Ford Racing

JAMIE ALLISON, Director, Ford Racing —

“We’re thrilled to win the NASCAR Nationwide Manufacturers’ Championship. Not only is it our first since 2002, but, more importantly, it’s the first championship for Mustang in NASCAR. Mustang – as it has for 47 years – continues to be a force in all forms of racing. This has been a great year for
Ford and Roush Fenway in Nationwide, with Carl, Ricky and Trevor all providing some great moments and 13 victories. Now, it would be great
to add the driver’s championship by Ricky to this special year for Mustang and Ford.”

BORN TO RACE –

Mustang winning a championship in its first year of NASCAR competition won’t come as a surprise to Ford enthusiasts, who have known about the muscle car’s racing pedigree ever since it came off the assembly line for the first time in April of 1964. In fact, a little more than a month after its April 17 introduction, Mustang was on the race track as a pace car leading the 1964 Indianapolis 500. And before the year was out, it was a winner in competition, finishing first and second in class in the 1964 Tour de France international rally.

THE MOST SINCE –

In addition to helping deliver a manufacturer’s championship, Mustang has been to victory lane more than any other model in 2011. Mustang has 13 wins so far this season, which represents the highest single-season win total in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Ford Racing since 2002 when it won 16 races.

FEELS LIKE THE THIRD TIME –

This marks the third time Ford has won the NASCAR Nationwide Series manufacturer’s title. The first time came in 1995 when Chad Little led the Ford contingent with six wins while Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin contributed three each. Kenny Wallace and Tim Fedewa also scored victories that year for Ford. The second title came courtesy of Greg Biffle, who won the driver’s championship and was a leader on the manufacturer side. Jeff Burton actually led the way with five wins that season while Biffle and Jason Keller registered four each, Scott Riggs two and Bobby Hamilton Jr. one.

Ford NASCAR Nationwide Manufacturer Championship Seasons: 1995, 2002, 2011

Ford NASCAR Nationwide Series Champions:

• Greg Biffle (2002)

• Carl Edwards (2007)

Ford Finishing Order:

1st – Trevor Bayne

3rd – Carl Edwards

6th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

29th – Joey Gase

33rd – Timmy Hill

35th – David Ragan

37th – Carl Long

38th – J.J. Yeley

40th – Tim Andrews

BAYNE WINS FIRST NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RACE

• Trevor Bayne registered his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win with today’s victory at Texas.

• The victory is the 13th for Mustang in its inaugural season by three different drivers (Edwards, Bayne and Stenhouse Jr.) and is the most among all manufacturers.

• The win is also the 299th all-time win for Roush Fenway Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series combined.

TREVOR BAYNE – No. 16 Ford. Drive One. Ford Mustang – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW –

“This is just as surreal as the 500. That’s hard to say, but this has been so long. We’ve worked so hard to get our first Nationwide win and I wasn’t sure if it was ever gonna happen. I was thinking maybe the next Cup win would come first, but these guys worked their butts off to get us here and God pulled us through.

Man, this is crazy. It doesn’t seem real again, just like the 500. The fashion we were able to win that race, going up and racing against one of the best in motorsport in Carl Edwards, to pass him for the win and get Ford this manufacturer championship and put our effort into it is great. Everybody has won races and leading the points and we were ready to get our first win. I’m glad we could do it here.”

YOU DIDN’T HAVE A WINNING CAR UNTIL THE END.

“That was a last-minute save by Chad Norris. I didn’t think this car had it in it. I thought it might all week, but with about 14 to go I didn’t know if we’d be able to get up there and get the win, but he dialed it in and the pit crew did a great job getting me back out and this thing was a beast at the end.”

THIS PLACE MUST BE ON YOUR FAVORITE LIST.

“It is. It’s one of the toughest to drive and that’s why I’ve always wanted to get a win at a place like this. Daytona is great, but that’s restrictor plate racing. I hate to say it but a lot of people could be in victory lane there, but to win at a mile-and-a-half that has been one of my dreams
and Texas is by far one of the toughest places to drive, so I’m reallyexcited about this victory.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – No. 6 Sam’s Club / Cargill Ford Mustang –

“That was good. It’s awesome to see Trevor win. I think that wraps up the manufacturer’s championship for Ford Racing, so that was one goal that
we wanted this year and we finally got that done. Our Sam’s Club Members Mark Angus Beef Mustang was really good at first and then it kind of backed up a little bit. We lost some track position and got a great restart there at the end. I thought we were gonna get home with a top five, but we’ll definitely take where we finished.”

WHAT ABOUT THE LAST FEW LAPS?

“That was fun. We were just a little bit too to keep in front of the 22 and run a couple more down, but it was awesome to see Trevor get a win this year in the Nationwide Series. This wraps up a Ford championship for manufacturers, so that’s awesome. It was a good day for the Sam’s Club Members Mark Angus Beef Ford.”

YOU ARE 17 POINTS AHEAD OF ELLIOTT NOW.

“That’s good. That’s better than where we were when we came in and that’sreally all we can ask for.”

CARL EDWARDS – No. 60 Fastenal Ford Mustang –

“He earned that one. He drove really well. That restart he did a really good job. I wasn’t worried about giving him the bottom because I thought I could hang on his door and beat him, but our Fastenal Mustang was really good for the majority of the day. At the end, once those guys got by they were
able to drive away. That’s better than finishing right on their bumper because it’s tough to lead that much and not win the thing, but Trevor is a great guy and he deserves to win. I’m happy for him and for Ford.”

DAVID RAGAN – No. 08 Texas Tech Ford Mustang –

“We were making a lot of progress. The car was driving as good as it had been all day, but my inexperience with these cars and a start-up team, we just didn’t start where we needed to. I’m proud of the guys. They were making some big adjustments and the car responded, but it just seemed it lost
a cylinder going into one and it was something internally in the engine. We’ll chalk it up as a learning experience. It was fun until she blew.”

CARL EDWARDS PRESS CONFERENCE –

“The restart I was really happy Trevor was behind me and then he wasn’t behind me anymore after that and I was really happy that he was able to hold off the 18. Our Fastenal Mustang was good all day. Towards the end we didn’t adjust our car as well, I don’t think, which is just as much my fault as anyone’s. We had such a dominant run all day. We were maybe a little lax on our last adjustment and Trevor got in there behind me. He pushed me out
in front of the 18 and I wasn’t really worried about him going to the bottom because I thought if he went to the bottom I could hold him off and run on his door and make it hard on him, but I was wrong. He drove right by and then Denny drove by and they just drove away from
us, which made me feel a little bit better that they drove away and I didn’t just give it up 100 percent on that pass. I’m just really glad
he was able to hold off Denny. We did close one point on those guys in the owner’s championship, which is important to us right now, so I
think it’s a two-point race there.”

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO NASCAR PARKING KYLE BUSCH THE REST OF THIS WEEKEND?

“I didn’t hear anything that Mike Helton said, so I don’t know the exact reason or anything like that. I’ll just let Denny talk about that.”

WILL YOU THINK TWICE ABOUT DUMPING SOMEONE IN THE FUTURE?

“Like I said, I haven’t heard what Mike said yet and I haven’t had a chance to talk to him, so I don’t know yet.”

HOW BIG DO YOU THINK THIS IS FOR TREVOR TO WIN?

“I think it’s huge for Trevor. I’m happy to see him have success, as happy as I can be as a competitor of his. I think that Trevor has
been through a lot this year. I think he’s been through a lot that anybody in his position would consider that a big journey that he’s been on and to be as young as he is and to have so many changes in his life right now, and for him to handle everything as gracefully as he has, I think, says a lot about him. So it’s neat to see someone like that have some success. If it becomes a regular thing, I don’t know
if I would be as happy for him, but I am happy for him today.”

WHAT DID YOU LEARN TODAY FOR TOMORROW?

“I think the track was a little different than it was in practice with the Cup cars and as the race went on I learned where some of the grip was and where it wasn’t. I was fortunate enough to be able to start first a couple times and try the inside and outside. That was pretty interesting and overall the way that the track changed throughout the day. Even though the timing is a little different for tomorrow’s race, I still think I learned a
little bit about the way the track is gonna change.”

HOW WILL IT BE NOT HAVING KYLE IN THE RACE TOMORROW?

“How many points back is he (57). I thought he was closer than that, but, like I said, I’d like to talk to Helton about it and understand exactly what the reasoning was and I haven’t talked to Kyle personally or anything, so I still don’t know enough about the situation, but, from a competitive standpoint, that’s one less guy out there that’s chasing you down for the championship. From a pure competition standpoint, that is simpler for us now.”

DANICA FINISHED 11TH TODAY. DO YOU NOTICE THAT SHE’S LEARNING AND GETTING BETTER?

“I came around and only lapped her, I think, one time and it took me a long time to get by her and, finally, when I did get up right to the outside of her coming off the corner I thought she did a great job of giving me just the right amount of room. She’s definitely come a long way in my book. Of course, I knew that when I bumped her out of the way at Montreal, she went in the next corner and bumped me right back out of the way, so she’s a good racer.”

TREVOR BAYNE PRESS CONFERENCE – YOU LED THE FEWEST LAPS FOR A WINNER AT TMS (6).

“Normally, you don’t want a record for leading the least laps, but it’s okay when you have a win at the end of it, so I’ll take that. I think Chad will, too, and Jack and everybody else. We’re really excited with this win and the fashion we were able to do it there at the end, to race against Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin – two of the best drivers and two of the best cars in the series – and be able to get them there. Carl drove me really, really clean there at the end. I was expecting a bit more from him actually, but he did all he could to hold us off, I guess, and still was clean. That was
really fun at the end. I can’t describe how this feels to get a win in the Nationwide Series finally and to do it with these guys at a
track like Texas, it means a lot to me and it’s my brother’s birthday. I forgot to talk about that earlier, so happy birthday to my little
eight-year-old brother.”

JACK ROUSH, Owner –

“I couldn’t be prouder. Texas has been real good to us. We won with Jeff Burton here in the inaugural race back in the nineties. That was a wonderful event. The thought that I had when I watched the checkered flag fall and Trevor I said, ‘It’s great to be there for his first win,’ but then I remembered his dad said he had taken him racing since he was five years old and he’d run thousands of races and I bet you obviously remember your two wins from this year with NASCAR, but I bet you don’t know how many times you’ve won in your life, have you?”

TREVOR BAYNE CONTINUED –

“I don’t know. It’s somewhere over 400 or so with local events and all that, but I can promise you that these two are the most memorable.”

JACK ROUSH CONTINUED –

“That’s great. I’m really proud of Trevor and proud of Chad and proud of the job that Mike Beam and all the guys did to get the cars to have all that speed in them. Doug Yates and the guys did a great job with the engine and, of course, I’m especially happy to be here with Ford Motor Company to win, I think, the first manufacturer’s title in 10 years or so – since 2002.”

CHAD NORRIS, Crew Chief –

“We kind of struggled a little bit being tight in the center all day and we worked on the front end there a little bit and I knew it was gonna be a 20 or 30-lap run there, and our car was really good on about 20 laps. The caution that came out there with about seven to go really played in our hands. We tightened the thing up just a little bit, just so we could get going, and the thing really took off and he did a really nice job at the end of the race and just raced his butt off. I can’t be more proud for him and Jack and Ford Motor Company.”

TREVOR BAYNE CONTINUED – CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR YEAR AND WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR YOU AFTER A ROUGH WEEK LIKE YOU HAD AT TALLADEGA?

“I don’t know if you could script a story like the year I’ve had. It’s crazy to think only one year ago I was making my first Cup start and to come back here to Texas and get our first Nationwide win, this is a place I’m gonna love from now on. But this year has been a lot of ups and a lot of downs, but I think the people around me and myself, we’ve tried to stay right here the whole time. We’ve tried not to ride it to the top or ride it to the bottom and that’s been important for us – to be able to come back after bad things happen, just like after Talladega with all the negative things that were going on, that was fuel to our fire to be positive and to come out here and show everybody that we’re here to stay and that we can do this and that’s what Chad’s mindset was, that’s what my mindset was, Jack, and everybody around me. We try not to feed off the negative things and we know that we’re gonna be back to a positive day, so, with that said, when we do have good days we do ride that a little bit more. I’m pretty happy to be here and to be in the media center finally for a Nationwide win. It’s a dream come true.”

JACK ROUSH CONTINUED – DO YOU STILL USE THE AUDI WIND TUNNEL IN GERMANY?

“We’ve got a moving-ground plane wind tunnel in Concord and we haven’t been to the Audi wind tunnel in two or three years. It helped us a lot until we got the resource close by, but it’s certainlysomething we look forward to going back and establishing a baseline if
we lose our way.”

TREVOR BAYNE CONTINUED – WERE YOU THINKING ABOUT THIS WAS WHERE YOU GOT SICK LAST TIME OR MADE YOUR FIRST CUP START?

“Honestly, I didn’t really think about anything except coming here off the momentum we had at Charlotte. We’ve learned so much about our mile-and-a-halfs and the Roush Fenway cars have been so strong, and our Wood Brothers car has been the same way at the mile-and-a-halfs lately, so I was kind of feeding off that coming here, trying to do the same thing that Chad has been working on me to do. He’s had me watching different films and things to work on my driving style a little bit. That’s been important and it’s been applicable to a bunch of mile-and-a-halfs and been able to gain advantages and really work that, so it’s been important to learn at Charlotte and bring that here. Obviously, the sickness does come to mind a little bit when you think about Texas and my first Cup start comes to mind, but I would say more the first Cup start than anything.”

JACK ROUSH CONTINUED – HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO HEAR ABOUT THE PENALTIES TO KYLE BUSCH?

“I wasn’t at the truck race last night. I had an engagement that held me away from the race track, so I didn’t see it
first-hand. I became aware of it this morning and the buzz in the garage after I had done one interview already. I really wouldn’t care
to comment on what NASCAR has done. I think that anybody that wrecksone of these cars or creates a problem after a caution or after a
checkered flag really does so at their own peril, and I’m sure NASCAR will do something that’s reasonable in the broad scheme of things.”

TREVOR BAYNE CONTINUED – IS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU’VE EVER WORN A COWBOY HAT?

“I’ve actually worn them before, probably like Halloween when I was five, and I wore one in this morning and they were making fun of it, so I think now I can actually wear it. I didn’t think it would ever look good with a race suit, but I think this one looks okay.”

JACK ROUSH CONTINUED –

“Actually, I heard when they presented him with his hat in the winner’s circle that he had planned to buy one if he could, if they were available, but this way he saved that investment.”

TREVOR BAYNE CONTINUED – CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH THE FINAL RESTART?

“Going into the last restart, like Chad said, I knew that our car was gonna be really strong for a short run. We were able to gain three or
four spots every single restart all day, and I knew at the end there with us being in fourth position, that was about the number of cars we
could pass and we were just able to get a great restart, kind of like the one at Charlotte, where we were able to push Carl out front. And
once he got out front, we actually cleared the 18. Had I not cleared the 18, I don’t know that we could have won the race, but, fortunately, we had enough power to get by him and was able to get tothe bottom and get on Carl’s left-rear a little bit and get by him. these kind of restart races, these are the kind of wins you’ve always wanted.

As a driver, I remember at Myrtle Beach Speedway when I was probably 15 years old in the Hooters Pro Cup Series, there was a green-white-checker and I started fourth and ended up winning the race, kind of the same way, and that’s one that’s always stood out in my head, so that’s the driver I want everyone to know I can be – is a guy that can go get it done at the end. I’m glad that we were finally able to do that and I know that these guys have been pulling for me all along and it’s cool to finally see that pay off for them.”

JACK ROUSH CONTINUED – ANYMORE CLARITY ON WHAT RICKY AND TREVOR WILL BE DOING NEXT YEAR?

“Our programs are not firmed up. We’re working with sponsors to try to make the best offering that we can or the best
package that we can, but I really don’t have anything to announce on that. It was another win for the NextGen oil, Valvoline’s new oil,
and we’re real excited about that, too. They’ve got an added package for the oil that’s real attractive for us with the NextGen, but Goodyear had a great tire. We had a great engine. The engineering support from Ford was good and without having all those things behind us, we couldn’t have realized the success that we had today.”

TREVOR BAYNE CONTINUED – DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO YOUR FANS FROM A SOCIAL MEDIA STANDPOINT?

“Well, after Talladega I’m a little scared of Twitter. I got on there and saw what everybody was saying and kind of hurt my feeling a little bit, so I’ve been staying off a little bit. But I’m really excited to have the following that we do have. After Daytona it obviously skyrocketed from 6,000 to around 64,000 now on Facebook and everything, so I really do appreciate the true fansstanding behind me all the time. They’re always there to lift me up and encourage me and just keep me going, so it’s great to have any fans and the social media ones are just as important as the people
that are here, so it’s been cool to see that grow all year long through the ups and downs and seeing the support that unconditional. That means a lot to me.”

- PCG Campbell Press Release

Jay Howard

“I’m really lucky to have met Courtney ironically through the racing world,” said Howard. “We are building a new house and it’s really a new beginning for me. It’s nice to have something to look forward to after losing my friend Dan Wheldon. I know he wouldn’t have wanted us to continue to be sad any longer especially with how much he enjoyed being married himself. Both Courtney and I continue to have him in our thoughts and on our special day, I’m really looking forward to having a teammate to navigate life with moving forward.”

Howard first met Nicoson when he came to the United States from his native England to race. The two met at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the annual activities surrounding the Indianapolis 500. Nicoson is a Marketing Representative at Jim Beam Brands, a longtime sponsor within open-wheel racing, while Howard raced this past season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

After getting engaged last year around the holidays, the happy couple relocated from South Florida to settle in Indianapolis, Nicoson’s native, this past January. While both Howard and Nicoson were busy with their respective demanding jobs this past year, Nicoson’s mother, Conny assisted with most of the wedding planning.

The festivities officially got underway on Friday, October 28 with Howard hosting all of his groomsmen at the Brickyard Crossing golf course, which was more than fitting as many of Howard’s groomsmen are also part of the close-nit racing community, including his racing spotter and manager. The wedding rehearsal and dinner followed for all of Howard and Nicoson’s guests at Harry & Izzy’s, one of their favorite Indianapolis restaurants.

The wedding ceremony took place at 5:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, at Mavris, a staple in the beautifully historic downtown Indianapolis under the watchful eye of nearly 300 guests. At the conclusion of the ceremony, all of the guests joined the reception, which was also held at Mavris. The party lasted until the wee hours of the morning and Howard kept the crowd entertained with some of his Michael Jackson dance moves.

Howard plans to return to the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2012 following a tailored schedule behind the Service Central Honda machine in 2011.

About Jay Howard

Jay Howard is a professional racecar driver in the IZOD IndyCar® Series and Indianapolis 500. In 2006, the England-born driver won the Firestone Indy Lights championship, an essential step into the top-level of open-wheel racing, the IZOD IndyCar Series. Howard won the championship by four points, marking the closest margin in the Series’ history. That same year, he won two races, had five podium finishes and won two pole positions. He ran five events for Roth Racing in the IndyCar Series in 2008, with a best start of 14th and a best finish of 13th.

He competed in three Firestone Indy Lights events in 2007, and took home the U.S. Formula Ford Zetec Championship and Rookie of the Year Honors in 2005; breaking Indy 500 winner Dan Weldon’s Series record, with nine wins. That year, he captured six pole positions and established a Series record, with six consecutive victories. Howard has been a guest or profiled on national platforms such as MTV’s Real World Road Rules Challenge. For more information, please visit Jay Howard online at http://www.jayhoward.com.

- BRANDed, LLC. Press Release

AJ Allmendinger - Photo Credit Sam Greenwood / Getty Images

The team, which competes in the Daytona Prototype class in Grand Am, has formed a new partnership to compete in IndyCar that includes NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger.

Allmendinger, who competed in open wheel before moving to stock cars, has competed for Michael Shank in the Rolex 24 Grand Am race at Daytona but won’t drive the IndyCar entry.

“For me, the Indianapolis 500 has always been the dream,” Shank said. “With the new 2012 Dallara IndyCar, there is a window for a team like mine to join the series and pursue that dream.”

A driver for the new Indy team has not been announced.

“Obviously I have a close connection to open-wheel racing, but add that to the chance to work with Mike and his organization and it’s something that really appealed to me,” said Allmendinger. who drives the No. 43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports. “Mike is one of the hardest working guys in motorsports and he’s a racer. I’ve always liked that about him, so I know he’ll fight hard for MSR Indy’s performance. We also hope to open some business relationships for our NASCAR Cup partners with this effort too.”

- al.com

Milka Duno

Hosted by CNN en Español Sports Anchor Elizabeth Perez, “Latinos en Acción” profiles the impact of Latinos in an array of popular sports. In addition to Duno, the special will also profile basketball player Al Horford, baseball player Pedro Martinez and soccer sportscaster Andres Cantor among others.

The first female driver to win a major motorsport race in the US, Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the 48-year history of the race.

Duno was the first Hispanic woman, in 93-year history of the race, to compete in the world famous Indianapolis 500 and in the IndyCar Series. She was also the first Hispanic woman to lead an IndyCar Series race.

In January, 2010 Duno became the first Venezuelan athlete to be inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame at their 35th Anniversary Induction Ceremony.

2011 marked yet another milestone for Duno as she became the first Hispanic woman to compete in stock car racing on a national level in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

Off the track, Duno is a certified Naval Engineer who holds four master’s degrees, earning the last three simultaneously. Duno is also working through her “Milka Way” program to inspire children and students to “Aim for the Stars” and achieve academic excellence.

The special will also air on later on Saturday, October 15 at 1130pm ET, on Sunday, October 16 at 5am ET, on Wednesday, October 19 at 1pm ET, on Friday, October 21 at 1pm ET and twice on Saturday, October 22 at 1130am ET and 9pm ET.

For more information, visit www.milkaduno.com. Fans cans also log on to her official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheOfficialMilkaDunoFanPage.

About Milka Duno:

Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the 48-year history of the race. Go, Milka, Go! – a book about her life and racing career, was awarded the Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation Book of 2009 at the 11th Annual International Latino Book Awards. In 2010, Duno became the first Venezuelan athlete inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame.

- Milka Duno Public Relations Press Release

Milka Duno

Now, the 39-year-old Venezuelan is trying to learn the ropes of stock car racing, a process that will continue in Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Series event at Kansas Speedway.

“I have a good memory for this place because this is where I did my rookie test when I was going to Indy,” Duno said during a Kansas Speedway test session last month. “It was very special.”

The first Hispanic woman to race in the Indy 500, Duno switched over to ARCA after struggling with inferior equipment for parts of four seasons in the IndyCar Series. Her best finish in that series was an 11th at Texas in 2007. Her best Indy 500 finish was a 19th in three starts.

“I like to do things in the right way,” Duno said. “I like to be a success in everything and I was a success in every car that I was driving before. With IndyCars I didn’t have the right conditions – I never had a good car.

“The Indy 500, we’d like to do it, but you have to do it with the right car. I would like to do it because it’s a special race, and if I have the opportunity in the future I would like to do it, under the right conditions.”

Duno, driver of the No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota, is still in the infancy of her stock car career, with a best of 15th in 10 ARCA starts, and is willing to put in the time to learn.

- FoxSports.com

Milka Duno

Now, the 39-year-old Venezuelan is trying to learn the ropes of stock car racing, a process that will continue in Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Series event at Kansas Speedway.

‘I have a good memory for this place because this is where I did my rookie test when I was going to Indy,” Duno said during a Kansas Speedway test session last month. “It was very special.”

The first Hispanic woman to race in the Indy 500, Duno switched over to ARCA after struggling with inferior equipment for parts of four seasons in the IndyCar Series. Her best finish in that series was an 11th at Texas in 2007. Her best Indy 500 finish was a 19th in three starts.

“I like to do things in the right way,” Duno said. “I like to be a success in everything and I was a success in every car that I was driving before. With IndyCars I didn’t have the right conditions — I never had a good car.

- Topeka Capital Journal

Justin Marks and his No. 98 GoPro Chevrolet Silverado

Marks came to the team for the Atlanta event to help the newest addition to the ThorSport Racing stable get more track time before next season’s attempt at Rookie of the Year with driver Dakoda Armstrong. After practice and qualifying on Friday afternoon, crew chief Dan Stillman called for changes to remedy the handling troubles Marks described prior to the 200 mile battle later in the evening.

Evidence of the changes appeared within the first five laps as Marks came over the radio and informed his team the GoPro Chevy was really loose. Holding on until the first pit stop, he maintained his position within the top 20 and steered clear of some early trouble on the track. On lap 23 the GoPro crew supplied their driver with four tires and several adjustments to tighten him up all the way around the 1.5-mile circuit.

Marks was silent on the radio following the first round of adjustments until the next caution period on Lap 37 when he radioed to Stillman that the adjustments had his ThorSport Racing machine headed in the right direction, but still needed some final tweaking. Just 23 laps later, Stillman brought his driver back down pit road for a set of sticker tires and more adjustments. Marks went back to work on traffic and began picking his way through the field towards the top-10.

The final chance for adjustments came during the last scheduled pit stop of the night with 30 laps remaining as Marks peeled off the track to bring the No. 98 to the attention of his crew. A solid stop by the team would be followed by a report from their driver that he had completely lost fuel pressure as soon as he returned to competition. Marks brought the truck down pit road and the crew lifted the hood and quickly discovered the failure in the fuel system. Stillman directed his crew to pull the truck behind the wall to fix the broken part, taking just 14 laps to remedy the issue and get Marks back to racing. Unfortunately, he was not able to gain any positions and ended the night in 28th position.

“We didn’t start the night off where we wanted to be, but the guys did a good job and we made gains all night,” Stillman commented. “I wish we could’ve run the whole last run on the track because we had the truck really handling well after that final pit stop.”

“We were really loose in the beginning of the race but we got better and better after every pit stop. We just had an unfortunate parts failure in the fuel system there and the guys did a great job getting it fixed and getting us back out there for the points,” Marks said following the race.

“I’m really excited for this team and for Dakoda. I can tell there’s a good pace in this truck and it just needs to be discovered with this group of guys and this package. It was going to be a good solid night for us but what’s good is the 98 got some experience and stayed fresh for the next race for Dakoda Armstrong. ”

Rookie driver Armstrong will retake the wheel of the No. 98 Chevy Silverado at Chicagoland Speedway in two weeks when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes competition.

About ThorSport Racing:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing’s first came at the Milwaukee Mile on July 6, 1996. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, currently runs the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado driven by Matt Crafton, and the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter.

ThorSport Racing has wheeled into Victory Lane with Terry Cook, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter since its inception and has finished a dominating seven times within the top 10 in points with both trucks. In April 2011, Sauter wheeled into Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway. In 2009 and 2010, both Crafton and Sauter finished in the top five in driver points. In 2011, ThorSport Racing has moved into a state-of-the-art, world-class, 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky, and has also expanded its operations with the addition of a third NCWTS team, the No. 98. The team is set to run select races in 2011, and full-time in 2012 with Rookie of the Year contender Dakoda Armstrong.

About Justin Marks

California native Justin Marks began his love of racing after attending local races and the Indianapolis 500 with his father at the age of 14. His racing career sprouted from local street stock racing and grew into a successful SCCA and Rolex Sports Car Series career. Marks finished 16th in the 2001 Rolex Sports Car 24 Hours of Daytona in his first career professional race, and later collected a total of 12 wins in the SCCA and Rolex Sports Car Series combined. In 2009, he competed once again in the 24 Hours of Daytona and came home with a victory.

Marks moved on to ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series competition in 2007, where he competed in select races over the next two years. Last season, he raced full-time in the ARCA Racing Series with Win-Tron Racing, collecting one win, seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. In the first half of 2011, Marks competed in 12 events for Turn One Racing and GoPro, collecting the pole at Dover and two top-10 finishes. For the latest news on Justin, please visit www.JustinMarksRacing.com.

About GoPro

Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture company. GoPro’s HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras are used by more consumers and video production professionals than any other camera in its class. GoPro’s products are sold in over 60 countries and in the USA through professional channels and retailers including Best Buy, Sports Authority, Bass Pro Shops, Cycle Gear, and online at gopro.com.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

Alex Tagliani When Hot Wheels Sponsored Him in INDYCAR

Alex Tagliani

No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – NAPA Auto Parts 200

August 20, 2011

No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger News and Notes

· Alex Tagliani, driver of the No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger, will make his first start of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season on Saturday afternoon in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Race coverage will begin at 2:30 pm ET on ESPN and action will be heard live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Channel 90.

· This weekend’s event will mark Tagliani’s third Nationwide Series start since 2009.

· This will serve as the first race together for Tagliani, the 2009 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year and 2011 Indianapolis 500 pole sitter, and crew chief Chad Walter. This is also the first race for Tagliani with Penske Racing.

· Tagliani will make his first start of the 2011 NNS season in Penske Racing chassis No. 218. Saturday will mark his third NNS start in a Dodge.

· Tagliani will make his first NNS start at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend. He has had previous success in the CART series at the track with one pole and four top-10 starts along with a best finish of fourth in 2003. He has also had one pole and two top-five starts in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCATS) at Montreal. He will be making his fourth start in the (NCATS) this weekend.

· Born and raised in Montreal, Tagliani considers Circuit Gilles Villeneuve his home track.

· Tagliani will be very busy during the week leading up to the NAPA Auto Parts 200. He will be participating in the following events throughout the week….

· The “Quebec Stars” autograph session on Thursday, August 18 from 1-2 pm ET in the infield at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

· Tagliani, along with Mattel, will unveil the custom designed No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger to the media in the garage area on Thursday, August 18 from 2:30-3:30 pm ET

· Also on Thursday, August 18 from 6:45-7:15 pm ET, Tagliani will participate in the Octane Race Fan Event with CKAC located at Les 3 Brasseurs, followed by the Sennheiser Autograph Session at Future Shop from 7:30-8:30 pm ET

· He will sign autographs at the Dodge Display area in the “Center of the Island” on Friday, August 19 from 12:45-1:30 pm ET

· Following race day, on Sunday, August 21, he will sign for fans at the Toys R Us store, located at 460 Ste-Catherine Ouest, from 1-1:30 pm ET

Alex Tagliani’s comments on this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts 200

“Having the chance to run with such a great team that has a strong history of success in every series they’ve ever run in, combined with racing on my home track at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, is a great opportunity and honor. The chance to take part in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race with Penske Racing came about because of a great and long relationship with Dodge and the additional support of Hot Wheels as a sponsor. I hope to make them all proud. This race will be a huge challenge for me but with the help of my crew chief Chad Walter, I should be very well prepared for the task at hand. Running with my teammate, Jacques Villeneuve, in the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger and me in the No.12 Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger, we will no doubt have a very strong team and the support of our hometown racing fans. Hopefully we can pull off a very positive result.”

Crew Chief, Chad Walter’s comments on this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts 200

“Penske Racing has enjoyed a long history of road racing success, so I am looking forward to the race at Montreal with Alex Tagliani, a hometown product. At the end of the day, road racing requires a complete package to be successful – the aerodynamics, power, setup and gearing all have to be in sync. There is a special emphasis on brakes at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as well. The single most important factor this weekend will come down to the driver’s skill set and Alex has proven to be very quick in the No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger. Montreal is a beautiful city, with a first class racing facility, so I look forward to being competitive and ending the afternoon in Victory Lane.”

- Penske Racing Press Release

No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T

No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Team News and Notes

· Jacques Villeneuve, driver of the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger, will make his second start of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season Saturday afternoon in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Race coverage will begin at 2:30 pm ET on ESPN and the event will also be heard on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Channel 90.

· From 2008 to present, Villeneuve has made a total of six NNS starts. He has scored three top-five finishes during that time and has also captured four top-five and two top-10 starting positions while competing in a limited NNS schedule over the last three plus seasons.

· This weekend will mark the second outing together for Villeneuve, the former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, and crew chief, Todd Gordon. This is also the second race for Villeneuve with Penske Racing. He previously ran the Discount Tire Dodge Challenger at Road America back in June and earned a third-place finish.

· This will be Villeneuve’s fourth Nationwide Series race at Montreal. He last competed on the challenging road circuit in August of 2010 when he qualified second in the NNS race at the venue and went on to finish third.

· Villeneuve has experienced success at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the past. He has recorded six top-15 and three top-10 finishes in the Formula One Series at Montreal.

· Villeneuve considers Circuit Gilles Villeneuve his home track and one of his personal favorites. The track is named after his father, Gilles Villeneuve, who died tragically during qualifying for the 1982 Formula One Series Belgian Grand Prix.

· The No. 22 Discount Tire / Ruby Tuesday Dodge team is coming off a road course win last weekend in Watkins Glen. Kurt Busch filled in for the injured Brad Keselowski and guided the team to Victory Lane.

· On Thursday, August 18th, Villeneuve will participate in a press conference, with Francois Dumontier (President of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) along with IndyCar’s Danica Patrick, to discuss his connection with the circuit and what it means for him to race in his hometown.

· Meeting up with old family members can be exciting; Villeneuve will participate in the “Villeneuve Family Reunion” on Saturday, August 20 from 12-12:20 pm ET. The Villeneuve’s will host an autograph session and take a family photo at the event.

· Villeneuve will appear on the popular morning show, Salut Bonjour on Friday, August 19th at 8:10 am ET. He will also be signing autographs from 2:00-2:30 pm ET Friday at the Dodge Display located in the “Center of the Island.”

· Before the start of the race on Saturday, August 20th, Villeneuve will give pace car rides to select members of the media along and will participate in the track’s autograph session, located in Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s Beer Garden, beginning at 10:00 am ET,.

Jacques Villeneuve

“I’m looking forward to the NAPA Auto Parts 200 – it’s always an exciting race but in addition, it obviously has special meaning for me because the Circuit (Gilles Villeneuve) holds my father’s name and I’ll be racing in my hometown. After our good showing at Elkhart Lake, I know the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge will be competitive, and together with the Penske team we’ll definitely be turning up with the goal of winning.”

Crew Chief Todd Gordon’s comments on this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts 200

“I’ve been looking forward to working with Jacques (Villeneuve) again since Road America earlier this year. He is a dedicated racer and it has been an enjoyable experience getting to work with him. Obviously, racing at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve means a lot to him and a win would bring huge peace to him; since it is questionable whether we will have another race there in the future. The No. 22 Discount Tire team has been working hard on the set up of the car so I feel as though we are fully prepared to bring home a victory for not only Penske Racing, but for Jacques as well.”

- Penske Racing Press Release

No. 9 GEICO Toyota Tundra (Max Papis) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

A one-day show awaited Papis and the GEICO Racing team, as the No. 9 Toyota Tundra practiced, qualified, and raced all on Friday. After two morning practice sessions, Papis qualified his Germain Racing entry in the 29th position, as the truck was fighting a tight handling condition.

The green flag waved shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET with dark skies surrounding the raceway. Before one lap was completed, the first caution was brought out for a multi-truck accident. Papis maneuvered his way through without suffering any damage to the GEICO Toyota. On lap six, the field restarted with Papis scored in the 25th position.

Storm clouds continued to move closer and closer to Lucas Oil Raceway and by lap 41, the rain had started to fall, forcing the second caution to be displayed. Optimistic that the shower would quickly pass, NASCAR kept the trucks on the racetrack. After the rain stopped, Papis came to the attention of his GEICO pit crew for four tires, fuel, and adjustments.

Max Papis - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Restarting from 25th-place on lap 85, Papis was looking for a quick caution to receive his position back on the lead lap. That break came on lap 91 when the fourth caution was displayed, allowing Papis to receive the Lucky Dog Award. Goss brought Papis to pit road for tires and fuel before returning to racing action.

The unimaginable at a short track happened as the final 107 laps were completed without a caution. By lap 150, Papis had moved into the 24th position and set his sights on another top-20 finish. Over the final 50 laps, he did just that to bring home an 18th-place effort as the checkered flag flew.

Next Saturday, August 6th, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Pocono Raceway. Watch all the action live on SPEED Channel, beginning with the Set-Up Show hosted by Krista Voda at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by the green flag shortly after 1 p.m. ET. MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will have the official radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, visit: www.geicogarage.com.

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing.

- Player Management International, Inc. Press Release

No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T

No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Team News and Notes

· Jacques Villeneuve, driver of the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger, will make his first start of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season Saturday evening in the Bucyrus 200 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

· From 2006 to present, Villeneuve has made a total of five NNS starts. He has scored three top-10 finishes during that time and has also captured three top-five and two top-10 starting positions while competing in a limited NNS schedule over the last three years.

· This weekend will mark the first outing together for Villeneuve, the former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, and crew chief, Todd Gordon. This is also the first race for Villeneuve with Penske Racing. He is scheduled to drive the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge later this season at Montreal as well.

· Villeneuve will make his first start of the 2011 NNS season in Penske Racing chassis No. 219. Saturday’s race will mark his first NNS start in a Dodge as well.

· This will be Villeneuve’s second Nationwide Series race at Road America. He last competed on the challenging road circuit in June of 2010 when he qualified second and went on to finish in 25th place

· Villeneuve has experienced success at Road America in the past. He won the CART Series Indy car races there in both 1994 and 1995.

· Villeneuve’s Dodge Challenger will carry one of the in-car cameras featured during the ESPN-TV race broadcast on Saturday, which begins at 5:30 pm ET.

· On Friday, Villeneuve, along with drivers Ron Fellows and Max Papis, will participate in a press conference to discuss international stars competing in the NNS race at Road America.

· Villeneuve will give pace car rides to select members of the media before the race on Saturday afternoon from 1:30 – 2:00 pm CT.

Jacques Villeneuve’s comments on this weekend’s Bucyrus 200

“Road America is one of my favorite tracks and I’m super excited to be returning there this weekend to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I was fighting for the win in last year’s race so I have some unfinished business at this event, for sure. This will be my first event both in the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger, and with Penske Racing, so I’m really looking forward to getting in the car and seeing what we can achieve together. It’s a track I know and love, having won the Indy car races there in ’94 and ’95, so we should be very competitive.”

Crew Chief, Todd Gordon’s comments on this weekend’s Bucyrus 200

“Road America is the longest track on our schedule with long straights and big breaking zones that give one of the best road racers, Jacque Villeneuve, lots of opportunities to get the Discount Tire Dodge out front. We have tested with Jacques a couple of times and had good speeds as a result of the testing. We feel we have a good package to unload with and build from for this circuit. The challenges of having to turn both ways and stop well are something this whole No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge team looks forward to.”

- Penske Racing Press Release

No. 66. GoPro Chevrolet Silverado (Justin Marks) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Race: 11th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts “250″

Location: Kansas City, KS

Track Length: 1.5 Mile Paved Oval

Race Distance: 167 laps / 250.5 miles

Broadcast Coverage: SPEED

Radio Coverage: MRN / SIRIUS XM

Date: Saturday, June 4, 2011

Time: 2 p.m. ET

Justin Marks

“Kansas is a great track. I had a good run there in the truck series in 2008 and I’ve been quick in ARCA. I think it’s a place that really suits my driving style and will play well into our strengths as a team right now. We had a good run at Charlotte so I think our 1.5 mile program is pretty solid. We just need to keep building on our momentum and developing these trucks and we’ll be closer to a win each week. The GoPro team has been working hard and we’re all looking forward to another top-10 or better in Kansas.”

LAST RACE RECAP:

Justin Marks scored his second consecutive top-10 finish in N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, claiming the O’Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award after qualifying 25th and finishing ninth. Marks climbed four positions in the Driver Point standings, and is currently ranked 15th, just 15 points out of the top-10.

THE CREW CHIEF’S CHOICE FOR KANSAS:

Crew Chief Doug Wolcott has selected chassis No. 75 for the 11th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts “250″. Marks last raced this truck at Nashville Superspeedway where he qualified 27th and finished 25th. Prior to Nashville, this truck competed at Darlington Raceway where it qualified 28th and finished 24th. The team is looking for better results in Kansas.

MARKS MEETS THE FANS ON FRIDAY!:

Justin Marks, teammate Cole Whitt, and other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers will take part in an autograph session on Friday, June 3rd from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The autograph session will take place in the Fan Walk located between the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garages.

KANSAS RACE MARKS A MILESTONE FOR THE TRUCK SERIES:

The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway will mark the 400th start for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. To honor the occasion, Justin Marks and teammate Cole Whitt will run a commemorative 400th series logo decal on their Chevrolet race trucks. 2000 series champion Greg Biffle will lead the field to the green flag from the pace truck on Saturday.

HOMEWOOD SUITES HOPS ON BOARD WITH MARKS AT KANSAS:

Justin Marks and Cole Whitt will carry support this weekend from the Homewood Suites by Hilton® Kansas City/Overland Park! The hotel is conveniently located near the intersection of I-435 and Metcalf. At this extended stay hotel, you’ll find a range of luxurious guest accommodations to choose from. All of their spacious suites feature fully equipped kitchens with a full-size refrigerator, two burner cook top, dishwasher, coffee-maker and microwave, cookware and a four piece place setting of dishes, utensils and glassware, two (2) 32″ flat-screen TV’s with cable and OnDemand movies, complimentary local calls and long distance access, iron and ironing boards, hair dryers, and full-size sofa sleepers in each suite. To book your stay at the Homewood Suites by Hilton® Kansas City/Overland Park, call (913) 341-5576.

LAST RACE RUN DOWN:

(May 20th @ Charlotte Motor Speedway)

· #2 motorsport event of weekend on SPEED with 1.1 million viewers tuned in (+86% more viewers than NHRA on ESPN2 and +148% more viewers than Formula 1 on SPEED).

· Among the top 10 most-viewed non-Daytona NCWTS events in SPEED history.

· Viewership of NCWTS Charlotte qualifying was equal to qualifying for Indianapolis 500.

ABOUT GOPRO:

Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture company. GoPro’s HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras and accessories are sold in over 60 countries, in specialty sports retailers, Best Buy, and online at gopro.com.

- Turn One Racing Press Release

INDYCAR LOGO

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

1. Indianapolis 500 telecast ratings rise over 2010

2. Teams use off week to test Milwaukee

3. Wheldon sent packing on Victory Tour

1. Indianapolis 500 telecast ratings rise over 2010: ABC’s high-definition broadcast of the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500 on May 29 delivered a 4.3 preliminary overnight rating in metered markets – up from 4.0 in 2010.

Viewership increases were realized in Chicago, Las Vegas, Tampa, Fla., Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, among others, of the 56 markets during the noon-3:30 p.m. (ET) race broadcast. ESPN on ABC’s one-hour pre-race show hosted by Brent Musburger — with a blend of compelling features and the sights and sounds of the pre-race ceremonies on Memorial Day weekend – also attracted strong viewership numbers.

It was the 47th consecutive year that ABC telecast the 500 Mile Race — one of the longest-running relationships between a sporting event and a network.

“All in all, the race was excellent with storylines throughout that kept the viewers’ and spectators’ attention,” said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. “We saw a significant television increase in the metered markets, and it’s important for us to keep our momentum moving upward to 2012. With the introduction new car, we think it’s a great storyline and we’re optimistic there are more good things to come.”

Dan Wheldon won the drama-filled race on the historic 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, overtaking the crippled car of rookie JR Hildebrand a few hundred yards from the start/finish line. Hildebrand’s car made right-side contact with the outside retaining wall exiting Turn 4 on the 200th and final lap, but he was able to slide across the “Yard of Bricks” to claim second place.

Wheldon, a resident of St. Petersburg, Fla., earned $2.56 million from the purse of $13.5 million. Hildebrand, of Sausalito, Calif., who was voted the Chase Rookie of the Year, received $1,064,895.

More excitement and drama is sure to come from the Firestone Twin 275s at Texas Motor Speedway on June 11, featuring two 125-lap races on the 1.5-mile oval with a one-hour break in between. VERSUS will broadcast both events starting at 8 p.m. (ET).

ABC will televise IZOD IndyCar Series races from the Milwaukee Mile (June 19), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Aug. 14) and the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Oct. 16).

It’s an off weekend of competition for the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights, but teams are using June 1-3 to test at the Milwaukee Mile for the June 17-19 race weekend.

2. Teams use off week to test Milwaukee: Fourteen IZOD IndyCar Series drivers will put in a day on the oval June 1, while 10 more will test June 3. Thirteen Firestone Indy Lights driver/car combinations will be on the track June 2.

Fans can watch testing each day (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) in Turns 1-2, and Milwaukee 225 promoters will host a watching party (food, drinks, apparel, ticket purchase) June 3 in the Turn 2 parking lot.

Both series return to the historic track after a year’s absence. Scott Dixon, who won the IZOD IndyCar Series race in 2009, will be among those getting re-acquainted with the flat racetrack on June 3.

The fifth-place finisher in the Indianapolis 500 on May 29 will be joined by Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and reigning series champion Dario Franchitti; 500 Mile Race runner-up and Chase Rookie of the Year JR Hildebrand of National Guard Panther Racing; Graham Rahal, the third-place finisher in the ’500′ and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Charlie Kimball; Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves and series points leader Will Power; Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing’s Oriol Servia; and Ana Beatriz of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

“I’m looking forward to going back,” said Sarah Fisher Racing driver Ed Carpenter, who will be among the drivers testing June 1. “It’s a very challenging racetrack for drivers, engineers and teams, so there’s definitely a premium on getting a good balance on the car and a good setup. We’ll be working on that during the day.”

Also at the track June 1 will be Andretti Autosport drivers Danica Patrick, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti and Mike Conway; Vitor Meira of A.J. Foyt Racing; the KV Racing Technology-Lotus contingent of Indy 500 fourth-place finisher Tony Kanaan, Takuma Sato and E.J. Viso; Ed Carpenter of Sarah Fisher Racing; Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Justin Wilson and Beatriz; Simona de Silvestro of HVM Racing; James Jakes of Dale Coyne Racing; and Conquest Racing’s Sebastian Saavedra.

Firestone Indy Lights competitors getting in laps June 2 include Firestone Freedom 100 winner and series points leader Josef Newgarden, along with Sam Schmidt Motorsports teammates Esteban Guerrieri, Bryan Clauson and Victor Carbone. Team Moore Racing’s Victor Garcia and Gustavo Yacaman, Team Jensen’s David Ostella, Andretti Autosport’s Stefan Wilson, Bryan Herta Autosport’s Duarte Ferreira and O2 Racing’s Peter Dempsey also will be in cars.

3. Wheldon sent packing on Victory Tour: Waiting for the initial volley of early-morning TV and radio guest appearances, Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon reflected on the hectic race that transpired a few hundred feet from his victory podium perch at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

His milk- and champagne-soaked firesuit washed overnight for a photo shoot, Wheldon also put into perspective his place in the race’s history.

“For me, winning the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 is very special,” said Wheldon, 32, a resident of St. Petersburg, Fla. “I love this racetrack. I love this race and what it’s done for my career even before being a two-time winner. That is an emotion that didn’t come into it before, and because I’m more experienced I’m able to appreciate this more and you have more time to appreciate it.

“It’s certainly different from the last one. I remember I was out for most of the night with my sponsor, Jim Beam. Last night, I went to a driver party for about an hour and then I retired to bed. (Two-year-old son) Sebastian crawled into bed with us about 4 o’clock in the morning and kind of took over the bed.”

Wheldon, who started sixth in the No. 98 William Rast-Curb/Big Machine car for Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb/Agajanian, overtook the sliding, crippled car of rookie JR Hildebrand just before the start/finish line to become the 10th two-time champion of the race.

“They’re both obviously very good and it’s an amazing achievement by everybody,” Whedon continued as he was given the two-minute cue for “The Early Show” on CBS. “This one was definitely more emotional; there was a lot more going on. A lot of things have changed in my life since 2005.”

In the succeeding years, he exchanged marriage vows, has two young sons and is coping – along with his extended family – with his mother, Sue, having Alzheimer’s disease. He championed the Alzheimer Association’s message of early diagnosis and risk-factor education during the month.

“For me, there’s a lot going on back home with my family and it was certainly nice to win,” he said. “It was very emotional and different from the last one because of that but nevertheless very good. This also is potentially my only race of the season. It wasn’t one of the races with one of the big, powerhouse teams; it was with (former teammate and longtime friend) Bryan Herta. We didn’t do this deal because we were friends. We would have still been friends even if we hadn’t done this deal. We did it because we believed in one another and we believed that we could win.”

Soon after the media obligations at the Speedway, Wheldon went shopping for clothing for the multi-city Victory Tour that starts May 31 – among his appearances will be a visit to “Late Night with David Letterman” on June 6 — and a suit for the Victory Banquet later in the evening.

“I didn’t think I’d need one,” he said of the improbable victory.

***

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 17.

- INDYCAR, Press Release