Firestone Tire Test Oct. 2-3 At IMS For IRL IndyCar Series;

Test To Include Cars With New Engine, Ethanol Fuel

Four IRL IndyCar Series drivers, including two Indianapolis 500 winners and two series champions, will participate in a Firestone tire test Monday, Oct. 2 and Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The test will be open to the media during the lunch break from noon-1 p.m. (ET) each day, and television media and photo journalists can shoot on-track footage for 30 minutes before and after the lunch break from pit lane.

The drivers participating in the test are 2001-02 Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, 2005 “500” winner and IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon, 2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan and Jeff Simmons, who drives the Ethanol-sponsored Rahal Letterman Racing entry.

In addition to testing tire compounds for Firestone, the test has added significance for the IndyCar Series as Kanaan and Simmons will turn laps with the new 3.5-liter engine and 100-percent Ethanol fuel that will be used during the 2007 season, including the 91st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27.