Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Target Chip Ganassi Racing Las Vegas Advance Notes

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

NOTES/NEWS

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

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

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

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEAM ROSTERS

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

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

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

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

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

For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Target Chip Ganassi Racing Texas Advance Notes

Race: Firestone Twin 275s, Saturday June 11 (8:00 PM ET, VERSUS)

Track: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5 mile oval)
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

NOTES/NEWS

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

Managing Director Mike Hull on Texas: “Two Indy car sprint races within one hour of each other, promoted by Eddie Gossage at Texas in one night, Indy Car fans should ensure that they are in their seats or dialed into Versus! What helps to set Indy car racing apart is the wheel-to-wheel action on the king of the one and one half mile ovals which is the Texas Motor Speedway. We’re back to oval racing with Scott and Dario with a totally different aero and mechanical set-up from Indianapolis. This is racing at over two hundred miles per hour with big downforce. It should be one full fuel stop, and one splash of fuel for each heat race, so strategy & race-craft combined with teamwork between the No.9 & No.10 Target crews will be fun to watch.”

The Twins: For the first time in track history, Texas Motor Speedway will be hosting two races from one series on the same day. The race formerly known as the Firestone 550K for the IZOD IndyCar Series has become the IZOD Twin 275s. The two races are on the same day, each worth half of a full race’s points and half of the bonus prizes for the event. Pit stall selections will be made based on where the teams qualified for the Indianapolis 500 and those stalls will be used for both races. Each team will also be given an additional engine to use if necessary between race one and two due to the short amount of time between races. Race one will consist of the normal qualifying procedures while race two will have the field selected at random via a blind draw.

Oval History: The IZOD IndyCar Series will be returning to ovals for the second time in the 2011 season. TCGR has recorded 42 of their 81 wins (52%) on ovals with drivers Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Bruno Junqueira, Jeff Ward, Dan Wheldon, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti.

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

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

HUGGIES: This weekend’s Firestone Twin 275s will mark the first appearance of the Huggies brand on Dario Franchitti’s No. 10 car (IMAGE ATTACHED).

Indianapolis 500 Recap: Franchitti started the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 from ninth and wasted little time moving to the front. He led five times for a total of 51 laps before a late-race pit stop for fuel moved the No.10 Target team back to a 12th place finish.

Last Year at Texas: Franchitti started from second and ran up front through much of the race – leading 86 of the 228-lap event before finishing fifth.

The Heart of Texas: Franchitti will be making his eighth start at Texas Motor Speedway. In his seven previous starts, Franchitti has earned four top-fives, five top-10s, two poles, and has led 126 laps with a best finish of second coming in 2004.

Climbing the Ranks: Franchitti currently sits ninth on the All-Time Career Poles list tying Paul Tracy with. He earned his first pole in 1997 in Toronto. Franchitti scored his last pole at the 2010 Cafes do Brasil Indy 300 at the season finale in Homestead, finishing eighth.

Boston.com Blog: Stay up-to-date with Franchitti by following his blog on Boston.com. He gives fans a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of the reigning series champion. The blog runs each Tuesday following an IZOD IndyCar Series event.

Scott Dixon - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

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

Indianapolis 500 Recap: Dixon started the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 from second position and immediately took the lead. Leading a total of 73 laps, Dixon never left the top-five and was running down the leaders before the No.9 slowed to conserve fuel. Dixon finished fifth.

Seeking Victory: With a victory in 2011, Dixon will extend his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to seven. Dixon currently has 26 wins across 14 different tracks.

TMS History: In 10 career starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Dixon has tallied five top-fives and seven top-10s, including a victory in 2008. Last year, Dixon started the Firestone 550K from fourth and ran inside the top-five throughout the evening, finishing fourth.

Series Regular: Former TCGR driver Jimmy Vasser holds the all-time record of 211 consecutive starts. Dixon with 110 (trailing Tony Kanaan who has 136) is the only other active driver with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts. His streak began in 2004 at Michigan International Speedway and has continued in to the 2011 season.

2011 STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Pts. Pos./(Prev)
Scott Dixon 5 0 0 2 2 5/8
Dario Franchitti 5 1 0 4 4 2/2

CAREER STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s
Scott Dixon 174 25 17 80 121
Dario Franchitti 220 27 25 98 138

TEAM ROSTERS

Mike Hull – Managing Director

Scott Harner – Team Manager (Administrative Operations)

Barry Wanser – Team Manager (Racing Operations)

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

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

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 12 championships and 138 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

In The Pits with Scott Dixon - Photo Credit: Catchfence Open Wheel Editor: Paul Powell

Carburetion Day practice temperatures: Track ranged from 58°-59° F (14°-15° C) and ambient was a constant 69° F (21° C).

Firestone Carburetion Day highlights: More than 1,400 laps were turned in a busy final practice session before Sunday’s centennial anniversary running of the Indy 500. That brings the total laps turned this month to 10,265 or 25,662.5 miles – all, of course, on Firestone tires. Firestone returned to Indy in 2011 with the identical tire specification as run here and widely praised by drivers last year. Response has been overwhelmingly positive again this May, and today’s long runs solidified teams’ confidence in their Firehawks for race day.

From Scott Dixon, #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “The Firestone tires were good today. We did two full stints on two sets of tires. The wear was great and obviously they were very consistent. It was nice.”

From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: “It was good to see so many teams take advantage of today’s practice session to run full stints after we’ve been so limited on track time these past couple weeks with the rainy weather. We were confident that the Firestone Firehawks would once again provide great durability and consistency throughout the stints, but it’s always good to see it validated on track. Now we can all focus on Sunday’s highly anticipated race. Conditions are expected to be vastly different then, and the teams and drivers that make the proper adjustments will be those who prevail. As usual, we’ll also see the unexpected here. But, after today, we’re more confident than ever that the Firestone tires will once again perform reliably and consistently, and help make the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500 a race for the ages.”

- Firestone Racing, Press Release

INDYCAR LOGO

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 16, 2011) –

“He’s amped up,” team owner Sam Schmidt laughed following the daily engineering meeting.

Stretching out the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins car on the 2.5-mile oval for the first time was the best remedy for two weeks of on-track inactivity since the IZOD IndyCar Series race in Brazil for the Quebec native, and he enjoyed the ride. Tagliani topped the speed chart with a best lap (of his 17) of 225.878 mph — the best of the nine-plus total hours of track time.

Seven different teams were represented in the top 10 as 39 drivers recorded 1,379 laps in a stiff, cool breeze without incident. Rookie Jay Howard was the lone entrant not to make an appearance — by design based on tire management. The field was separated by a scant 1.2 seconds.

Scott Dixon (225.124) of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Graham Rahal (225.071) of Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing, Ryan Briscoe (225.016) of IZOD Team Penske and Oriol Servia (224.903) of Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing filled out the top five.

A year ago, preparations for the Indianapolis 500 didn’t kick off as Tagliani would have planned.

As the one-day snapshot of track activity revealed, there will be a number of strong teams rising for Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day (May 21) and the 100th anniversary race May 29. Dixon, Rahal, Briscoe, Dario Franchitti — the reigning Indy 500 champion of Target Chip Ganassi Racing — Marco Andretti of Andretti Autosport, Vitor Meira of A.J. Foyt Racing, and Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves have been in the top 10 both days of practice as teams progress through their test programs.

DAY 3 NOTEBOOK:

Owners of more than 250 vintage Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars will have the opportunity to take a ceremonial lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the end of Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day on Saturday, May 21.

Held in conjunction with the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 and a month-long celebration of great race and passenger cars at IMS, more than 250 Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars will appear May 21-22 at the Racing Capital of the World. This special two-day event, which will be highlighted by the ceremonial pace lap just after 6 p.m. Pole Day, will showcase the largest collection of vintage Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars ever assembled.

Headlining this amazing array of automobiles will be a Stoddard-Dayton, the same type that paced the inaugural Indianapolis 500 won in 1911 by Ray Harroun, who drove the legendary Marmon-Wasp to victory. The 1911 Indianapolis 500 was the first major auto race to use a Pace Car, which is now a tradition at races around the world. At the wheel of the Stoddard-Dayton at the 1911 “500″ was Carl G. Fisher, one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Another featured car at the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Reunion will be the Chevrolet Camaro from the 1969 “500″ won by Mario Andretti. The 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car is painted to look exactly like its 1969 predecessor.

From 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Pole Day, the Pace Cars will be staged for a “Fans Choice” vote. The cars also will be on display in the infield from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Bump Day/IMS Armed Forces Day on Sunday, May 22. As an added attraction, car clubs featuring muscle cars, exotics and more will provide fans plenty of eye candy.

***

Team Penske teammates Will Power and Ryan Briscoe talked about the significance of racing in the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 and their prospects to win the PEAK Performance Pole Award this Saturday.

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske): “Every year it’s a special feeling. But somehow I think this year with more cars, more good drivers – and I think there will be a bigger crowd – I think this will be something else.” (On what it would mean to win the pole at Indy after capturing pole for the first four races of the season): “Yeah, for me, it would be a really big deal. It’s something that I’d love to do. I sort of had a chance last year, a close chance. After the experience of last year, I know what I need to do. Obviously, the conditions are changing every year, but the car’s exactly the same. I’m definitely keen to giving it everything I can to get the pole, no question.”

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 IZOD Team Penske): “Obviously, I’m grateful to be here and be able to do it with Team Penske. It’s an amazing team, and Roger (Penske) is just so passionate about this race. It gives me, as a driver, a whole lot of confidence going into it with the goal of winning. That’s the one and only goal coming here, to win the race. The 100th anniversary is very special.” (On the importance of going for the pole as a driver at Team Penske): “It certainly felt like in the last three years I’ve been in a great position to fight for the pole. Sometimes it just comes down to timing or whatever. But Helio, our teammate, he’s really good at getting on the pole here. But I feel we have exactly the same equipment. We’ve just got to make sure we put ourselves in the right position to be able to go for it on Saturday.”

***

Maintenance personnel for the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, visited the Speedway on Sunday. They met with Indianapolis 500 drivers and team officials, including Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fisher Racing owner Sarah Fisher.

The Blue Angels participated in the Indianapolis Air Show on May 14-15.

AVCM(AW) VIRGIL CRAVEN (Maintenance master chief, U.S. Navy Blue Angels): (About the maintenance personnel who visited the track): “You can break it down just like the crew that maintains those race cars. You have engine guys, tire guys, suspension guys, etc. Crew chiefs are responsible for launching and recovering the aircraft and performing visual inspections after each flight. Logistics order and receive all parts required to maintain our aircraft. Avionics maintains all power distribution systems, radar, navigation, communication and instrumentation systems. Airframes maintains all hydraulically powered systems and flight control surfaces. Power plants maintains the engines and fuel systems. All shops were in attendance, and we really appreciated the opportunity. Being invited and getting treated so well by the track staff and all the teams we visited was exceptional. The team really enjoyed talking with Sarah Fisher and Ed Carpenter. The whole trip was outstanding. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will never forget.”

***

Purdue University and HVM Racing announced a strategic partnership Saturday at IMS.

The HVM-Purdue relationship brings to the HVM team advanced engineering technologies in aerodynamics, manufacturing and advanced materials, providing opportunities for Purdue students and faculty to participate in motorsports with HVM.

The Purdue name will be displayed on the No. 78 Nuclear Clean Air Energy HVM Racing car driven this month by 2010 Chase Rookie of the Year Simona de Silvestro. Purdue engineering students also will work as interns on the team, and HVM will collaborate with Purdue students and faculty to optimize the aerodynamic package for the new 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series cars under development by Dallara.

Another key component of the partnership is to develop educational programs for children, young adults and the public that uses the excitement of IZOD IndyCar Series racing as the starting point for the introduction of engineering and science. Of particular interest is to use electric motorsports as a venue to engage students and adults in a discussion on the technologies needed for economic, green and sustainable electric energy in the 21st century.

Electric motorsports are a key component of the HVM-Purdue partnership. Purdue conducted the Collegiate evGrandPrix on Saturday, May 7 during the Emerging Tech Day at IMS. College teams from across the nation and Europe designed, built and raced electric go-karts in the 100-lap event.

JAMES CARUTHERS (Reilly professor of chemical engineering, Purdue): “Our objectives are, first, use the ‘cool’ of IndyCar racing to attract students’ attention, and then introduce the students to the incredible engineering required in these race cars. Finally, we want to encourage interested students to consider a career in engineering or technology. If these students choose a career in motorsports, great! If they choose a technology career in some other industry, great! And even if the students choose a non-technical career but have a greater appreciation of technology, that is also great!”

KEITH WIGGINS (President, HVM Racing): “This relationship with Purdue enables HVM to work with one of the premier engineering schools in the U.S. to exploit the latest technological innovations in aerodynamics, advance materials and manufacturing, as well as being able to interact with bright, fresh-thinking Purdue students in a variety of ways for the future.”

***

Ryan Hunter-Reay hopes to race in his fourth Indianapolis 500 later this month, but he took advantage of the complete rainout of practice Sunday, May 15 to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum for the first time.

“I can’t believe I hadn’t been there,” said Hunter-Reay, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year. “It was amazing. “The place is what Indy car racing is all about, and that’s what makes Indy car racing special. To go there as a current Indy car driver made it even more special. To see the cars that were driven by owners of teams I’ve driven for and the ones driven by my heroes and know they all went to Victory Lane here at Indy made for a very special day.”

The one car that that the Andretti Autosport driver wanted to see was Rick Mears’ 1984-winning Pennzoil Z-7 Special. Hunter-Reay’s first go-kart was modeled after Mears’ race car, and seeing the real car for the first time brought back childhood memories for the IZOD IndyCar Series standout.

“The No. 6 Pennzoil car, in smaller form, was my first ride,” he said. “That’s what I got into a lot of trouble in. It was my neighborhood wheels, and I did my first right front wing damage in that car when I hit a stop sign.

“It was really cool to see the actual car. I’ve never seen it before, but to see the evolution of the Indy car was really neat to see. To see where the sport actually started and how the cars have developed over the years, and see what made these cars go faster and faster. Indianapolis has always been a proving ground as much as it is a huge race.”

Hunter-Reay was far from the only driver in the Museum during his visit. 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones and Dreyer & Reinbold’s Justin Wilson were visitors to the exhibit of 67 Indianapolis 500-winning cars.

And while Hunter-Reay told all the well-wishers in the Museum his plan was to have his Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda car join the winning cars in the Museum next year, he hopes to get another visit to see the cars on display again.

“I’m going to go back again before I leave this month,” Hunter-Reay said.

***

Spectators holding an admission ticket to Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day on Saturday, May 21 or Bump Day/IMS Armed Forces Day on Sunday, May 22 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can redeem them for a free general admission ticket to the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships on Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Visit the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships display in Pagoda Plaza from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. both days. Ticket redemption will continue – for those with Pole Day, Bump Day and Race Day tickets – Wednesday, May 25 through Sunday, May 29 at the INDYCAR Fan Village in the IMS Hall of Fame Museum lot.

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Major Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, placed an Indiana unit patch decal this afternoon on the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing entry driven by rookie JR Hildebrand.

MAJOR GEN. R. MARTIN UMBARGER: (About the National Guard and the Indianapolis 500): “I’m a born and bred Hoosier. The Indianapolis 500 is just part of our DNA here in Indiana. The National Guard has been a sponsor on the No. 4 Panther Racing car for the past four years. I think everyone knows that we’ve come in second place the last two years in this great race. We’re hoping to improve one rank this year. That’s all we’re asking for.” (On the connection between the military and the Indianapolis 500): “Memorial Day weekend is the weekend when we honor all of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this company. It’s special that this race is broadcast all over the world, particularly on the Armed Forces Network. I know Hoosier Guardsmen that are over there will be watching this race regardless of the hour, and they will be very proud to see that we’re sponsoring a car in this race. What I think of most is what Memorial Day means to all of us, and we should never forget. This facility is steeped in tradition, and the military is also one that is steeped in tradition. To have this race on Memorial Day, it becomes even more special for any soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine, no matter what decade you served.”

JR HILDEBRAND: (About being an American and driving the National Guard car): “It’s an honor as an American to be representing the National Guard, but, more than that, it’s a really humbling experience. It’s not like these types of things where you’re representing ‘Joe’s Bakery’ and you have to talk to people about how awesome their muffins are or something. With the National Guard, it’s something really meaningful for us. We have a lot of different programs that we get involved with, like the youth challenge and things like that. It’s a good deal to get involved on a much deeper level.” (On carrying the Indiana unit patch on the car): “I consider myself a resident of Indiana. I from California originally, but I’ve been living here for the past four years now. And as a team based here in Indianapolis, we’re really excited to represent them and everything they do.”

***

FASTEST TIMES/SPEEDS OF PRACTICE:

Fastest rookie: #4 JR Hildebrand, 20^th, 223.201

***

INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE QUOTES:

BERTRAND BAGUETTE (No. 30 The RACB/Aspria RLL Special): “We could have weather like this in qualifying or on Race Day, so you have to be able to run in it. The car was moving around out there with the wind, but it wasn’t that tough. I like what we are doing with the car and with our plan, and I think we are getting there. I think it was another good day for us. We keep improving the car with every change, so we are headed the right way.”

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 IZOD Team Penske): “It felt great to be back on track today. We took out our primary No. 6 IZOD Team Penske car for practice, and it felt very comfortable out there. It’s nice to be in the 225 bracket. We’ll keep chipping away at it for the rest of the week and get ready for qualifying on Saturday.”

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske): “We did limited running again today in the Verizon Team Penske car. We’re just trying to use our miles wisely. We worked on some race setup today, and the car feels good. We still have plenty of time on track this week before we qualify on Saturday, and we plan to make the most of it.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske): “It was a good day today in the Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra car. We got a chance to run side-by-side with Will (Power), and we were pretty happy with the car. We stuck with our plan to run the primary car. Hopefully tomorrow the weather cooperates, and we’ll continue to work hard and get ready for qualifying.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 06 Sprott Newman/Haas Racing): “Today the focus was on trying to run more laps in traffic and the Sprott team managed to accomplish that. It was sort of tough to find guys out there so we had to do a little collaboration and planning with a few different guys and did find some guys out there. I definitely got some good running in with Oriol. We staged some laps in front of each other, and behind each other and it was good; that’s a big thing for me to learn. You only have to do four laps to qualify but you have to do 200 in the race with a lot of other cars around you. I think we got a lot accomplished and certainly, from just my perspective, I learned a lot and gained some valuable experience. I think we will carry on with this for the next couple of days and then closer to qualifying, look more into the qualifying setup. The car felt great in traffic. It was a lot more fun running out there with other guys than just pounding around by yourself. Again, it’s sort of similar to the Lights car. I think the experience in the Lights car was certainly very valuable but there is no doubt that the racing is a lot different once you’re going 35 mph faster. It will be an interesting race, there’s no doubt. I just look forward to getting more laps under my belt and over the week and running in more packs, and bigger packs.”

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): “The day went well for the Telemundo team. It was very cold, colder than we think it will be for Race Day. We had a good run. We went through our test plan, and we ran well. I got my fast lap with a tow, so the time isn’t very representative. But I have to say, tow or no tow, downforce or no downforce, it’s the first time I am in the top five at the end of the day in Indy, so it feels good. I’m happy with the Telemundo car so far. We’re still not where we want to be, but it is really the first test day we have had to try new things. We are happy with where we are, progress-wise.”

TOMAS SCHECKTER (No. 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme – Circle K): “Yesterday’s session was canceled because of rain, so it felt good to be back in the 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme car working through our program. However, we had a small mechanical issue, which is fixable, but that ended my day very early. I am looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow.”

VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply Co A.J. Foyt Racing): “It was good. I think we evolved a little bit from where we were on Saturday when we last ran. I think the ABC Supply car is competitive, but it’s hard to tell exactly how competitive we are at this point. The car is good, but we’ll be able to tell how good later in the week when we really start dropping the hammer, as will everyone else. In preparation for that, today was a good day.”

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA (No. 41 A.J. Foyt Racing): “It was an exciting day. The second lap, the engine cover fell off, but my team did a good job to replace it and get me out for some laps at the end of the day. It felt OK. I think the balance is good. We need to work a little more to get more straight-line speed.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): “We just didn’t get a lot of track time today. We were trying some big stuff with the DHL/Sun Drop car, so we’ll see. We’ll get our heads together on it – the whole team – and we’ll figure it out from there. Today is just the tip of the iceberg; there is a lot of week left.”

ALEX TAGLIANI (No. 77 Bowers &Wilkins/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): “It was the not the best conditions that we have seen in Indy, but it was OK. We didn’t run on the first day and Sunday was raining, so today was the first opportunity for us to run. Thanks to the boys; they did a fantastic job preparing an amazing car. It is early in the week, but it is quite nice to show that the Bowers & Wilkins car is strong for an Indy run. When we came here last year, we didn’t know what to expect. We came in apprehensive because it’s a very tough place to get it right and very difficult to win. Obviously, we had some speed, and it worked out quite well last year. We build from it. We had a chance in 2010 to develop a good base and in the winter, the guys worked really hard on the car and cleaned it up a bit and always paid attention to details. That’s what this place wants, and it’s nice to start the week with a car that’s quite strong. Hopefully we can build on it. You can never take anything for granted at this place. We have to stay on our toes all week and roll the car out for qualifying and hope for the best.”

MIKE CONWAY (No. 27 Hire Heroes USA/7-Eleven/Dr Pepper): “We were just trying to get the Hire Heroes car more comfortable through Turn 1. We tried a few things but didn’t really sort it out. We just need to look at all the data tonight and figure out how we can move forward. I think our teammates tried a few different things, so hopefully we can figure out some good things for tomorrow.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26 Team Venom): “We spent a lot of time today with the Venom car working on the race car, and we’re getting to where it feels pretty good. But right now I’m a little worried about our speed. I think that if we had qualified today, we might have ended up on the bubble. So we’ll put our heads together tonight, have a think on it and then hit it hard again tomorrow.”

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 34 Conquest Racing): “It was a very productive day. We did an amazing amount of changes on the development side of the car. We found exactly what we were looking for. We focused mainly on finding the right balance of the car first. Once we got there, we started taking a lot of downforce off, and that really paid off. I’m really happy how it turned out. It’s still very early in the week, so we are still very conservative. As the week progresses, we’ll start to push it a little bit harder. But today was exactly how we wanted the week of Indianapolis 500 practice to start.”

TONY KANAAN (No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “Today was a normal Monday at the Speedway. We tried different things and worked on the setup to get comfortable with the car. We’re making what I like to call the ‘cookbook’ so by the end of the week, we’ll look which dish we want to cook, and hopefully it will be a good one.”

TAKUMA SATO (No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “It was a windy day, but the weather was clear and consistent, so it didn’t have an effect on our program. We made steady progress throughout the day, and I am getting more comfortable each time I go out on track. It was a very productive day.”

E.J. VISO (No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus): “Today was our second day on track, and we accomplished everything we had planned for the day. We did a lot of research into the dampers and we found some valuable data. Basically, with what I did and what the other drivers on the team are doing, we are going to come up with a good package. That is the good thing about having a four-car team and the right way of working. It is always difficult to make comparisons at a place like Indianapolis because teams are working on different things and some drivers are getting tows, but I ran today without a tow so the data we collected is realistic.”

JOHN ANDRETTI (No. 43 Team Window World): “Windy – that’s one thing you can say about today. I think Team Window World stayed on plan and were cautious about how many sets of tires we’re using. Maybe we didn’t run as much as we wanted, but we learned a lot and made a lot of gains today. It seems like the things we’re trying are working really well. Usually 99 out of the 100 things you try don’t work, but it’s working in our favor right now. I’m looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”

PIPPA MANN (No. 36 Conquest Racing): “Today was just a pretty tough day at the office. I’ve heard from all the veterans that this place can do that to you sometimes, and we definitely just have one of those days. We seemed to spend it chasing our tail a little bit – both literally and figuratively. We’ve still got a minor handling issue but we’re chasing after it, and until we sort that out we just can’t risk going after speed. We also didn’t run with any tows today when we were running fast, so I actually don’t think the lap time is that bad for the amount of aero we had on and the fact that we weren’t in the tow when we did our best lap. We still have the handling niggle, which we do need to fix, but we’re going to make some fairly big changes overnight, and hopefully we can come out stronger in the morning.”

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Team GoDaddy): “I thought we were good on our own today and made a little bit of progress. We just need to stay consistent and find speed. It was a steady day.”

BUDDY RICE (No. 44 Panther Racing): (On being back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his win in 2004): “It’s good. I see the Indiana weather hasn’t changed much. I think on that day (in 2004) with or without the weather, I thought the weather just made it more exciting. It made it a more exciting race. The 2004 race was an exciting day, for sure.” (About last start at Indianapolis, in 2008): “We were in contention for a top five. Obviously, it got a little hairy there on the final restart. We dropped back a ways, and I was able to work my way back up to seventh or eighth. Our car was in contention. It wasn’t too bad. We put ourselves into a hole on the very first pit stop and had to really dig ourselves out of that hole all day. It took all day to get back up there but, yeah, my last run here was good.” (On his day of practice for the 2011 Indianapolis 500 and Panther Racing): “For us at Panther, everything is going good. With myself and JR in the National Guard car, I think we’re progressing. We’re moving along like we should, and I just need to familiarize myself with the team, the car and get rolling. They have solid cars. I mean, their performance the last few years, I think speaks for itself. We know they have a strong, solid oval program, especially here at the Speedway. That’s what made my decision really easy when John (Barnes) called right around Long Beach and started putting everything into motion. So I’m excited to be here. I’m happy to be here. It’s good to be here and gives me an opportunity for a second win. Also, it’s the Centennial. This only comes around once. There are five of us that are previous winners that are running here, and it’s an exciting time to be here right now.” (On his approach to securing an entry in the Indianapolis 500): “I think everybody has their own way of going about it. I wasn’t going to stand around and also, the way the times were and the way things were going, some things had changed. I get paid to drive race cars. That’s my job. That’s what I do. So for me, it took a little bit. I wanted to make sure I came here and had an opportunity to have a good run. When I showed up, I didn’t just want to show up and run. There’s a lot of different things that I wanted to make sure were in place before I just jumped back in.”

DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “It was a good day for the Target team.. We shook down the primary car, which seemed pretty fast. We should run more tomorrow, weather permitting.”

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “We had a pretty decent day for the Target team. We switched to the primary car today, and it ran smooth. Hope to run a little more tomorrow.”

***

A total of 58 cars are currently at the Speedway, and 34 have passed technical inspection.Thirty-nine drivers were on track today, turning 1,379 laps. Pippa Mann turned 70 laps today, most of any driver. Forty drivers have been on track this month, turning 2,466 total laps. There were five cautions for a total of 39 minutes today.

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TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times local):

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The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season continues with the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 on May 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at Noon (ET) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM channel 94 and www.indycar.com. The 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season continues with the Firestone Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27. The race will be televised live by VERSUS.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

INDYCAR LOGO

On a day cut short 45 minutes because of showers, Ed Carpenter was quickest of the 32 entrants to get on the 2.5-mile oval with a lap of 224.786 mph (40.0380 seconds). Scott Dixon, the 2008 race winner and IZOD IndyCar Series champion, was second in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car and JR Hildebrand, who was quickest in breezing through the Rookie Orientation Program on May 12, was third (224.433 mph).

There were 669 laps recorded without incident. Second day track activity, with a more favorable weather forecast, commences at noon May 15.

Reigning Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti (224.107) was fourth in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car, and 2006 race runner-up Marco Andretti (223.927) was fifth in the No. 26 Team Venom car for Andretti Autosport.

Whether shaking down their primary or backup cars, working on running in traffic or seeing how quick they were off the truck, drivers enjoyed the work on the oval. For full-time competitors, their previous track time has been on four road and street courses.

Carpenter, competing in his first IZOD IndyCar Series event of the season – and first for Sarah Fisher Racing in the No. 67 Dollar General car – has a best start of eighth (2010) and finish of eighth (2009) in seven starts. Of course, Carpenter, stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George, covets a victory in the ’500′ more than any other.

“It’s only day one, but it’s really exciting to see hard work pay off and see progress,” he said. “We’re going to have to keep up the effort because it’s a long week heading into qualifying, but I definitely like the start that we’re off to.”

Added Fisher, a nine-time Indy 500 starter who announced her retirement from the race car in November: “I was really proud of the boys for starting the month off with little to no error. It was a bonus for Ed to top the charts, but we know we still have a lot more work to accomplish. For this being our first race of the season, we know we have to hit the ground running, and to see the team gelling already is a great testament to our people.”

Other notable Opening Day speeds were posted by 2009 race runner-up Vitor Meira (seventh at 223.192); Paul Tracy (11^th at 222.295), who didn’t qualify for the 2010 race; Danica Patrick (12^th at 222.232) and 2004 race winner Buddy Rice (14^th at 221.461), who’s returned to the track for the first time since 2008.

DAY 1 NOTEBOOK:
Firestone Firehawk race tire facts for the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500:

•Firestone Racing returns to Indianapolis in 2011 with the same tire specification as 2010.

•A full-month entry receives 33 sets (132 tires), and a partial-month entry receives 26 sets (108 tires) for all of practice, qualifying and the race. Rookie Orientation Program participants receive an additional four sets (16 tires) for that session only; veteran refreshers receive two additional sets (eight tires) that must be returned before practice Monday, May 16. More than 5,000 tires in all are available.

•Tire stagger: A single stagger of approximately .30 of an inch is available. Stagger, created by molding the right rear tire with a larger diameter than the left rear, helps race cars turn more naturally and smoothly on oval tracks.

AL SPEYER (Executive Director, Firestone Racing): “The Indianapolis 500 is the race we most eagerly await each season, but we are anticipating this year’s even more with the centennial anniversary of this great event. We take immense pride in knowing that Firestone tires carried Ray Harroun to victory in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 a century ago, and that Firestone Racing still plays a pivotal role in the sport a hundred years later. Come May 29, we know that whoever takes the checkered flag first will do it on Firehawk tires and become Firestone’s 62^nd Indy 500 champion. It’s a win total more than all other tire makers combined and powerful proof of the legacy that the Firestone brand has maintained through the years. For ‘The Most Important Race in History,’ we are supplying the identical Firestone tire specification that was used in 2010 and received such wide praise from teams and drivers last May. With the entire racing world watching on this historic occasion, we want to provide a proven tire that will do its part to help make this landmark Indianapolis 500 even more memorable. Firestone wishes the best to all of this year’s competitors and congratulates Indianapolis Motor Speedway on its centennial milestone.”

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Six rookies assigned to cars for the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 passed all four phases of the Rookie Orientation Program on Thursday, May 12: JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball, Pippa Mann, Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung.

James Jakes completed three of the four phases and can finish the test during practice this week.

Jay Howard only needs to complete a refresher test – the final two phases of Rookie Orientation – because passed the Rookie Orientation Program in 2008 and participated in 2010 Indianapolis 500 qualifying.

The Rookie Orientation Program consists of turning consistent laps at four speed phases on the 2.5-mile asphalt oval. Drivers must turn five consistent laps at 200-205 mph, and 10 consistent laps at each of these three speed phases: 205-210, 210-215 and 215 or faster.

***

Window World, sponsor of the No. 43 Andretti Autosport car driven by John Andretti, today unveiled “The Stinger,” a 2011 concept show car that pays tribute to the 1911 Marmon Wasp, winner of the inaugural Indianapolis 500, and the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500. The No. 100 “Stinger” features a yellow-and-black color scheme taken directly from the Marmon Wasp. It will be on display all month in the MotoGP garage area near Gasoline Alley.

The Window World Cares charitable foundation has invited each of the race’s former starters to autograph the car. For each signature, Window World Cares will make a donation of support. Since its creation, Window World Cares has raised more than $1.6 million for St. Jude Research Hospital.

JOHN ANDRETTI: “The whole project came about in conversations about the 100th anniversary, how we could pay tribute to the drivers who have participated. Actually, it became an idea when I got a letter from Mari Hulman George about the past drivers that are still living and coming back for the Indy 500 for this anniversary. I think it’s just great Window World has wrapped their arms around it, the centennial year, as much as they have. With the retro paint scheme on the 43 as well as the ‘Stinger’ program and raising money through a great cause through Window World Cares, I think it’s awesome. Already they’ve raised quite a bit of money because of all the drivers’ signatures at Andretti Autosport, including my cousin (team owner Michael Andretti).”

***

Pruett Vineyard, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is proud to announce a Limited Edition Napa Cabernet Sauvignon celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

The centennial Indy 500 logo is prominently placed on the front label, making this a cherished collector’s item of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Pruett Vineyard produces small lot, handcrafted wine, with great attention to detail and quality. 1989 Indianapolis 500 co-Rookie of the Year Scott Pruett is involved in every aspect as owner and vintner.

Scott and Judy Pruett will present a Magnum bottle of this Pruett Indy 500 wine, showcased in a beautiful lacquered etched wooden box, to each of the 33 team owners qualifying for the 100th running.

For more information, visit www.pruettvineyard.com.

SCOTT PRUETT: “We wanted to give this gift to the owners as a thank you, and homage to past and future team owners, for bringing this gold standard of motorsports to all of us. It’s absolutely overwhelming to think about the history of this great race, and to be involved at any level is truly an honor. With its rich history and cherished memories, there is really nothing in the world quite like the Indy 500. I am so excited and honored to be involved at this level in the Centennial Era.”

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FIRST ON TRACK, 1984-2010

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Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard was the honorary starter today, waving the green flag to start the first practice for the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500.

GREG BALLARD: “They were side by side by side by side like a front row coming down the straightaway. It was a lot of fun. I will leave Race Day (start) in the hands of the professionals. We’re very lucky to be here for the 100^th anniversary because a lot of people are going to be reminiscing about all the events that have gone on before here. Also we have the new chassis to look forward to. And there is a lot of excitement as to what the new cars will look like. This is a great time to celebrate the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the longevity of this race going forward. I always tell people around the world that there is nothing like the month of May in Indianapolis, and I mean that. This is an unbelievable month that really brings the city together. Everybody enjoys it. It’s a great event on Race Day, and they memorialize those veterans who did not come back from serving this county. Obviously, the Speedway does it right.”

***

IZOD IndyCar Series fan Greg Nemeth won a Graham watch with an estimated retail value of $7,000-$8,000 through an online contest promoted by Target Chip Ganassi Driver Scott Dixon.

Nemeth, from Greenwood, Ind., won by correctly picking the top three finishers of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama last month. Dixon has been very active with social media this season and promoted the contest, hosted on his website, via Twitter. Dixon presented Nemeth with the watch this morning at the Speedway.

GREG NEMETH: “I’ve been following IndyCar forever, but he (Dixon) mentioned his contest on Twitter. The first time I tried, I won. It felt pretty good. I picked Scott to finish second. I didn’t think I’d win, but I guess I did. I feel bad about not picking Scott to finish first, but I won.”

SCOTT DIXON: (About the contest): “I’ve actually had it for three years, and nobody’s ever won. Then, Barber (Motorsports Park) race weekend, we had three winners. Greg was the first one to pick it and was the lucky winner.” (About becoming very involved with social media this year): “I think it’s a nice way to interact. I think the biggest hold-out (on getting involved with Twitter) was my wife, because she said I was already on my phone way too much. Adding Twitter to that was going to double my time. It’s a lot of fun, especially now when 99 percent of the drivers all do it. Viral media, things like Twitter, Facebook and all the others, there’s a huge connection to the fans. If you can interact more, it’s going to make (the sport) more popular.”

***

After a banner 2010 that included a sweep of the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Daytona 500, Chip Ganassi and his organization are among the nominees at the Fourth Annual Sports Business Awards on Wednesday, May 18 in New York.

Ganassi is the first race team executive to be nominated for Sports Executive of the Year, and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams is the second race team to receive a Professional Sports Team of the Year nomination.

The awards, given by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal, honor excellence in sports business.

***

Legendary Indianapolis 500 team owner Roger Penske will be honored with the Legends of Racing Award at the 12^th annual Racing to Recovery Gala presented by The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation (SSPF) on Wednesday, May 18.

The gala is taking place at D’Amore Events, located atop the Chase Bank Building at 111 Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.

Penske Racing has won a record 15 Indianapolis 500′s. Penske joins an illustrious list of Legends of Racing Award winners, including Rick Mears, Parnelli Jones, Arie Luyendyk, Mario Andretti and Michael Andretti.

Throughout the evening, guests will have the opportunity to mingle with Indianapolis 500 greats from the past and present and current IZOD IndyCar Series team owners and drivers, while raising money to support medical research, rehabilitation and quality-of-life programs for those living with paralysis. The event will feature a silent and live auction, giving guests the opportunity to bid on unique racing-themed items.

SSPF was started in 2000 by INDYCAR driver Sam Schmidt shortly after a practice crash left him paralyzed from the chest down. SSPF is leading the charge to cure paralysis by funding scientific research, medical treatment, rehabilitation and technological advances benefiting those with spinal cord injuries, stroke victims and people diagnosed with ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

For ticket information, contact events@samschmidt.org or call (317) 236-9999.

***

Rockford Fosgate, the industry leader in high-performance car audio systems, is joining forces with Paul Tracy, who will debut the Rockford Fosgate logo at the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 29 while driving the No. 23 WIX Filters/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry.

PAUL TRACY: “I’m really excited to partner with such a great audio brand like Rockford Fosgate and look forward to supporting all of their products this season. I’ve been a fan of their high-performance equipment for some time now, and I’m honored they would allow me to be their brand ambassador in motorsports. I look forward to outfitting my classic ’64 Riviera and ’51 Mercury with some of the coolest Rockford Fosgate car audio amps and speakers.”

BILL JACKSON (CEO and president, Rockford Corporation): “Paul embodies the Rockford Fosgate lifestyle. He leads an active life, enjoys music and all things motorized. We’re excited to have Paul in the Rockford Fosgate family.”

***

Andretti Autosport owner Michael Andretti spoke about the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500.

MICHAEL ANDRETTI: (About importance of the 100th Anniversary): “Yeah, it’s always exciting being here getting ready for the month. But this year is extra special, being the 100^th year, so there is some extra incentive to do well. It would be great to be the winning team on the 100^th Anniversary, and I can tell you all of us are real excited to get going.” (What would it mean for an Andretti to win the 100th Anniversary race?): “I honestly cannot put it into words. It would be real emotional if that were to happen, I can tell you that.”

***

Tom Hansing, one of the Indianapolis 500 starters in the flag stand, talked about the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500.

TOM HANSING: “It’s a big morning, the 100th Anniversary of the ’500,’ and I feel real great to be a part of it. I owe a lot to Bryan Howard, the chief starter on Race Day. He brought me in to the series about 10 years ago, and here we are. I started out with the United States Auto Club and still work with them and fill in with the IZOD IndyCar Series.” (Is it hard not to just sit back and watch?): “It is. Particularly on Race Day, when 33 cars come thundering down on you. It’s just a feeling you can’t explain to someone who has not been up there.”

***

Indianapolis 500 veteran Sarah Fisher retired as a driver last fall to concentrate on ownership of Sarah Fisher Racing. She and her husband, Andy O’Gara, also are starting a family. Their first child is due Sept. 29.

Fisher made nine “500″ starts between 2000-10.

SARAH FISHER: (About her pregnancy): “I’m out of racing shape, that’s for sure. I had to stop working out in October, and they don’t make maternity seat belts. But I’m very happy. It is an exciting time, especially to have Ed Carpenter driving for us because he is the perfect fit. He matches the brand, and no doubt that he has a strong performance record here at Indy. So I’m excited about the Race Day and the 100th Anniversary in general.” (Is hard to be not racing?): “No, it depends on how much fun you’re having and who you have driving for you, and with Ed’s family and his wife, Heather, they have already done a lot of work with us for our Laps for Literacy program, so it has just been really fun. I can’t wait to see how it goes on track, and I’m sure it will be a perfect fit.”

***

Willy T. Ribbs, who became the first African-American starter in the Indianapolis 500 in 1991, is visiting the track this week. Ribbs announced Thursday he has formed a Firestone Indy Lights team to help another African-American driver achieve his dream.

In partnership with Starting Grid, Inc. principal Chris Miles, Ribbs has formed Willy T. Ribbs Racing to campaign 21-year-old Chase Austin in the 2011 Firestone Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Austin will take the wheel of the Willy T. Ribbs Racing/ Starting Grid Inc./Brooks Associates Racing entry in May 27 race, the premier event on the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights schedule. With sponsorship support from American Honda Motor Company, Inc., the car carries No. 75 in homage to Ribbs’ car number when driving for comedian Bill Cosby in 1993 and 1994.

Austin, much like his team owner, is no stranger to setting new benchmarks as he works his way up the racing ladder. Born in Eudora, Kan., he spent his formative years competing in anything from tiny 900-pound midgets to intimidating, 700-horsepower dirt late-models. By age 15, Austin was the youngest driver ever to sign a developmental contract in NASCAR, with the Hendrick Motorsports team. He made history again in 2007 with Rusty Wallace Racing, becoming the first African-American driver to compete in a Nationwide Series oval event; highlighted by a sixth-place finish at Dover International Speedway. Austin has spent the past two seasons competing in the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series.

WILLY T. RIBBS: “It was a great announcement to make because it is great to be back at Indy. The irony — my 20th anniversary of qualifying here and then this being the 100th anniversary for the race –the timing could not have been better.” (On the moment he came down pit lane after qualifying in 1991 and slapping hands): “It was a moment that was totally unplanned. I had no plan to do that, and as I was coming down pit lane I was worried about hitting people who were coming out to greet me with my wheel, so I had to come halfway out to the cockpit so I could reach their hands, and it was just a great moment – totally unplanned.” (About the “500″): “Indianapolis is the biggest race on the planet, and it not only is it a great race it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. There is no race that can come close to it – nothing can even touch it.”

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More than 250 classic cars were on display today at IMS during the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Celebration of Automobiles.

Many of these machines have won awards in Concours d’Elegance competition at such venues as Pebble Beach and Amelia Island.

The cars participating in the Celebration were divided into two divisions, one a general collection and the other presenting for the first time anywhere classic cars produced by the 24 manufacturers that competed in the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 1911.

A team of judges will reveal its choices for the best of show in several categories tonight at the elegant Condon-Skelly Celebration of Automobiles dinner, where several exquisite trophies will be presented to winning car owners. 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones heads the judging panel, with three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford and 1985 “500″ winner Danny Sullivan also serving as judges.

PARNELLI JONES: (On judging the Celebration of Automobiles): “First of all, it’s the 100^th anniversary and to have over 200 cars come to the track to be a part of it is something really nice. You only have one 100^th anniversary, and this event, along with all the race cars on the track, is a great way to start. It was very tough to pick one individual wining car. But between myself, Rutherford and Sullivan, we boiled it down to one top choice. And overall, I think we’re making a great comeback here.” (On the centennial celebration and the Month of May): “I think it’s definitely going to be a pumped-up year. Everybody’s excited about it. I know I am. I’m fortunate enough to be able to drive the 1911 winning Marmon Wasp on Race Day, and I’m very excited for it. I think the guy who wins this race is going to have extra stamp on his back, for sure. It’s going to be great. It can’t be any better.” (On being back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway): “I come back every year. It’s a reunion for me. Once you’re a past winner, I think you feel like you are part of the Speedway. It’s ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ and it has a great history. I get to have the honor of being a part of that.”

Quotes from selected participants:

REED TARWATER (Greenwood, Ind., 1933 MG J2 Roadster): “This is, by far and away, the largest and best auto show I have ever been to, and I have gone to a lot of shows. I’ve been to great shows at Meadowbrook and Hilton Head, but this is the best one I have ever attended. There is a car owner here today that made the trip from London (England) to come to this show. Living here in Indianapolis – it’s ‘the track.’ We’ve been coming here for years, but for other people that have never been here before, it’s a big deal to come and see this. Yesterday, we were able to drive around the track, and it was a great treat for a lot of these people.”

JAN TARWATER (Greenwood, Ind., 1933 MG J2 Roadster): “This is a great event today. We’ve even been to the prestigious Pebble Beach show. It is top-notch, but this show today has the widest range of beautiful, beautiful cars I have ever seen.”

KEN CLARK (Pittsfield, Maine, 1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet): “I just thought it would be a neat thing. I’ve never been to the Indianapolis 500 before, and I just thought it would be a good place to go. So that was the real reason. But with the invitation and then the application and then the acceptance, I thought (the opportunity) was cool. I like race cars, but I’m not a race car fan. I don’t watch them, but I like to promote cars. And what better way to promote cars than at a racetrack?”

JOHN KELSEY (Camdenton, Mo., 1914 Stutz): “The car has returned home where the car was first built (Stutz was built in Indianapolis). I drove it in 1952 here around the Speedway as part of the Studebaker Centennial Celebration Tour. And now we are celebrating another centennial, the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500. I had the privilege of circling the track then and also circled it Friday. My father (Paul Kelsey) bought the car from its previous owners in Iowa in 1951. The car remained in storage from 1917 to 1951, and now it is here at the Speedway.”

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FASTEST TIMES/SPEEDS OF PRACTICE:

* — Rookie

***

INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE QUOTES:

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “Today was short and sweet, as we only turned four laps at speed. Always great to be back at IMS. Team Target prepped the cars to their usual high standard. Early days, but I can’t wait to get back in the car tomorrow.”

TOMAS SCHECKTER (No. 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme – Circle K): “We still have a lot of work to do. It’s going to be a long month. As everybody knows, there’s a lot of competitive people out there. So far just for one run, I think the car’s good. We’ve definitely got a good base to work from.” (On the influence the forecast can have on the team’s plan.): “Actually, we’re on the shorter engine program, so for us it’s not that much of a problem. We’ve got a certain amount of tires that we have to run through. We’re about seven (sets) behind what the full-time guys get. For us, rain is good because it doesn’t allow them to get so much more running in than what I would. And I’ve got a lot of experience around here, so for me it was straight out the pits, and I was flat out. I could get a good feel.” (On his confidence this year with a new team): “The confidence level is always high. For me, it’s high because I love this track. I love this place. I love the Month of May. But certainly we’ve worked a little bit on the setup. But we probably need to take a couple more steps for it to be 100 percent comfortable.”

JAMES JAKES (No. 18 Acorn Starilifts): “It was pretty easy today. It’s my first time at Indy and my first time on an oval. We’re still running a lot of downforce, so we’re driving around and just learning the ropes. We have a lot of testing to do, go through all the stuff with my teammates, and I’m just taking my time. It will be good at the end of the day to look at all the data. It will be a long week. We can do a good job; we just have to be patient. Alex (Lloyd) has been here before, and he’s given me very good advice. Hopefully, we’ll feed off each other.”

MIKE CONWAY (No. 27 Hire Heroes USA/7-Eleven/Dr Pepper): “It felt great. Obviously, it’s been a while since we were here. All the drivers are always excited coming back to Indy. It’s great to get out and turn some fairly quick laps. All in all, it was just a shakedown with the T car today. You know, it’s just good to see all the fans out here today. I’m sure it will get busier and busier as the days go on.” (On his comfort level after being involved in the crash last year): “Yeah, it’s great to be back out and working with the all Andretti guys and seeing what the car feels like around here. The car felt good. We’ve just got to keep chipping away. We’ve got a long week, so no rush.”

BUDDY RICE (No. 44 Panther Racing): “I feel good, and I’m happy to be back. Everything is going pretty well. I’m excited to be back here. I wanted to make sure I’d be in good equipment, and the Panther crew has run really well here recently. It’s a great opportunity for me. I’m excited for the centennial. The centennial only comes around once, and there won’t be anything like this for quite a long time, so I’m glad to be a part of it.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 38 Service Central): “Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing had a great day. We didn’t run very long today, and the laps we did turn were very conservative. The No. 38 Service Central Honda is faster than we anticipated for the first time out at IMS, so we are in great shape. I’m looking forward to getting back out on the track tomorrow.”

PIPPA MANN (No. 36 Conquest Racing): “The goal for today was just to go out and get some solid running in. We got through the Rookie Orientation Program on Thursday, but we didn’t get to do any testing. So today was about picking up where we left off, getting solidly up to speed and starting to work on the car – all of which we did. We’re about halfway up the speed charts at the moment, and there’s plenty more to come. We’ve got loads of aero on the car at the moment; we’re being super-conservative. We’ve got a couple of little handling gremlins going on, but once we fix those and wipe the aero off, I think we’re looking OK. I’m pleased with where we’ve ended up after day one. The weather is going to play a huge part this week, but it always does here in Indianapolis, and it’s the same for everyone. Obviously, it’s not easy when you’re a rookie. One of the difficult things about being a rookie here at IMS is that the track changes all of the time, and it doesn’t always change consistently and go in the same direction. You’re never really quite sure what you’re going to get, and as a rookie, I’m going through all of this for the first time. In terms of driving experience, Sebastian and I are a young team with no veterans to help us out, so losing out on running time will have an impact on us. However, it’s up to us to make sure that it doesn’t have a big impact, and we do the very best we can with what we’ve got.”

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): “It was a perfect day for the Telemundo team. It was trouble-free, and we did exactly what we wanted, and the car felt really good. It’s hard to know where we stand compared to everybody, especially being the first day and everyone is running different downforce levels. We just have to base our judgment on how the car feels, and the car feels good, so we are happy. This place is one that you always have to treat with respect. I had all sorts of nightmares last night because I think I was nervous. But the car felt great from the first lap. It’s a great place to be.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 06 Sprott Newman/Haas Racing): “We really wanted to work on the rain setup today, so it was pretty convenient that the weather cooperated. Just kidding! Today was all about getting up to speed and running with the full field for the first day because, obviously, with Rookie Orientation there are only seven cars on track. We started really conservative because we should have a lot of track time. We started peeling off a little bit of downforce slowly but surely. We orchestrated a little bit of traffic running with Oriol, which was good; it was certainly good practice for me. Everybody is going good so far. The car has been really stable, and we’re feeling really confident. Oriol got a bit more work done this afternoon before the rain started to come, so we’ll look over what he got done. I think we are heading in the right direction, and we’re on a good plan of being cautious over the week but then being there when it counts for qualifying.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3T Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske): “The plan today for the Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra car was to just stay consistent and run through our list of equipment on the T car. We were able to do that today, so we stuck to the plan. Hopefully tomorrow, we’ll get a chance to run in the primary car and continue working our game plan.”

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6T IZOD Team Penske): “It was a great first day in the No. 6T IZOD Team Penske car at the Speedway today. It’s definitely fun to be running at more than 220 mph – it’s been a long time since we’ve felt that exhilaration. It feels really comfortable being back at Indy, and I’m excited to get more laps in this week.”

WILL POWER (No. 12T Verizon Team Penske): “The No. 12T Verizon Team Penske car was good today. We really didn’t run too much by design. Today was more of a shakedown for us, just easing our way into our time here at the Brickyard. It did feel good to get back on track at the Speedway; it’s such an awesome place. Hopefully, we will have the chance to get on track tomorrow and continue working.”

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 34 Conquest Racing): “It wasn’t the way we wanted to start. We expected to run a lot more laps, but in the end this is how racing goes. The guys have put an amazing amount of effort to put the car together and make it as aerodynamic as it can be. So I’m very pleased with how it looks and how it’s going to perform. We had a little inconvenience today that kept us from getting as much track time as we were looking for, but it’s a long week and we are looking forward to making it happen tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. The car feels great. We just need to get some more track time.”

TOWNSEND BELL (No. 99 Herbalife Schmidt Pelfrey Racing): “I’d like to be out there, but we have a few more little things to do. We don’t want to rush it. We want to make sure we have the absolute best piece possible. It’s hard for a driver to sit on a day like today, but we’ll be ready to go tomorrow. It’s really nice to have Gerald (Tyler) around and, and I really like working with Allen McDonald, as well . There’s a comfort level there. Everybody’s itching to start getting to work.”

ALEX LLOYD (No. 19 Boy Scouts of America): “The balance on the car is fantastic; it’s the most well-balanced car that I’ve had in the four years I’ve been doing this. It’s very encouraging straight off the bat. We’re trying to figure out where we’re at speed-wise and downforce-wise. From a balance perspective, we’re very happy with it. It made life a little easier because you’re always a little antsy going into that first run to see what performance level you have. We were a little more aggressive today than we have in past years, and that goes down to my experience. I was flat out within a couple of laps, and before it would take a couple of runs before I could go flat out. When you’re newer, you take a little more time. We’re ready to start getting rid of some of the downforce in the next couple of days.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28T Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): “We were able to get an idea of what the backup car is doing. We just wanted to get the backup car through the paces – two outings, that’s it — roll it back to the garage, get the primary car ready and get on with the objectives of the month. We do this as a precaution. In case we need to go to the backup car later, then we know what we have. While we’re itching to get to work on the primary DHL/Sun Drop car, we have to have the discipline to make this happen. The whole team did it, and everyone seemed to run pretty well.”

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7T Team GoDaddy): “I thought we had a solid run today. The ‘T’ car did great today, so we hope the primary car will run just as well. The Go Daddy team is off to a positive start for May.”

JUSTIN WILSON (No. 22 Z-Line Designs/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing): “Today was all right. We only did one run and it was OK, and the Z-Line Designs car felt OK. It was good to get back out on track and to shake the car out. It would have been nice to really get into it, but we were getting up to speed and we brought the car back to get checked out and to make a couple of changes, and then the weather came in. I’m looking forward to getting back out tomorrow and to get more miles.”

PAUL TRACY (No. 23 WIX Filters/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing): “The first day on track was great. I’m really, really happy with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and with the work that they have done preparing the WIX Filters car for the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. It was just a seamless day today. We went out with a test plan in mind, and we made four individual changes. Every change made the car a little bit better and a little bit better, and we ended up at 222.295. We were 11th quick, and Justin was 10th, so overall I’m pretty happy with where we ended up, and we will keep working tomorrow.”

ANA BEATRIZ (No. 24 Team Ipiranga/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing): “It was good to be back in the car. We did one lap time just to see how the car felt, and we stopped. The speed didn’t show up on my dash, so we tried to work it out for a couple of minutes, and we couldn’t find it. So, we went back out there to really feel the car at a high speed and it felt great, but because we couldn’t see the speeds that I was actually doing and if I was improving and getting better, we decided to pit to fix the problem. We went back to the garage to set the car down. This is the first day and we want to make sure that we can get all of the problems fixed today so that we can start tomorrow strong. It started raining today so unfortunately we were unable to get back out, but we have extra tires for tomorrow, and I hope we will be able to use them all.”

JOHN ANDRETTI (No. 43 Team Window World): “We got a lot more done today than we thought we would with the rain. We went through the changes we wanted to make. I feel pretty good about it. Everybody has learned a lot, and we’ve learned a lot from my teammates. I feel really good about the month and the Window World car. I think we’re already a few steps ahead from where we were last year.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26T Team Venom): “It felt really good to get back in the car here in Indy. We focused today on getting a few laps in the T car, and tomorrow we’ll move to our primary car. Hopefully we won’t need the T car again, but it’s nice to know where it stands, just in case. I think the Venom team has potential to be strong this month. We’ve typically run well here and have come close to winning a couple times. This would be a great year to get the job done.”

DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10T Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “It was a good shakedown of the No. 10t Target car. Both Scott Dixon and I seemed to have good speed right away, but the real work starts on Monday.”

JAY HOWARD (No. 88 Service Central Schmidt-RLL Racing): “The car feels really good. We got to run our refresher laps and got the work done that we needed to get done in that session. The Service Central team has done a great job in getting the cars ready, and I feel that there is a lot of speed left in the car. We will be working very hard over the next week to find that speed and get ourselves strongly into the field.”

BERTRAND BAGUETTE (No. 30 The RACB/Aspria RLL Special): “It was a good first day. I feel comfortable in the car. We didn’t have a tow and still did a pretty decent time, so I feel good. It was important for me today to feel good in the car and with the team since I hadn’t been in a car since October of last year, but I think we did everything we needed to do and can start really working on making the car faster tomorrow.”

ED CARPENTER (No. 67 Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Racing): (On working with Sarah Fisher after coming up through the same paths in racing): “We have a different respect for each other than probably other people around because of the way we got here and what it means to us. It’s just a good group to be around. Sarah and Andy (O’Gara) have done a great job building their team. They do everything they can to get better. The guys work really hard, and today’s a product of that.” (On his good performances in recent years at Indy): “Yeah, this is my eighth go around here. It’s so much fun being in an Indy car at this track. I definitely feel blessed to have the opportunity with Sarah and Dollar General to be here. Today was a fun day, and hopefully we can keep this momentum going this week.”

SARAH FISHER (Owner, Sarah Fisher Racing): (On her confidence with the team this year and Ed Carpenter being so fast so soon): “That wasn’t supposed to happen yet. You’re supposed to slowly build up and do that. You know, I’ve had a lot of questions about whether it was going to be hard watching the 67 car go around without me in it. Honestly, it makes a difference with the individual you have representing you and doing the job for you. Ed’s a perfect fit for us and really showed that today. We’re really proud of the boys and the job they did together.”

JR HILDEBRAND (No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing): “We’re really happy with how the day went. I probably could have pulled off an even better lap there, but for me it’s still a matter of understanding what I’m expecting to happen compared to what is actually going to happen when I’m out there. The National Guard car felt good, and we didn’t have anything out of the ordinary, and we understand it’s going to be a whole different gig when there are a bunch of different cars out there, as that creates a lot more turbulent air. Thankfully, through Rookie Orientation and again today we’ve been able to make positive steps every time by making small steps every time. If we can keep up the pace of what we’re doing, then it should be positive as we continue to move forward.”

VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply Co A.J. Foyt Racing): “I think we are cautiously excited. There’s still a lot to do. We’re still slower than what it will take in qualifying, but the car is good, it’s fast. We did get a draft, but even without the draft, we’re pretty competitive in our times, so we’re excited. It’s the first day, but I think we started the right way and we just have to maintain and improve on what we had today.”

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA (No. 41 A.J. Foyt Racing): “It was very nice to be back at Indianapolis. I love the track. To feel the speed, I always have to get used to it to go 220 mph. I’m very happy to have a chance to race here with A.J. Foyt. It’s a great team, and A.J. is a great team owner. I’m learning a lot from him. Let’s hope we can have a good week. It rained a little bit, but we were able to do some good laps. We found a good direction to go, so that was very good for the first day.”

ALEX TAGLIANI (No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): “It was part of our plan actually not to practice. Last year we didn’t practice here, and it kind of turned out to be a good thing. I was sick I was in the hospital with really bad bronchitis so I missed the first day. To run on a very consistent basis, sometimes it’s better to wait for a little bit of rubber not because it’s quicker but because the track is not going to burn tires so quickly. The plan is to get out tomorrow, but the only thing that is going to dictate whether we go out is the temperature. If it’s the way it was today and if it’s green, we’re going to go (out).”

***

1985 Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan was at the track today, serving as a judge in the Celebration of Automobiles with fellow “500″ winners Parnelli Jones and Johnny Rutherford.

DANNY SULLIVAN: (On how the excitement of this year): “It’s always good to be back here. I don’t get back often enough. I was surprised how many drivers are still around. It’s pretty staggering how many guys have competed in the Indy 500 and how many champions are here, as well. I was riding around with Johnny Rutherford this morning, an old teammate and always great fun to be with. And Parnelli’s out here, Al (Unser) Jr., Rick (Mears); I saw Arie (Luyendyk). It’s a great group of people.”

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SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times local):

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The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season continues with the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 on May 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at Noon (ET) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM channel 94 and www.indycar.com. The 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season continues with the Firestone Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27. The race will be televised live by VERSUS.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Race:

Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Location: Speedway, Indiana

NOTES/NEWS

Managing Director Mike Hull on Indianapolis: “If I could describe the Indianapolis 500 in one word it would be ‘significant’. For our Target group, the intensity of what we do multiplies from the first moment of practice until the final lap of the race. There isn’t a sporting event anywhere in the world that compares to the electricity of 300,000 plus spectators who are engaged from the moment that they arrive until well after the race. Giving Scott and Dario the opportunity to win is the focus of every team member, and has been so, since Dario’s winning performance last year. It’s a big race to win, and would be special to be first when it counts the most.”

One of Two: Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske are the only two owners to say that they have won both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. Ganassi, however, is the only owner to have won the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 in the same season with drivers Jamie McMurray and Dario Franchitti in 2010.

TCGR History: This year’s 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 marks TCGR’s 18th start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the team has taken home three wins. TCGR has had a total of 20 different drivers participate in this famous event. Former Target Indy car driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, was the first TCGR driver to win the Indianapolis 500. It was Montoya’s first trip to IMS, winning after starting second on the grid.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

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

All-Time Win List: If Franchitti wins his third Indianapolis 500, he would not only move ahead of Johnny Rutherford on the all-time Indy car wins list with 27, but also tie Rutherford on the all-time Indianapolis 500 wins list with three victories apiece.

Leading the Pack: 2010 not only marked Franchitti’s second Indianapolis 500 win, but also the most laps led in a single race in his Indy car career, leading 155 of the 200 laps.

Among the Greats: Currently Franchitti is tied with Al Unser, Jr., Tommy Milton, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, Roger Ward, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Arie Luyendyk with two victories in the “world’s most famous race.” If Franchitti wins, he will tie Helio Castroneves, Louis Meyer, Rutherford, Wilbur Show, and Bobby Unser with three wins in the Indianapolis 500.

Back-to-Back: Winning this year’s Indianapolis 500 would give Franchitti consecutive wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He would tie Wilbur Shaw (1939-40), Mauri Rose (1947-48), Bill Vukovich (1953-54), Al Unser (1970-71), and Helio Castroneves (2001-02) for the most consecutive wins at this track.

The Scotsman: There are only two drivers from Scotland that have ever won the Indianapolis 500: Jimmy Clark, from Kilmany, won the Indianapolis 500 in 1965 and Franchitti, from Edinburgh, won in 2007 and 2010.

A Look Back on 2011: Franchitti has had four starts, one win, three podium finishes, four top-fives, and four top-10s. His win this season came at the season opener at St. Petersburg.

Indianapolis 500 Review: Franchitti will be making his eighth appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In seven previous starts, Franchitti has started on the front row four times (2004, 2007, 2009, and 2010), has two top-fives, five top-10s, and has led 255 laps. He won the event in 2007 and in 2010. Franchitti has also led in five of his seven starts at the Brickyard.

On the Verge of History: If Franchitti leads one more lap, he will move into a tie for 20th on the all-time Indianapolis 500 lap leader list, tying Mauri Rose with 256 laps led. Franchitti can also potentially move into the top-10 in all-time Indianapolis 500 lap leaders if he leads 176 laps or more.

Baby Borg: Franchitti picked up his second “Baby Borg” trophy in January after winning the 2010 Indianapolis 500. A replica of the BorgWarner Trophy, which recognizes every Indianapolis 500 winner and is on permanent display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, the Baby Borg is 14 inches tall that rests on a beveled black marble base that includes a hand-crafted three-dimensional sterling silver image of the winning driver’s face. Rick Mears, winner of the 1988 Indianapolis 500, was the first recipient of the driver’s trophy.

Franchitti on the Baby Borg: “It’s great to get another one. I’d like to have a whole collection. For me last year, earning another win or trophy or championship was something that took awhile to sink it. Once the 2010 season was over, I was able to step out of the whirlwind of activity and reflect on the year. I would love to relive it all over again. Hopefully we can come away with our third Indianapolis 500 win this month.”

Brazil Recap: Franchitti maintained his sixth-place starting position in the beginning laps until the No. 10 Target made contact with the tire barriers which caused him to make a pit stop for a new wing and fuel, dropping him to 15th. Franchitti was able to fight back and cross the finish line in fourth position.

It’s a New Car!: Franchitti presented the keys to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS Pace Car to Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Sweepstakes winner Bruce Barhydt from Apex, NC in September. Barhydt was selected as the winner in a random drawing of fans who re-ordered or applied for tickets to the 2011 Indianapolis 500.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

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

Consistent Laps: Dixon holds the all-time record for having the four most consistent qualifying laps in a single qualifying run at Indianapolis. In 2008, Dixon’s four laps were separated by .0049 of a second.

Start One, End One: In 2008, Dixon started the Indianapolis 500 on pole and won the race. In addition to his win and pole, Dixon has eight starts, three top-fives, and six top-10s.

Season Rewind: Within four starts to date in 2011, Dixon has one top-five and one top-10 with a best finish of second at Barber Motorsports Park, the second race of the season.

The One and Only: Dixon is the only driver from New Zealand to ever have won the Indianapolis 500.

Engine, Engine, Number Nine: If Dixon wins the Indianapolis 500, the No. 9 car will have won for the fifth time. Sam Hanks (1957), Rick Mears (1979), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000) have all won in the No. 9 car in addition to Dixon in 2008.

Brazil Recap: Dixon started third but spun out on a lap 7 restart which pushed him back to 17th. Dixon stopped for fuel-only on lap 36, putting him in 11th on lap 37. After a lap 38 restart, he spun in the turn one run-off, pushing him back to 15th. When the checkered flag flew on the timed, two-hour event (55 laps), Dixon crossed 12th.

Chasing History: If Dixon leads 36 more laps he will move into a tie for 20th place on the Indianapolis 500 all-time lap leader list tying, Mauri Rose with 256 laps led.

Twice Would be Nice: With a win, Dixon would tie Al Unser, Jr., Tommy Milton, Dario Franchitti, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, Roger Ward, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Arie Luyendyk with two victories in the “world’s most famous race.”

2011 STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Pts. Pos./(Prev)
Scott Dixon 4 0 0 1 1 8/7
Dario Franchitti 4 1 0 4 4 2/1

CAREER STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s
Scott Dixon 173 25 17 79 120
Dario Franchitti 219 27 25 98 138

TEAM ROSTERS

Mike Hull – Managing Director

Scott Harner – Team Manager (Administrative Operations)

Barry Wanser – Team Manager (Racing Operations)

No. 9 (IndyCar)

Crew Chief/Stop Sign/Wheelgun Hose: Ricky Davis
Shocks/Firebottle: Chris Clark
Engineer: Eric Bretzman
Engines/Radio: Troy Scheller
Assistant Engineer: Brian Welling
Fueler: Todd DeNeve
Front End/(R/R): Tyler Rees
Gear Box/Air Jack: Andy Schneider
Front End/ Front Tire: Gilbert Swafford
Tires/Transport Driver: Travis Abel
Rear End (L/R): Adam Rovazzini
Floater(L/F): Wayne Westplate
Rear End/(R/F): Blair Julian Spotter: Robbie Fast

No. 10 (IndyCar)

Crew Chief/(R/F): Kevin O’Donnell
Shocks/Firebottle: Kevin Edgely
Engineer: Chris Simmons
Engines/Radio/(R/R): Troy Scheller
Assistant Engineer: Travis Jacobson
Gear Box/Fueler: Robby Page
Front End/(L/R helper): Nick Ford
Stop Sign/Front Wheelhose Gun: Chris Sutton
Front End/(L/F): Steve Namisnak
Transport Driver: Jimmy Wirey
Rear End/(L/R): Jaime Coates
Floater/Front End: Wayne Westplate
Rear End/Air Jack: Dave Pena
Spotter: Scott Harner

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 12 championships and 138 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

INDYCAR LOGO

SAO PAULO (Monday, May 02, 2011)

Power, the pole sitter and re-start leader of the rain-postponed Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle, came into the pits for a splash of fuel on Lap 36. Sato, who overtook Power on a Lap 25 restart, gambled on stretching the 22 gallons of 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol. But the yellow flag sought didn’t materialize and the No. 5 KV Racing Technology-Lotus car had to pit on Lap 48 of 55 in the timed race.

Power inherited the point and went on to his second victory of the season and the championship points lead.

“Being on pole four times and had two wins is a great start,” said Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car. “It was a matter of keeping calm, getting past people without making any mistakes and then creating a gap to be safe.”

Graham Rahal, who spun on the slippery rain-soaked course on Lap 26 while running sixth, finished second (his best since placing third at Twin Ring Motegi in 2009) in the No. 38 Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing car. Ryan Briscoe recorded his second consecutive top five (third) in the No. 6 Penske Logistics car.

Dario Franchitti also recovered from a slide in Turn 1 on Lap 33 to finish fourth. Oriol Servia was fifth, Mike Conway made up a lap to finish sixth and Justin Wilson was seventh. Sato wound up eighth.

Poor visibility on the 2.536-mile, 11-turn street course caused by persistent rain and approaching dusk forced postponement of the race until 8:05 a.m. (ET). The scheduled 75-lap race resumed on Lap 15. There was 1 hour, 19 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the two-hour race window. The previous IZOD IndyCar Series race postponed because of weather was in March 2010 at St. Petersburg, Fla. — won by Power.

ITAIPAVA SAO PAULO INDY 300 PRESENTED BY NESTLE POST-RACE NOTES:

• This is Will Power’s second win of 2011 and the 11^th win of his Indy car career. He also won at Barber Motorsports Park earlier this year.
• Will Power won in Sao Paulo for the second consecutive season.
• Graham Rahal finished second, his best finish of 2011 and his best finish since finishing third at Twin Ring Motegi in 2009.
• Ryan Briscoe finished third, his second consecutive podium finish. He finished second at Long Beach on April 17.
• Dario Franchitti finished fourth. He is the only driver to finish in the top-five in every race in 2011.
• Oriol Servia finished fifth, his second top-five of the season.
• Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates James Hinchcliffe (9^th) and JR Hildebrand (10^th) finished in the top 10. It is Hinchcliffe’s second-straight top 10 and Hildebrand’s career-best finish.

ITAIPAVA SAO PAULO INDY 300 PRESENTED BY NESTLE POST-RACE QUOTES:

WILL POWER, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske (Winner, Sao Paulo Indy 300): “Being on pole four times and had two wins is a great start. It was a matter of keeping calm, getting past people without making any mistakes and then creating a gap to be safe.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No . 38 Service Central, finished second): “It was kind of the same thing as St. Pete when I won in ’08. That year, Will hit me and I spun, and because of that we got off sequence. Today, we were lucky that we were quick enough at the end and we were able to keep up with Will but not let Ryan close in. We had to save a lot of fuel. I’m really proud of the Service Central guys.”

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 Penske Logistics, finished third): “It was good strategy. We kept our nose clean. There was certainly a lot of havoc going on around me during a lot of the race. At the end, I got passed Dario (Franchitti) going into the hairpin. I was trying to catch (Graham) Rahal, but we were doing about the same lap time. We didn’t change wets on the last stop but we had slightly fresher tires. I was sort of hanging on a bit. It’s a great day for Team Penske.

DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10 Kellogg’s, finished fourth): “After me making a mistake on the restart, I’m very proud of my Target guys for the front wing change and getting us back out there. We came out of this with a fourth-place result so I’ll take it.”

VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Racing): “It wasn’t the weekend we expected. After we crashed, it became an exercise in patience. It was hard with cars all around you because it is so instinctive to race. You have to swallow your pride, brake early and let people by. It was a Buddhist exercise. I finished 17^th, and I’m the top-finishing Brazilian? Not a good day for the Brazilians.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26 Team Venom Energy): “We were hoping for another yellow flag today. We figured in the rain it’s so easy to make a mistake. But the quality of drivers now is awesome, no mistakes were made and we went green the last bit. I guess at the time the strategy made sense. After a bit of a rollercoaster of a weekend – my teammates kicked my butt in qualifying, we were able to pass some cars yesterday in the rain – it would have been nice to capitalize but for right now I think myself and the Venom team are coming ready for Indy.”

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Team GoDaddy): “It was a really long day today for the GoDaddy car. We started today so far back and so many laps down and we knew we weren’t in contention. So our only job today was to kind of run our own race; get laps in, don’t crash, don’t spin. We did what we could and just tried to gain all the spots we could for points.”

MIKE CONWAY (No 27 Window World Cares finished 6^th): “It was a good result overall for the Window World Cares car. We ended up in sixth place and got a few points. It was difficult though; we had to try and stay out of trouble, there was so much going on in every corner and it was so slippery out there. But good job to the team and some good calls were made. We managed to make our way up to sixth – we started 20^th so I’m pretty happy with that.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): “We basically just held position today; we needed a lot of attrition and we didn’t get it. It’s a shame because we had a great weekend coming into this race. The DHL/Sun Drop car was strong and it didn’t pan out for us. Now we’ll look ahead to Indy and hopefully a big breakthrough.”

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “It was just mayhem out there. I’m not sure if I got touched or just hit the curb when I spun near the end of the race. Not the result we wanted for the Target car today.”

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): “It was impossible to race yesterday so it was the only decision they could make. Although we all thought there would be too much rain to race today too, the organizers were right to push it because we were able to race and put a show on for the fans. I think it was a good show; it was difficult like every rain race. There were a couple of times when the visibility was really bad. When we started luckily there was the first yellow because it came out when we were on the back straight and that was where the visibility was the worst. Luckily it got better after that. We decided to go with the least amount of downforce we had the whole weekend on the Telemundo car because we were hoping the race was going to be dry. We were wrong there but the car was good enough that we were able to stay out of trouble, get by a couple of cars, never get passed, move forward with no mistakes, had good pits stops and finish fifth. We were third on our strategy without the guys that made mistakes and pitted earlier than the rest getting a break with a yellow and finishing ahead of us. That’s the way it goes though and we’re going to be the one who gets the lucky yellow some time. I’m very pleased with the outcome of the weekend, especially with the way it started. I’m very happy to be third in the points and to continue gaining momentum going into Indy – the most important race of the year. The Telemundo team has high hopes.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, No. 06 Sprott Newman Haas Racing): “Yesterday’s decision was the only decision they could make. The conditions were treacherous. Someone was going to get hurt and a lot of equipment was going to get crashed. It was a tough call and I feel bad for all the fans that came out and all the fans watching on TV that hung around during the delay and ultimately didn’t get to see the race. Then it started raining on the pace lap today so that made it an interesting first few corners before everyone dove into the pits for tires. The first stint we really struggled with rear grip for some reason and fell back a couple of places and really didn’t know what we were going to do. We came in for the pit stop and we opted for tires and some guys didn’t and we made the right call. We were a lot more competitive in the second half. It was really about keeping up and even trying to get around Justin there at the end. We got another top-ten and were the top rookie so we are relatively pleased. It was an easy day to make mistakes and a lot of guys did and we came out without any. We would have like to have been higher but at the end of the day we came away with four wheels on the car and a top-ten finish so we can’t be too upset. We have had two good finishes in a row now and the confidence is high for the Sprott team. It’s going to be my first oval in an Indy car and it’s going to be the biggest race of the year so it’s a lot to take in but we are heading there with good momentum. Newman/Haas Racing always has good cars at the Speedway and we have a big Sprott contingent coming down so we’re really excited to host them for a race and hope to give them a great result.”

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series event is the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500-Mile Race on May 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be televised live at noon (ET) by ABC and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is Firestone Freedom 100 on May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be televised live by VERSUS.

- INDYCAR, Press Release

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Race: Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle Sunday, May 1^st (12:00 PM ET, VERSUS)

Track: Streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil (2.536-mile street circuit)
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil

NOTES/NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR and GRAND-AM teams.

Managing Director Mike Hull on Brazil: “Brazil is hands-down one of the best street circuits we’ve ever raced. Instead of hairpins, it has medium speed corners that lead onto long straights. What that does is allows for a double pass – one-half way down the straight with another at the end of the long straights. Street circuits as well as natural terrain road tracks should pay attention to this configuration for the passing opportunity that it provides for cars that are so equally matched. Dario and Scott have had fast Target cars at St. Pete, Barber, and Long Beach, so our plan is to use that momentum to be at the front on Sunday in Brazil. It’s 11 hours by air from Indianapolis for our team and freight, and one hour east of Eastern Daylight Time, so watch us on VERSUS at 12:00 PM EDT Sunday May 1.”

Best of Brazil: Rio hosted five CART races on a 1.864-mile oval in Rio de Janeiro from 1996-2000. In those five visits to Rio, Team Target earned one win (Montoya, ’99), one pole (Zanardi, ’96), five top-fives, seven top-10s and led 275 laps – more than all other current INDYCAR teams. In 2010, the IZOD IndyCar Series made their first appearance on the streets of Sao Paulo which resulted in a double top-10 finish for Team Target.

Starting Strong: With their win at St. Petersburg in Round 1 with Dario Franchitti, Team Target has won seven of the last 14 IZOD IndyCar Series races and has had at least one car in the top-three in the first three races of the season. The TCGR lineup remained the same in 2011 with Franchitti and Scott Dixon, the drivers who have won the last four championships.

Walk of Fame: Target Chip Ganassi Racing and former driver Jimmy Vasser were inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on April 14 in Long Beach. Past recipients of the honor include Michael Andretti (who won his first and last Indy car race at Long Beach), Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, six-time Long Beach winner Al Unser Jr., Gary Gabelich, Parnelli Jones, Chris Pook, Newman/Haas Racing, Brian Redman (first Long Beach winner), Dan Gurney and Phil Hill.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Kellogg’s Team

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

New Colors: The No. 10 car will sport the red, blue, and yellow Kellogg’s colors this weekend at the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle. The Kellogg Company has been a leading producer of convenience foods for over 100 years. Today the company manufactures in 18 countries and sells their products in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, log on to www.KelloggsRacing.com.

Franchitti Factor: The Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 is the fourth street/road event of the IZOD IndyCar Series’ first quarter. With a win at St. Petersburg and consecutive third-place finishes at Barber and Long Beach, Franchitti is in a familiar spot atop the points.

Climbing the Ranks: Franchitti currently sits ninth on the All-Time Career Poles list tying Paul Tracy with 25 poles. He earned his first pole in 1997 in Toronto where he finished 26^th. Franchitti scored his last pole at the 2010 Cafes do Brasil Indy 300 at the season finale in Homestead, finishing eighth.

Starting Out Front: Franchitti started on pole in the 2010 Sao Paulo Indy 300 in the Streets of Sao Paulo and finished the race in seventh. Last year was the first IndyCar race held in the Streets of Sao Paulo.

Milestone Weekend: Franchitti will be making his 100^th road/street course start this weekend in Sao Paulo. He made his first road/street course start in the 1997 Sunbelt Indy Carnival Australia at Surfers Paradise in Queensland, Australia where he started 12^th and finished ninth.

Boston.com Blog: Stay up-to-date with Franchitti by following his blog on Boston.com. He gives fans a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of the reigning series champion. The blog runs each Monday following an IZOD IndyCar Series event.

Long Beach Recap: Franchitti started the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in seventh. He steadily worked his way forward throughout the course of the 85-lap event and moved into the top-three on a lap 66, turn one restart that shuffled up the running order. After avoiding contact on the restart, Franchitti drove on to his third podium in as many races this season, regaining the points lead in the process.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

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

Seeking Victory: With a victory in 2011, Dixon will extend his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to seven. Dixon currently has 26 wins across 14 different tracks.

Starting Young: Dixon is the fifth youngest driver to ever win an Indy car race. He was 20 years old when he won at Nazareth Speedway on May 6^th, 2001. Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Graham Rahal, is the youngest driver to ever win an Indy car race. He won at St. Petersburg in 2008 at the age of 19.

Series Regular: Jimmy Vasser holds the all-time record of 211 consecutive starts. Dixon with 108 (trailing Tony Kanaan who will have 135 in Brazil) is the only other active driver with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts. His streak began in 2004 at Michigan International Speedway and has continued in to the 2011 season.

Long Beach Recap: Dixon started eighth in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He ran as high as sixth, but the lap 66 restart was not kind to the No. 9 Target Team as contact sent them into the pits to repair suspension damage. Dixon returned to the race in 19^th and picked up one spot to finish 18^th.

2011 STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Pts. Pos./(Prev)
Scott Dixon 3 0 0 1 1 7/4
Dario Franchitti 3 1 0 3 3 1/2

CAREER STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s
Scott Dixon 172 25 17 79 120
Dario Franchitti 218 27 25 97 137

TEAM ROSTERS

Mike Hull – Managing Director

Scott Harner – Team Manager (Administrative Operations)

Barry Wanser – Team Manager (Racing Operations)

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

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

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 12 championships and 138 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda

Hildebrand was in 19th position when on Lap 67 contact between Takuma Sato, Sebastian Saavedra, Graham Rahal and Charlie Kimball in Turn Eight covered the track with carbon debris. Hildebrand made contact with some of the debris, which caused a puncture to his right front tire, forcing the team to enter a closed pit to change the tire. By rule, the team was then forced to make a full stop when the pits were opened, which sent Hildebrand to the end of the line.

After the field restarted on Lap 70, Hildebrand was running 16th and felt he had an issue with his rear tires and the team elected to pit him under green to ensure there were no serious problems. He returned to the field in 17th position but was too far after the stop to advance his position any further. Andretti Autosport driver Mike Conway, who tested for Panther in 2008, won his first career IZOD IndyCar Series race and was joined on the podium by Team Penske driver Ryan Briscoe and Ganassi Racing driver Dario Franchitti.

The IZOD IndyCar Series will take a week off before traveling to Sao Paulo, Brazil for the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle. The race will be broadcast live on VERSUS on Sunday, May 1st at 12:00 pm (EST) with additional coverage provided by the IMS Radio Network, XM Channel 145 and Sirius Channel 121.

JR Hildebrand, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda:

“I was really happy for the National Guard guys that we were able to hang in there and push to the end and I was able to rip off some of my fastest laps right there at the end of the race, and I felt like that was a good way to end it. (On hitting the debris on Lap 67) The coast was pretty much clear by the time I got down there and I just ended up running over a piece of debris and it just instantly destroyed the right-front tire.

I got lucky because there were other guys having similar problems and it was if suddenly there was oil slick on the track because guys were going off right and left as they ran over stuff, which forced me to drive a little bit slower until I realized I had a serious issue. Then we had to pit again because we entered a closed pit and ended up at the end of the line, and following that I took back off and thought I had an issue with one of the rear tires and then pitted again under green. For me personally and for us as a group we just need to take what we can from this weekend and learn as much as we can going to Brazil, because that’s not going to be too much different.”-

- Panther Racing Press Release

Vasser Inducted into Long Beach Motorsports Hall of Fame

LONG BEACH, CA – APRIL 14, 2011 —

Vasser, along with Target Chip Ganassi Racing which was also honored today, join an illustrious list of drivers and teams which include: Mario and Michael Andretti, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Newman Haas Racing, Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman and Al Unser Jr.

“This is fantastic…a great honor…a great surprise…I am humbled,” said Vasser. “I want to thank the City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach for this honor. To be inducted with all of these great names in motorsports is tremendous and my first reaction was that I was not worthy. I think it was my last win here, in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race last year that pushed me over the top and got me inducted.

“I looked out from the podium today and I think it is a little serendipitous. The guy who gave me my first ride at age six, my dad (Jim Vasser Sr.) is here. The guy who ran my first IndyCar team, Mike Hull is here. The guy who’s team I had most of my success with, Chip Ganassi is here. And, the guy who gave me my last IndyCar ride and got me started in my new career as a team owner, Kevin Kalkhoven is here. I think that is very special.”

Vasser, who won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in 1996 en route to the CART PPG IndyCar World Series Championship, began attending the event in 1983 as a spectator and has not missed a race in Long Beach since. His last open-wheel start came at Long Beach on April 20, 2008 with KV Racing Technology and last year he won the Pro category of the 2010 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

As a team owner he won the TGPLB in 2008 with Will Power driving.

About Jimmy Vasser:

Vasser is one of the most recognized names in all of open wheel racing. The 1996 CART Indy Car World Series Champion joined KV Racing Technology – Lotus in the dual roles of owner and driver in 2004.

Vasser, who drove IndyCars and Champ Cars for 14 seasons plus one race in 2006 and 2008 (both at Long Beach) owns some of the finest credentials in U.S. open-wheel racing history. He began his racing career in quarter midgets and was the 1986 SCCA National Formula Ford champion. Vasser started his Indy car career in 1992 with Jim Hayhoe Racing and was the fastest Indy 500 rookie qualifier. He scored his first podium finish in 1993 with a third at Phoenix.

Vasser’s prime years were spent away from the Indy 500 due to the CART-IRL split but he did win three 500-mile races in his career including the inaugural U.S. 500 at Michigan in 1996. Driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Vasser scored the team’s first CART series championship in 1996 with four victories including a popular win at Long Beach. His title also was the first for Honda in Indy car competition.

In addition to his championship in 1996, the native of California was runner-up in 1998 and placed third in the standings in 1997. Vasser, who made his last start in the Champ Car World Series’ final event at Long Beach on April 20, 2008 (finishing 10th), stands among the leaders in most of the career statistical records including wins, 10, podium finishes, 33, poles, nine, laps led, 988, and earnings $12,093,244. He started 238 races (233 CART/Champ Car and five IndyCar – 11th on the all-time) and holds the record for consecutive starts with 211. A determined and consistent competitor, Vasser was running at the end of 149 of his last 194 starts (dating to Milwaukee in 1995) and finished in the top-10 in 136 of his 238 starts. He was a perennial championship contender having placed in the top-10 in the championship standings in nine of his last 11 full seasons (concluding with the 2005 season).

Driving for such legendary owners as Chip Ganassi, Pat Patrick and Bobby Rahal, Vasser’s victories were scored on some of the most famous tracks, Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Michigan and California. In addition, Vasser won, with a dramatic last-lap pass of Michael Andretti, and still holds the fastest 500-mile race in U.S. history with an average speed of 197.995 miles per hour at California Speedway in 2002.

Vasser, who continues to drive competitively in sports cars, is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of the team. He is also a valuable asset in IZOD IndyCar Series team owners meetings providing his insight from both a driver and owner perspective. Off the track, he is the owner of three auto dealerships and a vineyard in Napa, California and various real estate properties in North America.

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

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Target Chip Ganassi Racing Long Beach Advance Notes

Race: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday, April 17 (3:30 PM ET, VERSUS)

Track: Streets of Long Beach (1.968-mile street circuit)
Location: Long Beach, Calif.

NOTES/NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR and GRAND-AM teams.

Managing Director Mike Hull on Long Beach: “The Long Beach Grand Prix has enormous Open Wheel equity – the winners of this race in F1, CART, and IndyCar represent the very best.  The locals refer to it as the “race.”  For us, it’s a Big Race to Win.  All of our people are very energized to be recognized in Long Beach.  Over the years, the race track configuration has been changed to match the downtown planners aggressive growth, but the common denominator continues to be curbs, concrete, and uneven surface.  It truly represents a technical driver who finds the quickest route.  Watch closely, as it isn’t always conventional.  Our Target team winners include:  Vasser, Zanardi, Montoya, and Franchitti for five wins.  What can you say, except, they have represented our Target Team, and Open Wheel Racing as Major Champions.  It would be special to be first on Sunday with either Scott or Dario.”

Walk of Fame: The City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach will honor racing legend Jimmy Vasser as well as the legendary race team of Target Chip Ganassi Racing at the sixth annual Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame induction ceremony.  Both honorees have won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach during their careers.  The induction ceremony will take place Thursday, April 14^th at 11:00 a.m. on Pine Avenue just south of Ocean Boulevard, along the course in front of the Convention Center.

TCGR Knows How to Win: Formed in 1990, TCGR has five wins at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009) and a total of 81 Indy car victories, including three Indianapolis 500 wins (2000, 2008, 2010). TCGR’s most recent win was on Sunday, March 27, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

CGR Wins: Chip Ganassi Racing’s Indianapolis-based operations have won four out of the five races they’ve entered so far in 2011 (Rolex 24 At Daytona-GRAND-AM, Grand Prix of Miami-GRAND-AM, Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg-INDYCAR and the Porsche 250-GRAND-AM).  The TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team win at Barber Motorsports Park gave CGR its 138^th victory.

Team History: TCGR has a long history of success at Long Beach, winning the race five times (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009). Jimmy Vasser won in 1996 and Alex Zanardi won back-to-back races in 1997 & 1998. Current Target NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Juan Pablo Montoya won in 1999 and reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti won in 2009. Coincidentally, every TCGR driver that has won the GPLB has gone on to win the championship.

Podium Finish: Target Chip Ganassi Racing drivers earned a double-podium finish at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama last Sunday with Scott Dixon second and Dario Franchitti third.  The result marked TCGR’s 26^th double-podium and the 10^th since the duo became teammates in 2009.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

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

Comfort Zone: With a total of eight starts at Long Beach, Franchitti has three top-fives and five top-10s, including two back-to-back podium finishes in 1998 and 1999.  Franchitti’s win at this track was in 2009 where he started on pole.

Winning on Multiple Tracks: Franchitti’s most recent (27^th) win at St. Petersburg marked the 22^nd different track on which he’s scored a victory in an Indy car.  He only trails Mario Andretti (52 open wheel wins) by four tracks, followed by Al Unser (20), Michael Andretti (19), Sebastien Bourdais (18), with A.J. Foyt, Helio Castroneves and Paul Tracy tied at 17.  Although Foyt has 67 wins, many came at tracks like Phoenix (five), Trenton (12), Langhorne (four), the Indy Mile (five), Ontario (five), or Milwaukee (four).

One of Dario’s Favorites: “The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is a big one for me because it’s one of the places I went when I came to the U.S. for the first time.  Whether or not you’re a fan of Indy cars, if you come to Long Beach you’re not just standing there watching the race, it’s about coming to be entertained for the weekend.”

Barber Recap: Franchitti started the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama in seventh and worked his way up into the top-five by lap 10.  After a caution on lap 36, Franchitti made a pass on the No. 6 car for third position.  He kept a spot in the top-three for the remainder of the race and went on to finish third.

Catching Up with Johnny Rutherford: Franchitti spent time with legend, Johnny Rutherford, at Barber Motorsports Park during the race weekend.  Rutherford drove the pace car for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.  Franchitti is currently 10^th on the all-time Indy car win list, tying Johnny Rutherford with 27 wins.

Franchitti on Johnny Rutherford: “It was a terrific honor to spend time with Johnny Rutherford; we’re blessed to have so many stars from the past with us every weekend.  Johnny Rutherford is a legend and friend of mine.”

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

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

Collecting Finishes: Dixon’s fourth-place finish in the 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is his best IZOD IndyCar Series finish at Long Beach after starting eighth. He won the Firestone Indy Lights race at the track in 2000 and finished 15^th when the IZOD IndyCar Series visited Long Beach for the first time in 2009.

Barber Recap: Dixon started the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama in third position and ran as high as second over the 90-lap race.  He recorded the fastest lap of the event on lap 73 with a time of 73.866 seconds en route to a second-place finish behind race winner Will Power.

Start One, End One: Out of his 57 career podium finishes, 17 poles and 25 wins, Dixon has won from the pole seven times (2003, 2007, four times in 2008, and 2009).

Points Jump: Dixon jumped from 16^th to fourth in the standings with his runner-up finish at Barber Motorsports Park. In 2009, Dixon jumped from 17^th to fourth after Long Beach leading into Kansas, which is the largest points jump in Dixon’s career.

2011 STATS

Starts  Wins    Poles   Top 5s  Top 10s Pts. Pos./(Prev)
Scott Dixon 2       0       0       1       1       4/16
Dario Franchitti 2       1       0       2       2       2/1

CAREER STATS

Starts  Wins    Poles   Top 5s  Top 10s
Scott Dixon 171     25      17      79      120
Dario Franchitti 217     27      25      96      136

TEAM ROSTERS

Mike Hull – Managing Director

Scott Harner – Team Manager (Administrative Operations)

Barry Wanser – Team Manager (Racing Operations)

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

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

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 12 championships and 138 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Target Chip Ganassi Racing Barber Motorsports Park Advance Notes

Race: Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Sunday, April 10 (3:00 PM ET, VERSUS)

Track: Barber Motorsports Park (2.38-mile road course)

Location: Birmingham, Ala.

NOTES / NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR and GRAND-AM teams.

Managing Director Mike Hull on Barber: “What a great start to the season in St. Petersburg with Dario’s Target group! Our aim each week is to have both Scott and Dario at the front with an equal opportunity; however, at St. Petersburg, Dixon seemed in control of everything except objects that fell from the sky. Now onto Barber – it’s a classic natural terrain road track where the driver initiates the rhythm necessary for a quick lap. The Target Team has two of the best, so it’s fun to turn left and right in the Deep South, as it represents Indy car racing with tremendous spectator acceptance.”

Third car for Ganassi at Barber: TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and the No. 01 Dinan-Prepared BMW Riley return to Barber Motorsports Park for the Porsche 250 as the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series shares the track with the IZOD IndyCar Series this weekend. Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas sit at the top of the GRAND-AM Rolex Series championship standings after five consecutive wins. They have started the 2011 season strong by winning the Grand Prix of Miami and the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In seven visits to Barber Motorsports Park, CGRFS has never finished outside the top-10 with six top-fives and four podiums. Pruett and Rojas both won the event in 2008 and 2010 and claimed a runner-up position in 2009. The race will begin on Saturday April 9th at 4:00 PM (EST) and will air on SPEED Channel on April 10th at 2:00 PM (EST).

Back-to-Back: The CGR organization has reached a total of 137 wins after their victory at St. Petersburg. TCGR has back-to-back wins, dating back to the end of the 2010 season where Dixon won the season finale at Homestead.

On the Podium: At the 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Dixon finished second and Franchitti finished third, giving TCGR their 25th double podium and ninth in the Dixon / Franchitti era alone.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Clorox Team

There will be a photo opp Friday, April 8th at 11:45 a.m. (CT) at the Pit Out corner with Franchitti and Indy car legend, Johnny Rutherford to commemorate their tie for 10th on the all-time Indy car wins list with 27.

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

New Colors: The No. 10 car will sport the red, white and blue colors of Clorox this weekend for the Honda Indy Grand Prix. Clorox® is a leading manufacturer and marketer of some of consumers’ most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and other cleaning products. The Clorox Company is committed to helping families live easier, healthier and better lives. For more information, visit http://www.clorox.com/.

Boston.com Blog: Stay up-to-date with Franchitti by following his blog on Boston.com. He gives fans a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of the reigning series champion. The blog runs each Monday following an IZOD IndyCar Series event.

All-Time Win List: Since joining TCGR in 2009, Franchitti has claimed nine INDYCAR victories (2009: five, 2010: three, 2011: one), continuing his climb toward the top of the all-time open wheel win list. After claiming his most recent victory at St. Petersburg, he sits in a tie with Johnny Rutherford for 10th.

Starting Strong: Franchitti started his 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season off by winning the series opener at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, giving TCGR their first win at the track. Franchitti now leads the point standings with 52. Franchitti led 94 of the 100 laps, the second-most laps led by a race winner. Helio Castroneves led 95 in 2007.

Franchitti’s Thoughts on St. Petersburg: “When you have a day like we did at St. Petersburg, with the way the team was just like clockwork — pit stops, the car was great and we didn’t make any mistakes — they are few and far between so you have to enjoy them when they happen.”

Rewind: Franchitti is back at the top of the charts in the point standings after winning the season opener. Last year at this time, Franchitti was seventh in points following the season opening Sao Paulo Indy 300, where he started on pole and finished seventh. After three wins and 10 podium finishes in 2010, Franchitti won his third INDYCAR championship and TCGR’s fourth consecutive championship.

Round Two: The 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Alabama was Franchitti’s first-ever visit to Barber Motorsports Park. Last season, Franchitti lined-up seventh and worked his way to fourth after making a wing adjustment on the team’s first stop. He would go on to finish third behind Dixon.

Barber Open-Test Recap: Day one of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Franchitti turned 28 laps in the No. 10 Target Honda Dallara with a best time of 1:13:15. Day two of testing, Franchitti turned 19 laps in the No. 10 Target Honda Dallara with a best time of 1:12:84.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

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

BMP History: Dixon started fifth at the 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and ran in the top three throughout the 90-lap event before securing a second-place result.

St. Petersburg Recap: Dixon started the race in third position but was collected in a lap one, turn one, multi-car incident that required a lengthy stop on pit lane for numerous repairs. The team returned to action four laps down and finished 16th.

Road Warrior: Dixon has recorded 16 of his 55 career podiums on the road/street courses. In that stretch, Dixon recorded eight wins, two poles, 23 top-fives, and 32 top-10s.

All-Time Win List: Dixon currently ranks 12th in a tie with Gordon Johncock with 25 wins on the all-time open wheel list, trailing Roger Ward by one victory for 11th place.

Barber Open-Test Recap: Day one of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Dixon turned 26 laps in the No. 9 Target Honda with a best time of 1:12:55. Day two of testing, Dixon turned 44 laps in the No. 9 Target Honda with a best time of 1:12:28. Dixon was third fastest during this testing session.

- Target Chip Ganassi Racing Press Release

2011 INDYCAR No. 10 Kellogg’s Honda Dallara - Target Chip Ganassi Racing Photo

Franchitti will pilot the No. 10 Kellogg’s Honda Dallara for TCGR in Round 4 in Brazil for the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle (May 1 on VERSUS), and Round 14 on the Streets of Baltimore for the Baltimore Grand Prix (September 4 on VERSUS),

Visit kelloggsracing.comä to find more details about the Kellogg’s Racingä program.

Notes of Interest:

Franchitti on Top of His Game: Since joining TCGR in 2009, Franchitti has delivered back-to-back IZOD IndyCar Series titles, including nine wins and the 2010 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti’s 2010 championship season marked his third consecutive championship in the series, as he spent the 2008 season in NASCAR. He is one of only five drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 and the series title in the same season more than once. He started out the 2011 season last weekend with a win at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, putting him in a tie for 10th all-time on the Indy car wins list with 27.

About Dario: The Scotland native has 216 starts under his belt between the CART and IZOD IndyCar Series resulting in 27 wins, 25 poles, 95 top-five and 135 top-10 finishes (1997-2010). He is the winningest driver in U.S. open-wheel history from Great Britain.

Team of the Year: RACER Magazine recently named Chip Ganassi Racing the 2010 ‘Team of the Year’ for their record-breaking season. Ganassi’s teams claimed 19 victories across all three major motorsports series which they complete.

Quote Board:

Melissa Pawlowicz, Sr. Director, Consumer Promotions: “Kellogg Company has been involved with motorsports on a number of levels through the years, but this is our first foray into an IZOD IndyCar Series program. Dario is a tremendous talent and we look forward to him and the team representing us on and off the track in 2011. We’re excited about what the Ganassi organization offers and look forward to continuing the momentum we’ve seen with INDYCAR recently.”

Steve Lauletta, President, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.: “We are very happy to begin this new relationship with the Kellogg Company on our IndyCar program. I think it says a lot about our team when companies like Kellogg’s are interested in leveraging a sponsorship to help grow their business. We collectively feel the partnership will help them drive awareness of their brand with the huge number of race fans who are watching our cars each week.”

About Kellogg Company

For more than 100 years, consumers have counted on Kellogg for great-tasting, high-quality and nutritious foods. Kellogg Company, with 2010 sales of more than $12 billion, is the world’s leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles and veggie foods. Kellogg Company’s beloved brands, which are manufactured in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries, include Kellogg’s®, Keebler®, Pop-Tarts®, Eggo®, Cheez-It®, All-Bran®, Mini-Wheats®, Nutri-Grain®, Rice Krispies®, Special K®, Chips Deluxe®, Famous Amos®, Sandies®, Austin®, Club®, Murray®, Kashi®, Bear Naked®, Morningstar Farm®, Gardenburger® and Stretch Island®.

For more information on Kellogg Company, including our corporate responsibility initiatives, visit www.kelloggcompany.com.

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.

Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 12 championships and 137 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com

- Chip Ganassi Racing, Press Release

Sam Schmidt Motorsports

In a race that took its toll on equipment and nerves, Alex Tagliani survived the 100-lap IZOD IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg by driving a damaged No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins Dallara / Honda / Firestone Indy car to an impressive top-10 finish on Sunday.

Tagliani climbed from the cockpit after the race to show that his Sam Schmidt Motorsports (SSM) car wasn’t the only thing damaged after the race. He immediately removed his left glove to find two deep gouges, along with swelling on the top of his hand, while his palm and fingers displayed several large, raw blisters. He attributed the damage to the car and his hand to contact he made in turn one on the third of four attempts to restart the race during the opening 12 laps.

Despite his struggle with a damaged racecar, Tagliani was upbeat after the race.

“It was the first race back for Sam (Schmidt) as a team owner (in the IndyCar Series) and I know he’s pleased,” Tagliani said while leaning on the pit wall just minutes after taking the checkered flag. “He’s a pretty excitable guy, and all weekend he showed a little nerves and stress by being back in the league as an owner in the IndyCar Series. To bring him his first sixth-place finish in the IndyCar series and to finish 1-2 in Indy Lights, I think, ‘mission accomplished’ for the whole team.”

Tagliani was referencing the dominating performance of SSM in the Firestone Indy Lights Series race run just prior to the IndyCar Series race on Sunday. SSM cars driven by Josef Newgarden and Conor Daly finished first and second, respectively.

Still, Tagliani could not hide his emotions on what could have been a better finish if the first-turn contact hadn’t happened on lap 13.

“I think we’re just a couple of tenths off before we get the car being more consistent and fast,” he said. “But, what really hurt us today was the hit on the (third) restart when we went from fourth to seventh. Simona (de Silvestro) did a bonsai move and it stuck for her, but she landed on everybody else. In the contact, I hit my hand in the cockpit and the wheel burned my hands as I tried to keep it under me.”

Last year’s IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti won the race by leading 94 of the 100 laps. Rounding out the top-five were Will Power, Tony Kanaan, de Silvestro and Takuma Sato. Tagliani, Raphael Matos, Vitor Meira, Oriol Servia and Justin Wilson comprised the remainder of the top-10. Power, who started on the pole, was the only other leader of the race.

Franchitti’s margin of victory was 7.l612 seconds over Power, who was last year’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg winner. There were five caution periods for a total of 13 laps.

The IZOD IndyCar Series races next at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., at the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama on Sunday, April 10. The race will be televised live on VERSUS beginning at 3 p.m. EDT.

-

Race: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 27 (12:30 PM ET, ABC)

Track: Streets of St. Petersburg (1.8-mile street circuit)

Location: St. Petersburg, Fla.

NOTES / NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR and GRAND-AM teams.

Managing Director Mike Hull on St. Pete: “It’s great to start the INDYCAR season with a well-promoted event in a major metropolitan city. St. Petersburg is a city that embraces and supports big events, so the Target Team and Indy car racing fit. Street racing requires a unique driving style, patience, and the driver’s intense desire to find a set-up that rides over the bumps rather than through them. It puts an enormous premium on the driver’s input combined with the team’s ability to make rapid changes to the car as Bayshore, 1st Street, and the Albert Whitted Airport become a real race circuit. Secretly there isn’t anyone on the planet that hasn’t wanted to drive their car on a downtown street without police enforcement of stop lights and twenty-five mile an hour speed limits.”

In Good Company: Chip Ganassi was recently nominated in two different categories by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal and SportsBusiness Daily for the 2011 Sports Business Awards, Ganassi was nominated for the Sports Executive of the Year category along with George Bodenheimer from ESPN; David Levy from Turner Broadcasting System; Kevin Plank from Under Armour; and Pat Riley from the Miami Heat. Chip Ganassi Racing Teams also received a nomination in the Professional Sports Team of the Year category along with the New York Jets, Orlando Magic, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Francisco Giants. The 2011 nominees were selected based on their excellence and outstanding achievements in the business of sports from March 1, 2010 through Feb. 28 of this year. The winners will be announced at the Sports Business Awards Ceremony on May 18, at New York’s Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

Making History Together: Minneapolis-based Target celebrates its 22nd anniversary in motorsports with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2011. Since the formation of this dominant force in motorsports, the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team has amassed 80 victories and eight titles (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2009, and 2010), including three Indianapolis 500 victories (2000, 2008, and 2010). The 2011 season will include two full-time entries in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Dixon and Franchitti and a full-time entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for 1999 CART Champion and 2000 Indianapolis 500 Winner Juan Pablo Montoya, as Team Target continues to feature some of the world’s most accomplished race car drivers.

Start and Finish Strong: Since 2006, TCGR has won three of the last five IZOD IndyCar Series openers (2006, 2007, and 2008) and three of the last five IZOD IndyCar Series season-finales (2006, 2009, and 2010).

New Win Record for CGR: 2010’s 19-win total eclipsed the previous mark for victories in a single season (14) set in 2008. The past five seasons for the team have proven to be the most successful in history (1990-2011), as 70 of the 135 wins, or 52%, have been scored in that stretch.

‘Chip Slam’: Ganassi, who in 2010 was responsible for the motorsport ‘Triple Crown’ (Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 wins), added the first ever ‘Chip Slam’ of motorsports to his resume with a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan 30 (all four major wins in a 12-month period).

Complementing Each Other: Since becoming Target Teammates, Dixon and Franchitti have combined to win 16 of the last 34 IZOD IndyCar Series Races (47%). Of these 16 wins, six (37%) have come on road or street courses (2009: Long Beach, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Sonoma; 2010: Edmonton, Mid-Ohio).

Team History at St. Pete: TCGR has competed at St. Petersburg from 2005-2010 with four top-fives including Dario Franchitti’s fourth place finish in 2009 and Scott Dixon’s second-place finishes in 2006 and 2007.

A Force on the Course: In 97 street course races, TCGR has 20 wins, 45 podiums finishes, four of which saw both Target cars on the podium. The TCGR drivers have completed 13,007 of 15,526 (85%) laps, leading 1,388 laps. Since the first race at St. Petersburg in 2005, TCGR drivers have completed 1,157 out of 1,266 laps (91%) of the total laps run on the Streets of St. Petersburg over the course of six years.

Did You Know?: TCGR’s first Indy car win came on a street course in a season opener. Michael Andretti led all 55 laps in the Australian FAI Indy car Grand Prix at Surfer’s Paradise to kick off the 1994 CART World Series season.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

Late Night TV: Dario Franchitti appears as a guest on the “The Late Show with David Letterman” March 23 on CBS as one of the final stops on his championship media tour. In addition to Franchitti, other guests appearing on the show include Ben Stiller and The Strokes.

Franchitti Inducted into Motorsport Hall of Fame: Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series Champion and Indianapolis 500 Winner Franchitti joined Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Frank Williams and Jody Scheckter in being the second class of inductees into the MotorSport Magazine’s 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. He recorded three victories in 2010, tying Rodger Ward for 11th on the all-time INDYCAR victory list with 26 (16 in INDYCAR, 10 in CART). Johnny Rutherford (27 wins) is next on the list.

Barber Testing Recap: Day one of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Franchitti turned 28 laps in the No. 10 Target Honda Dallara with a best time of 1:13:15. Day two of testing, Franchitti turned 19 laps in the No. 10 Target Honda Dallara with a best time of 1:12:84.

Franchitti on Barber Test: “I think we struggled from the moment we got here. Scott has been fine and we need to work on our setup. It’s up to myself and the engineers on the Target team to get this figured out. We’ll go back to the drawing board. They put a lot of tires in the right places since last time I crashed here so I’m thankful they took our advice from a safety standpoint. Thanks to Mr. Barber and everyone here. I look forward to coming back for the race.”

Champion’s Ring: Basketball legend Larry Bird presented the Herff Jones Champion of Champions Ring to Franchitti earlier this month at Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

New Blog: Franchitti’s season-long blog debuted on Boston.com last week, giving fans a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of the reigning series champion. The blog will run each Monday following an IZOD IndyCar Series event.

Historic 500 Ticket: The 2011 Indy 500 ticket features Franchitti celebrating in Victory Lane last May after earning his second victory in the world’s most prestigious auto race. Franchitti will attempt Sunday, May 29 to become the 10th driver to win the race at least three times.

Dario by the Numbers: St. Petersburg marks Franchitti’s 216th Indy car start, his 101st start in the IZOD IndyCar Series and his 34th with Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Franchitti has claimed three IndyCar championships (2010, 2009, 2007), two Indianapolis 500s (2010, 2007), 26 victories and 25 poles in his U.S. Indy car career (CART, IRL) with 134 top-10 finishes.

King of the Streets: Franchitti earned his first Indy car win at the 1998 Texaco/Havoline 200 at Road America and grabbed his second open wheel win in the 1998 Molson Indy Vancouver street race. Franchitti has won eight of his 26 open wheel races on street courses.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Barber Testing Recap: Day one of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Dixon turned 26 laps in the No. 9 Target Honda with a best time of 1:12:55. Day two of testing, Dixon turned 44 laps in the No. 9 Target Honda with a best time of 1:12:28. Dixon was third fastest during this testing session.

Dixon on Barber Test: “Team Target had a good couple of days with lots of big and good changes. The No. 9 Target Honda has been decent, remaining in the top-three both days. We’re just going through the motions and making necessary adjustments before we start the season in St. Pete.”

Deuces: Dixon’s best finish at St. Pete was second, twice, in 2006 and 2007 with TCGR. In 2006 Dixon led 36 of the 100 laps. He has placed second three times on a street circuit (Denver 2002, St. Petersburg 2006 & 2007).

Flip-Flop: Last week, Dixon and fellow Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Jamie McMurray, swapped seats for an exhibition performance in Alabama. McMurray turned laps around the 2.36-mile road course at Barber Motorsports Park piloting Dixon’s No. 9 Target IndyCar. Dixon, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner, then climbed behind the wheel of McMurray’s No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet on the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway.

Helmet Auction: Dixon recently pulled one of his racing helmets out of a personal collection to be auctioned as part of Radio Sport New Zealand’s Christchurch Earthquake Auction, raising funds for victims of the recent earthquake. Dixon’s IZOD IndyCar Series helmet is personally signed, and the Kiwi has even offered to make up the difference if the helmet sold for less than $10,000.

Dixon Hits the Streets: Sunday’s race at St. Petersburg marks Dixon’s 170th start and his 25th start on a street course. His first street race was at the 2001 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Since then, Dixon grabbed his first street course pole at the Detroit Indy Grand Prix in 2008 and has eight top-fives and 11 top-10s on street courses. Dixon won the most recent street course race, the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton, a track that he also won in 2008.

- Target Chip Ganassi Racing Press Release