Former 500 Winner Makes IMS In May For 1st Time Since 2004   

Former Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time CART driving champion Gil de Ferran will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the month of May for the first time since 2004 this Friday, May 9.

The popular Brazilian star, who resigned as Sporting Director for Honda Formula One last year, recently formed de Ferran Motorsports when he and Acura racing officials an-nounced his organization would campaign a fourth Acura LMP2 entry in the 2008 American Le Mans Series.  Gil will return to the cockpit next week for the first time since he retired from driv- ing competition after his IndyCar Series victory at the Texas Motor Speedway on October 12, 2003.  He won the Indy 500 earlier that year.   

 The open-wheel Brazilian racing legend made the decision to return to active competi- tion late last year and this new effort marks his first attempt as a team owner/driver.  Veteran racing executive John Anderson, who last year led Dario Franchitti to Indy 500 and IndyCar Series titles for Andretti Green Racing, serves as general manager for the team. 

De Ferran Motorsports’ headquarters is located in nearby Brownsburg, Ind. De Ferran’s Acura team will debut next weekend (May 16-18) at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah with his No. 66 Panasonic ELS Surround Sound Acura ARX-01b prototype sports car in the LMP2 class. 

De Ferran will co-drive with Frenchman Simon Pagenaud in his new Acura car for the remainder of the 11-race ALMS tour.

De Ferran will enter a fourth Acura ARX-01b in the LMP2 class next week in the American Le Mans Series race in Utah. C