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INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 30, 2011) -

Terry Angstadt has resigned as Commercial Division President and will be succeeded by Marc Koretzky, who joined INDYCAR in May as Director of Corporate Business Development. Angstadt will assist with the transition.

Also, because of increasing demands on the Competition and Operation division, INDYCAR will split the responsibilities of President of Operations and Race Director into separate positions. Brian Barnhart will remain President of Operations, overseeing the operational and logistical areas, while INDYCAR is reviewing candidates to fill the position of Race Director.

“I’m confident that Brian and Marc will lead our company into a bigger and brighter future in these new roles,” Bernard said.

As president of the commercial division, Koretzky will oversee sales, business planning and development, marketing, public relations and organizational operation.

Koretzky, 35, has utilized his MBA in Executive Strategic Management most recently in management of all non-racing events surrounding the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships presented by Honda in Las Vegas in October. Tapping into his experience with the NFL, NCAA and other sports properties, he produced and coordinated the weeklong activities that created global awareness, including an unprecedented night closing of Las Vegas Boulevard for a 34-car parade.

“INDYCAR has made tremendous strides under Terry’s leadership and its future is indeed bright,” Koretzky said. “I look forward to working with INDYCAR’s current commercial partners and helping to develop additional strategic relationships.”

Previously, the New Orleans native worked in conjunction with the NFL as Director of Operations for multiple Super Bowl Committees and was an independent lead consultant to the Atlanta Local Organizing Committee for the NCAA Men & Women’s Final Four Basketball Championships.

“Marc’s demonstrated abilities with big events will be a great asset to INDYCAR as it continues to grow and prosper,” Bernard said. “With the new car and engine manufacturer competition coming for the 2012 season, along with exciting news regarding new commercial partners on the horizon, INDYCAR is poised for an exciting future. Marc comes highly regarded and brings a unique perspective with his experience with major sports properties as with the NFL Super bowls and NCAA tournaments. ”

Angstadt, who joined INDYCAR inafter serving as vice president of marketing for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2001, was named commercial divisionpresident in 2007. He was instrumental in forging long-term commercial partnerships with series title sponsor IZOD; Apex-Brazil, the official Brazilian trade and investment promotion agency; and secured strategically important events in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Qingdao, China.

“Terry has been an integral member of the INDYCAR executive team since 2007, and has been instrumental in orchestrating successful inaugural events Baltimore and Brazil, managing the demands of promoter relations and serving as a key liaison between our teams, venues and partners while overseeing the business development of our company,” Bernard said. “We wish Terry the best of luck as he moves on to the next chapter in his career. He will be missed by the entire INDYCAR team.”

A president of operations, Barnhart is responsible for officials, technical specifications, safety development and implementation, medical and event logistics. The Race Director is the senior official in Race Control, who oversees all on-track activity.

“As our sport continues to grow and we prepare for our first new car in almost a decade, we feel that splitting these roles will help fully service our teams and venues as we prepare for the demands of 2012 season,” Barnhart said.

Barnhart is an IZOD IndyCar Series representative on the board of directors of ACCUS and the U.S. representative to the FIA. An Indianapolis native, Barnhart has been with INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1994, when he joined IMS as track superintendent. He served in various roles for Indy car teams from 1982-94.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Target Chip Ganassi Racing Las Vegas Advance Notes

Race: IZOD INDYCAR World Championships on Sunday, October 16 (3:00 PM ET, ABC)
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile D-shaped oval)
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

NOTES/NEWS

Follow TCGR on Twitter: Follow @TCGRTeams for official updates from Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

Managing Director Mike Hull on Las Vegas: “Looking ahead to the IndyCar finale, I think we’re lucky in that we did a full-scale simulation, as it were, at Kentucky…up to a point. One-and-a-half-mile oval racing is gladiator racing – wheel to wheel, hard racing, and the driver has to focus for 200 laps. So I think it’s good that we had one of those races before the finale. The aero package for Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be similar to Kentucky, and the fact that IndyCar is allowing us a bit of extra time at the front end of the Vegas weekend and giving us time to digest what we’ve learned will help all of us.”

Team Target on Ovals in 2011: In 2011, Team Target has made 14 starts on oval tracks. In those starts, they have scored two wins (Franchitti – Texas Race One and Milwaukee), eight podiums, 10 top-fives and 12 top-10s. They have also picked up two poles to go with those finishes (Franchitti – Milwaukee and New Hampshire). Their average start on ovals this year is 8.9 and their average finish is 5.2. Dixon and Franchitti have completed 2,539 (96.3%) of a possible 2,636 laps and have led 829 of them (31.4%). Team Target has been running at the finish in 13 of the 14 starts and has finished on the lead lap 13 times.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Follow Scott on Twitter: Follow @scottdixon9 for all the happenings and inside information on the driver of the No. 9 Indy car for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

Dixon on the Championship: “The job now is to help Dario. If we can do that and get another Championship for the team…that is going to be huge. Obviously you want to win the Championship, but it takes a lot to do it. It is not just yourself. It is the team, how you prepare and making sure you are on the right strategy. You need to go out and do the things you always do. If I can try and race for the win, that would be fantastic as well. We are still in the business of trying to win races and that is what I am going out to try to do.”

2011 in Review: Dixon has made 17 starts in 2011, tallying two wins (Mid-Ohio and Motegi), nine podiums, 12 top-fives and 13 top-10s. Along with his solid finishes, he also has two poles (Mid-Ohio and Motegi) and has started inside the top-10 15 times. Dixon’s average start and finish in 2011 are 6.2 and 6.5 respectively. He has completed 99.5% of the laps run this season (2,100 of 2,111) and led 190 of them (9.0%). He has been running at the finish in all 17 races so far this season and finished on the lead lap 14 times.

Driving in Circles: There have been seven races on oval tracks this season. In his starts on that track type, Dixon has five podiums, six top-fives and has finished inside the top-10 is all seven races. His best finish on the ovals in 2011 is second (Twice – Texas Race One and Texas Race Two). He has completed all 1,318 laps run in those races this season and has led 77 of them (5.8%). Dixon’s average start on the ovals is 9.6, but his average finish is 3.6. He has been running at the finish of every oval race and has not scored fewer than 20 points in those seven starts.

Going For a 1-2 Sweep: Dixon is currently 37 points behind Will Power for second-place in the overall IndyCar point standings. If Dixon is able to pass Power for second, it will be only the second time in TCGR history that the team has finished first and second in the final standings (2009).

On a Roll: Following last weekend’s race at Kentucky, Dixon now has the longest consecutive streak of both top-five and top-10 finishes with six. No other driver has finished inside the top-five in consecutive races, and second-longest streak of top-10 finishes belongs to TCGR teammate Franchitti with four. Dixon also holds the longest streak for starts inside the top-10 with eight. That is four more top-10 starts than the second-place driver (Power – four).

AJ Foyt Oval Trophy: Two weeks ago at Kentucky Speedway, Dixon finished third, securing the 2011 AJ Foyt Oval Trophy Championship with 216 points. With his third-place finish in the Kentucky Indy 300, the driver of the No. 9 Honda scored 35 points, keeping him 10 points ahead of runner-up and teammate, Franchitti. Dixon posted an average finish of 3.6 in races on ovals this season and averaged 30.9 points per race in order to take home the title. This oval championship marks the second in a row for Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Franchitti won the inaugural title in 2010).

Kentucky Recap: Dixon started seventh and by lap 63 had moved up into third-place. He brought the No. 9 Honda in for a pit stop under caution on lap 81, and after a slight wing adjustment, gained one position, coming back onto the track in second. After a restart on lap 93, Dixon fell back to third, but continued to maintain his place inside the top-three. Following the second caution of the race, Dixon gained a position, putting him back into second. A third yellow flag waved on lap 167, allowing the team to conserve fuel and run until the end of the race. When the checkered flag flew, Dixon crossed the line in third-place. With his finish, Dixon secured the A.J. Foyt Oval Trophy for his performance this season on oval tracks.

In the Points: Coming into the season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Dixon remains third in the overall IZOD IndyCar Series point standings, 55 behind Franchitti and 37 behind second-place Power. While his deficit to first-place makes him mathematically ineligible for the series championship, he still has a chance to move up to second in the standings following the race at Las Vegas.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

Follow Dario on Twitter: Follow @dariofranchitti for all the happenings and inside information on the driver of the No. 10 Indy car for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

Championship on the Horizon: If Franchitti takes his fourth career IndyCar Series Championship at Las Vegas, it will be his fourth title in as many seasons of competition (2007, 2009 and 2010). It would also be the fourth consecutive title for TCGR (Dixon – 2008, Franchitti – 2009, 2010) and ninth overall (Jimmy Vasser: 1996; Alex Zanardi: 1997, 1998; Juan Pablo Montoya: 1999; Dixon: 2003, 2008 and Franchitti: 2009, 2010). Franchitti would be only the third driver in IndyCar Series history to ever win at least three titles in a row (Ted Horn: 1946-1948 and Sebastien Bourdais: 2004-2007).

In It to Win It: If Franchitti wins the season finale at Las Vegas, it will be the third time in his career that he clinched the IndyCar title by winning the final race of the season (2007 and 2009). It would also be the third different track that he clinched the championship at (Chicagoland Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway).

Grand Finale: Franchitti’s 18-point lead heading into the final race of the season is the largest gap that he has ever had on second-place with one race remaining. Prior to this season, he has only gone into the final race of the season as the point leader twice. The first time was in 1999, when he led by nine points, ended the race in a tie with Montoya (Both had 212 points) and finished second after losing the “most wins” tie-breaker. The other was back in 2007, when he held a three-point lead over second-place and went on to win his first career IndyCar title.

2011 in Review: Going into Las Vegas, Franchitti has started all 17 races of the 2011 season. In those races, he has totaled four wins (St. Petersburg, Texas Race One, Milwaukee and Toronto), nine podiums, 13 top-fives and 15 top-10s. He also has two poles (Milwaukee and New Hampshire), nine top-five starts, and 15 starts inside the top-10. His average starting position this season is 6.2, while his average finish is 4.8. He has completed 2,014 (95.4%) out of the 2,111 laps run, and has led a series-high 884 laps (41.9%). Franchitti has been running at the finish and has finished on the lead lap in 16 races this year.

Ovals This Season: In seven races on ovals in 2011, Franchitti has racked up two wins (Texas Race One and Milwaukee), four top-fives and five top-10s. Both of his poles this season came on ovals (Milwaukee and New Hampshire). He has completed 1,221 (92.6%) of a possible 1,318 laps and has led 752 of them (57.1%). He has been running at the finish in six of seven races and has only finished off of the lead lap once. His average start on ovals is 8.3 and his average finish is 6.9.

Leader of the Pack: Franchitti has led 884 laps so far in 2011, which puts him only 16 laps led from setting a new single-season record (Dixon – 899 laps led in 2008). He is the only driver in the IZOD IndyCar Series to have led more than 100 laps in a single race this season (Five times – Texas Race One, Milwaukee, Iowa, New Hampshire and Kentucky). He has led in 11 different races this season, which is the second highest total behind Power with 13.

Lead Lap Finisher: Franchitti has finished on the lead lap in 16 of the 17 races so far this season. If he is able to complete every lap in the season finale at Las Vegas, he will set a new personal record for most lead lap finishes in a season (Also had 16 in 2010).

“Tie” Him Up: With a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Franchitti would tie his career-best total for wins in a single season with five (2009). Also, if he is able to finish on the podium in the IndyCar World Championships, he would have his 10th podium of the season, making this the third time in his past four years of competition that he has had double-digit podiums and fourth time in his career (1999, 2007 and 2010).

Kentucky Recap: Franchitti began the race from 11th and moved up to ninth after just four laps. With pit stops starting on lap 51, he used great fuel mileage to move into first and hold onto the lead after his pit stop on lap 52. After the second caution of the day came on lap 140, the No. 10 team made their second stop of the day and maintained the lead. The third yellow flag allowed Franchitti to conserve fuel, allowing him to run to the end of the race. With 20 laps-to-go, he was battling side-by-side for the lead with Ed Carpenter and took the checkered flag in second by 0.0098-seconds behind Carpenter (The sixth-closest race in IndyCar Series history and the closest ever at Kentucky Speedway).

In the Points: With his runner-up finish at Kentucky, Franchitti moved back into the points lead with 573 points. He is now 18 points ahead of second-place Power with only one race remaining. This is only the second time in his last four seasons of competition that he has gone into the season finale as the point leader (2007).

TEAM ROSTERS

Mike Hull – Managing Director
Scott Harner – Team Manager (Administrative Operations)
Barry Wanser – Team Manager (Racing Operations)

No. 9 (IndyCar)
Crew Chief/Stop Sign/Wheelgun Hose: Ricky Davis Shocks/Firebottle: Chris Clark
Engineer: Eric Bretzman Engines/Radio: Troy Scheller
Assistant Engineer: Brian Welling Fueler: Todd DeNeve
Front End/(R/R): Tyler Rees Gear Box/Air Jack: Andy Schneider
Front End/ Front Tire: Gilbert Swafford Tires/Transport Driver: Travis Abel
Rear End (L/R): Adam Rovazzini Floater(L/F): Wayne Westplate
Rear End/(R/F): Blair Julian Spotter: Robbie Fast

No. 10 (IndyCar)
Crew Chief/(R/F): Kevin O’Donnell Shocks/Firebottle: Kevin Edgely
Engineer: Chris Simmons Engines/Radio/(R/R): Troy Scheller
Assistant Engineer: Travis Jacobson Gear Box/Fueler: Robby Page
Front End/(L/R helper): Nick Ford Stop Sign/Front Wheelhose Gun: Chris Sutton
Front End/(L/F): Steve Namisnak Transport Driver: Jimmy Wirey
Rear End/(L/R): Jaime Coates Floater/Front End: Wayne Westplate
Rear End/Air Jack: Dave Pena Spotter: Scott Harner

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 13 championships and 145 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24s at Daytona. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

Helio Castroneves - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (May 20, 2011) –

The three-time Indianapolis 500 champion posted the fastest lap of the month on Friday as Team Penske continued to work on race setup and qualifying speed in preparation for the 100^th anniversary Indy 500.

Castroneves and his No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske Dallara/Honda were clocked at 228.611 mph during Friday’s practice as teams zeroed in on Saturday’s Pole Day qualifying for the race. The other two Team Penske drivers were right there with Castroneves. Ryan Briscoe had the fourth-fastest lap of the day, while Will Power owned the seventh-fastest speed in practice. All three drivers got in plenty of work with each topping the 100-lap plateau in Friday’s six-hour practice.

Castroneves said the fast lap was an important step heading into Pole Day qualifying, as he’ll strive to win the top starting position for the fifth time in his career and a record three times in a row.

“It felt great today,” said Castroneves, who’s 117 laps were more than any other driver on Friday. “The Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra car is working really well in both race trim and also the qualifying set-up. We had a little bit of tow on the fast lap, but we are happy with where the car is heading into qualifying. We ran a lot of laps today and all the Team Penske teams look to be in a pretty good position.”

Briscoe continued his solid practice performance on Friday. One day after he wound up third on the leaderboard, he recorded a top lap of 228.029 mph in the No. 6 IZOD Team Penske Dallara/Honda.

“Today was a good day for the No. 6 IZOD Team Penske crew – we completed a lot of laps,” said Briscoe. “We mostly ran race setups, which we needed after all the time we lost earlier in the week. We trimmed out the car at the end of the day and got good speed out of the car, but we haven’t found the limit yet. I’m happy where we finished the day, and we’re excited about tomorrow. It should be a really good day on Saturday for Team Penske.”

One day after clocking the fastest practice lap in the field, Power recorded a top speed of 227.958 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske machine to rank seventh on Friday.

“Today was the absolute perfect day to drive a race car at Indianapolis,” said Power. “There was no wind, good temperature and it was great to drive the Verizon car today. We had a very productive day. We logged plenty of miles, did a lot of race work and we also have a pretty good read on how the car will be in qualifying. Having said that, I’m sure the conditions during qualifying tomorrow will be much different. We are in good shape going into tomorrow and I am looking forward to it.”

Teams will have one more practice session beginning at 8 a.m. ET Saturday morning before qualifying begins at 11 a.m. ET. The top 24 starters for the May 29 Indianapolis 500 will be locked in on Saturday. The top nine qualifiers will battle it out for the prestigious pole position between 4:30-6 pm ET as the starting order for the first three rows will be determined. Live coverage of qualifying begins Saturday at 11 am ET on Versus.

“Qualifying tomorrow will be very tight,” said Castroneves. “I can see that my teammates will be the strong ones and there are other guys doing fast times out there too. It will be interesting to see what happens in the fast nine. I think we will see speeds in the 228 range tomorrow. It’s going to be fun.”

- Team Penske, Press Release

Ed Carpenter - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 20, 2011)-

Ed Carpenter: “Overall, today was another productive day for us. We went in to Fast Friday with a game plan and we stuck to it. We were able to do some mock qualifying runs early this afternoon and also worked on race set up a bit this evening. The car felt good out there, it’s pretty consistent. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Dollar General machine can do tomorrow in qualifying.”

All Indianapolis 500 entrants will return to the track for a practice session tomorrow morning before the drivers will attempt to make their way into the field of 33 starting positions during qualifications. Practice will get underway at 8:00am. IndyCar qualifications begin at 11:00am.

The 95th running of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, May 29, 2011, which will be the 5th race of the 17-race 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. SFR driver Ed Carpenter will attempt to make his way into the field of 33 starting positions tomorrow, Saturday, May 22, 2011. The race will be aired live on ABC at Noon EST on Sunday, May 29, 2011. Additional coverage will be available on IMS Radio, XM Satellite Radio Channel 94 “IndyCar Racing,” Sirius Channel 212, along with broadcast coverage summaries available at www.indycar.com and www.sarahfisher.com.

About Ed Carpenter:

The 2011 IZOD IndyCar ® Series season marks Ed Carpenter’s eighth year in the series after making his debut at Chicagoland Speedway in 2003. Growing up with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his backyard, with Laura and step-father Tony George as parents, Carpenter was no stranger to racing. Carpenter began racing at eight years old and balanced racing with education throughout much of his career. Earning a Bachelors of Science degree in marketing from Butler University in 2003, Carpenter graduated from Butler just weeks before he won the Freedom 100 Indy Pro Series race at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With a college degree under his belt, Carpenter is now able to focus on several other activities when he’s not racing. Away from the track, Carpenter follows professional football and is an Indianapolis Colts season ticket holder and an enthusiastic Butler Bulldogs supporter. The 29-year old is also an avid cyclist, water skier and enjoys working out. Before he became a regular in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Carpenter was a short track racer in the United States Auto Club (USAC) midget, sprint and Silver Crown Series. 2011 marks his first season with Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) and Dollar General. Carpenter resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Heather, his daughter Makenna, son Ryder, and their two dogs Bentley (Rottweiler) and Roscoe (Chihuahua).

About Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR):

Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) is an auto racing team that competes in the IZOD IndyCar® Series, founded by IZOD IndyCar Series veteran racer, Sarah Fisher. Fisher announced plans to become the IZOD IndyCar Series first female owner/driver and the youngest team owner on February 27, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS). The team competed in three events in 2008, grew 100 percent in 2009 to six races and competed in fifteen total events in 2010, during the team’s first season initiating a two-car effort. With backing from Dollar General, SFR has announced plans to run an abbreviated schedule in 2011 competing in nine events, with Ed Carpenter the No. 67. For more information, please visit Sarah Fisher Racing online at www.sarahfisherracing.com.

- Sarah Fisher Racing, Press Release

Honda Racing HPD

TORRANCE, Calif. (May 20, 2011) –

Designed to reduce the potential for pit fires and injuries resulting from drivers leaving their pit boxes with refueling equipment still attached – a cause of such fires in the past – the Refueling Safety Interlock System was created by a team at HPD led by Roger Griffiths, Jim Goodloe, Marcelo Martinelli and Robert Bell.

HPD engineers also won the Schwitzer award in 2004 for their efforts in developing the very successful Honda HI4R-A IndyCar Series engine, which went on to power the Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice and series champion Tony Kanaan.

The Honda Refueling Safety Interlock System includes a fuel-probe sensor and corresponding electronics in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and Gearbox Control Unit (GCU). The system prevents first gear from being engaged by the “paddle shift” system while the refueling hose is still attached to the car in the pit lane.

“Every year, as a result of human error or mechanical malfunction, there are instances of drivers leaving their pit boxes with the refueling hose is still attached to the car,” said Griffiths, technical director at HPD. “All of these incidents create the potential for a fire in the pits and injuries to the driver, crew members, or others in the pit-lane area. The HPD system has been in development since 2009 for use in both the IZOD IndyCar Series and endurance sports-car racing. It was introduced by INDYCAR as a mandatory safety improvement at the start of this season.”

At the heart of the system is a new fuel-probe electronic sensor, installed in the refueling “buckeye” – or inlet valve – on an IndyCar chassis. When the sensor detects a the presence of the the pit-lane refueling nozzle in the buckeye, software in the Engine Control Unit signals the Gearbox Control Unit to place, or hold, the transmission in neutral, and prevents the driver from driving off before the refueling hose is detached from the car.

The software specified by HPD for the Honda Refueling Safety Interlock System also provides several strategies for overriding the system should a sensor failure occur during a race. However, the teams cannot override the system to gain any perceived competitive advantage without detection by HPD and IndyCar officials.

HPD discovered through rigorous bench and vehicle testing that several modifications to the offthe- shelf sensor were required to assure its survival in the harsh operating environment of an IndyCar. HPD replaces all of the sensor’s wire leads and resolders all joints. They also add heat-resistant shrink-wrap to the soldered joints and thermal insulation and a motorsports connector to the leads, along with a fuse to eliminate electrical shorts. To date, the reworked sensors have achieved 2,500 competition miles without failure.

In addition to providing every team in the IZOD IndyCar Series with this important safety device, HPD has offered to provide its design, free of charge, to other racing series that request the device. The only prerequisite is that the gearbox must be equipped with an electronic paddleshift mechanism to interface with the system.

The Louis Schwitzer Award, presented by engineers to engineers, recognizes individuals with the courage and conviction to explore and develop new concepts in motorsports technology for use in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. The award has been presented annually since 1967 by the Indiana Section of SAE International in honor of early racing pioneer and past Indiana Section Chairman Louis Schwitzer. Award sponsor BorgWarner provides a $10,000 cash prize to the winner. In addition, the winner’s name is added to the permanent trophy on display in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994, and has played an active role in the growth of the IZOD IndyCar Series – as both a Manufacturers’ Championship competitor and single engine supplier – since joining the series in 2003.

The company scored its first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2004 with Rice; Manufacturers’ Championships in 2004 & ’05; and became engine supplier to the entire IZOD IndyCar Series in 2006. Honda has supplied racing engines to the entire 33-car Indianapolis 500 starting field every year since 2006, and for a record five consecutive years, there has not been a single engine failure in the ’500′. The 2010 Indianapolis 500 marked Honda’s 100th race win as a manufacturer and engine supplier in IZOD IndyCar Series competition.

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, and located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines. HPD is the single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series and spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2010 American Le Mans Series, 2010 Le Mans Series and the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans.

- Honda Racing/HPD, Press Release

Will Power in car - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

IZOD IndyCar Series points leader Will Power had the fastest lap of the day – 227.778 mph – in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Dallara/Honda. Ryan Briscoe posted the third-best lap – 227.217 mph – in the No. 6 IZOD Team Penske machine, while Helio Castroneves was fourth-quickest in the No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske car at 226.927 mph.

After the team missed the previous two days of practice due to bad weather, all three cars got in plenty of running Thursday as each driver topped 60 laps and Castroneves ran nearly 100. Power’s pace-setting lap, recorded with just 12 minutes left in Thursday’s six-hour session, was the fastest since Indy 500 practice opened last Saturday.

“The Verizon car was good today. We were able to do a lot work on our race setup and we are finding a good balance,” said Power, who has claimed two wins and four poles in the first four races of the season. “At the end of day we trimmed out a bit and were fortunate enough to get a big tow at the right time. It was great to get on track and give all the fans something to see.”

The Team Penske trio turned a combined 242 laps during Thursday’s practice.

“It was a very good day, overall,” said Briscoe.” We worked on the race setup on the No. 6 IZOD Team Penske car, and I worked a lot with my teammates on track. We made a ton of changes throughout the day and we were very productive. We trimmed out the car at the end of the session and focused a bit more on speed. All in all, it was a very productive day.”

Helio Castroneves - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

“It was certainly a good and full day for the No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra team,” said Castroneves. “We ran a lot of laps and all of them were really about race setup. My teammates, Will and Ryan, did some qualifying runs so we know what we need to do there, but we really just focused on getting our car right for the race. Tomorrow will be all about speed for us. It’s going to be fun!”

Practice resumes tomorrow with Fast Friday action beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Pole qualifying, which will determine the top 24 starting positions in the Indy 500, is set to begin at 11 a.m. ET Saturday. The 100^th anniversary Indianapolis 500 will be run on Sunday, May 29.

- Team Penske, Press Release

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Indianapolis, IN (May 19, 2011)

At first, it looked like the weather was going to threaten practice, but the sun started shining and the DRR drivers managed to get plenty of track time in. Today was all about teamwork for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The four drivers worked diligently together and continued to chip away at the race setup. As the day progressed, they were able to start preparing the cars for this weekend’s qualifying.

It was another successful day for Tracy. The Canadian, pilot of the No. 23 WIX Filters car, was the fastest of the four with a speed of 225.906 miles per hour. He logged a total of 54 laps, putting him 12th overall. Wilson, in the No. 22 Z-Line Designs machine, clocked a lap speed of 225.648 mph and was 15th among the 40 drivers on track. The Brit completed 59 laps today. Hamilton in the No. 11 HP logged 62 laps with a best of 223.889 mph, which put him in 33rd position.

Beatriz, in the No. 24 Ipiranga car, accomplished a lot for today’s practice session. The Brazilian completed the most laps of the four drivers. She was able to get in plenty of track time as she did 76 laps, recording a top speed of 224.123 mph, making her 31st quickest for the session.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will be on track tomorrow from noon until 6:00 pm for day four of practice for the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. For more updates on the team, please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

What they have to say about the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500…

Justin Wilson - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Paul Tracy - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Ana "Bia" Beatriz - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Davey Hamilton in car : Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

About Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is entering its 12th season of full-time competition in 2011, making it one of the longest-tenured teams in IZOD IndyCar Series competition. Current Co-Owners, Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, first teamed in full-time competition at the Walt Disney World Speedway in January of 2000. With Buhl behind the wheel, the two owners tasted victory in their debut race. The 2009 IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener, on the streets of St. Petersburg, marked Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s 200th series start. DRR now has over 270 starts to tuck under its belt and has qualified a total of 27 cars for the Indianapolis 500. In its history, the team has boasted a championship list of alumni drivers. Besides Buhl, the team has run Indianapolis 500 winners, Al Unser, Jr., Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Rice, along with IZOD IndyCar Series race winner, Ryan Briscoe. The team has one of the longest lines of heritage in American open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 as Dennis Reinbold’s grandfather, “Pop” Dreyer, built leading roadsters that raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

More information on the team can be found at www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

More information on the IZOD IndyCar Series can be found at www.indycar.com.

- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Press Release

Tomas Scheckter

SPEEDWAY, IN – MAY 19, 2011 –

The past five days (except Monday) has seen mother nature take its course. Opening Day (Saturday) was disrupted because of rain, yesterday and Sunday were cancelled for continuous rain, and on Tuesday KVRT – SH Racing team officials decided not to go on track due to temperatures not reaching above 50F.

Scheckter, 30, driving the No. 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme machine, was able to finally go back on track today and continue to work through his Indy 500 qualifying program. He posted a fast lap of 224.632 mph which put him 26th on the time sheets out of 40 cars running. The KVRT – SH Racing team worked on qualifying setup and running solo, rather than race trim and behind other cars which would produce faster speeds.

“It’s been good to get back in the car today,” says Scheckter. “The last few days of not being on track have been difficult especially when you know you just have two days left till qualifying. We made some good progression today though, worked through quite a lot of items, but still have some work to do. I will sit down with my teammates and engineers tonight to go over data and plan to have another good day tomorrow.”

Practice will continue tomorrow from 12:00 – 6:00 pm ET. The day is known as Fast Friday with teams usually running their best qualifying setups late in the day in preparation for Pole Day qualifying on Saturday, May 21. The 100^th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 will be held Sunday, May 29. It will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET.

For more information about KV Racing Technology – SH Racing, please go to: www.RedlineXtremeRacing.com and www.kvracingtechnology.com.

- KV- Racing Technology – SH Racing, Press Release

Sam Schmidt Motorsports

Tagliani, driver of the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins Dallara/Honda/Firestone for SSM, posted the second fastest lap of the day around 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a time and speed of 39.5340 seconds at 227.652 mph. The Canadian’s fast lap came on the 16^th of his 18 total laps during the day.

Bell, who only competes in the Indianapolis 500 during the IZOD IndyCar Series season, was much busier as he completed 53 laps throughout the session in his No. 99 Herbalife24 Dallara/Honda/Firestone for SSM. He finished fifth on the practice chart as his 39^th lap clocked in at 39.6928 seconds at 226.741 mph.

Penske Racing’s Will Power turned the fastest lap of the month late in the session when he toured the famous oval in 39.5121 seconds at 227.778 mph. His Penske Racing teammates Ryan Briscoe (39.6097 seconds at 227.217 mph) and Helio Castroneves (39.6604 seconds at 226.927 mph) were third and fourth, respectively.

Practice resumes Friday from noon to 6 p.m. EDT. At 6:15 p.m., on the Coca-Cola stage in the Pagoda Plaza, teams will draw for their order in the qualifying line on Saturday.

Townsend Bell - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Talk about practice today.

“We did a good amount of running. It was good to get out with the Herbalife car after the rain the last two days. We learned a lot and tried several things that were on our list. We’ve very comfortable.”

Is going for the pole a realistic goal for this team?

“I hope so. Tagliani’s car is a rocket ship. Every time I walk past it in the garage, I sort of rub by it with my arm hoping some of that speed dust sort of rubs off on me. I think we’re going to be OK.”

At the end of practice today your team spent several minutes working on pit stops. How important is that, not only for you, but also the team?

“It’s probably the most important thing we did today, quite frankly. We’ve got a quick car it seems, but you’ve got to get in and out of the pits. My guys need practice doing ‘hot’ stops, and I probably need the most practice. These cars aren’t that easy to get in and out of the pit box. It felt pretty good. We’ve got some tweaking to do, but it was great to get practice doing that.”

Alex Tagliani, Driver of the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins Dallara/Honda/Firestone for Sam Schmidt Motorsports:

Talk about practice today.

“We came here and we were in the window (of speed). All the winter work on the car and the massaging makes it even a little bit quicker. Right off the bat we’re fast and it takes away a little bit of pressure. It’s a good job by the guys.”

Talk about your lap of 227.652 mph.

Alex Tagliani - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Is going for the pole a realistic goal for this team?

“The way the car is running right now, for sure it is. I think we would be foolish to think that we couldn’t do it. But, the truth is that Penske and Ganassi have really good cars and they know thier way around this place. They have 10 times more experience than us. I’m sure by qualifying they’re going to do something amazing to their cars and all of a sudden they’re going to be up to the top and we’re going to end up fighting with them. But, if that happens, that’s OK. We should be proud that guys like Roger and Chip are looking at us, going ‘Why are those guys so quick?’ That’s kind of our mindset right now.”

Notes of Interest:

• · Daly Dose: Sam Schmidt Motorsports Firestone Indy Lights driver Conor Daly is racing in the World GP3 event this weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo Barcelone, Spain. Daly will practice on Friday, qualify on Saturday and drive in a race on Saturday and then again on Sunday. In GP3, which is a stepping stone to Formula 1, Daly drives for the prestigious Carlin team which has previously fielded cars for Formula 1 stars Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica. With three races complete on the Firestone Indy Lights Series schedule, Daly is in first in the championship point standings on the strength of a second-place finish in the season-opening event in March on the streets of St. Petersburg (Fla.) and a win in April at the Long Beach (Calif.) Grand Prix. He is running a part-time schedule however, competing in only road course events and turns over the No. 77 Mazda Road to Indy car to fellow Noblesville, Ind., resident Bryan Clauson, who will make his Indy Lights debut in the May 27 Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

• · If these walls could talk: The cars for Townsend Bell and Alex Tagliani are housed in garages A12-A16 in the southwest corner of Gasoline Alley at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is the 25^th year of the current garage bays, which were constructed in time for the 70^th Indianapolis 500 in 1986. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the current SSM section of the garage housed Galles Racing, including drivers Al Unser Jr., and Bobby Rahal. Unser Jr., won the 76^th Indianapolis 500 in 1992 and his car was housed in garage A12. In 1995, Walker Racing worked out of the A12-A16 section of Gasoline Alley, and garage A12 was home to Christian Fittipaldi’s car that he drove to a second-place finish that year. The runner-up result earned him Rookie of the Year honors.

• · Playoff Hockey: Despite growing up in Montreal and following the tradition-rich Montreal Canadians, Alex Tagliani is closely following the progress of the Tampa Bay Lightning as they battle the Boston Bruins in the NHL Eastern Conference Finals. Tagliani is close friends with Tampa Bay captain Vincent Lecavalier and at the season-opening IZOD IndyCar Series race on the streets of St. Petersburg (Fla.), Lecavalier was a guest of Tagliani’s. On race day, Lecavalier presented Tagliani with an authentic Lightning jersey while Tagliani reciprocated by giving Lecavalier one of his driving suits.

“I really love hockey,” Tagliani said. “I play sometimes in the winter when I go home to Montreal. I like to play with friends. I root for the Lightning because I became friends with Vinny (Lecavalier). I support him and Simon Gagne (Lightning forward). So I’m basically just supporting a team with people you know and who you like.”

Despite his ties to the Lightning, Tagliani is getting some ribbing from his crew members for supporting Tampa Bay and not a Northeast Division team. Boston and Montreal are in the Northeast Division, along with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

“It’s a tough division the Bruins are in, and I really think that Alex should be rooting for a Northeast Division team,” said Mike ‘Mack’ McCormick, SSM’s transportation coordinator, who was raised in Boston.

Alex Tagliani’s Month of May:

Townsend Bell’s Month of May:

- True Speed Communication for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, Press Release

Andretti Autosport

ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT

JOHN ANDRETTI, #43 TEAM WINDOW WORLD CAR

Ended the practice session with a best lap speed of 224.7 mph
“At least it didn’t rain today, so everybody got a lot of track time. Some people seemed to be doing race runs, and at the end there were people getting a lot of tows. Therefore it’s hard to get a good read on just how fast everyone really is. We’ll gauge it and find more speed but we feel pretty good about the Window World car. It is what it is when you get to Indianapolis. It’s always a fight to find that last little bit of speed.”

MARCO ANDRETTI, #26 TEAM VENOM ENERGY DRINK CAR

Finished the session with a fastest lap speed of 225.0 mph
“The Venom car is comfortable so it’s good in that aspect – but maybe a bit too comfortable because we just don’t have the speed. We’ll keep working at it and hopefully make some big gains tomorrow.”

Mike Conway in car - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Recorded a best lap speed of 222.4 mph
“I think we found a direction for tomorrow. The Hire Heroes/7-Eleven/Dr Pepper car felt pretty comfortable at the end there, so it’s just a case of finding what speed we have tomorrow. I just feel more comfortable now with the whole package that we have, so that’s good. Just more track time, really, is what I needed. I feel good from that standpoint; I just need to see what we have now.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, #28 TEAM DHL/SUN DROP CITRUS SODA CAR

Ended the practice day with a best lap speed of 224.9 mph
“Our progress today was pretty good. The DHL/Sun Drop car right now is very, very well balanced – probably the best car I’ve ever had at Indy. But, we need to find some more speed and tomorrow is the next opportunity to do that. The car is great; the guys have done an amazing job with it.

“This is the stressful time of the week for the drivers. We’re doing a lot of low-downforce runs right now and we’re only going to be doing more of that as we head toward pole day.”

DANICA PATRICK, #7 TEAM GoDaddy.com CAR

Finished the practice session with a best lap speed f 226.3 mph
“I thought it was a productive day. We made slow, but steady changes in the GoDaddy.com car. We are still pleased with the speed at our downforce level, but there’s still work to do.”

- Andretti Autosport, Press Release

Dan Wheldon Signing Autographs - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

The 2005 Indianapolis 500 winner and IZOD IndyCar Series champion, who completed 18 laps on Monday during a brief shakedown, returned to the track shortly after noon today. He completed 35 laps and was immediately among the pacesetters posting a best speed of 225.435 mph. Wheldon returned to the track at 4:00 pm for an additional 30 laps to claim the 10^th fastest speed at the 5:00 pm mark of 225.716 mph before retiring to the garage for the day. Weather conditions were near perfect with scattered clouds and temperatures in the low 70s.

Fastest Speeds of the Day:

1. Will Power 227.778 mph

2. Alex Tagliani 227.652 mph

3. Ryan Briscoe 227.217 mph

14. Dan Wheldon 225.716 mph

Dan Wheldon, #98 William Rast/aigo/Curb/Big Machine Forsythe Solutions Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

“We had a good day. It was obviously nice to be on track. I think one thing the fans don’t see is how hard the guys work on the Bryan Herta Autosport team. They did a phenomenal job in the days off track. They weren’t sitting in the garage waiting for it to stop raining. They worked incredibly hard.

“The car today was good. It seemed certainly reasonable in qualifying trim. We were able to work on the race car which is obviously important to me. There are still some improvements to be made but, for as limited running as we have had, I am pretty encouraged.”

At-A-Glance: The 2005 Indianapolis 500 winner and IZOD IndyCar champion… will be vying for his ninth career start in the Indianapolis 500… record at the Speedway includes five top-four finishes in his last seven races and back-to-back runner-up results the past two years… IZOD IndyCar Series career record includes 15 victories, 42 podium finishes and 61 top-five results in a total of 131 career starts with two runner-up finishes in the championship in addition to his 2005 title… earned Rookie of the Year titles in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Toyota Atlantic and USF2000 in addition to the 1999 USF2000 championship… 32 years old from Emberton, England… currently resides in St. Petersburg, Fla., with wife Susie and sons Sebastian and Oliver.
Bryan Herta, Team Co-Owner:

“It was great to finally run and a shame that it took until Thursday for the weather to cooperate. I am really happy with how the car ran and Dan is happy with the car, which is important. I feel we had a very positive day with lots more work to do tomorrow. We are looking forward to ramping up the speed heading into qualifying.”

About Bryan Herta Autosport

Founded by veteran driver Bryan Herta and noted race engineer and team manager Steve Newey, Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) has been a race-winning team in Firestone Indy Lights competition since 2009. The Indianapolis, Ind.-based squad made its debut in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2010 contesting the Indianapolis 500. Herta, an accomplished racer, has won in every series he has contested including the IZOD IndyCar Series, American Le Mans Series and CART in addition to garnering Skip Barber Formula Ford, Barber Saab and Firestone Indy Lights championship titles. Amongst his career highlights are a third-place finish in the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and victory in the LMP2 class at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2007. Newey’s racing career spans over 20 years and includes design and race engineering positions in Formula One as well as team manager/technical director roles in IndyCar, American Le Mans and Grand-Am competition. Among his highlights are the 1992 Champ Car World Series title as the race engineer for Bobby Rahal, the 2006 Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Driver’s Championship with Krohn Racing’s Jorg Bergmeister and victory in the Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2007 as race engineer for Andretti Green Racing and drivers Bryan Herta, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan. He was also instrumental in assembling the Patrick Racing Firestone test team and served as team manager for drivers Scott Pruett and Adrian Fernandez. For more information, visit www.bryanhertaautosport.com.

About William Rast

William Rast, the ‘New America’ denim culture brand, was conceptualized and founded by Justin Timberlake in 2005 under management of CEO Colin Dyne. Originally comprised of only denim, the brand has expanded into a complete lifestyle collection, including leathers, outerwear, wovens, knits, footwear and eyewear; known for delivering quality, fashion forward design and premium fit. Grounded in the iconography of American denim heritage and biker culture, yet re-packaged and presented in a contemporary context, William Rast has found its place on the floors of top-tier department stores and boutiques across the globe, and has become a staple for denim fans worldwide. The company operates William Rast retail stores at Century City in Los Angeles, Aventura in Miami, Valley Fair in San Jose and Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Palm Springs; as well as its webshop at www.williamrast.com.

- Bryan Herta Autosport, Press Release

Dario Franchitti in Car - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

In addition, the three drivers composing the front row for the race are scheduled to be at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Conn., on Tuesday, May 24. The drivers will appear on various ESPN television, radio and digital outlets. The starting field will be determined in time trials this weekend.

Dario Franchitti: A Speedy Scot Seeks Strength from Homeland

SportsCenter (Sunday, 11 p.m., ESPN)

Dario Franchitti is one of the biggest stars in his sport, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion. He is also married to actress and activist Ashley Judd. Yet Franchitti himself is a private man, for whom his native Scotland is the source of his inner strength and much of his success. For the first time, Franchitti reveals the places in his homeland where his greatness was forged, the moments in his past that both shattered his spirit and spurred him onward, and the people whose love and support he relies on to this day. Chris Connelly offers an intimate portrait of a proud native son looking later this month for his third win at Indianapolis.

Marco Andretti - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Marco Andretti – House of Cars

ESPN The Magazine “Busted” Issue – on sale Friday, May 20

Andretti is an outsize name in racing. But with Indy around the corner, Marco Andretti is beginning to like the way it fits. Award-winning ESPN the Magazine senior writer Ryan McGee profiles the third-generation driving star.

Also included in the issue is a fun image of “The Five Widest and Tightest Gaps Between Indy 500 Winner and Runner-Up.”

ESPN The Magazine’s “Busted” issue features a compelling compilation cover story and illustration (Tressel’s scarlet vest) about the scandals in college football and basketball within this last year alone. The piece also explores how Twitter, Facebook and other online sources have made the whole world the circle of control that coaches and schools face once a scandal breaks.

- ESPN Communications, Press Release

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Indianapolis, IN (May 18, 2011) -

The Indianapolis-based squad will be back on track tomorrow afternoon from 12:00 pm until 6:00 pm for practice for the Indianapolis 500. Stay tuned as DRR drivers, Justin Wilson (No. 22 Z-Line Designs), Paul Tracy (No. 23 WIX Filters), Ana Beatriz (No. 24 Ipiranga) and Davey Hamilton (No. 11 HP) get behind the wheel of their cars tomorrow. For more updates on the team, please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

What they have to say about the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500…

Justin Wilson, No. 22 Z-Line Designs: “Another wet day. We tried to get out there and we took the Z-Line Designs car out to pit lane, but every time it looked like we were close to going out it would start raining again. The conditions weren’t good and you didn’t want to be caught out on track when it started to sprinkle like that. It’s disappointing because it’s another day gone, but hopefully from here the weather will get better and we will be able to get some good running in. At least this way we are not going to be restricted on miles or tires. We can do all of the running we want once the weather clears up.”

Paul Tracy, No. 23 WIX Filters: “It is what it is out there today, we can’t control Mother Nature. I’m just thankful that I’m with the team that I’m with in Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. We’ve got a solid car and a solid foundation and we already know where we’re at. We know exactly what we want to do. In terms of not being on track, I would be more upset if we were struggling, but I think that we are in a pretty good position to put it in on the first day. I think our cars are strong and I’m not overly upset about not being able to get out on track. We can’t control what the weather does and like I said I’m just glad that I’m with the team that I’m with because we have great cars under us.”

Ana Beatriz, No. 24 Ipiranga: “It’s just disappointing, another day without running. We got so close to being able to go out, but as soon as we started the engine it started to rain again and it takes forever to dry up the track and we are done for the day because of it. It’s disappointing, but we just have to breathe and wait for tomorrow and maybe we can finally run more.”

Davey Hamilton, No. 11 HP: “It’s another rain day at Indy. We made some changes to the HP car and we were anxious to go try them. On the program that we have we are getting back on pace with everybody else with our tire allotment, so I’m not sure if this helps us or hurts us or what, but it’s the same for everybody. Tomorrow, Friday, Saturday and Sunday all look good, so we will shoot for that.”

About Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is entering its 12th season of full-time competition in 2011, making it one of the longest-tenured teams in IZOD IndyCar Series competition. Current Co-Owners, Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, first teamed in full-time competition at the Walt Disney World Speedway in January of 2000. With Buhl behind the wheel, the two owners tasted victory in their debut race. The 2009 IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener, on the streets of St. Petersburg, marked Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s 200th series start. DRR now has over 270 starts to tuck under its belt and has qualified a total of 27 cars for the Indianapolis 500. In its history, the team has boasted a championship list of alumni drivers. Besides Buhl, the team has run Indianapolis 500 winners, Al Unser, Jr., Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Rice, along with IZOD IndyCar Series race winner, Ryan Briscoe. The team has one of the longest lines of heritage in American open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 as Dennis Reinbold’s grandfather, “Pop” Dreyer, built leading roadsters that raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

More information on the team can be found at www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.

More information on the IZOD IndyCar Series can be found at www.indycar.com.

- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Press Release

KV Racing Technology – Lotus

SPEEDWAY, IN – MAY 18, 2011 –

In the five days that the Brickyard has been open for practice this is the third full day and the fourth in all that mother nature has affected preparations for the 2011 Indianapolis 500.

Today it was rain and yesterday team officials decided not to practice due to extremely cold conditions. Sunday was lost to rain and Opening Day on Saturday was abbreviated by rain. The only full day of practice was Monday.

With just the full day of practice on Monday and a partial day on Opening Day (Saturday), Tony Kanaan, No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, has recorded the team’s fastest lap with a speed of 223.033 mph. He has run a total of 50 laps. Takuma Sato, No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus, has a top speed 222.505 mph in 57 laps, while E. J. Viso, No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, the team leader in laps completed with 67, has posted a speed of 221.096 mph.

KVRT – Lotus will attempt to resume practice tomorrow, weather permitting, in preparation for this weekend’s Indianapolis 500 qualifying. Pole Day, when the pole and the first 24 spots on the grid will be determined is scheduled for Saturday, May 21. Bump Day, when the final nine cars will qualify is scheduled for Sunday, May 22. The 100^th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 will be held Sunday, May 29. It will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET.

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

Qualifying for IZOD Pit Stop Competition postponed:

The bad weather also cancelled qualifying for the IZOD Pit Stop Competition. Nine crews, including Takuma Sato’s No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus crew, have already qualified for the event based on their pit stop performance at previous races. A total of nine other crews will compete tomorrow starting at 9:00 a.m. to fill the final three slots. The IZOD Pit Stop Competition will be held on Carburetion Day, Friday, May 27, from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. ET.

Sato visits local school:

Takuma Sato spent this morning talking with students at Towne Meadow Elementary school in Carmel, Indiana as part of his “With you Japan” program. Sato, who created the “With you Japan” program to help empower child-care professionals in Japan to provide proactive care to the thousands of children affected by the recent disasters in Japan, has been visiting schools in the various cities he races in to educate local children about the situation in Japan and to encourage them to send messages of hope to Japanese children. The children, Kindergarten through fifth grade assembled in the gym to listen to Sato speak about the situation in Japan and to ask questions. The fifth grade class, 137 students in all, participated in an art project assembling themselves in a recreation of the Japanese flag. The students also made cards with words of encouragement for children in Japan.

- KV Racing Technology – Lotus, Press Release

Tomas Scheckter - KV Racing Technology

SPEEDWAY, IN – MAY 18, 2011 –

Scheckter, 30, driving the No. 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme machine, has spent most of his 10th Indianapolis 500 campaign in the garage thanks to mother nature. This was supposed to be day five of practice, however there has now been just one full day (Monday), a disrupted rain day (Opening Day, Saturday), two cancelled days due to rain and yesterday the temperatures never reached above 50F so team officials decided not to go on track. Unfortunately Monday, the only full day, Schecker was progressing steadily through his program before having to retire early with a small mechanical issue.

Over the past five days, Scheckter has posted a fast lap of 221.204mph and run a total of 20 laps.

The team will be looking to continue practice tomorrow from 12 – 6pm ET, in preparation for the Indianapolis 500 qualifying this Saturday, May 21. The 100^th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 will be held Sunday, May 29. It will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET.

For more information about KV Racing Technology – SH Racing, please go to: www.RedlineXtremeRacing.com and www.kvracingtechnology.com.

- KV Racing Technology – SH Racing,  Press Release