Indy Japan 300, third race in 14-race 2006 season; only IndyCar Series event that will take place outside of the United States.

WHERE:  Twin Ring Motegi, 1.5-mile asphalt oval

WHEN:   1 p.m. (Japan Time), Saturday, April 22

Japan Time is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time (New York)

DISTANCE:  200 laps/300 miles

POSTED AWARDS: More than $1 million

CARS:  Dallara and Panoz chassis; Honda Indy V-8; Firestone tires

PAST RACE WINNERS:  Dan Wheldon (2004 and 2005), Scott Sharp (2003)

2005 SERIES CHAMPION:  Dan Wheldon

TV:  Race: ESPN (tape-delayed), Noon (EDT), April 22

Talent: Marty Reid (host); Scott Goodyear, Rusty Wallace (announcers); Dr. Jerry Punch (pit reporter)

RADIO:  Pre-race: IMS Radio Network (live), 11:30 p.m. (EDT), April 21

Race: IMS Radio Network (live), Midnight (EDT), April 22

Talent: Mike King (host); Davey Hamilton (analyst); Dave Wilson (color commentary); Patrick Stephan (pit reporter)

Live coverage of the race also will be available at www.indycar.com. The race broadcast is also available on XM Satellite Radio channel 145 “IndyCar Racing.”

SCHEDULE (Japan Time; subject to change):

Thursday, April 20

8 a.m. IndyCar Series garage opens

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)

1:45-3:15 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)

Friday, April 21

8 a.m. IndyCar Series garage opens

9:30-11 a.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)

12:30 p.m. IndyCar Series Marlboro Pole Qualifying

3:45-4:15 p.m. Final IndyCar Series practice

4:45-5:45 p.m. Autograph session

Saturday, April 22

8 a.m. IndyCar Series garage opens

1 p.m. Indy Japan 300 (200 laps/300 miles), ESPN (Noon EDT, April 22)

THE TRACK:

1.5-mile paved oval

Frontstretch: 1,982 feet banked at 1.7 degrees

Backstretch: 1,982 feet banked at 5 degrees

Width: 80 feet

Turns are banked at 10 degrees

•Twin Ring Motegi opened in 1997 and has seating capacity of 68,104. In addition to the oval, the facility also has a 2.849-mile road course and a .634-mile short course. Twin Ring Motegi is a “Fusion of Human, Nature and Mobility.” An amusement park surrounded by mountains, Twin Ring Motegi combines motor racing, driving experiences, nature exploration and other activities. In addition to the IRL IndyCar Series, other motorsports events at the facility include MotoGP World Championship Series and the Japanese Formula Nippon Series.

INDY-STYLE RACING IN JAPAN:

The oval at Twin Ring Motegi has hosted open-wheel racing since 1998.

Built by Honda in Tochigi Prefecture, about 60 miles northeast of Tokyo, the Twin Ring Motegi facility contains two major racing facilities, a 1.5-mile egg-shaped oval and a 2.849-mile, 14-turn road course which winds underneath and east of the oval circuit.

Honda first brought CART to Japan in 1998 with Adrian Fernandez winning the first two Indy-style races at Twin Ring Motegi. Michael Andretti won in 2000, and 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack won at Motegi in 2001. Bruno Junqueira won the final CART event in 2002.

In 2003, the IRL IndyCar® Series made its first trip to Twin Ring Motegi. Scott Sharp won the inaugural Indy Japan 300, which was the first IndyCar Series event held overseas. In 2004, Dan Wheldon made history for Honda, giving the engine manufacturer its first victory at its home track.

INDYCAR SERIES NOTES:

•Four Indianapolis 500 champions are expected to participate in the Indy Japan 300: Buddy Lazier (1996), Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Rice (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005).

•Drivers entered in the Indy Japan 300 have combined for 76 IndyCar Series victories, 61 pole positions and 916 starts.

•The Indy Japan 300 will be the third IndyCar Series event conducted at Twin Ring Motegi. Scott Sharp was the inaugural winner in 2003. Dan Wheldon has won the last two races at Twin Ring Motegi and is the only Honda-powered driver to win at the track.

•Six IndyCar Series champions are scheduled to participate in the Indy Japan 300: Scott Sharp (1996 co-champion), Buddy Lazier (2000), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, 2002), Scott Dixon (2003), Tony Kanaan (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005).

INDYCAR SERIES STORY IDEAS:

• IndyCar Series returns to Japan:  For the third consecutive season, the IndyCar Series will race outside the United States at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. The 1.5 oval presents one of the toughest tests for IndyCar Series drivers and teams both on-track, due to the Twin Ring Motegi’s unique egg-shaped oval, and off the track, due to the logistics.

• Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Championship Lineup: After a lackluster 2005 season, Target Chip Ganassi Racing looks to rebound with a new driver, new engine and new chassis for the 2006 season.  TCGR enters the season with a line-up of champions – team veteran, 2003 IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon, and team newcomer, reigning IndyCar Series and Indy 500 Champion Dan Wheldon. Ganassi and Wheldon started their 2006 racing season on a high-note by scoring a win March 26 at the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Dixon finished second in the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 3.

• Marco Andretti Makes His IndyCar Series Debut: Third-generation open-wheel driver Marco Andretti will make his IndyCar Series debut this season with family-owned Andretti Green Racing. The son of Michael Andretti and grandson of Mario Andretti will tackle the 14-race IndyCar Series circuit under the guidance of his veteran teammates Dario Franchittti, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan.

• Jeff Simmons Makes His Debut With Rahal Letterman Racing: Jeff Simmons, one of the most successful drivers in Indy Pro Series history will make his season debut with Rahal Letterman Racing. Simmons, who leads the Indy Pro Series point standings and is tied for most wins in series history, was selected as the replacement driver for the late Paul Dana.

• No Excuses: The IndyCar Series will be powered by Honda Racing Indy HI6R V-8 engines exclusively beginning this season. With all teams having equal access to equipment, it could be one of the most competitive seasons in IndyCar Series history.  The 2006 season marks the first time competitors such as Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Sam Hornish Jr., and Tomas Scheckter will run Honda power in their IndyCar Series careers.  Find out how the drivers anticipate the season with an exclusive engine provider and their thoughts on how the competition will shape up.

• Familiar Faces In New Places: Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Green Racing aren’t the only teams to see changes to their driver rosters. An off-season game of musical chairs has produced an interesting lineup of driver-team pairings for the 2006 IndyCar Series campaign:

      • P.J. Chesson steps up from the Indy Pro Series to make a run for the Bombardier Rookie of the Year title with Carmelo Hemelgarn Racing. NBA star Carmelo Anthony joins the team as a partner.

      • Vitor Meira, who finished seventh in points in 2005 and is considered the best IndyCar Series driver yet to win a race, moves to the familiar No. 4 of Panther Racing.

      • Two-time IndyCar Series race winner Tomas Scheckter joins Vision Racing’s two-car effort piloting the No. 2 Honda-powered Dallara for Vision.  Actor Patrick Dempsey joins the team as co-owner.

      • 2000 IndyCar Series champion Buddy Lazier returns to full-time IndyCar Series competition with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

     • After an impressive one-off at the 2005 Indianapolis 500, team owner A.J. Foyt has hired 2001 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Felipe Giaffone to pilot the legendary No. 14 car full-time this season.

• Ethanol Power: The IndyCar Series exemplifies President Bush’s call for America to use alternative fuel sources such as ethanol. During the 2006 season, the IndyCar Series will use an ethanol-methanol blend to power its Honda engines; and the Series will turn to 100% fuel-grade ethanol for the 2007 season. Ethanol, a grain alcohol largely derived from products like corn, is viewed as a more cost effective and environmentally friendly fuel source than fossil fuels. Transition from methanol to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol over the next two IndyCar Series seasons will have no significant technical barriers – speed and horsepower will remain the same and better fuel mileage is expected.

• On The Tube: ABC Sports, ESPN and ESPN2 will provide expanded coverage of all 14 IndyCar Series races, continuing a relationship that began with the Indy Racing League’s inaugural event in 1996 at Walt Disney World Speedway. ABC Sports, which will broadcast the the Toyota Indy 300, debuts a new production team and a new commentary team which features veteran motorsports announcer Marty Reid, former NASCAR champion Rusty Wallace and former IndyCar Series driver Scott Goodyear. Pit road reporters will include Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Jack Arute. The IndyCar Series broadcast will feature Sportvision’s latest technology, Racef/x, in 2006.

MILESTONES:

• Sam Hornish Jr. needs one win to earn his 15th IndyCar Series victory. It would also extend his streak of consecutive seasons with at least one victory to six.

• Scott Sharp needs one win to earn his 10th IndyCar Series victory and to tie Dan Wheldon for second place on the IndyCar Series all-time wins list.

• Helio Castroneves needs one win to break a tie with Buddy Lazier for fourth on the all-time wins list. Castroneves extended his streak of consecutive seasons with at least one victory to six with his win at St. Petersburg.

• Buddy Lazier needs $294,697 in earnings to surpass $10 million in his IndyCar Series career.

• Sam Hornish Jr. needs $550,100 in earnings to surpass $10 million in his IndyCar Series career.

• Vitor Meira has gone 47 starts without a victory in the IndyCar Series, the longest drought of any active driver. The record is 48 shared by Sarah Fisher (1999-2004) and Davey Hamilton (1996-2001).