Rick Ware Racing (RWR)

Tomy Drissi will make his organizational debut at Watkins Glen, followed by the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, in Montreal.

Drissi will drive the #41 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked / Muscle Milk, Ford Mustang at both remaining road courses for the organization and then the 50th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona road race that strangely he has wanted to race his entire career but never given the opportunity until now.

Drissi finished 18th last year in his series debut at Montreal and has recently captured podiums in the American Le Mans Series at Lime Rock and Long Beach and tested a RWR Ford just last week.

“I am very excited to race at Watkins Glen and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. I have done very well at these tracks in the past and I feel I have a great opportunity to run at the front in both races,” stated Drissi.

Drissi’s entrance into the RWR organization has been heavy anticipated. “We had to shake him down real good in these new cars and with the recent test, we feel that he is more than capable of running at the point in each race,” state Rick Ware, owner of RWR.

“Tomy will be one of our major features in the 50th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona for 2012 for RWR. To get him in a car this early, no matter what kind, gives us a strong baseline of what he likes and needs to go fast. He is a great addition to our program.”

For more information please visit www.wareracing.com or follow the team on twitter @rickwareracing

- Rick Ware Racing Press Release

INDYCAR LOGO

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Friday, April 15, 2011) -

Briscoe, whose top-five starts in the first two races have been negated by contact, turned a lap of 1 minute, 10.7403 seconds on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit in the No. 6 Penske Truck Rental car. Power, who’s earned the PEAK Performance Pole Award in both races this season, had a quick lap of 1:10.8885 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, the defending race winner, was third (1:10.9984) in the No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda car for Andretti Autosport.

Also on April 15, Esteban Guerrieri joked that he was first and last on the Timing & Scoring sheet for the lone Firestone Indy Lights practice session.

It was an anomaly. Guerrieri was quickest in the 60-minute session with a lap of 1 minute, 15.6670 seconds in the No. 77 Mazda Road to Indy/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car – filling the seat of teammate Conor Daly, who was traveling from Europe. It was fortuitous for the young Argentinian.

“I had a mechanical issue with the (No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports) car,” said Guerrieri, who has started on the front row in both of the races this season. “The driveshaft broke so I only did one lap. Unfortunately, my teammate isn’t here because of his GP3 commitments, so his car was available. I had to know the track and it was useful for the team because his car needed to be shaken down.”

Daly is expected at the venue in time for the 45-minute session that precedes the hour-long qualifying April 16.

DAY 1 NOTEBOOK:

The IZOD IndyCar Series will compete in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, an 85-lap race at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The Firestone Indy Lights series will compete in a 45-lap race at 11 a.m. Sunday.

***

Live timing and scoring reports from the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach 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.

***

Legendary car owner Roger Penske was the 2011 Road Racing Drivers Club honoree at an annual event Thursday night at the Long Beach Hilton.

1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal played host to the event, which raises funds for Team USA driver development.

A who’s who of racing past and present – past RRDC honorees Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones were present as were  IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Helio Castroneves Dario Franchitti, Will Power, Ryan Briscoe, JR Hildebrand, Simon Pagenaud, Simona de Silvestro and Ana Beatriz.

IZOD IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard, four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, past IMS track record holder Roberto Guerrero, owners Chip Ganassi and Keith Wiggins and drag racing legend Don Prudomme also enjoyed the story-filled evening.

“To join Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones as inductees is an incredible honor,” Penske said. ”I’ve raced against these guys and had strategize against them as car owners on race day. Parnelli and Dan are two of the top all-time names in racing – any form of racing — and to be honored and join is a thrill for me. To look out into the crowd and see so many friends, family and racing legends is quite humbling for me.

“We have all shared some fun times together at the place we all love – the racetrack.”

Former driver and TV broadcaster Sam Posey in a taped presentation recalled Penske’s dynamic career on and off the track through video presentation featuring iconic black and white and color photos from the 1960s to present day. Common threads in the photos – winning and perfection – are Penske hallmarks.

***

Indy car champion Jimmy Vasser and Target Chip Ganassi Racing received “stars” on the Motorsports Walk of Fame on Thursday in Long Beach.

***

Chef and television personality Gordon Ramsey is the grand marshal of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing is competing in its 28^th consecutive Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (CART, Champ Car, IZOD IndyCar Series). The team, founded in 1982 by Paul Newman and Carl Haas, has six victories and 11 pole starts on the temporary street course.

***

Ana Beatriz returns to the No. 24 Ipiranga car for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing this weekend. She sat out the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama because of a fractured right wrist (scaphoid bone) that required surgery suffered in the season opener March 27.

Beatriz was re-evaluated April 11 by the INDYCAR medical team and cleared to drive. She has been fitted with a carbon fiber brace that she will wear in the car.

“I was disappointed that I couldn’t be in the car at Barber, but I learned a lot from another angle being there with the team,” said Beatriz, whose seat was filled by Simon Pagenaud (finished eighth). “I know the Long Beach track as I raced there in Indy Lights so I feel prepared going into the weekend. My wrist will be sore, but the doctors said that I will be OK. I may not be 100 percent, but I will push through it and I’m ready to get back in the Ipiranga car.”

Teammate Justin Wilson, who suffered a fractured left wrist in the same race, wore a similar brace at Barber Motorsports Park last weekend.

“My wrist is feeling fine, it just has a little bit of throbbing, not too bad,” said Wilson, the runner-up in last year’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. “I’m hoping once I get a rhythm through the hairpin that I will be fine.”

***

Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver Alex Tagliani will make his 160th Indy car start this weekend (27 IZOD IndyCar Series). He won on the streets of Long Beach twice in the Toyota Atlantic Series, and has three top-five Indy car finishes.

Sam Schmidt Motorsports, in its 10th year, will be making its first start in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The team owner, who has an MBA from Pepperdine University, lived in Long Beach with his wife, Sheila, when they were newlyweds.

***

Andretti Autosport driver Marco Andretti will throw the ceremonial first pitch – with longtime Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda catching — April 16 at Dodger Stadium before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Additionally, 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti will drive the street-legal two-seater with Lasorda in the passenger seat. Both will sign autographs at 5:30 p.m. in Autograph Alley.

***

Drivers will have 20 pushes of the Honda overtake assist – an ECU software alteration employed by Honda Performance Development – each lasting 18 seconds during the race. 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.

There is a 10-second recovery period between pushes. One overtake assist push is available for the warm-up session on Sunday morning.

***

The dry weather tires for this weekend are the street course primary, which is a new spec for 2011 and used on the streets of St. Petersburg in March. This same primary spec will be used at Brazil. Making its debut this weekend is the street course alternate, which will be used again at Toronto in July.

The alternate tire program, part of the IZOD IndyCar Series since 2009, calls for a second tire specification at road/street courses using the same construction as the primary specification but with a softer tread compound to provide more grip and faster lap times while trading off compound durability for those shorter-term advantages.

***

Teams are free to use their tire allotment as they see fit, though a new rule for 2011 limits cars to one set of tires (team choice of primary or alternate) for each qualifying segment. Also, per series regulations, all cars must use at least one set of primary tires and one new alternate set during the race, each for a minimum of two green flag laps.

***

IZOD IndyCar Series drivers will greet fans and sign autographs from 4-5 p.m. April 15 in front of their transporters in the paddock. … Mario Andretti, Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal will greet fans from 6-7 p.m. April 15 at the Beverly Center Macy’s in Los Angeles. … Gordon Ramsey of “Hell’s Kitchen” fame and the grand marshal of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and Patrick Warburton of “Seinfeld” and “Rules of Engagement” will be among the celebrity passengers in the Indy Racing Experience two-seater on race day. … John Kay & Steppenwolf will cap a busy April 16 when they perform in the Tecate Light “Rock-N-Roar Concert” Presented by KLOS.

Firestone Indy Lights entry update: Ryan Phinny of Carmel Valley, Calif., is now driver of #8 Brooks Associates entry.

***

Speaking of food, Conquest Racing driver Sebastian Saavedra has developed an affinity for a West Coast classic.

“I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about eating at In-N-Out Burger when you’re in Southern California,” he said. “All the mechanics like it, so any little things I can do to make the crew happy, I’ll go for it.”

***

Saavedra’s parents and sister are visiting from Colombia to watch the first-year driver compete on the streets of Long Beach.

“It will be only the second time for my sister to see my race in IndyCar (the other being the Indianapolis 500 in 2010),” he said. “California is such a beautiful place. It’s always nice to be here and, of course, having my family here will make it even more so.”

Charlie Kimball of Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing will have about 60 family and friends rooting for him in Grandstand 6. He’s from Camarillo, Calif.

***

JR Hildebrand, Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader in the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car, has competed at Long Beach in ¬Toyota Atlantics, Firestone Indy Lights, the American Le Mans Series and now the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Hildebrand won in 2009 in Firestone Indy Lights and he co-drove the Genoa ALMS entry to a class podium (seventh overall in the event) in 2010.

Selected quotes from Danica Patrick’s media availability

“I have a lot of fond memories of Long Beach – winning the Pro-Celebrity Race back, oh, 9 or 10 years ago, then coming here in 2008 straight from Motegi to start the whirlwind after my win there and then finishing fourth the next year. Last year wasn’t so great, but I have a lot of good memories here. I think that this is a race where a lot of things can happen. That’s the nature of the street course so it’s important to be there to take advantage of it. I think that the emphasis for me is going to be to do the best I can to get a good qualifying effort out and be farther up the grid.” (About double-file restarts): “Those of you who follow Indy car racing are familiar with the fact that it’s challenging to pass in these cars. The double file restarts have really changed that. You can pick up five spots and you can lose five spots so that’s been an interesting change that I like in the series.” (About qualifying on street courses): Ultimately, when you don’t qualify well, you’re forced to take risks. It’s best to be up the grid and that’s what we’re going to be working toward. The first practice session didn’t go well at all. We were having a throttle issue. It was as if I was kind of keeping my foot on the throttle all the way around the track all the time so it made it rather difficult to stop the car and start the car so hopefully that will be fixed for the next practice, and we’ll be able to feel the car a little bit more. When something like that is wrong it makes it a little bit difficult to feel the changes very well because you’re trying to over compensate for something that is not normal. But I think that we could be good. A couple of our teammates were fast – obviously Ryan won last year and he’s running well already. So, I think we have some good teammates to look to if we need some specific direction.” (About the season and how it seems to be starting off the same as last year): “I would say that this year has felt a lot better to me than last year. To be honest, this is probably the first practice session that hasn’t really gone so well for me so far, but I’m much more in the top 10-15 range instead of way down. I guess I would have been apprehensive to say this a couple of years ago, but the competition is so difficult that if you can make in in the top 10 or 12, that’s a good practice. So we’ve been much better off so far for the most part at practice, it’s just that in qualifying it doesn’t go well. I’ve had one of the fastest laps times of the race for the first two races of the year already so the pace is there in the race it’s just that when you start further back and you have to take chances.” (Is Long Beach one of your best races or your favorite race? ): “I don’t think I’d say that (laughing). I enjoy coming to Long Beach. It’s here, it’s a great atmosphere, but this is not one of my best races. It’s part of the schedule and you still have to try and do well.

a great atmosphere and when you’re in a good atmosphere like this with all kinds of people and excitement and buzz you always enjoy doing well. But, I struggle more on road courses than I do on ovals – although I’ve had almost as good of results on road courses – but you have to take chances. I’ve qualified on the front row a couple of times a few years ago, but it’s been a while. My qualifying isn’t good enough so you have to take chances in the race then. I like coming

***

Conor Daly will not participate in the opening Firestone Indy Lights practice session due to his travel schedule from Barcelona, where he was testing with his GP3 team. Daly drives the #77 Mazda Road to Indy car for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in Firestone Indy Lights.

CONOR DALY (No. 77 Mazda Road to Indy/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): “Six weeks ago I had the option of missing the whole weekend by not even trying to make it back from Spain, or taking the gamble that the flights might not get in on time. Long Beach is such a mega INDYCAR event that even if the gamble did not pay off and I had to miss the first session, I still wanted to be part of the weekend. I will spend time with my engineer, Chris Finch, Friday afternoon and also learn as much as possible from my team mates”.

***

IZOD IndyCar Series driver Takuma Sato and the Children Mending Hearts organization are collaborating to launch “With you Japan” — an international fund-raising program that will empower local child-care professionals to provide responsive and proactive care to thousands of children impacted by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last month.

Speaking engagements, merchandise sales, celebrity collectible auctions, and mobile phone text donations are part of the program. Autographed driving gloves, helmets and race suits from IZOD IndyCar Series competitors will be among the items for auction at www.WithYouJapan.org.

“With you Japan” T-shirts also are available for sale at this weekend’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May and online.

“People in Japan are suffering so much, and the children are going through a terrifying situation,” Sato said. “I am personally supporting a few campaigns but since I am competing in the IndyCar Series I want to do something special to support Japan from North America. This With you Japan campaign is going to do several projects and hopefully make a difference.”

***

Tony Kanaan, Alex Tagliani and Simona de Silvestro participated in a taping of a dinner serving of “Hell’s Kitchen” with Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach grand marshal and show host Gordon Ramsey. The episode will air this fall.

FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:

ESTEBAN GUERRIERI (No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports, fastest of the day in #77 Mazda Road to Indy car): “That’s funny that I was first and 17^th in the session and I had two positions on the (timing screen). I had a mechanical issue with the (No. 7) car. The driveshaft broke so I only did one lap. Unfortunately, my teammate (Conor Daly) isn’t here, because of his GP3 commitments, so his car was available. I had to know the track and it was useful for the team because his car needed to be shaken down. We went out and put some laps together to get familiar with everything and in the end we were first.” (Will you talk to Conor about trading cars): “No, no. All the cars are the same. It was good to shake it down for the (77) team and for me. It was a good 10 laps and now we have information for tomorrow.”

JAMES WINSLOW (No. 26 Andretti Autosport, second fastest): “We had a good session today. We ran on old tires so I am very pleased to be the second fastest in the practice session. I feel like we still had a lot left in the car. The team did a fantastic job and the car is really good this weekend. I am hoping that I can turn this into a good result for tomorrow’s qualifying.

JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 11 Robo-Pong Sam Schmidt Motorsports, fourth-fastest): “With all the different types of cars and tires out there today, I was actually surprised how good the track is today. It wasn’t too slick and actually really good for our first practice session. And it’s only going to get better throughout the weekend. I expect it to rubber in even more and in a good way. I don’t think we’ll be playing around with any funky rubber this weekend. It’s great to finally drive on the Long Beach track, but it is very hairy. It’s a difficult course to be on the limit at, much more difficult than St. Petersburg in my opinion because you are carrying a lot more speed through the mid corners and that adds a lot more danger to it. With those higher speeds, you really need to be in control of the car. But its’ great. It’s a really, really fun course. I’m enjoying it.”

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 Penske Truck Rental, fastest of the day): “It’s going to be really hairy in Turn 1 on every start and restart on Sunday. Certainly, the big goal is to start at the front and it’s going to help a lot. From the third, fourth row back it’s going to be such a big bottleneck, and there’s going to be some impatient guys out there. We’re certainly working hard at getting some speed out of the Penske Truck rental car today. (Street courses seem to suit your style): “Yeah, California certainly feels like Australia and you have that beautiful Pacific air. I love this track. It’s a great event and I’m glad we come here. It’s part of Indy car tradition and Team Penske has a great history here. I haven’t won here and this is certainly one I want to win at.” (About incident this morning): “It’s great to end the day on top. We made some good changes over lunch time. We got that spin out of the way this morning. We changed the wing and were able to get fast one on there now.”

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske, second-fastest): “It is very competitive around this track. You can see how close the times are together. We were running on new tires and it turned into a really good session for us. We will make a few changes for tomorrow and see if we can get another pole.”

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 34 Conquest Racing): “I think the day went well. We had a good improvement from the first session to the second, so I’m very happy how that went. We found speed that we were needing. We’re showing what we’re capable of, now we have to try to maintain consistency with no mistakes and we’ll be good for the weekend.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26 Team Venom Energy): “We’re getting the Venom car to where it needs to be. I have to thank Ryan (Hunter-Reay) for his set-up, it got us closer and now we’re in it. We’re hoping to have a strong run for qualifying tomorrow and start near the front.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 38 Service Central): “We just can’t seem to get it right since we unloaded in Long Beach. The Service Central team is going to go back and reset a little bit tonight. This morning we weren’t that bad, but we didn’t gain any time between the first and second practice and everyone else really did. We just have to work on making the No. 38 Service Central Honda consistent and driveable. We have some work do before qualifying tomorrow.”

CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen): “Today was really good for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing. We learned a lot and ran good laps – ran a lot of laps. The Novo Nordisk team make big improvements this afternoon and have a really good direction for tomorrow. We’re saving tires and will be in good shape for qualifying. The team has done a fantastic job.”

TONY KANAAN (No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “We had a good and productive day. We had the opportunity to test a lot of different things on the car and we found a good baseline for tomorrow’s practice and hopefully we’ll have a strong qualifying session.”

TAKUMA SATO (No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “We tried many things today and we made reasonably good progress, however the field is again very competitive. We really need to work hard on improving the speed of the car. I think all three drivers collected valuable data today that we will go through tonight.”

E.J. VISO (No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “Today was day where we did a lot of work as a team. We divided the work load between the three cars. Now we have to sit down and put the best scenarios together. During the last part of the session we made some changes to my car that I think were good, but unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to do back-to-back runs on my second set of new tires because of the yellow flags. We are heading in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work to do to improve the car.

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Auto Club of Southern California Team Penske): “We improved our Automobile Club of Southern California car between the first and second practice sessions today. We will be sure to take advantage of what my teammates are learning about the track and then apply it to my car for tomorrow. We have some work to  do, but we will continue to improve and look forward to a better result tomorrow.”

VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt Racing): “Practice was good, we started a little bit behind but we have to try things and to do that there is a certain amount of risk. Tried something this morning that didn’t work and we came back to what we knew worked in St. Pete and got back to where we thought we had to be. It was a good day. I don’t know how good yet because some people did new tires and some didn’t. I think any time you are within striking distance of P-1 and P-2, it’s very reasonable. I like it. We made right decisions all day long and that’s what counts.”

ALEX TAGLIANI (No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): “The Bowers & Wilkins team did a fantastic job. I think the car is good and we are very competitive. We did our good lap on old tires. We are definitely pleased with that. There is definitely more in this car tomorrow with new tires. Ending the session the way we did is good.”

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): “I’m actually surprised we were 10^th fast. It was one of those days that I was not feeling like myself on track. We knew we had something with the setup we wanted to change but we not able to before the second session so we know we will be better tomorrow from that aspect. Through the session I had to work on myself; I was getting frustrated with everything and there was no reason. I am in beautiful California, the Telemundo car wasn’t bad and I am driving for a great team but it was one of those days that things didn’t seem to run as fluid as usual for the whole team. Hopefully we have all of that out of the way now and things will be good tomorrow for the Telemundo team.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 06 Sprott Newman/Haas Racing): ”Today was like a baptism by fire; pun intended! In the first session we went out and did a couple of runs bedding brakes then when we started running I noticed a weird smell coming out of the car and very quickly realized we were on fire. It was not a great thing to happen. By the time I got the Sprott car slowed down and got it to a fire station there had been significant damage to the car. I only got about four hot laps in this morning. The guys did an incredible job getting the backup car out so I would like to give a huge thanks to them for getting us back out there. We got back out to try to get some work done and ran into a couple of little problems which isn’t totally unexpected when you are pulling a car out of the trailer that hasn’t run in a while. We had to fight a couple of little issues and we were up against it on time. We lost a lot of track time today which isn’t great but luckily it’s a track I know. I’m confident we can take some things from what Oriol learned in the session. Tomorrow is a new day.”

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE:

8- 8:45 a.m. – Firestone Indy Lights practice

10:25-11:25 a.m. IZOD IndyCar Series Practice

12:55 – 1:55 p.m. – Firestone Indy Lights Sunoco Pole Qualifying

2:30-3:50 p.m.    PEAK Performance Pole Qualifying

***

The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series continues with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 17 on the Streets of Long Beach, Calif. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 3:30 p.m. (ET) by VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 212 and www.indycar.com. The 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season continues April 17 on the Streets of Long Beach, Calif. with the Long Beach 100. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 2 p.m. (ET) by VERSUS.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

RRDC Evening with Roger Penske

HILLIARD, Ohio (March 22, 2011)

“American Honda is pleased and honored to support the Road Racing Drivers Club and its salute to ‘The Captain,’ Roger Penske,” said John Mendel, executive vice president, auto sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “No one has done more to raise the profile and increase the professionalism of motorsports in North America. We at American Honda are proud to have been associated with Team Penske in its 2000 and 2001 CART championships; the establishment of a new world closed-course speed record in 2000; Indianapolis 500 victories in 2006 and 2008; and numerous race victories in both CART and INDYCAR.

“We congratulate Roger on a remarkable career. He has the true heart of a racer, and I can think of no higher compliment that Honda, a company founded by and made up of fellow racers, can bestow.”

“It’s a privilege to have American Honda come on board to host the reception at the RRDC’s third annual West Coast banquet,” said RRDC president Bobby Rahal. “Honda’s presence and success in North American racing competition is outstanding, and we’re proud to have them join us in celebrating Roger Penske’s contributions to the sport.”

The RRDC Evening with Roger Penske will be held at the Hilton Hotel, 701 West Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, Calif., with cocktails at 6 p.m., and dinner at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person and must be purchased in advance. Space is limited and tickets are selling out fast, so reservations should be made as soon as possible at rrdc2@cox.net.

The dinner’s proceeds will help support the Team USA Scholarship, which the RRDC has backed since 1997. Previous banquets have honored Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones, drawing fans and luminaries from all forms of motorsports.

About American Honda:
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., was founded in 1959 as the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Honda currently produces automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, lawn mowers and engines at its nine major U.S. manufacturing operations, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

About the RRDC:
The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club’s membership includes leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.

President Bobby Rahal is the 1986 Indy 500 winner and is co-owner, with David Letterman, of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winning Rahal Letterman Racing team. Six-time SCCA National champion John Fergus is the Club’s Vice President/Treasurer, and five-time SCCA National champion Tom Davey is the Secretary.

In addition to RRDC members lending their expertise to up-and-coming drivers, the Club presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award for rendering outstanding service to road racing; the Mark Donohue Award for personal spirit and performance at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs; and the Bob Akin Award – the top award presented to amateur and semi-professional racers – for speed with style, passion, sportsmanship and contribution to motorsports.

The RRDC also supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990.

Membership in the RRDC is by invitation only. Additional information on the organization may be found at www.rrdc.org .

- Road Racing Drivers Club, Press Release

INDYCAR LOGO

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. Daly to contest Firestone Indy Lights with Sam Schmidt Motorsports

2. Franchitti honored by Motor Sport Magazine

3. Power earns Road Racer of the Year from RACER

4. Philips gears up for IZOD IndyCar Series as official emergency care equipment sponsor

5. Construction begins on famed Long Beach circuit

1. Daly to contest Firestone Indy Lights with Sam Schmidt Motorsports: 2010 Star Mazda Champion Conor Daly will graduate to Firestone Indy Lights in 2011 with a limited campaign for the championship-winning Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

Daly, whose Firestone Indy Lights schedule will complement a schedule of racing in Europe’s GP3 Series, will contest the road/street course events at St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Long Beach, Trois Rivieres and Baltimore.

“I’m extremely pleased to have all the plans worked out for 2011,” said Daly, the son of former Indianapolis 500 starter Derek Daly. “It’s taken a lot of work, and I’m extremely thankful to everyone at Mazda who spent a great deal of time making sure my program was in order. It really shows how dedicated Mazda is to their ladder drivers. With the significant changes to the ladder system in 2010, Mazda still stayed devoted to supporting their champions. I’m honored to have the support of Mazda for the 2011 season and beyond.”

The 19-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., claimed the Star Mazda Championship setting a series record with nine poles and seven wins for Juncos Racing. Daly’s domination was shown with a string of finishing in the top four positions in the 12 races prior to clinching the title at Mosport International Raceway.

Daly has been a standout on the Mazda development ladder system, winning scholarships to compete in Skip Barber National Series and Star Mazda Championship from Mazda.

“Conor has done an outstanding job of delivering the goods both on-track, and off-track to his business supporters,” said John Doonan, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Team Development Manager. “As we transition into the Mazda Road to Indy beginning with the 2011 season we needed to make sure that Conor could take a step up in his career, while meeting everyone’s business objectives. Thanks to Mazda, the people at INDYCAR, Sam Schmidt Motorsports, and Carlin, Conor should have an outstanding year.”

2. Franchitti honored by Motor Sport Magazine: Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti joined Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Frank Williams and Jody Scheckter in being the second class of inductees into the Motor Sport Magazine Hall of Fame during ceremonies Feb. 15 in London.

Franchitti, of Scotland, is a three-time IZOD IndyCar Series title-holder, including winning the past two, with Andretti Green Racing and Target Chip Ganassi Racing. He recorded three victories in 2010, tying Rodger Ward for 11th on the all-time Indy car victory list with 26 (16 in INDYCAR, 10 in CART). Johnny Rutherford (27 wins) is next on the list.

Franchitti won the first of his two Indy 500s in 2007 on the way to winning his first series title. In December, Franchitti was named British Competition Driver of the Year by Autosport.

Accepting the award on behalf of Sir Jack Brabham was his son David Brabham, with Sir Stirling Moss delivering the introduction. Brabham won Formula One World Championships in 1959, 1960 and ’66. He is only man to ever win the F1 drivers’ title in one of his own cars.

F1 commentator Murray Walker announced Sir Frank Williams, founder of the Williams F1 team, as an inductee, while TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and five-time Grand Prix winner John Watson introduced Scheckter, the 1979 F1 World Champion. He’s the father of IZOD IndyCar Series driver Tomas Scheckter.

In 2010, Mario Andretti, Tony Brooks, Jacky Ickx and Ron Dennis were inducted, along with founding members Enzo Ferrari, Tazio Nuvolari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

3. Power earns Road Racer of the Year from RACER: Will Power missed out on winning the IZOD IndyCar Series title, but the Verizon Team Penske driver’s prowess on road/street courses did not go unnoticed.

Power was voted Road Racer of the Year by the readers of RACER Magazine, narrowly defeating Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel in the vote.

The annual RACER of the Year Awards presented by Mobil 1 celebrate the drivers, cars and events that shaped the last 12 months in motorsports, and the four biggest awards – overall RACER of the Year, plus Oval Racer, Road Racer and Drag Racer of the Year – are all voted for by race fans.

The winners are all featured in the March issue of RACER.

4. Philips gears up for IZOD IndyCar Series as official emergency care equipment sponsor: Royal Philips Electronics announced today that it is the official emergency care equipment sponsor of the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The sponsorships will last through the 2012 season.

The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing and holds 17 events in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Japan. As part of the sponsorship, the IZOD IndyCar Series medical team will have advanced medical technology from Philips at each racing venue. The team will be identified by its Philips-branded medical vehicle and racing suits.

“Philips’ sponsorship of the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway demonstrates our commitment to provide solutions for on-demand emergency medical support of the IndyCar drivers, as well as for the nearly half-million attendees on race day,” said Steve Laczynski, general manager, sales and service, North America for Philips Healthcare. “The race provides Philips an opportunity to support medical team efforts in one of the most demanding situations for rapid patient assessment and treatment.”

Under the supervision of Dr. Mike Olinger, IZOD IndyCar Series director of medical services, the Philips-sponsored medical team will include trauma physicians and nurses who will work with local hospital trauma centers, helicopter and ground-based emergency medical service (EMS) and fire rescue personnel to help manage the medical needs of all IndyCar drivers and fans at motor speedway events.

“The Indianapolis 500 presents the ultimate challenge within emergency medicine. The 500 attracts the largest single-day attendance of any sporting event in the world and therefore requires the most reliable, rugged and accurate medical equipment to care for racing personnel and fans who may need medical treatment on site,” said Dr. Geoffrey Billows, medical director for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The sponsorship from Philips provides us assurance that we will continue to administer the highest level of care possible to participants and spectators. The new Philips equipment will ensure we have the necessary tools to quickly and efficiently respond to an emergency on the track or around the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

5. Construction begins on famed Long Beach circuit: The green flag waved on construction of the circuit for the 37th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 15-17.

Formula Drift driver Joon Maeng helped kick off the construction, which includes setting in place more than 14 million pounds of concrete barriers. He’s preparing to contest the Formula Drift season that gets underway the weekend before the Grand Prix on Turns 9, 10 and 11 of the 1.97-mile circuit in downtown Long Beach.

Grand Prix Association of Long Beach Director of Operations Dwight Tanaka and his staff will put in more than 30,000 working hours installing concrete blocks, three miles of fencing and 16,000 bolted-together tires, along with 16 spectator grandstands, seven pedestrian bridges and video boards.

“We also install porta-johns, hospitality suites, tents, trash containers, electrical equipment, phones and a hundred other little things up until race weekend,” Tanaka said. “Then Sunday night, when the last race car has left the track, we start taking everything down, inspecting it and getting it ready for 2012.”

All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Avenue, will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

“We want to keep the circuit exciting for our fans and, of course, competitive and safe for the drivers,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “While Dwight and his staff do a terrific job, we couldn’t do it without the help of many Long Beach city departments and a host of private entities.

“That phenomenal support is what helps us make the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach America’s No. 1 street race.”

- INDYCAR, Press Release

KV Racing Technology

Tracy, a two-time Toronto winner (1993 and 2003), always seems to live up to his nickname of the “Thrill from West Hill” when he races through the streets of Exhibition Place.

Last year was no different as the Canadian legend, winner of 31 career IndyCar races, drove a brilliant race from his 15th starting position to contest Helio Castroneves for second. But Tracy’s rival wasn’t up for letting him pass in turn three and both crashed in turn four on the 2.84-km, 11-turn track.

Now, Tracy seeks a little revenge with his beautiful No. 15 Honda Canada—Make A Wish—KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry when the track opens Friday morning. Tracy returned to road racing action at Watkins Glen two weeks ago when he piloted the Dreyer & Reinbold car to 14th. This race will be Tracy’s 18th Toronto start.

KV Racing Technology, co-owned by former champion Jimmy Vasser and entrepreneur Kevin Kalkhoven, has entered four drivers for the Honda Indy Toronto with young star Mario Moraes, former GP2 sensation E.J. Viso and veteran Formula One racer and IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Takuma Sato joining Tracy in the four-car assault in the Toronto streets.

Moraes, the youngest regular in the series at age 21, comes to Toronto off his best finish of the year — fifth at Watkins Glen. The Brazilian figures to be a contender this weekend in the No. 32 KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone car after impressive road racing runs this season. His last street race, Long Beach, saw Moraes come from 15th to 6th.

E.J. Viso, driver of the No. 8 PDVSA — KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine, has been playing catch up in the past two races with a third (from 19th) at Iowa and 11th (from 25th) at Watkins Glen. Viso is always a strong street-course racer and should be in the middle of the action in Toronto.

Formula One veteran Takuma Sato, in the No. 5 Lotus — KV Racing Technology entry, will make his Toronto debut, but the personable Japanese star is no stranger to Canada, where he competed at Montreal in F-1 competition. Sato, who qualified a season-best fifth at Watkins Glen, finished sixth in 2007 and 10th in 2002 at Montreal. This will be his fourth street event in 2010.

DRIVER QUOTES:

PAUL TRACY, #15 HONDA CANADA – MAKE A WISH – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE:

“It is always exciting to return to Toronto. It’s my hometown and the race I always want to win. I thought I was close to winning last year when I came from the back to challenge for the win. Now, I look forward to this year’s event with a little bit of revenge after last year’s race. It is tough to come in as a part-timer against the top teams. It’s like Wayne Gretzky now putting on skates and playing the playoffs. I have had nearly a year out of the car. The Watkins Glen race help get the rust off for me. Now, I’m ready to do battle.”

MARIO MORAES, #32 KV RACING TECHNOLOGY HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE:

“I am looking forward to going back to Canada. The KV Racing Technology team gave me a fast car at Watkins Glen two weeks ago so we know we have the car and the ability. I’m also looking forward to having Paul (Tracy) back with the team. He has a lot of experience at this track and hopefully with his knowledge, the whole team can have a successful weekend.”

E.J. VISO, #8 PDVSA – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE:

“Toronto is a really nice track and a great place to come back to.

It’s a mixture between St. Petersburg and Long Beach, with some good bumps and the long straight. This is definitely a place where mechanically you need to be pretty soft in order to find good braking, traction and grip in the slow corners. We have made good progression over the last two races and, hopefully, I will have a good result here.”

TAKUMA SATO, #5 LOTUS – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE:

“This will be my second visit to Toronto – my first one was after the Canadian GP at Montreal three years ago when I visited Honda Canada and got a really warm welcome. It was so nice to see all the enthusiastic employees and then enjoy a great evening dinner downtown where they had such a great atmosphere. So I really enjoyed the last visit. Now I am coming back there for racing which is very exciting! The Toronto street course has a great history and the KV team was very competitive last year so I am looking forward to having a strong weekend.”

- KV Racing Technology Press Release

ALMS No. 40 Robertson Racing Ford GT

The Atlanta-based squad’s unique Ford GT – very much a fan favourite of the GT2 class – will be threaded between Long Beach’s concrete wall-lined city streets by David Robertson and David Murry, the two drivers who finished ninth there last season.

Meanwhile, the team’s third driver, Andrea Robertson, skips this one hour 40 minute race owing to its short duration but will be back at the wheel for Laguna Seca’s six hour enduro next month.

Sebring, sportscar racing’s traditional season curtain-raiser, proved a challenging event for the Robertson Racing crew who were forced to rebuild the car during race week thanks to a testing accident. After two days of precious track-time was lost while their rivals refined set-ups, just finishing Saturday’s race was always going to be a triumph in itself.

The past three weeks has seen the Roush V8-powered GT stripped and fully rebuilt to ensure that after the punishment of Sebring’s 12 hours, the car is fully restored and raring to go. And it will need to be, because Long Beach’s packed bill affords the ALMS less track time than it is accustomed to, making every lap count.

Andrew “H” Smith, Team Manager:

“12 hours around Sebring beats up most stuff and although we haven’t stripped the car down to its bare shell, all four corners and the engine transmission have been fully serviced and made ready to go again.

“As Long Beach is a street circuit, there won’t be much room for error. There’s also very little time to do much prep work which is the biggest issue. But we have been there twice before with the car so we’ll have a reasonably well sorted set-up.”

David Robertson, team owner and driver:

“The enthusiasm and excitement I feel for this race comes from the fantastic history of street circuit racing at Long Beach going back to the days of F1 and all that has taken place there since. The fans’ enthusiasm is contagious and they are also very knowledgeable. I enjoy getting a visit from them in the paddock.

“Long Beach is a real challenge due to its narrow track with concrete walls all around it. It is a balancing act – you must push as hard as you can but you know you cannot make a mistake or you will be out of the race. If you go off there is no way you’re going to be continuing. But you can’t be too careful else you’ll be too slow.”

You can catch the race live across America this Saturday on SPEED Channel at 8pm Eastern Time while highlights will be available to European viewers on Motors TV the following weekend (April 25) from 7pm CET.

Alternatively, log on to www.radiolemans.com for full live commentary of every session throughout the weekend, with timing and scoring as it happens available at www.americanlemans.com.

Weekend Schedule:

Friday, April 16
7.15am – 9.15am: 1st Practice
5pm – 5.30pm: 2nd Practice
5.40pm – 6pm: Qualifying (GT / GTC)

Saturday, April 17
4.40pm – 6.20pm: Race – Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, 100 Minutes (Round 2)

- Roberson Racing, Press Release

Meira took the opportunity to get a final fitting of the seat, pedals, steering wheel, mirrors and belts in the race car before it was loaded into the transporter which departs this evening.

“I wanted to touch base with the guys, spend a little time with them as we all get ready for this test,” said Meira. “This way we can go to Barber with a clear head knowing everything is ready.”

Although he tested his Indy car last September at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, this open test will be Meira’s first time back on a street/road course since he raced at Long Beach in April, 2009.

“Primarily, my goal for this test is to get reacquainted with everything and everyone,” said Meira who has been running shifter karts throughout the off season. “I want to get in as many laps as possible. We have an engineer (Jeff Britton) who is new to the team, but not new to me, and we need this time to work together so we can all learn each other.” Britton and Meira worked together at Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005.

“My biggest challenge is to get back to where I was before the accident so I can take 100% advantage of what the car is capable of doing,” said Meira, whose injuries sustained in the Indianapolis 500 sidelined him for the remainder of 2009. “The first day we’ll get a baseline set-up and then the second day we can explore different set-ups.”

Meira tested at Barber Motorsport Park in 2007 when he was with Panther Racing. The IZOD Series will compete there for the first time April 11th.

“From what I remember, the circuit is a lot like the European road courses with high speed corners and elevation changes,” Meira said. “It is most like Watkins Glen in that way but it’s narrower and doesn’t have very long straights. Passing will be a challenge there.”

When Meira was in Texas last week, he had an opportunity to race Larry Foyt in the I-Racing video game. “We raced Talladega in an Indy car,” said Meira. “I was sharing the car with Larry. I never realized I-Racing was so cool! I’m glad I saw it because it is definitely worth the trouble to buy the equipment you need to get set up properly.

“I will be using it this season for sure,” he added, explaining, “We have such limited track time in the actual Indy car so whatever you can do to simulate being on the track is beneficial. The I-Racing game will definitely be a part of my preparation this season.” Currently I-Racing features seven IndyCar Series tracks (Indianapolis, Barber, Chicagoland, Homestead, Infineon, Texas, and Watkins Glen) with Mid-Ohio being added soon.

Meira will arrive at the track Tuesday, fresh from an appearance in New Orleans for sponsor ABC Supply. He will participate in the pre-season media shoot as all of the drivers have photos taken and video shot which will be used throughout the season.

Testing at Barber Motorsports Park begins Wednesday at 9 am and will continue through Thursday until 5pm. The IZOD IndyCar Series season kicks off in the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil March 14th.

- Foyt Racing Press Release

Will Power

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- Penske Racing Press Release

Photo Credit: Autostock

Conquest Racing Logo

Honda Indy Toronto

Streets of Toronto, 1.75-mile, 11-turn street course

July 10 – 12, 2009, Race #10 of 17

Race Distance: 80 laps

Live Broadcast: (US) ABC 1:00 p.m. ET, (Canada) TSN 1:00 p.m. ET

HONDA INDY TORONTO PRE-RACE NEWS & NOTES

Oh Canada!

Conquest Racing and Canadian Alex Tagliani are back in action this weekend at the Honda Indy Toronto. After taking a hiatus from the streets of Toronto last season, the team is looking forward to returning to the 11-turn 1.75-mile street course. Conquest and Tagliani’s record on street courses this season includes two top-ten finishes at Long Beach and St. Petersburg. The team put in good performances on both tracks and looks to continue their strong form in Toronto.

King Tut Returns

Conquest Racing is welcoming back King Tut as a partner for this weekend. Arts and Exhibitions International have extended their partnership with the team in order to help promote the upcoming King Tut Exhibit, which will be on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario starting in November.

Toronto by the Numbers

Although this will be the first time that the IndyCar Series races on the streets of Toronto it will be the ninth start for both Conquest Racing and Tagliani. In eight starts at the Canadian event, Conquest Racing has a best start of fifth (Justin Wilson, 2004) and a best finish of ninth (Charles Zwolsman, 2006). The team also has four top-ten finishes on the 1.75-mile track. As for Tagliani, the Canadian driver has two-podium finishes (2nd in 2001 and 3rd in 2005) with seven top ten-finishes.

Your Chance to meet the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year

Alex Tagliani will be keeping busy at a number of appearances this week giving you a chance to meet this year’s Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. Wednesday night Alex Tagliani will be present at the Yonge-Dundas Square festivities starting at 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, the Canadian driver will be signing autographs at the Sears store located at 290 Yonge Street in Toronto from noon to 1:30 p.m. before signing more autographs on Friday at the King Tut booth located in Thunder Alley at the track. Tag will be present from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at that event.

Lucky winners

Fans, who get an autograph from Tag on Friday during the autograph session at the King Tut booth, will also get a chance to win a limited-edition pair of Alex Tagliani sunglasses.

QUOTEBOARD

2009 IndyCar Series starts: 4

Best start: 7th (St. Petersburg)

Best Finish: 10th (twice, St. Petersburg, Long Beach)

Points Standings: 21st (75 points)

Overall IndyCar Series starts: 7

Best start: 7th (St. Petersburg – 2009)

Best Finish: 4th (Australia, 2008 – non-championship event)

“I’ve been really looking forward to this race and racing back home in Canada. It’s an important race for me and it’s always a pleasure to be in front of the home crowd. The Toronto track is a really fun and challenging track. What I like most about it is that there is a good mix of different types of corners, which makes going into each section of the track different from the next.

We’ve done well on street courses this season and I think Toronto will be no different. Hopefully we can give our Canadian based sponsors like a good finish. I’m also really excited to be promoting the King Tut Exhibit once again, it’s such an awesome exhibition, and everyone needs to go see it.”

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Team Owner

“We’re really excited to be heading to Toronto this weekend. It’s always a great city to go to for a race and we’re happy to have it back on the schedule. We’ve had good performances on the street courses this year and we are confident we can continue our strong form. We’re also extremely pleased to be partnered again with the King Tut Exhibit and Arts and Exhibitions International.”

- Conquest Racing Press Release