Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood / Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional 200 – Nov. 12, 2011

Venue: Phoenix International Raceway – Avondale, Ariz.

This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala … Ricky Carmichael will pilot Chassis TMS-311 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) stable in Saturday’s WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This a brand-new Chevrolet Impala that will be put through its first paces this weekend in Phoenix.

Phoenix Facts … Carmichael will attempt to make his second NNS start at PIR in Saturday’s WYPALL 200. In his lone NNS start at the newly reconfigured one-mile desert oval, the 15-time American Motorcycle Association (AMA) National Champion started 41st and finished 21st, one lap down to the leaders. In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) action, the 31-year old driver has made three starts, where he’s logged a 21.0 starting average, a 25.3 average finish, completed 419 of 451 laps (93 percent) and earned just over $25,500 in purse money.

A Look Back at Last Week … After being forced to start at the rear of the field following a pre-race engine change, Carmichael, a regular competitor in the NCWTS, and his Monster Energy Team bounced back to post a resilient and impressive eighth-place finish in last Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. The solid effort was Carmichael’s seventh top-10 finish of 2011 and bumped him up one spot, from 16th to 15th, in the NCWTS championship point standings.

In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 67 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Over those same 67 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.8 average start, a 16.9 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 90.3 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $862,000 in purse money. In Nationwide Series competition, he’s made seven starts spanning the last two years and logged a career-best ninth-place finish earlier this season at Road America.

Calling the Shots … Veteran NASCAR crew chief Doug George, Carmichael’s crew chief in the NCWTS, will call the shots for the No. 34 team this weekend in Phoenix. Additionally, Carmichael’s entire Truck Series road crew will prepare the Monster Energy Chevy at PIR.

Nationwide Notes … In 32 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team maintained seventh in owner’s points after Brian Vickers finished 10th last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was 14th in the final rundown after Texas and jumped from fourth to third in the driver point standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 15th at Texas and held on to sixth in points. NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series veteran Ron Hornaday Jr. will take over the reins of the Dollar General Chevy this weekend at PIR and make his 184th career NNS start. Hornaday boasts one pole, four wins, 32 top-five and 70 top-10 finishes spanning 13 seasons.

Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to welcome QuikTrip to the rear quarter panels, deck lid and TV panel of the No. 34 Monster Energy Impala this weekend in Phoenix. QuikTrip Corporation is a privately held company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Founded in 1958, QuikTrip has grown to a $9 billion company with 580+ stores in nine major metropolitan areas. Those revenues place QuikTrip high on the Forbes listing of largest privately held companies. QuikTrip’s strategy is to be the dominant convenience/gasoline retailer in each market, and to reach that level not through sheer numbers of stores, but through key, high-volume locations. With over 10,000 employees, Fortune magazine has ranked QuikTrip high on the list of Best Companies To Work for the last nine years. QuikTrip also gives back to the communities it serves, donating five percent of net profits to charitable organizations.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional will take the green flag Saturday, Nov. 11 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will be televised live on ESPN2 and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Carmichael’s fourth and final Nationwide Series start of 2011 will be televised live on SPEED the same day at noon EST.

RICKY CARMICHAEL QUOTES

You’re making your last Nationwide Series start of 2011. You’re a big fan of one-mile race tracks, Phoenix has a new configuration and you’ve got your buddy Ron Hornaday Jr., as a teammate this weekend. You’ve got to be excited about going to Phoenix.

“Life is good. Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy have given me a great opportunity to run some Nationwide Series races this year. I can’t wait to get out on the track Thursday and see what we’ve got. It’s a clean slate for everyone. The track has new pavement and I know the kink on the backstretch is a little different now so it’s going to be a new challenge for everyone. I’m really going to have to rely on the depth of our team so I’m excited to have my crew chief Doug George and my whole team from the Truck Series preparing the car. There will definitely be some synergies from that standpoint. It’s a great opportunity. I can’t wait.”

Have you had a chance to talk to anyone who has had the opportunity to go out to Phoenix and test so you know what to expect?

“I talked to (Kevin) Harvick about it and I saw Dale Jr. (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) out at the SEMA show in Las Vegas last week. Both of them had a chance to go test out there so they gave me some insight. The track is good in the main groove but you definitely have to err on the side of caution if you get out of the groove. I’ve heard the track has had some other cars out there to try and lay down some rubber. We get a couple of extra practices on Thursday so that will give us some more time to get out there and get a feel for the track. That’s going to help out a lot. My main focus is going to be paying close attention and giving good feedback. We’re not locked into the field so we’ll have to qualify on time. We’ll definitely have our work cut out for us. We’re all going to have to be on our toes this weekend – me especially when it comes to cutting a fast lap.”

You’ve also got a lot going on in Phoenix away from the race track.

“I always like going to Phoenix. My wife’s family is from out there and my kids will be out there, too so it’s going to be a fun weekend. On Wednesday, I’ll go to 2XL, which is the company that designed the Ricky Carmichael Motocross Matchup video game and record some voice-overs. I’ve got a dinner with the folks from QuikTrip on Friday and that’s always a great time. I’m just looking forward to the weekend. It’s a great opportunity and I want to make the best of it.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Reba McEntire

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 1, 2011) –

The ceremony honors the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and other drivers who finished in the top 10 of the final series standings. Increasingly, it has become a full-fledged entertainment experience with appearances by major celebrities.

Reba indeed qualifies as “major.”

Her Facebook page has nearly 2.5 million “likes” and here’s why:

· 34 albums that have sold more than 56 million copies worldwide, with 64 Top 10 hits and 35 No. 1 singles

· Her reign of No. 1 hits spans four decades and Billboard, Country Aircheck and Mediabase recognized her as the biggest female hit-maker in Country music history

· 15 American Music Awards, 13 Academy of Country Music Awards (in addition to Career Achievement honors), nine People’s Choice Awards, seven Country Music Association Awards and two GRAMMY Awards as well as an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame

· Her television sitcom “Reba,” which ran from 2001-2007, was the No. 1 sitcom for six consecutive years on two networks

· A Broadway appearance that garnered a Drama Critics Award

· Reba is one of only four people to be honored with a National Artistic Achievement Award by the United States Congress

· Reba kicked off her ALL THE WOMEN I AM tour in September and will make stops throughout the U.S. and Canada

· The touring industry’s leading trade outlets – Pollstar and Billboard’s Boxscore – have named Reba the No. 1 female Country touring artist, selling a combined total of over 9 million tickets

In addition to her host duties, Reba will perform the song “Turn on the Radio” from her recently released album “All the Women I Am,” on The Valory Music Co. Other special segments involving Reba also are planned for the season-ending celebration that will be broadcast by SPEED, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio (9 p.m. ET) from the Wynn’s LaFite Ballroom.

“Since we moved the awards ceremony to Las Vegas, we’ve really increased our focus on the entertainment value for those in attendance and our fans watching and listening at home,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Having Reba at our show reflects that; she is unbelievably popular, with wide-reaching mainstream appeal. And of course, we also like the fact that she’s a fan of auto racing.”

Reba’s son Shelby Blackstock competes in GRAND-AM Road Racing competition and she attended several of his events this year. She also performed “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” prior to this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Brickyard 400 Presented By BigMachineRecords.com.

“I’m delighted to be hosting the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards this year,” Reba said. “Country Music and NASCAR have shared fans for many years so I’ll feel right at home. My family and I have gotten to meet so many nice people in the racing industry this year with my youngest son, Shelby, being one of the competitors. We appreciate so much the super hospitality.”

Other entertainment-related announcements regarding the awards ceremony are expected in the near future.

 NASCAR, Press Release

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

After experiencing pain in his upper back following the tragic accident that ultimately claimed the life of driver Dan Wheldon, Power was evaluated and released from University Medical Center in Las Vegas on the evening of the crash with no evidence of significant injuries.

On Monday, however, it was determined by series orthopedic specialist Dr. Terry Trammell that Power suffered a compression fracture of his fourth thoracic vertebra in the accident. Dr. Trammell expects Power to recover from the injury with rest and rehabilitation.

Trammell will consult further with Power in the coming days to determine the next steps in his recovery. Power hopes to be able to continue testing the 2012 IndyCar in the coming weeks and he is expected to be fully healed and ready to compete for Verizon Team Penske in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.

- Team Penske, Press Release

2011 Indy 500 Winner Dan Wheldon the Day After - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

The following statements are about driver Dan Wheldon, who suffered fatal injuries in a crash during the IndyCar Series season finale Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

Milka Duno:

“Dan was more than a competitor to me – he was friend and an inspiration to me as a race car driver. Before we competed together in IndyCar we raced together as teammates at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and he had so much positive energy and he was very kind and supportive to me and my racing career. It was easy for anyone who met him or raced with him to see how truly gifted he was. Racing has lost a great man and and a great race car driver – it will be a loss felt for many, many years to come. My heart and prayers go to his family.”

Panther Pays Tribute to Dan Wheldon – Legend, Champion and Friend:

Panther would like to send its deepest condolences and respects to family and friends of Dan Wheldon, and more specifically to his wife Susie and their children Sebastian and Oliver. Dan is an IndyCar legend, a Champion, a friend, and one of the greatest ambassadors in the history of open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500.

Since making his IndyCar Series debut with Panther in 2002, and subsequently returning for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Dan was an unbelievable representative of our team and partners. The passion and commitment that Dan showed to Soldiers of the National Guard, and Cadets in its Youth ChalleNGe program, and fans of this sport, is what set him apart. In our experience we cannot recall one instance where Dan said no to an autograph request, bypassed a photo request, or left an appearance without assuranceseverybody there who wanted to meet him had done so.

He was a special talent, a better person, and had a positive impact in the lives of so many in the sport. While Dan’s on-track success speaks for itself, it’s the professionalism, humor and spirit he showed outside the racecar that set him a cut above the rest. He will be missed, but always remembered.

Eric Bachelart, Team Owner, Conquest Racing:

“I’ve known Dan since he first came to the USA and like a lot of other people I had a great connection with him. Dan represented the true IndyCar driver spirit, always available and positive, he was a great talent, a great friend, and a great family man. I would like to send my deepest condolences to his family.

It’s hard to accept what happened yesterday, we all know it’s a dangerous sport but we need to work together to make sure that this never happens again.”

Driver Sebastian Saavedra, No. 34 Conquest Racing:

“We lost not only an amazing driver, we lost a great father, friend and a very honorable person. It’s very hard to believe this is possible and sometimes we forget how dangerous what we do is. But we will never forget how much he loved racing and the adrenaline this sport gave him.

We will miss him incredibly for his unique smile, sense of being and how friendly he was to all, but we will never forget him in any sense of the word.

May he rest in peace and may his family accept this great loss with cherish.

We love you Dan.”

TOM COMPTON, PRESIDENT, NHRA:

“The world of motorsports and everyone at NHRA is deeply affected by yesterday’s tragedy in Las Vegas involving Dan Wheldon. On behalf of the entire NHRA family, our hearts and prayers go out to the Wheldon family and the entire IndyCar racing community. We are truly saddened by this tragic loss of such a great champion and person.”

Richard Childress, President and CEO of Richard Childress Racing:

“All of us at Richard Childress Racing are saddened by the loss of Dan Wheldon. Dan was a fierce competitor and a great champion. I had the pleasure of meeting him over the past couple of years and quickly realized what a great ambassador he was for our entire sport. Our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.”

St.Vincent Sports Performance Executive Director, Ralph Reiff:

“Dan chose to be a good guy. He made parenting of his sons, Sebastian and Oliver his priority. Dan made us all better at our craft by pushing us to make him a better athlete. Dan has made us better people by modeling a courageous and kind life.”

Colin Dyne, CEO, William Rast:

“As we struggle to process this devastating news, my heart and soul reach out to Dan’s wife Susie, his two boys and the rest of his family. He was a true champion who had the unique quality of making everyone around him feel like a winner. Not only a hero, but also a great friend, we are honored to have counted Dan as part of the William Rast family. We will surely miss our friend and never forget what he gave to all of us.”

GP Sports Management:

GP Sports Management is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our dear friend and client, Dan Wheldon.

Dan was a winner. For the past 11 years we were privileged to watch Dan become a champion on the track and a devoted family man off it. He loved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was immensely proud to have his name etched twice on the Borg Warner trophy alongside some of the Indy 500 greats.

He touched so many people in racing and around the world with his warm smile, his charming personality and his genuine good nature. Dan loved his fans and always took that extra bit of time to take a photo, to sign an autograph, to make some young kid smile at the racetrack. Everyone wanted to be around Dan. His passion and his enthusiasm for life was infectious. We will all miss him…

A true champion of motorsport…

A proud brother to Austin, Ashley, Elliott and Holly…

A devoted son to Clive and Sue…

A loving husband to Susie…

A doting father to his boys, Sebastian and Oliver…

And our friend…

Rest in peace Dan…your memory will live with us forever.

We would like to thank everyone for all of the messages of condolences that we have received and right now our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Wheldon family.

Bryan Herta, Team Co-Owner:

“Everyone at Bryan Herta Autosport is reeling from the loss of our friend and teammate Dan Wheldon. Dan was the glue that bound our little team together. It was his spark and belief in us that carried us all toVictory Lane at Indianapolis this year, and his legacy within the sport as a tremendous champion and competitor is unquestioned. But more than that, Dan became my little brother from our time together as teammates at AGR. I watched with pride as he developed from the brash young hotshot on the circuit to a man who was a great husband and father, ambassador, friend, champion and hero. Our thoughts and prayers are with Susie and the boys, and all of Dan’s family and fans who are trying to make sense of this terrible loss. We are all lucky and blessed to have had Dan Wheldon influence our lives, and his spirit lives on in each one of us. Godspeed my friend.”

ROGER PENSKE (owner, Penske Racing):

“Today was a sad day for IndyCar and the IndyCar family. Dan was a champion, a wonderful young man and a terrific competitor. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Susie, his children and his entire family.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES (Team Penske; three-time Indianapolis 500 winner):

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dan Wheldon’s family – what happened today was terrible. It is hard to put into words how sad this is for all us of here. On the track we compete but at the end of the day we are like a big family and today we lost a part of that. I think that the series made a good call to end the race and have the parade laps to honor the life of our fellow driver.”

RYAN BRISCOE (Team Penske):

“My thoughts are with Dan’s family right now. He has been a good friend and a great competitor for many years and I’m greatly saddened by his loss. I do applaud the decision made by the series to call the race and line the cars up for a few parade laps in Dan’s memory. It is truly a sad day for all of us.”

WILL POWER (Team Penske):

“What a tragic loss. I’m devastated that we lost Dan Wheldon today. It was a terrible accident and I feel so bad for Dan’s family. My thoughts and prayers are with them. Dan was great champion and a great guy. He will definitely be missed.”

RANDY BERNARD (CEO, INDYCAR):

“No words can describe my feelings as I reflect on my memories of Dan. His infectious smile, bubbly personality and big heart made Dan one of the most caring people I had ever met. You could never ask for a better ambassador to a sport. Dan represented INDYCAR with the upmost respect and integrity. Dan will not only be immortalized as being a great racer but also a wonderful person. My prayers are with Susie and his two children in this very difficult time.”

CHRIS POWELL (President, Las Vegas Motor Speedway):

“All of us here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway are deeply saddened by the death of Dan Wheldon. He was a tremendous race car driver and a great representative for IndyCar racing. Our prayers are with Dan’s family as well as the officials and sponsors of IndyCar.”

BOB PARSONS (CEO & Founder, GoDaddy):

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dan Wheldon’s family and friends on this sad, sad day. All of us in the IndyCar family feel an unexplainable sense of loss. Not just for the sport, but for all who knew Dan Wheldon. Dan was a family man, a father, a husband, a son and a brother. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner was also a competitor and a colleague … our deepest condolences go out to all who knew Dan.”

JIM MICHAELIAN (President & CEO, Grand Prix Association Of Long Beach):

“On behalf of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach family, our hearts are saddened to hear the news of the passing of Dan Wheldon. He was a great representative of our sport and personified what the IZOD IndyCar Series is all about. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Susie, his children and family. He will be sorely missed.”

DAN MEAD (CEO and President, Verizon Wireless):

“There are no words to express our sorrow over the loss of Dan Wheldon, a beloved member of the racing family. We extend our deepest sympathies to Dan’s wife and family. They are all in our thoughts.”

BOBBY RAHAL (co-owner, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing):

“The passing of Dan Wheldon today is a great shame. Dan was a great driver as evidenced by not only his Indianapolis 500 victories, but by his many wins and great performances in the race car. But he was much more than a great driver. He was a good guy, good family man and really seemed to have a bright future not only as a driver but as a television personality as well. We had spoken to him very recently about his prospects as a driver for 2012 with our team and he was very enthusiastic about his future. He will be missed.”

ALLEN SIRKIN (President, PVH Corp):

“On behalf of everyone at the IZOD brand, our prayers and thoughts are with Dan Wheldon’s family. We are very proud to have worked with Dan and consider him a true friend,” said. “He was one of the best race car drivers in the world and a wonderful ambassador for the sport. Dan’s love of racing was only surpassed by his love and dedication to his family. He will be missed by all.”

Dennis Reinbold, Co-Owner Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:

“Today was a very emotional day. We all lost a friend, and a true champion of the sport. It hurts deeply when something like this happens and our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this time.”

Robbie Buhl, Co-Owner Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:

“Today was an extremely tragic day. There are no words to express our sorrow over the loss of Dan. He was a Champion and few loved the sport as much as him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Wheldon family.”

RICK HUMPHEY (VP of ZOOM Motorsports):

“On behalf of Barber Motorsports Park, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Dan Wheldon. His willingness to help promote the event each year in Birmingham showed us what kind of an ambassador he was for the sport. Dan’s infectious personality will always be remembered and his smile will truly be missed at Barber Motorsports Park.”

JEFF BELSKUS (President and CEO, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp.):

“We are incredibly saddened at the passing of Dan Wheldon. He was a great champion of the Indianapolis 500 and a wonderful ambassador for the race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and all of motorsports. Most importantly, he was a fantastic husband, father and man – a good friend to so many in this sport. His memory will live forever at the Speedway, both through the magnitude of his accomplishments on the track and his magnetism off the track. Our deepest sympathies are extended to his entire family, team and fans.”

Dan Wheldon Wins 2011 Indy 500 - Firestone Racing Photo

“The Firestone Racing team is deeply saddened by the death of Dan Wheldon. We have very fond memories of celebrating with Dan at Indianapolis following his win this year, and he was a true champion.

“Recently, we had been working very closely with Dan on the development of the 2012 IndyCar. His passion for the sport was evident every day and he worked endlessly to do the best he could at everything he did. We extend our sympathies to his family, to his team, and to his many friends and fans. He was a talented competitor on the track who will be long remembered by all who had the privilege of working with and knowing him.”

Andretti Autosport:

“It is with extreme sorrow that we have lost one of our champion drivers today. Dan was an Indy 500 champion and IndyCar Series champion with Andretti Autosport-and one of our closest competitors. Dan brought such enthusiasm and passion to the sport not often seen in motorsports. We will remember Dan’s tremendous racing accomplishments with our team as well his infectious personality. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to Dan’s family, racing team and friends today. Dan is one of IndyCar’s greatest champions.”

Michigan International Speedway President, Roger Curtis:

“I am saddened for the entire racing community and all race fans. Dan Wheldon was one of the most personable and friendliest drivers I have ever met in this sport. And he was a passionate, talented and exciting driver whose love of racing really showed. But more than that, he loved his family and our thoughts are with them during this very sad time.”

Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren:

“We were saddened to learn of the passing of two-time Kansas Speedway winner Dan Wheldon. Dan exemplified the definition of a champion, both on and off the track. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dan’s family, friends and the entire IndyCar Series.”

Sam Schmidt Statement Regarding:

“Dan Wheldon was a tremendous competitor, a great racer and an even better person. It was an honor to have him be a part of our team. All of us at Sam Schmidt Motorsports are deeply saddened by his passing. On behalf of everyone at Sam Schmidt Motorsports, our prayers go out to all of his family, especially his wife, Susie, and their two children.”

Erik Berkman (President, Honda Performance Development):

“For everyone in the Honda family, this is a day of tragedy and incalcuable loss. For us, Dan was more than a driver, he was a member of the Honda family. But most of all, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, wife Susie and two young sons. Dan had a passion for motorsports and a wonderful personality that made him a friend to everyone in the racing community. His talent and dedication were an inspiration to us all. We will miss him terribly, and everyone at Honda extends our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and fans across the world.”

Steve Page, President and General manager of Infineon Raceway:

“This is a truly heartbreaking loss. Dan Wheldon was a terrific driver and a great champion, but overall he was one of the most engaging, intelligent and colorful individuals in our sport. We were fortunate to work with Dan as a regular promotional partner over the years. We will miss his competitive drive on the track and his energy and sense of humor in the paddock.”

Oriol Servia, No. 2 Telemundo Dallara/Honda/Firestone, Newman/Haas Racing:

“This is incredibly sad. We all know this is part of the sport. Cars are getting safer, tracks are getting safer so fortunately it hasn’t happened in a long time. We all had a bad feeling about this place in particular just because of the high banking and how easy it was to go flat and if you give us the opportunity, we are drivers and we try to go to the front — we race each other hard because that’s what we do. We knew if could happen but it’s just really sad. There was no right or wrong thing to do really on how to proceed. It’s the first time ever that we knew that a driver was gone so I think the series did the right thing. Even if you were going to be more careful we were still going to be traveling at a very high speed and in a risky situation. I think Randy’s call was rational. He was saying ‘Listen, you guys are not thinking straight.’ If they had kept us in the car and we still had hope that Dan was going to be okay and they restarted the race sooner you can just focus on what you do. This wasn’t the right way either to finish the race or the season; it feels wrong but there was no right way to deal with the situation. I feel so bad for Susie and their kids. It’s so tough to understand when somebody is gone that quickly. Dan was always a very happy guy; he was always smiling. He was a funny, great person that touched a lot of people. He will be missed.”

James Hinchcliffe, No. 06 Sprott Dallara/Honda/Firestone, Newman/Haas Racing:

“It’s a black day for the sport. We came in here hoping for a good season-finale and ended up losing a very close friend and a very good racing driver. I think Dan was coming into his second wind as a driver. He had so much success early on and he was getting back into that. It’s going to be hard next year to climb into the new cars every time knowing that if it wasn’t for Dan this thing wouldn’t be what it was. He made such an impact on this sport and will even continue to now. It’s proof that this is still a very dangerous sport. As hard as we work on the safety side, these things are still very possible. It’s tough to put into words what everybody is feeling. There was no right answer on how to deal with this situation in terms of the rest of the race. Deep down we all think Dan would have wanted us to race but out of respect for him we made a decision, right or wrong. We’re going to have to regroup over the winter and head into the first race next year and race the whole year for Dan because all I said, the new car that we all are going to be blessed with the opportunity to race, a lot of that is as good as it is because of Dan. My thoughts are with Susie and the kids.”

Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer:

“Along with everyone at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the entire racing community, I am saddened by this news. I offer my condolences to the Wheldon family, especially wife Susie and her two young sons. I had the opportunity to spend time with Dan at promotional events and always came away impressed by his warmth and sincerity.”

Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger:

“We share the sorrow of the IZOD IndyCar Series and motorsports community on the passing of Dan Wheldon. He was a great friend to Kentucky Speedway and recently lent his personality to promoting this season’s 300-mile event at our track by participating in a Macy’s shopping spree with a youth. An exemplary person and competitor will be sorely missed.”

George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN & ABC Sports:

“We are very saddened by the tragic passing of Dan Wheldon. He was a great champion both on and off the racetrack and he will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family.”

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage:

“On behalf of the entire staff at Texas Motor Speedway, our sincere condolences go out to Dan’s wife Susie and their two young boys, Oliver and Sebastian. Dan was a tremendous race-car driver and even more tremendous as a person. I was fortunate to get to know Dan over the years with the series annually visiting Texas Motor Speedway and he always arrived with that infectious personality and charming wit. His outstanding skill in the cockpit and his personality and good nature out of it will be greatly missed by the entire IndyCar community.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Dan Wheldon:

“I had the pleasure of meeting Dan Wheldon at the National Guard Youth Challenge dinner about five years ago, and we crossed paths several times since then, mostly through our mutual partnership with the National Guard. His success as a racer speaks for itself, but I will remember him as a true professional who was friendly, respectful, and genuine. On behalf of everyone at JR Motorsports, I send condolences to Dan’s family, team, and friends in the racing community.”
“The IndyCar community – drivers, teams, fans – arrived at the track today to compete and celebrate a championship. Instead, we lost one of the sport’s best. Dan Wheldon was a champion on the track and a great ambassador for the sport. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dan’s family.

HVM Racing Owner, Keith Wiggins:

It’s in moments like this that you witness the strength of the IndyCar community. Even though we compete against each other week after week, it’s like we’ve lost a member of our own family. We’ll go forward into the 2012 season by reflecting on the great memories we have of Dan Wheldon.”

Dan Wheldon Signing Autographs prior to the Indy 500 - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Chip Ganassi, Team Owner:

“What can you say? He was such a big presence in our sport and quite a talent. Today we lost a little bit of Indycar. He raced here for us for three years, won six races and made many friends – the whole Chip Ganassi Racing organization mourns his passing. My thoughts and prayers go out to Susie, the boys and the whole Wheldon family.”

Gregg Steinhafel, Chariman, President and CEO, Target:

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic and sudden death of Dan Wheldon, who drove for Target Chip Ganassi Racing from 2006 to 2008. He was a special part of the Target family and our heartfelt sympathies go out to Dan’s family and friends.”

Dario Franchitti, Target Chip Ganassi Racing Driver, No. 10 Target Honda:

“We lost a good friend. Everybody in IndyCar Series considered Dan a friend. He was one of those special, special people from the first moment he showed up in IndyCar. And he was kind of the brash, but he was a charmer. Then he became this loving family guy who was still charming, but he had this whole new side to him. I’m just thinking of Susie and the boys. When I think about them I’m struggling to hold it together.”

Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing Driver, No. 9 Target Honda:

“Dan is family and I will miss him badly. Such an amazing person and wonderful family man. We will be with Susie, Sebastian and Oliver for whatever they need. I still can’t believe it.”

Graham Rahal, Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing Driver, No. 38 Service Central Honda:

“My heart goes out to the Wheldon family. Dan was an incredible champion, a great friend and someone I will always respect and admire. We have truly lost one of the greatest members of our INDYCAR family.”

Charlie Kimball, Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Driver, No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda: 

“We lost a special member of our INDYCAR family. Dan was doing exactly what he wanted and died doing what he loved. Our thoughts are with his wife, Susie, and his two children. There are much bigger plans in life than we can ever hope to understand. Dan will be forever missed.”

NASCAR CEO and Chairman, Brian France:

“NASCAR offers its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Dan Wheldon, his teammates, and the entire IndyCar Series community for their tragic loss today. They will be in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.”

The 33-year-old racer was a two-time Indy winner, including this year’s race.

Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup during Lap 11. - Full Story at the Huffington Post

INDYCAR Logo

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

1. Contenders talk championship at Live & Global event

2. A Good sign?: Scout teams with Bell to win pinewood derby

3. ARMA Energy to sponsor Tracy in Las Vegas

1. Contenders talk championship at Live & Global event: INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard had a little fun with IZOD IndyCar Series championship contenders Dario Franchitti and Will Power when “Randy from Indianapolis” posed a question from the audience during the INDYCAR Live & Global event.

“I want to know who is going to win the World Championship?” Bernard asked.

“I was going to say everyone needs to show up at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and find out,” answered Franchitti, the three-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion who leads the point standings. “I know Will thinks it’s going to be him and I think it’s going to be me. That’s why we’re running this race tomorrow.”

The Q & A with media and fans from around the world was part live video streaming and interactive media event is powered by Ortsbo’s Guinness World Record-holding platform, Live & Global. The drivers took questions from as far away as Russia, American Samoa, France, Sweden and Spain among other countries well as from fans and media on site. All were instantly translated into English –were fielded by the title contenders. Such as for Franchitti: “You’re of Italian decent but grew up in Scotland. How have the cultures shaped who you are?” And “How fast have you driven in a race car?”

BTW: The answer to the second query is 256 mph in Turn 3 at then-California Speedway.

The first Ortsbo Live & Global event with the IZOD IndyCar Series was held at Infineon Raceway in August and featured three generations of Andrettis.

Both Power and Franchitti will start deep in the field for the Las Vegas Indy 300, the headline event of the first IZOD INDYCAR World Championships, sharing the ninth row in the 34-car field. But both drivers said they won’t be in a hurry to get to the front, unless that’s what the race presents to the drivers.

“Obviously, Dario and myself are starting way back in the back and next to each other, and the two rookies going for that championship (JR Hildebrand and James Hinchcliffe) are starting next to each other in front of us,” Power said.

“I think you have to run a smart race all together. Last year, at halfway, my spotter started pushing me. Saying, ‘Come on. Let’s get up there.’ And I ended up scraping the wall. I don’t think that’s right approach. You have to understand how the car is and just react accordingly.”

2. A Good sign?: Scout teams with Bell to win pinewood derby: Townsend Bell was expecting the national anthem of the United States of America to begin as he and the Cub Scout who built the winning car in the INDYCAR Pinewood Derby were presented their gold medals.

“I’ve been talking to my man here for months about the setup,” joked Bell, who’s driving the No. 22 Dad’s Root Beer car for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the Las Vegas Indy 300 – the marquee event of the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships Presented by Honda – on Oct. 16.

The elimination-style derby was among the flowing events Oct. 15 in the Fan Zone at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. An autograph session with IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights drivers augmented the second Ortsbo Live & Global event, in which individuals around the globe could watch Dan Wheldon host IZOD IndyCar Series title contenders Dario Franchitti and Will Power on stage and ask questions in 53 different languages.

Rock climbing walls, race car simulators, a concert by the 82^nd Airborne All-American Chorus, a serpentine karting track and other displays all received heavy traffic, while a mid-afternoon concert by Good Charlotte also enticed hundreds from the nearby hotel pools to continue their sun-bathing in the parking lot.

Thirty-six scouts of the Las Vegas Area Council represented each driver who will start the race on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval, plus INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard and the National Guard’s “Hometown Hero.” The 5-ounce IndyCar-shaped vehicles were assembled and painted by each scout, and they were returned following the race signed by the driver.

The Boy Scouts of America is represented on the No. 19 car driven by Alex Lloyd (a former scout in England) for Dale Coyne Racing, and is closing out its first year as an INDYCAR partner.

“Dale has been great and gracious in helping us along the way evolve our brand and integrate our brand into what he’s doing. A lot of what we’ve done with Dale has allowed us to move into a larger footprint with INDYCAR,” said Eric B. Moore, manager of National Corporate Alliances for the Boy Scouts of America.

“This entire program is built on STEM – science, technology, engineering and math. IndyCar, from our perspective, is the ultimate Pinewood Derby. So having the ability to have a Pinewood Derby here today is an outstanding opportunity, especially with the support of the league and the drivers. To have the drivers be paired with a Boy Scout, with a Cub Scout is a life-changed experience.

“We see a lot of smiles out here today, and that’s what it’s about. It’s about attracting new fans to Indy, scouting membership to Indy and creating an environment that is supportive of Indy’s growth market. The kids out here today will be the ticket-purchasers and the fans of tomorrow.”

3. ARMA Energy to sponsor Tracy in Las Vegas: ARMA Energy SNX announced today it will serve as the co-primary sponsor ofthe Paul Tracy’s No. 8 Dragon Racing entry, in this weekend’s IZOD INDYCAR World Championships at the Las VegasSpeedway.

Tracy will pilot the No. 8 Motegi Racing / ARMA Energy / Dragon Racing entry, in a return to the Las Vegas Speedway sinceracing there last in 2005 in the Champ Car World Series. At 42 years of age, Paul Tracy has had a long and successfulracing career, leading all current drivers with 31 victories (7th all-time), 25 poles (9th all-time) and captured the 2003 ChampCar World Series Championship. Paul is one of the top fan favorites in North American open wheel racing.

“I’m really excited to have ARMA with us at the final race of the season and especially in Las Vegas,” said Tracy. “ARMA Energy is part of my daily training routine, supplying my body with ammunition to fight the battle of fatigue. The folks at ARMA like to say you can ‘EAT YOUR ENERGY’ with their great tasting line of nut and fruit mixes, plus a spicy hot snack called Hellfire…..perfect for me. I’m proud to be a part of helping build the ARMA Energy brand and look forward to driving the best looking car on the track this weekend.”

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Las Vegas Indy 300, the headline event of the IZOD INDYCAR World Championship Presented by Honda, on Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race will be televised live by ABC at 3 p.m. The race will be broadcast by the IMS Radio Network on XM 94. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Las Vegas 100 on Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

Tony Kanaan Wins 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championships Las Vegas Indy 300 Pole

Kanaan, No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, qualified with a two-lap average speed of 222.078 mph. This was the 15^th pole of Kanaan’s 14 year career and 11^th in the IndyCar Series. It is his first earned pole since June 27, 2008 at Richmond International Raceway. Kanaan sat on the pole earlier this year in Texas No. 2, but that was by virtue of a draw.

“It feels awesome,” Kanaan said. “It has been awhile. I guess I’ve got to do more Ironmans on my weekends off. I’m extremely happy. I can’t thank the GEICO – KV – Lotus guys enough. We had such an awful race at Kentucky that we needed to turn it around. They went back to the shop to massage that car as much as they could and it paid off.”

Today’s pole is the third for KVRT – Lotus this season (fourth including Texas No. 2) and fifth in team history not counting Will Power’s pole at the Surfers Paradise exhibition race in 2008.

Sato, No. 5 MGM Grand – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, qualified with a speed of 220.627 mph. He will grid on the outside of row eight.

“First of all congratulations to Tony, it’s great to see the speed from his pole run,” Sato said. “I think in general we improved from the last race and are back on the pace, but we still need a little more speed for my car. As close as everyone is here we will have very tight racing and hopefully, we can have a strong result.”

Viso, No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, had a mechanical issue during yesterday’s practice that placed his engine outside the Manufacturer’s guidelines resulting in an unapproved engine change. As a penalty he was not allowed to make a qualifying attempt and will start in the 31^st position.

Commenting on his situation Viso said, “Well here we go the last race of the season. Unfortunately I will start at the back of the grid because we had to do an engine change which was considered unapproved under the rules. I am not really concerned where we start. We have done this many times in the past, coming from the back to the front of the field. It is actually very exciting. I think we have one of those good race cars like we have had in the past on the mile and a half ovals. Hopefully, we can bring home a great result so we can close the season on a good note. I also, want to congratulate my teammate Tony Kanaan for taking the pole for this race.”

Kanaan has now qualified in the top-six five times with the one pole in seven races on ovals this year (not counting Texas No.2) including season-high thirds in New Hampshire and Iowa. The 36-year-old Brazilian is currently fifth in the championship race with 366 points and trying to become the first KVRT driver to finish in the top-five in the final standings. In seven oval events this year (counting Texas as two races) Kanaan has earned three top-five finishes with one podium (a season-high second at Iowa, four at the Indy 500 and fifth at Texas race No. 2) and led 97 laps (Texas No. 2-39, Milwaukee-33 and Iowa-25).

Sato has qualified in the top-10 in five of seven oval events (not counting Texas No. 2) with three top-five starting spots and one pole (Iowa), his IndyCar career first making him the first Japanese driver to do this. The 34-year-old, currently 13^th in the standings with 297 points, only 17 out of 10^th, is looking to have a strong race Sunday and finish in the top-10 in the standings in just his second IndyCar season. On ovals, Sato has earned three top-10 finishes (oval career-high fifth at Texas race No. 1, seventh at New Hampshire and an eighth at Milwaukee) and captured his first career IndyCar pole and led his first oval laps, seven, at Iowa (also led 13 laps at New Hampshire).

Viso has not qualified well on ovals this year other than in Milwaukee where he started an oval career-high sixth. However he has had some very strong performances in the races, even though his final results don’t always show it. The 26-year-old Venezuelan,18^th in the standings with 241 points, has finished in the top-10 four times this year, twice on ovals, a season-high seventh in race one at Texas and 10^th in the second plus road-course season-high ninths at Toronto and Sonoma. The talented Venezuelan has led two laps on an oval this year both in Texas race two.

Although all three KVRT – Lotus drivers are making their first appearance at Las Vegas Speedway the team has been competitive on ovals this year. The team has now qualified in the top-10 a total of 12 times including seven top-five starting positions and two poles in seven oval events (not counting Texas race No. 2 where Kanaan got the pole by virtue of a draw). In the seven oval races contested so far this year, counting Texas as two starts, KVRT – Lotus has finished in the top-10 eight times, including four top-five showings and one podium performance (Kanaan, second in Iowa). The team has earned one pole and led laps at Texas, Milwaukee, Iowa and New Hampshire.

Practice was split in two groups today Sato ran in the first group while Kanaan and Viso were in the second. Kanaan had the fastest lap for KVRT – Lotus and the fastest of either session with a speed of 224.196 mph (24.7926 seconds). Viso was fifth overall with a lap of 223.184 mph (24.9050 seconds) with Sato 28^th at 221.304 mph (25.1166 seconds).

The season ending IZOD IndyCar World Championships will be run Sunday, October 16. The race will be broadcast live on October 16 on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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

- KV Racing Technology – Lotus, Press Release

No 67 Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Racing Honda Dallara driven by Ed Carpenter- Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Carpenter Scores Best Ever Starting Position for SFR of 3rd; Scheckter 24th in 34-car Field

IZOD IndyCar Drivers In Front of Bellagio Fountain Show

Las Vegas, NV (October 14, 2011)-Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) drivers Ed Carpenter and Tomas Scheckter took to the 1.5-mile tri-oval of Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) early this afternoon, with a practice session beginning at 1:35pm PDT. Carpenter turned 43 laps during the session, clocking his fastest lap at a speed of 222.397 mph, good enough for 16th place on the speed charts. Carpenter’s teammate, Tomas Scheckter, was also on track for practice in his No. 57 Angie’s List Special, completing 50 laps, and clocking his fastest lap at a speed of 222.901 mph, placing him 8th on the practice speed charts.

Shortly following the final practice session, qualifications set the field for Sunday’s IZOD IndyCar Series World Championship event, the first IndyCar event at LVMS since 1998. Carpenter, in his No. 67 Dollar General machine, wheeled a two-lap average speed of 221.509 mph during the late afternoon qualifying session, which placed him in the 3rd starting position for Sunday’s race, the highest ever starting position for SFR. The yellow and black Dollar General Honda powered Dallara will roll from the inside of Row 2 tomorrow, alongside Alex Tagliani.

SFR driver Tomas Scheckter, a native of Cape Town, South Africa, took to the Superspeedway just moments later, completing his qualifying run with a two-lap average speed of 219.816 mph. The Angie’s List Special will roll off the grid 24th tomorrow, on the outside of Row 12, alongside Townsend Bell.

Sunday’s 300-mile season finale race at LVMS will house the largest starting field on an oval since the 1997 35-car Indianapolis 500, and will play host to one of the most competitive fields of the 2011 season.

Ed Carpenter: “It felt good out there. I was really confident in our race car and qualifying car yesterday in practice, but we had a lot of issues in practice today and really didn’t have a good idea of where we were going to be in qualifying. I almost wondered if we’d even be top ten after the first practice session today. I feel pretty good now knowing that the car still does have speed because I was worried we were maybe losing a little speed, but it came back and we ran about what we thought we could run, so that’s good.”

Tomas Scheckter: “We were great on set-up, so we don’t really know what happened. It’s a bit of a weak qualifying effort to say the least. But I’m really happy, the Angie’s List crew did a great job in practice today…we were P.8, so we’ve got a great racecar and that’s what we’ve got to look at. I’m so happy for the Dollar General car and Ed qualifying right up front. It’s funny because he had problems in practice too and didn’t seem very confident for qualifying and now we’ve swapped around. We’re going to go back and take a look over everything. Everything felt fine, and I had good laps. We just didn’t have the speed.”

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 Tomas Scheckter:

The native of Cape Town, South Africa made his way up the racing ladder starting out in go-karts in South Africa and then going on to compete in various racing series in Europe from 1997-2001, driving in the British Formula Vauxhall Junior Series, the Formula Nissan Championship, won the Formula Opel Euroseries, and was runner-up in the British Formula 3 Championship. In 2002, Scheckter drove for Red Bull Cheever Racing, winning his first race from pole at Michigan. That year he also won MBNA pole awards a Texas, Kansas and Michigan and was named the Bank One co-Rookie of the year at the Indianapolis 500. The veteran driver finished career-best seventh in the IndyCar Series standings for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, earning five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes and won MBNA Pole Awards at Texas and Michigan. Scheckter competed for Panther Racing in 2004 and 2005. He finished ninth in the IndyCar Series standings for Panther Racing, earning three pole positions (Homestead, Texas, and Nashville) and his second career victory at Texas Motor Speedway. In 2006, he competed for Vision Racing and finished 10th in the IndyCar Series, recording nine top-10 finishes overall. He ran for Vision Racing again in 2007 finishing 10th in the IndyCar Series and recording two top-five and nine top-10 finishes. In 2008, Scheckter competed in six races for Luczo Dragon Racing.

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

Andretti Autosport

Marco Andretti Leads the Way with Sixth
Spot in the 

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 14, 2011) - Marco Andretti and his No. 26 Team Dr Pepper TEN machine led the strong qualifying performance for Andretti Autosport Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in preparation for Sunday’s IZOD INDYCAR World Championships, the final round of the 17-race 2011 season. All four Andretti Autosport drivers qualified in the top-ten Friday.

Andretti, the Iowa winner, will make his 100th career IndyCar start Sunday when the green flag falls at 12:45 p.m. PDT.

Marco will start sixth in the 34-driver field by piloting his pretty burgundy and gray Dr Pepper TEN entry to a two-lap average of 221.129 mph at the 1.5-mile high-banked oval north of the Las Vegas Strip.

Andretti is followed in the Andretti Autosport contingent by Ryan Hunter-Reay seventh, Danica Patrick ninth and Mike Conway tenth.

Hunter-Reay, the winner at the New Hampshire oval, posted a speed of 221.040 mph as the Florida driver seeks to improve his current seventh place ranking in the season point standings in the No. 28 Team DHL/Circle K/Sun Drop Citrus Soda car. He is just 20 points out of fifth place.

Patrick, the fastest driver in Thursday practice, drove her No. 7 Team GoDaddy.com machine to ninth Friday with 220.925 mph speed, while Conway, the Long Beach champion, took the No. 27 Grime Boss car to a 220.922 mph to round out the top-ten in time trials.

In a unique situation, the IZOD IndyCar Series stars are away from the track Saturday with autograph sessions and sponsor events.

Thursday night proved to be an exciting display at the Las Vegas Strip when all 34 drivers took their IndyCars from one end to the other with tens of thousands of spectators watching the first-time event for race cars on the Strip.

MARCO ANDRETTI, #26 TEAM DR PEPPER TEN CAR

Will start Sunday’s race in sixth position
“Overall the Dr Pepper TEN car is strong and I think we’ll be a contender on Sunday. We’ll be good in traffic, but everyone is going to be good in traffic – that’s why it’s going to be a great race for the fans.”

MIKE CONWAY, #27 TEAM GRIME BOSS CAR

Starts the season finale in P10
“The track temperature was pretty much the same as in practice. Not a bad run. It is not as quick as practice but that was with a tow [draft]. I didn’t get as much as I wanted on the first lap, but my second lap seemed to be pretty good in the Grime Boss car. I was able to work with my tools better on the second one. It will be a crazy race on Sunday.”

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

Will start the race from P7
“We got a little bit of a bad draw going early, so we didn’t know what to expect in qualifying. It [the speed] is a little slower than we thought. We thought maybe a mid-221 at least. I know that our guys have built a great race car and will be ready for the battle on Sunday. This race will be a strong showing for Andretti Autosport. I am anxious for the race. It should be a good run for the Team DHL/Circle K/Sun Drop car. This is going to be less of a handling track as Texas. Thus, that means the cars with not the best balance will be able to hang in the pack. That will mean some very intense racing. It should a wild one.”

DANICA PATRICK, #7 TEAM GoDaddy.com CAR

Starts the race in ninth position
“Overall, I think our GoDaddy.com team is pretty good. I was surprised by the speed in qualifying. I thought we would be a little faster. I wasn’t able to get up to speed as fast as I would have liked. I did what I wanted to do with my bars and weight jacker as in practice. I went a little quicker in second lap and that is good. This will be a pack race on Sunday. So while it is nice to qualify towards the front of the field, I’m not sure that will be a big factor for the race. If you have a fast car in the race, I think you will move to the front pretty quickly.”

- Andretti Autosport, Press Release

INDYCAR Logo

LAS VEGAS –

In fact, they’re starting next to each other — in the uncustomary position of Row 9.

Tony Kanaan, the penultimate qualifier, posted a two-lap average of 222.078 mph on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval to earn his first PEAK Performance Pole Award of the season and 15th of his IZOD IndyCar Series career. He’s the seventh different pole winner this season.

Five different teams are represented in the top 5, and eight in the top 10.

Ed Carpenter, the Kentucky Indy 300 winner, driving the No. 67 Dollar General car for Sarah Fisher Racing will be on Row 2 (highest starting position for the team) with Alex Tagliani in the No. 98 William Rast/Bowers & Wilkins car for Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian/Sam Schmidt.

Dan Wheldon, who will split $5 million with Go Daddy INDYCAR Challenge sweepstakes winner Ann Babenco of New Jersey if he can win the race from the rear of the 34-car field, warmed up with a two-lap average of 218.410 mph. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders James Hinchcliffe, who leads JR Hildebrand by six points, will start one spot apart.

Verizon Team Penske’s Power enters the 200-lap race 18 points behind Franchitti entering the season finale. Seventeenth ties Power’s worst start of the season (Milwaukee).

Not including the two bonus points in play for leading the most laps, Franchitti wraps up his third consecutive series title with a top-three finish no matter Power’s result. Power needs to win the race if Franchitti finishes fourth through seventh. Prospective bonus points come into play the further down the finishing order.

Also Oct. 14, Victor Carbone became the sixth different Firestone Indy Lights pole sitter this season by recording a two-lap average of 191.7773 mph on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval.

Carbone, driving the No. 3 Nevoni/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, had a previous best qualifying result of fourth at Edmonton and a best on an oval of sixth at Iowa Speedway in June.

He’ll share the front row with two-time race winner Stefan Wilson in the 67-lap Las Vegas 100. Wilson, driving the No. 5 Team Citizenre car for Andretti Autosport was 0.0118 of a second behind (191.734 mph average).

Earlier today, Chevrolet gave an update on its 2012 IndyCar Series engine and held a formal availability with its announced teams. Below are selected quotes from the availability:

JIM CAMPBELL (U.S. Vice President for Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, Chevrolet): “It’s so great to be here, we are excited to be re-joining the (IZOD) IndyCar Series. It’s exciting because racing has been part of our heritage and history all the way back to Louis Chevrolet. In our recent open-wheel racing history we have had a lot of success. We have looked at the engine rules laid out by Randy Bernard and his team, and they align well with our production side including bio-fuel and turbo-charged engines. What we learn on the engine development side in racing will help make our production engines better. It takes great teams to be successful, and we have three of them here today: Penske Racing, Andretti Autosport and Panther Racing. We can’t wait to have all of these people here with us next year.”

ROGER PENSKE (Owner, Team Penske): “Obviously this is a big moment for (INDYCAR). The opportunity to get Chevrolet back in our sport is so important. People have been asking who is going to get the engine first. We’ve put together a testing team with people from each of our teams so this is truly a team effort. With this group of team members and owners, we are fully committed to make this a success. This engine was a piece of paper in January, and it has run over 300 miles just this past week.”

MICHAEL ANDRETTI (Owner, Andretti Autosport): “I have very fond memories of Chevrolet being behind me as a driver. It will be fun to work with Penske and Panther Racing. I can’t wait to get out there. It has been very smooth so far.”

JOHN BARNES (Team principal, Panther Racing): “We won 15 races and two (IZOD IndyCar Series) championships with Chevrolet, and we’ve missed them. We talked to all the other engine manufacturers when deciding what would be best for our team; but the high level of engineering with Chevrolet really stood out to us.”

MARK KENT (Director, GM Racing): Back in May I said we were ready to fire up the engine for the first time. We did fire the engine up, and since then we’ve been working on building power and reliability. We have begun Dyno testing and in-person testing. We have purchased a new car from Dallara and had it painted quickly, which we completed before Honda did.

WILL POWER (Driver, Team Penske): It was awesome driving out of pit lane for the first time and feeling the turbo engine. The test went flawlessly, which shows you what kind of job Chevrolet and Ilmor have done. We will continually ramp it up and work on making the engine better. It will be a great year in 2012 having turbo engines back in the series.

***

Medical update from Dr. Michael Olinger, INDYCAR medical director, James Jakes has been checked and released from the Infield Care Center. He is cleared to drive.

JAMES JAKES (No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts): “Me and Alex (Lloyd) just went into Turn 1 and 2, drafting into one another. I was going into (Turn) 2 and something broke in the left corner, and at those speeds it moves you so far off the track. When I hit the wall, the impact on the fire was pretty instant, and it went all the way down the back of my suit, and I tried to stop a lot sooner but the brakes were gone, and I just had to wait until the car stopped and I had my seatbelt on and get out of there.”

DALE COYNE (Owner, Dale Coyne Racing): “We’ve got the back up, but it’s in bits and pieces, so we’ll see how bad this one is and get something up on there in the next day.”

***

PEAK PERFORMANCE POLE QUALIFYING NOTES:

· This is Tony Kanaan’s first pole of 2011 and the 15th pole of his Indy car career. It is Kanaan’s first pole since June 2008 at Richmond International Raceway, a span of 59 races between pole positions.

· Oriol Servia, Newman/Haas Racing, will start second. It his third-front row start of the season. He also started in the front row at Indianapolis and New Hampshire.

· Ed Carpenter qualified third, his best qualifying effort of 2011. His previous best qualifying effort was fourth at Kentucky.

PEAK PERFORMANCE POLE QUALIFYING QUOTES:

TONY KANAAN (No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, PEAK Performance Pole Award): “It feels awesome. It has been awhile. I guess I’ve got to do more Ironmans on my weekends off. I’m extremely happy. I can’t thank the GEICO-KV guys enough. We had such an awful race at Kentucky that we needed to turn it around. They went back to the shop to massage that car as much as they could and it paid off.”

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): “We got a two today so hopefully we get a one tomorrow. The Telemundo car was awesome. We were up there in every session and it just shows the car was good. Front row is the best place to start for a race as crazy as this one is going to be so I am very happy with our position and I think we have a great shot at it (win) on Sunday.”

ED CARPENTER (No. 67 Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Racing): “It felt good out there. I was really confident in our race car and qualifying car yesterday in practice, but we had a lot of issues in practice today and really didn’t have a good idea of where we were going to be in qualifying. I almost wondered if we’d even be top ten after the first practice session today. I feel pretty good now knowing that the car still does have speed because I was worried we were maybe losing a little speed, but it came back and we ran about what we thought we could run, so that’s good.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 06 Sprott Newman/Haas Racing): “We’re in the top half of the grid which is good. It was a weird qualifying session; the field is pretty mixed up. I was hoping we could stay in the top 10 but we’re in the seventh row so were still in the hunt. Since we’ve been here our car has felt better in traffic than it has by ourselves. We’re going to put our heads together and make sure we bolt on the best race set up that we’ve got. We proved in Kentucky that we can race our way through even some of the top guys. It’s going to be about having a problem-free race, stay out of trouble, make smart decisions and a lot of its going to be about being in the right place at the right time. I’m reasonably happy with where we are.”

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 34 Bogata Es Mundial Conquest Racing): “I am very satisfied with the positive progress we’ve show this weekend. We came incredible positive willing to finish this year the right way and I believe we are doing the right way to make this happen. 20th is our best qualifying so far on ovals and that helps our cause quite a bit, there’s still some work to do but I’m definitely looking forward to Sunday’s race.”

WADE CUNNINGHAM (No. 17 Air Ride Pallet/AFS/SSM Racing): “We thought it was a solid run and from where we were in practice to the changes to how the car performed, we made the right steps and maximized our package. That’s the quickest we’ve run in qualifying set-up simulations. From that standpoint, I think we can be pleased. We out-qualified three Ganassi cars and two Penskes, and we’re still 12^th on the grid. It really just shows how competitive it is. If you just look at the lap times compared to the miles-per-hour, every hundredth of a second would have moved us up a position. We were right there. We were battling for the top 10 in qualifying, but we just didn’t have quite enough. We’re pretty confident. If we can have a race like Kentucky, we’ll come away from here pretty happy.”

DAN WHELDON (No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins/William Rast SSM-BHA Curb Agajanian): “We don’t understand why we’re so far off the pace. Quite frankly, with the pace were at, we can’t stay up in the draft. There’s something we’re missing. The team is working hard, but unfortunately Bowers & Wilkins at Magnolia/ William Rast and Curb-Big Machine Records car is not very quick right now.”

DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “My lap, my weekend, I don’t know what to tell you. From the moment my car rolled off the truck it’s been slow. If there’s any silver lining it’s the fact that Will’s back there with me. Will and I were joking that you couldn’t have scripted it better. I think both the Target and Penske teams are very capable of getting us from the back to the front. It’s definitely not ideal starting this far back, but we will do our best to move to the front.”

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 IZOD Team Penske): “The IZOD car felt good during qualifying. It was pretty fast, and really there were just four cars faster than us. Our car is strong in race trim and I have been able to run well in traffic and pretty much in any lane so things look pretty good for Sunday. The race is going to be great for the fans and quite intense for the drivers.”

E.J. VISO (No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “Well here we go the last race of the season. Unfortunately I will start at the back of the grid because we had to do a engine change which was considered unapproved under the rules. I am not really concerned where we start. We have done this many times in the past, coming from the back to the front of the field. It is actually very exciting. I think we have one of those good race cars like we have had in the past on the mile and a half ovals. Hopefully, we can bring home a great result so we can close the season on a good note. I also, want to congratulate my teammate Tony Kanaan for taking the pole for this race.”

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske): “Speed means so much at this track and we’re still just trying to get more out of the Verizon car. That’s definitely not the result we wanted out of qualifying but we know that this is going to be a pack race and hopefully we can use that to our advantage and move forward in the race on Sunday. We need to win and we have some time between now and then to make sure we are getting the most out of the car.”

TOMAS SCHECKTER (No. 57 Angie’s List/Sarah Fisher Racing): “We we’re great on set-up, so we don’t really know what happened. It’s a bit of a weak qualifying effort to say the least. But I’m really happy, the Angie’s List crew did a great job in practice today…we were P.8, so we’ve got a great racecar and that’s what we’ve got to look at. I’m so happy for the Dollar General car and Ed qualifying right up front. It’s funny because he had problems in practice too and didn’t seem very confident for qualifying and now we’ve swapped around. We’re going to go back and take a look over everything. Everything felt fine, and I had good laps. We just didn’t have the speed.”

JAY HOWARD (No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing): “There’s 34 drivers out here and we all want to be fast so it’s tough to get to the front.The balance of the car is really good, I can put it any place I want it, we’re just trying to be faster. We struggled in qualifying at Texas but had a really good race car and hopefully we’ll be able to repeat that on Sunday for our partners at Service Central, R66T and Cyrca.”

PIPPA MANN (No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing): “We’ve got a good handling car and I think it will be the same on Race Day, but we’re still looking for some speed,” Mann reported. “I got to run a good bit in traffic today during practice and the car feels good. Sunday is going to be a long, hot day but it could be good for us if we stay focused and work hard to make our way through the field.”

VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Racing): ‘The run was what we had but it will matter very little here where we start. The further ahead the better–the less work you have to do– but it’s not going to matter very much. The track reminds me of a faster, easier Texas or Chicago. It will definitely be an exciting race.’

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Guidepoint Systems Team Penske): “We ran the speed that we had in the Guidepoint Systems car during qualifying. Certainly we didn’t do as well as we would have liked, but the good news is we have a good race car so that is what we are going to concentrate on and go for the best possible result on Sunday.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Circle K/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): “We got a little bit of a bad draw going early, so we didn’t know what to expect in qualifying. It (the speed) is a little slower than we thought. We thought maybe a mid-221 at least. I know that our guys have built a great race car and will be ready for the battle on Sunday. This race will be a strong showing for Andretti Autosport. I am anxious for the race. It should be a good run for the Team DHL/Circle K/Sun Drop car. This is going to be less of a handling track as Texas. Thus, that means the cars with not the best balance will be able to hang in the pack. That will mean some very intense racing. It should a wild one.”

MIKE CONWAY (No. 27 Team Grime Boss): “The track temperature was pretty much the same as in practice. Not a bad run. It is not as quick as practice but that was with a tow (draft). I didn’t get as much as I wanted on the first lap, but my second lap seemed to be pretty good. I was able to work with my tools better on the second one. It will be a crazy race on Sunday.”

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Team GoDaddy: “Overall, I think our team is pretty good. I was surprised by the speed in qualifying. I thought we would be a little faster. I wasn’t able to get up to speed as fast as I would have liked. I did what I wanted to do with my bars and weight jacker as in practice. I went a little quicker in second lap and that is good. This will be a pack race on Sunday. So it is nice to qualify towards the front of the field, I’m not sure that will be a big factor for the race. If you have a fast car in the race, I think you will move to the front pretty quickly.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26 Dr Pepper Ten): “Overall the Dr Pepper TEN car is strong and I think we’ll be a contender Sunday. We’ll be good in traffic, but everyone is going to be good in traffic – that’s why it’s going to be a great race for the fans.”

CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 Levemir & NovoLog FlexPen): “It’s a disappointing qualifying run for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing. We were expecting a little more speed out of the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen car. We have a really good race car; we can run in traffic and run in a pack. Race day is going to be about surviving and shooting for a top-10 finish.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 38 Service Central): “It’s definitely a frustrating qualifying result for the Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing. We need to figure out how we lost a mile and half from our practice speed; the No. 38 Service Central car is really good, I just don’t know where the time went. The Service Central guys have been working really hard this weekend and all season, so I know we’ll have a good race car on Sunday.”

SUNOCO POLE QUALIFYING NOTES:

· This is Victor Carbone’s first Sunoco Pole Award in Firestone Indy Lights. His previous best start was fourth at Edmonton-1.

· Carbone is the sixth different driver to win a pole position in Firestone Indy Lights this season.

· Stefan Wilson qualified second. It is his third front row start of 2011 and his second-straight front-row start after winning the pole at Kentucky.

· Esteban Guerrieri qualified third. Guerrieri qualified in the top-five for every race this season.

· Rusty Mitchell qualified fourth, his best qualifying performance in Firestone Indy Lights.

· Gustavo Yacaman qualified fifth, his fifth top-five qualifying effort in 2011.

SUNOCO POLE QUALIFYING QUOTES:

VICTOR CARBONE (No. 3 Nevoni/Sam Schmidt Motorsport, Sunoco Pole Award winner): “It was really close. I didn’t even look at the time. I just found out it was one-tenth of a second. I just want to thank the guys, the entire team. They did an amazing job. Hopefully we’ll have a good race and drive smart the whole way.

STEFAN WILSON (No. 5 Team Citizenre, qualified second): “The Citizenre car was perfect. I had no problems. I felt I had a really good qualifying run. I thought I did everything right. We ran identical lap times of the first lap. I looked down and I knew what time he had done on the first lap. When I saw what time I had done, I knew it was going to be close. I had to make sure I didn’t drop off on the second lap. Unfortunately we ended up with a one-hundredth difference between me and pole. It’s kind of disappointing, but I have to thank all of the Andretti Autosport guys for their hard work. Team Citizenre will be ready to go for the win on Sunday.”

SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE

9:45 a.m. – Las Vegas 100 (67 laps/100 miles)

Noon – Las Vegas Indy 300 pre-race

3:45 p.m. – Las Vegas Indy 300 (200 laps/300 miles), ABC (Live)

- INDYCAR, Press Release

Ron Hornaday - Photo Credit: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images for NASCAR

This was Hornaday’s first series pole of the 2011 season, his twenty-seventh series career pole and his second series pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Starting second on the outside pole with a qualifying lap speed of 175.793 mph, will be Austin Dillon, followed by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Parker Kligerman (175.541) starting from third, Johnny Sauter (175.393) fourth and Matt Crafton (175.234) will start from fifth.

Rounding out the top-ten starting positions will be James Buescher (175.228) starting sixth, Sunoco Rookie contender, Nelson Piquet Jr. (175.114) seventh, Brian Ickler (174.893) eighth, Ricky Carmichael (174.882) ninth and Sunoco Rookie contender, Miguel Paludo (174.622) will start from the tenth position.

With only 34 teams attempting to fill 36 starting positions, there was no one failing to make the starting lineup.

The Smith’s 300 is scheduled to get underway approximately around 3:50 PM (ET) on Saturday afternoon, and SPEED will begin their pre-race coverage at 3:00 PM (ET).

2011 NCWTS Smiths 350 Starting Lineup

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie

Johnny Sauter

Austin Dillon, with a lap speed of 175.695 mph, was second fastest, and was followed by Ron Hornaday, Jr. (175.473) who was third fastest, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Nelson Piquet Jr. (175.319) fourth fastest and Jason White (175.302) was the fifth fastest.

Rounding out the top-ten in “Happy Hour” were James Buescher (175.143) who was sixth fastest, Sunoco Rookie contenders, Parker Kligerman (175.114) and Joey Coulter (174.921) seventh and eighth fastest respectively, Brian Ickler (174.904) ninth and Ricky Carmichael (174.797) posting the tenth fastest lap speed.

Qualifying for Saturday afternoon’s race (the green flag should “drop” around 3:50 PM ET) is set to get underway tonight at 7:30 PM (ET) and with no television coverage (possibly due to the Nationwide Series race in Charlotte is starting around the same time).

2011 NCWTS Smiths 350 Final Practice Session Speeds

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify on Time

Smith's 350

Crafton (credited with the #1 position) and Hornaday were followed by Austin Dillon (175.776) who was third quickest, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Parker Kligerman (175.667) fourth quickest and Johnny Sauter (175.507) was fifth quickest.

Rounding out the top-ten quickest were Timothy Peters (175.296) who was sixth quickest, Sunoco Rookie contenders, Nelson Piquet Jr. (175.291) Joey Coulter (175.262) and Cole Whitt (174.859) were seventh, eighth and ninth quickest respectively, and Jason White (174.503) posting the tenth quickest lap speed.

The teams will return to the track for their “Happy Hour” (final) practice session this afternoon (1:45 PM – 3:15 PM ET) and then qualifying is schedule to get underway later this evening at 7:30 PM (ET).

The Smith’s 350 is set to start approximately at 3:50 PM (ET) on Saturday afternoon, and SPEED will begin their pre-race coverage at 3:00 PM (ET).

2011 NCWTS Smiths 350 First Practice Session Speeds

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify on Time

TRG Motorsports

(10.14.2011) Mooresville, N.C. -

Team owner Kevin Buckler says the qualifying run is evident of the progress his organization is making.

“It was really disappointing not to be in the 600 here in Charlotte earlier this year. We’ve made up for that now by putting both of our TRG Motorsports Fords in the show this weekend. To look where we were in May, missing the race, and to look at where we are now is incredible. We have a car solidly in the top-35 and are on the verge of finishing there for the second year in a row. I think that is a pretty good accomplishment for a team that is in its third season of Sprint Cup racing. We are taking our program to the next level now. Andy did a great job qualifying the No. 77 into the field. I’m proud of his effort this weekend and how much he has progressed this season. We are still looking for more sponsorship. Hopefully having two cars in Saturday’s race will help with that. I strongly believe that this team has the most potential of any in the garage area. There is no telling what we might be able to do with the right marketing partner.”

Sadler is excited to be back behind the wheel in the Sprint Cup Series.

“I had a great time racing for TRG Motorsports in the spring at Martinsville and I’m happy to be back this weekend. A lot of people know me for some of my recent work on television as a broadcaster. Being behind the wheel really helps me to see what these cars are doing and gives me information I can relay back to our fans and viewers. We have a great paint scheme with our No. 71 Susan G. Komen Foundation Ford Fusion. I can’t wait to race it Saturday night under the lights here in Charlotte.

For Lally, the qualifying effort has redeeming qualities.

“Missing the show here in the spring was one of the most frustrating moments of my career. I hated not being in the show, especially here in the home of the racing industry. We worked like heck since then and got the No. 71 car back in the top-35. Now we are trying some new things with our organization and I’m happy to have qualified our No. 77 car into the show.”

The number 77 has significance for Lally, who has used the number on and off throughout his racing career.

“I’ve run the number 77 a lot when I was coming up racing. It was my number for my last karting championship. Earlier this week, I found a picture I drew when I was a kid of a really cool looking #77 car. I have it on my dashboard here this week and it seems to have brought us some luck.”

Two final Sprint Cup Series practice sessions will air Friday on ESPN2 at 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET, with coverage of the Bank of America 500 beginning Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.

About TRG Motorsports:

TRG is a full-service motorsports company offering a total driver ladder approach. This approach starts with track days, goes to club events, up into street stock series and culminates in the ultimate goal of professional motorsports. With sports car focused facilities in Petaluma, California (Infineon Raceway) and Mooresville, North Carolina, the team can offer turn-key support as well as arrive-and-drive programs.

The company’s NASCAR operations are headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina. The team fields a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry and has the capacity to run ARCA, Nationwide and the Camping World Truck Series.

The Racer’s Group was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of motor racing. The team boasts Rolex Series GT championships in 2005 and 2006 and holds the record for the most wins in Grand-Am with 32. The team’s resume is highlighted by five championships, four Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona victories and a Le Mans 24 Hour win.

Detailed team info can be viewed at www.trgmotorsports.com and www.theracersgroup.com.

- TRG Motorsports, Press Release

INDYCAR Logo

LAS VEGAS – (Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011) -

Danica Patrick, who’ll be making her final IZOD IndyCar Series for the forseeable future in the Las Vegas Indy 300 — the marquee event of the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships Presented by Honda — Oct. 16, topped the speed chart with a quick (emphasize quick) lap of 224.719 mph on the 1.5-mile oval.

“It’s friggin fast out there,” said Patrick, driving the No. 7 Team GoDaddy car. “It’s almost Indy speeds out there. Nothing would let me turn the page than winning here.”

Andretti Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay (223.888; third), Mike Conway (223.558; fifth) and Marco Andretti (223.509; seventh) joined her in the top 10.

Dario Franchitti and Will Power, who will decide the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series championship between them, were ninth and 14^th, respectively.

Also on Oct. 13, Gustavo Yacaman turned the fastest lap in the second of two Firestone Indy Lights practice sessions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Yacaman recorded a lap of 28.6342 seconds, 194.118 mph, in the No. 2 TMR – Tuvacol/Xtreme Coil Drilling car. Andretti Autosport’s Stefan Wilson was second at 28.7179 seconds, 193.553 mph in the No. 5 Andretti Autosport car.

DAY 1 NOTEBOOK:

The IZOD IndyCar Series will compete in the Las Vegas Indy 300, a 200-lap race on 1.5-mile oval at 3:45 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday. The race broadcast will air live on ABC. The Firestone Indy Lights will compete in the Las Vegas 100, a 67-lap race, at 12:45 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday.

***

Live timing and scoring reports from the Las Vegas Indy 300 are available on the Internet at www.indycar.com. The live timing and scoring module provides statistical information, including track segment speeds, lap information and much more. Feature stories, reports, driver quotes and notes, and photos will be posted on the site each day. More detailed information, including media advisories and VNF coordinates, is available at media.indycar.com. Real-time information is available via the IZOD IndyCar Series PR’s twitter account at www.twitter.com/indycarpr.

***

Drivers will have 20 uses for 12 seconds each of the Honda overtake assist for the Las Vegas Indy 300.

The system employed by Honda Performance Development is an ECU software alteration. It is activated by the driver via a button on the steering wheel and provides an extra 200 RPM (about 10 horsepower) to the Honda Indy V-8 engine. Parameters are updated before each race weekend to meet the circuit layout. One overtake use will be enabled for the second practice session Oct. 14.

***

Firestone Racing is using the same tire specification that debuted at Kentucky, featuring the same body construction used at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway in June paired with new tread compounds for all four tires to provide similar grip and performance characteristics as the Texas tires.

Each entry receives 10 sets for the race weekend.

AL SPEYER (Executive Director, Firestone Racing): “Here we go again with the IZOD IndyCar Series championship going down to the final race, and we could not be more excited about it. Dario Franchitti and Will Power have battled all season long and we expect the title duel could well be decided again on the final lap. Whoever wins will be a worthy champion and fine representative of the series. There will be other noteworthy competitions in the race as well – for rookie of the year, those aspiring to finish in the coveted top 10 in points and, of course, Dan Wheldon’s challenge to drive from last to first that could earn a $5 million prize. As the drivers take on these challenges, they can take comfort in the fact they will do so on a proven race tire. The identical Firestone tire specification was used two weeks ago at Kentucky, where nearly the whole first half of the race ran under wide-open green-flag conditions, and the entire field was pushing it to the limit in the thrilling closing laps. Plus, a number of teams have run successful tests on this same spec in recent weeks at Las Vegas, so we feel confident that the Firehawk tires will yet again do their part to assist in the breathtaking racing that the IndyCar Series so often displays on the 1.5-mile ovals. Whatever the outcome, it’s been a sensational season and Firestone Racing has been proud to be part of it.”

***

A transcript of Danica Patrick’s media availability is available on INDYCAR Media Web site at www.indycar.com/media

Firestone Indy Lights entry update: The driver of the #16 car is now Oliver Webb.

***

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers Ana Beatriz and Davey Hamilton tested at the 1.5-mile oval in August. Both ran the new tire spec. … Grime Boss, a brand of heavy-duty hand-cleaning wipes manufactured by Nice-Pak, will be the primary sponsor of the No. 27 Andretti Autosport car driven by Mike Conway. … MGM Grand Hotel & Casino will be the primary sponsor on Takuma Sato’s No. 5 MGM Grand-KV Racing Technology-Lotus car. … Firestone Indy Lights champion Josef Newgarden will be the driver analyst for the IMS Radio Network broadcast of the IZOD IndyCar Series race.

***

After the session, crew for #59 Viso reported it will change engines after an oil leak in the first group due to a faulty drain plug.

***

Michael Shank announced that his team will expand operations by launching an IZOD IndyCar Series effort starting with in 2012. The team, MSR Indy, has purchased a 2012 Dallara IndyCar and is set to take delivery on Dec. 15. MSR Indy will be based at Michael Shank Racing’s 20,000 square-foot shop located outside of Columbus, Ohio. The team will also continue to stage a full season Daytona Prototype campaign in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

Michael Shank has formed MSR Indy by establishing a pair of partnerships that grew out of long-term business relationships. Columbus-area businessman Brian Bailey has joined the MSR Indy effort as a principal partner. MSR Indy will also see NASCAR Sprint Cup and former Indy car driver AJ Allmendinger join the venture as a principal partner through his Walldinger Racing management company. The team will be powered by Lotus engines.

MICHAEL SHANK (Owner, Michael Shank Racing): “For me, the Indianapolis 500 has always been the dream. With the new 2012 Dallara IndyCar, there is a window for a team like mine to join the series and pursue that dream. We’ve got the opportunity to come in and make an impact while still running an efficient program, doing the most we can with the available resources. We are still working on finalizing several elements of our program, but we wanted to take this opportunity to announce our commitment to INDYCAR and we look forward to finalizing plans and to being ready to go in 2012.”

BRIAN BAILEY (Co-principal, MSR Indy): “This is an incredible opportunity, to be a part of Michael Shank’s move into IndyCar and the next era in the sport. He has put so much into building this team to be ready to take on this kind of campaign. I believe in Michael, his people, and his team, so this is an exciting program to be a part of.”

A.J. ALLMENDINGER (Co-principal, MSR Indy): “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. 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.”

***

Nothing really “odd” about this pick: A three-time IndyCar champion has been selected as the favorites to win this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jay Rood, Vice President of Race & Sports MGM Resorts International, is not betting against Dario Franchitti, the IZOD IndyCar point leader is going for his fourth IZOD IndyCar title in five years in Sunday’s Las Vegas Indy 300. Will Power, Franchitti’s only title rival is the second choice.

The odds: (presented as news material only)

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:

DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “We have some work to do on the Target car. I wasn’t happy where we were to start today. Lots of work to do to get the car where we need it to be for the race on Sunday.”

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “I think it was a pretty marginal start to the weekend for us really. The race is going to be interesting that’s for sure. We made a lot of changes to both cars but nothing really changed where we were at on the time sheets. We’ll go back and discuss it and see what we can come up with for qualifying.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26 Team Dr Pepper TEN): “The Dr Pepper TEN car had a strong practice today – this is the car to win the race. Now we just need to capitalize on what we have. It’s be great to win in my 100th career start.”

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Team Go Daddy): “It’s friggin’ fast here. Almost a 225 lap is like Indy speeds. The track is nice and smooth and we’ll be three-wide out there, which will be exciting. The race is going to be crazy and the crashes will be spectacular. Nothing would let me turn the page better than winning here.”

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): “Yeah, you could tell with Danica and I talking, it’s so fast. It’s just so fast and so close to each other, it’s exciting. The fans are going to get a good show. It’s kind of crazy. It’s great that the track is smooth, you can be consistent and try to keep your car in line and follow the car in front when you’re three wide. Like Kentucky with the bumps, for example, it is more difficult because you never know where the car is going to land. Here it is great because it is smooth. Because it’s smooth it allows everybody to be really close, we’re talking three wide, I’m sure at some moments we will be four wide. It’s not just one row, it’s going to be like five rows of three wide and five more rows of three wide. There’s really no room for error. It’s exciting, I’m sure on TV and that the fans here will have a great show.” (You’ve got fourth in the points locked up, how does that align with the goals you set for yourself at the start of the season?): “It’s an amazing position to be in. I’ve never been at a race where I have nothing to lose in terms of points. I only have a good show to put out there and go for the win. The whole team feels very happy to finish this way. We can try to be a little more risky on strategy and the setup of the car a little more edgy and the driving too. We are very excited about the opportunity.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Circle K/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): “It was a pretty good first outing. We ran pretty well as a team. I think we have great race cars. We were good at Kentucky in the race too. We were able to run in similar conditions as Sunday’s race. It’s going to be hot and it’s going to intense for 200 laps.”

MIKE CONWAY (No. 27 Team Grime Boss): “We were okay today. It is going to be a crazy race on Sunday. This place is fast. I wasn’t too fast by myself, but we were better in the draft. We’ll see how things go in Friday’s practice and qualifying.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 38 Service Central): “The No. 38 Service Central car feels really good. I think we’re pretty quick on our own and in a tow we just ran out of gear, so we didn’t get the big lap time we were looking for. At the end of the day it’s just practice, and we’ll keeping working on getting a good race car. All four of our cars quick, but so are a lot of the other teams so we’ll really need to be on our game for the race on Sunday.”

CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 Levemir & NovoLog Flex Pen): “It was a really good start to the weekend for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing. We got comfortable running in a pack, running high and low and working our way through traffic. At the end of our session we were really quick, but lap times are kind of irrelevant when cars are running in a pack like they were. We’ll continue to work at it, but I think we have a really good race car. The No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen car should be running in the top 10 pretty solidly all day on Sunday.”

TONY KANAAN (No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “It was a good start. The GEICO – KVRT – Lotus car was pretty good out of the box and we ran very consistent laps under traffic. We still have a couple of things to try tomorrow before qualifying, but I’m happy with how the 82 was handling today. Tonight we have a parade down on the strip and it will be very cool for all the fans and the visitors that are here in Vegas to check our cars.”

TAKUMA SATO (No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “It was a productive first day. We really needed to find some speed after Kentucky, so we made a few changes. The car worked well in traffic and we now need to work on preparing for qualifying tomorrow. The Las Vegas facility is very clean and impressive. The track is very high banked and smooth so I hope it’s going to be a good weekend for us.”

E.J. VISO (No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus: “What a nice track to finish the championship on. I really enjoyed running on it. It is quite high banked and you can pretty much run flat through the first corner out of the pits. We made make a few changes to the car and then it was feeling pretty good, however shortly after we got a fluid leak and finished early. I am looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow and having a good qualifying.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 06 Sprott Newman/Haas Racing): “It’s going to be one hell of a race. That’s probably the most exciting practice session I have ever been in. The track is awesome. Actually, maybe it’s not awesome because it leaves us so much grip and so much freedom to put the cars where we want that we are giving each other much less margins out there. With Kentucky being so bumpy the cars move around a lot more so you didn’t see that as much. It’s going to be a show. I think qualifying is going to be a little more important because the further back you get, the more manic it’s going to get. Hopefully we can start in the top-10 and work our way forward in the race.”

PIPPA MANN (No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing): “It was a good feeling getting out on track today – we were able to run some competitive laps and despite a slightly interrupted practice session, we gathered some worthwhile data. I’m pretty confident we’ll have a good race car on Sunday, as I was able to run inside and outside of people out there on the track and set some fairly decent times in clean air, so I’m really looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”

JAY HOWARD (No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing): “I think today was a good start and we’re just going to keep pushing and looking for more speed. Having a teammate here will allow us to try a greater number of changes as we try to find time, and allows us to gather valuable data that will help us move forward. I am really looking forward to the rest of the race weekend and representing Service Central as well as R66T and Cyrca on the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan car.”

TOWNSEND BELL (No. 22 Dad’s Root Beer/DRR): “We’ve got a great car balance wise and we were really pleased in that practice session, we learned a lot. I’m feeling much better about our chances after that practice. It was lively with E.J .Viso blowing up right in front of me. You don’t see that very often in the series, so that was a challenge, but everything was OK and went smoothly.”

ANA BEATRIZ (No. 24 Team Ipiranga/DRR): “The Ipiranga car was okay. We just kept improving it throughout the practice session. It was a little disappointing to start out with, but we worked on making it better. It’s very tight right now. The goal is to continue to work on it and I think we will be good.”

DAVEY HAMILTON (No. 11 HP Everybody On/DRR): “We had improvements from when we first pulled out to where we ended. On the last run, I didn’t have the opportunity to get traffic, so I was by myself when I did my fastest lap time, which was a decent time. We definitely have something to go by and we have some hope.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Guidepoint Systems Team Penske): “It was a good start today for the Guidepoint Systems car. It’s my first time here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and we took our time to get to know the track and I think we have a pretty good idea where we need to go for the weekend.”

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 IZOD Team Penske Dallara/Honda): “We had a good practice today. The IZOD Team Penske car had good speed and we feel good about our chances this weekend. It’s definitely going to be an interesting race.”

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske): “We still have some speed to find in the Verizon car but it was a decent start for us today. It’s good to get some laps in here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and we’ll be working hard to get the most out of the car in practice and qualifying tomorrow.”

JR HILDEBRAND (No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing): “We had a pretty good day. I didn’t put in any major lap times and we spent a lot of time running in traffic and feel really good about where we’re at. Just in a general sense, the racing this weekend is going to be crazy. The number of cars outthere that could run side-by-side, from being three-wide from one pack to another was pretty intense and was almost easy as long as you could stay aware of where cars are around you. The race is going to be really exciting for the fans and in the end that’s what we’re all here for.”

BUDDY RICE (No. 44 Fuzzy’s Vodka Panther Racing): “It was a good day for us in the Fuzzy’s Vodka car. The car feels good, and we’ll make a couple more adjustments for tomorrow heading into the practice and the qualifications. We’ll see if we can’t qualify closer to the front than we did in Kentucky, that way we can be more racy at that start and I think that will make a big difference where we end up.”

FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS POST-PRACTICE QUOTES

GUSTAVO YACAMAN (No. 2 TMR-Tuvacol Xtreme Coil Drilling): “It (the lap) was certainly a big jump. My car is pretty good and we’ve been working on race set up. I’m pretty happy, and the track is really really fast. It’s got a lot of grip and the race should be a lot of fun.”

ESTEBAN GUERRIERI (No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): “It depends on the draft you get, how good of a draft you get. It’s very hot out there. We tried a few things, and I think it’s good. By myself, I was very quick. It’s looking good, I will try to get a good setup for tomorrow. Tomorrow morning it will be similar to the race, we’ll see what the weather is like and to try to get set up, but so far it’s looking good.”

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times local):

- INDYCAR, Press Release