like Tomas on the team this weekend,” said Baguette. “It hasn’t always been easy this season because we were two rookies but having Tomas will be a great help. I look forward to learning from him.”

Baguette who has constantly been improving week in and week out will be making only his fifth oval start of his career this weekend. While he would rather be going back to a road course where he has been putting in strong performances lately, he’s looking forward to returning to ovals.

“I have to be honest and say that I am a little disappointed to not be going to a road course this weekend because we have been doing so well on them and another couple of them on the schedule would have been great, but I’m confident heading back to ovals.

“On my first four ovals, I did quite well in the race despite some bad luck. The team has been doing really well lately and I think I can continue my progression on this type of track and finish off the season on a good note starting this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.”

Conquest Racing will be on track at Chicagoland Speedway starting Friday, August 27, 2010 with a first practice session at 9:15 a.m. CT before qualifying at 1:00 p.m. CT. Teams will get a final 30-minute practice session at 5:00 p.m. CT also on Friday.

The Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 will go green at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on Versus starting at 7:00 p.m. ET with a pre-race show.

- Conquest Racing Press Release

IZOD IndyCar Series No. 36 Angie's List Special Dallara/Honda

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 26, 2010) –

Baguette qualified at just over 224 mph at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway and will be among six other rookies in the race on Sunday. He’ll be starting on the outside of row 8 in 24th place.

“Conquest Racing’s motto is ‘Accept no limits,’ and that’s been the Angie’s List unofficial creed for 15 years now,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “We’re happy to be back in the driver’s seat at Indy and to see our name on an Indy car again.”

More than the Conquest Racing team creed has clicked with Angie’s List, Hicks said. Baguette will join her to provide consumer tips for tire safety, and she says he makes a great teammate in or out of a car.

Baguette, a native Belgian now living in Indianapolis where his racing team is headquartered, said he was thrilled to have a locally headquartered company as a sponsor.

“I haven’t been living in Indianapolis for very long but I have immersed myself into the American culture very quickly and to have an Indianapolis-based company sponsor me, means a lot to me. This is my new home and I’m becoming a Hoosier all the way around,” he said.

Angie’s List today is the nation’s premiere provider of consumer reviews on local service providers ranging from plumbers and contractors to doctors, dentists and of course, auto repair and service.

Angie’s List launched its classic car ratings in 2009 and is gathering reports to enable vintage and classic car buffs to find reliable experts across the country. Finding reliable and qualified vintage car restorers can be difficult because service pros are scattered across the country. Angie’s List makes it easier to find the best experts.

This is the third year Angie’s List has sponsored a driver in the race famously dubbed as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” In 2008, the Angie’s List car, driven by Oriol Servia, finished 11th in the race. Sarah Fisher finished 17th last year.

Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 1 million consumers across the U.S. and Canada rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Take a quick tour of Angie’s List and view the latest Angie’s List news releases.

Conquest Racing was founded in 1997 by 1991 Firestone Indy Lights Champion, Eric Bachelart and has long been known for taking in young and talented drivers, developing them into top drivers within premier racing series. The team initially competed in the Indy Light Series but has since raced in the IZOD IndyCar Series (2002, 2008 – present) as well as the CART / Champ Car World Series (2003 – 2007), recording several top-10 finishes and placing a driver in the top 10 of the season standings for three consecutive seasons from 2004 – 2006. This season the team fields cars for rookies Mario Romancini and Bertrand Baguette. For more information: www.conquestracing.com

Bertrand Baguette has a degree in accounting and has competed in racing venues for 10 years, including the World Series by Renault, Superleague Formula, and Belgian Formula racing.

- Angie’s List Press Release