WHAT: Firestone 100, fifth race in 14-race 2005 IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series™ season.
WHERE: Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval
WHEN: 6:10 p.m. (EDT), Saturday, June 11
DISTANCE: 67 laps/100 miles
CARS: Dallara chassis; Infiniti V8 engines; Firestone tires
PREVIOUS RACE WINNERS:2004 – Thiago Medeiros2003 – Thiago Medeiros2002 – A.J. Foyt IV
2004 SERIES CHAMPION: Thiago Medeiros
TV: ESPN2, 3 p.m. (EDT), Thursday, June 16
Announcers: Dr. Jerry Punch, Robbie Buhl / Pit reporter: Cameron Steele
SCHEDULE: (all times local; subject to change)
Friday, June 10
10 a.m. – Garages open1:15-1:45 p.m. – Menards Infiniti Pro Series practice3:15-3:45 p.m. – Menards Infiniti Pro Series practice5:30 p.m. – Menards Infiniti Pro Series SWE Race Car Parts Pole Qualifying
Saturday, June 1110 a.m. – Garages open12:45-1 p.m. – Menards Infiniti Pro Series practice5:10 p.m. – Menards Infiniti Pro Series Firestone 100 (67 lap/100 miles)
2005 MENARDS INFINITI PRO SERIES STATISTICS
Driver Points1. Wade Cunningham 1472. Travis Gregg 1383. Jaime Camara 1294. Jon Herb 1235. Nick Bussell 108 Chris Festa 108
Entrant Points1. Brian Stewart Racing #33 1472. Sam Schmidt Motorsports # 7 1383. Sam Schmidt Motorsports #1 129 4. Racing Professionals #6 1235. J.L. West Motorsports #21 108Sam Schmidt Motorsports #19 108
Wins
1. Marco Andretti 1
Jaime Camara 1
Travis Gregg 1
Jon Herb 1
Pole Positions
1. Travis Gregg 2
2. Marco Andretti 1
Jaime Camara 1
Laps Led
1. Travis Gregg 882. Jon Herb 703. Jaime Camara 334. Wade Cunningham 245. Marco Andretti 22
notes and Quotes
Deep field indicated by four winners in four races:The 2005 season features the most competitive field in Menards Infiniti Pro Series history. A different driver has won each of the series’ four races this season, creating a deep battle for the series championship and tying the series record for the longest streak of different race winners. The top four drivers are separated by 24 points.
•After four races in 2004, 75 points separated first and second place. In 2003, the top two drivers were separated by 50 points after four races, while that gap was 51 points in 2002.
Series points leader Cunningham eyes first win: Rookie Wade Cunningham took over the Menards Infiniti Pro Series points lead with a second-place finish at Indianapolis. Cunningham, a former world karting champion from New Zealand, made his oval track debut at Homestead-Miami to start the 2005 season. He has recorded fourth-, third- and consecutive second-place finishes en route to the points lead. A win at Texas would be his first in the series and on an oval.
Indy winner Camara aims for Brazilian three-peat at Texas Motor Speedway: Rookie Jaime Camara, who earned his first career victory at Indianapolis May 27, will aim for a second consecutive win in the Firestone 100. Camara, a native of Brazil, drives for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which fielded 2004 Texas winner Thiago Medeiros. Medeiros, also from Brazil, also won the race at Texas in 2003 for Genoa Racing.
Firestone 100 sandwiched between two races at Indy: The Menards Infiniti Pro Series is the only racing series in the world to conduct races on both the oval and road-course circuits at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Futaba Freedom 100 was May 27 on the oval. The Liberty Challenge is June 18 on the road course.
Sam Schmidt serves as inspiration: Team owner Sam Schmidt continues to serve as an inspiration to many people inside and outside of racing. A former IndyCar Series driver, Schmidt was paralyzed in a practice crash in 2000. He came back one year later as a team owner. Last year, his team dominated the Menards Infiniti Pro Series winning the championship and the race at Texas where his drivers qualified and finished 1-2.
Guidance of “Lonestar J.R.” and Rick Mears invaluable to Menards Infiniti Pro Series drivers:Fort Worth native Johnny Rutherford is in charge of special projects for the Indy Racing League. Among his duties is coaching the Menards Infiniti Pro Series drivers and driving the pace car for all events. Rick Mears also is a driver coach for the Menards Infiniti Pro Series. He observes and instructs the young drivers in the series.
PRE-RACE QUOTES:
NICK BUSSELL (No. 21 J.L. West Motorsports Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone): “We are really looking forward to visiting Texas Motor Speedway. It will be a different kind of challenge from previous races, with really close racing in a big pack of cars. The high banks and serious drafting should make for a thrilling race for drivers and fans. We haven’t made any significant changes to the car since Indy. It’s so frustrating that we don’t know why we couldn’t find the speed there, but we didn’t want to get carried away trying to find the culprit. Texas is a great place. I lived in Houston in 2003, and I’ve had some good times in Dallas with friends. I expect to have a few of them at the race, so it should be a fun weekend overall.”
JAIME CAMARA (No. 1 CELG-Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone): “I think Texas is one of the best tracks of the season. The 24-degree banking must make it a cool track to drive. Our car has been fast everywhere so far, and I think we have a good shot at the front there, too. This was one of the few races I came and watched from the pit wall last year. I thought it was awesome.”
WADE CUNNINGHAM (No. 33 Visit New Zealand Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone): “I think we’ve just got to do the same thing we’ve done at Indy, we’ve done at St. Petersburg. You go out, you work hard during testing, you get the best car setup, you try and work harder than everyone else, and then if you do a have a good package at the end of the race, you can take it to the front and battle for the lead.”
JAY DRAKE (No. 20 Vision Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone): “I’m looking forward to going to Texas after having a good run at the (Indianapolis Motor) Speedway in May. I completed my IRL rookie test at Texas a few years ago and seemed to have success with that, so hopefully we’ll have a good weekend.”
CHRIS FESTA (No. 19 SpacePak/CareCentric/SSM Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone): “I met Sam (Schmidt) at Texas last year for the first time. I’m very excited about the track – it’s a fast track and the team knows how to go fast there. I’m excited to take what we learned at Indianapolis and Homestead and use it to get us up front and back in the points chase.”
TRAVIS GREGG (No. 7 Lucas Oil Products Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone): “I raced at TMS last year with Sam (Schmidt Motorsports) and had a great weekend. I was able to qualify on the outside pole and finish second in just my third start. Texas is a great track. I know the racing between me and (2004 Texas race winner) Thiago (Medeiros) was very close. I expect to see drivers going two and three wide in the corners.”
