INDYCAR SERIES MAKES FIRST VISIT TO AUSTRALIA
Nikon Indy 300 - Saturday, Oct. 25 - 10:30 p.m. (EDT)
Track: Streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia
Distance: 60 laps / 167.7 miles
TV: ESPN Classic (Live);
ESPN2, 11 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26 (Re-air)
Radio: IMS Radio Network / XM Satellite Radio
(Live)
Streets of Surfers Paradise 14-turn, 2.795-mile temporary street course
IndyCar Series makes first visit to Australia
The IndyCar Series will make its first visit to Australia following the February unification of American open-wheel racing under the IndyCar Series banner. Unification led to increased competition in 2008 with a record-tying nine drivers winning races during the 17-race season. In addition to Australia, the IndyCar Series also competed in Edmonton, Canada for the first time in 2008. In 2009, the series will add Long Beach, Calif. and Toronto to its schedule.
Familiar territory
Although the 2008 Nikon Indy 300 is the first IndyCar Series event in Australia, half of the drivers in the 24-car field have previously competed at Surfers Paradise. Helio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Bruno Junqueira, Tony Kanaan, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Oriol Servia, Alex Tagliani and Justin Wilson have combined to make 49 starts.
Past winners eye chance to repeat
Dario Franchitti, Bruno Junqueira and Ryan Hunter-Reay are winners of previous races at Surfers Paradise. Franchitti won in 1999, Hunter-Reay in 2003 and Junqueira in 2004. In addition, IndyCar Series team owners Michael Andretti and Jimmy Vasser have wins on the circuit. Can one of these past winners become the second two-time winner in Australia? Can one of these owners return to Victory Lane with their driver?
Home cooking
Three IndyCar Series drivers will feel very much at home during the Nikon Indy 300. Will Power hails from Toowoomba, just 2 ½ hours from Surfers Paradise. Ryan Briscoe grew up in Sydney, and 2008 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon was born in Australia before growing up in New Zealand. Additionally, Power’s No. 8 car features primary sponsorship from Aussie Vineyards. Will one of the hometown heroes prevail Down Under?
Musical chairs
The Nikon Indy 300 will serve as an excellent opportunity for several drivers to acclimate themselves to new surroundings heading into the 2009 season. Following the final championship race of 2008, several drivers changed teams. 2007 series champion Dario Franchitti returns from a one-year absence and will debut in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing entry. Dan Wheldon moves from the No. 10 car to Panther Racing’s No. 4 entry, and Vitor Meira moves from the No. 4 car to the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing entry. What kind of first impression will these drivers make with their new teams?
Getting ready for 2009
The Nikon Indy 300 will allow teams to get a head start on preparations for 2009. While getting acclimated to new drivers and new personnel, teams also will be looking to maximize speed on street courses. The first two races in 2009 – St. Petersburg and Long Beach – will be contested on street courses. Without the pressure of championship points on the line, will teams test different setups that could give them an advantage in 2009?
Race Notes:
The Nikon Indy 300 will be the first IndyCar Series event conducted at Surfers Paradise, although the event has been held continuously since 1991. Past winners Dario Franchitti (1999), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2003) and Bruno Junqueira (2004) are entered in the event.
Twelve drivers entered in the Nikon Indy 300 have competed in previous races at Surfers Paradise. Eight of those drivers led laps (Dario Franchitti 62, Bruno Junqueira 55, Will Power 23, Ryan Hunter-Reay 15, Oriol Servia 6, Justin Wilson 4, Scott Dixon 3 and Alex Tagliani 1).
The Nikon Indy 300 will be the fourth race on a temporary course in 2008 and the seventh race on a road/street course. The three previous street events have featured three different winners, including first-time winners Graham Rahal (St. Petersburg) and Justin Wilson (Belle Isle). Scott Dixon won at Edmonton. Team Penske dominated qualifying on the road/street courses, with Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves each winning two poles. Briscoe is the only driver to advance to the Firestone Fast Six qualifying session at every event. Andretti Green Racing’s Tony Kanaan and Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon also won poles on road/street courses.
Driver history at Surfers Paradise:
Helio Castroneves
Starts – 4
Best Finish – 6th (2000)
Best Start – 8th (2000)
Top-5 finishes – 0
Top-10 finishes – 1
Laps Led - 0
Ryan Briscoe
Starts – 1
Best Finish – 11th (2006)
Best Start – 11th (2006)
Top-5 finishes – 0
Top-10 finishes – 0
Laps Led - 0
Scott Dixon
Starts – 2
Best Finish – 15th (2001, 2002)
Best Start – 6th (2002)
Top-5 finishes – 0
Top-10 finishes – 0
Laps Led - 3
Dario Franchitti
Starts – 6
Best Finish – 1st (1999)
Best Start – 1st (1998, 1999)
Top-5 finishes – 2
Top-10 finishes – 4
Laps Led - 62
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Starts – 2
Best Finish – 1st (2003)
Best Start – 6th (2004)
Top-5 finishes – 2
Top-10 finishes – 2
Laps Led - 15
Bruno Junqueira
Starts – 6
Best Finish – 1st (2004)
Best Start – 2nd (2002, 2003)
Top-5 finishes – 2
Top-10 finishes – 3
Laps Led - 55
Tony Kanaan
Starts – 5
Best Finish – 5th (2002)
Best Start – 3rd (2002)
Top-5 finishes – 1
Top-10 finishes – 4
Laps Led - 0
Will Power
Starts – 3
Best Finish – 12th (2006)
Best Start – 1st (2006, 2007)
Top-5 finishes – 0
Top-10 finishes – 0
Laps Led - 23
Graham Rahal
Starts – 1
Best Finish – 11th (2007)
Best Start – 9th (2007)
Top-5 finishes – 0
Top-10 finishes – 0
Laps Led - 0
Oriol Servia
Starts – 8
Best Finish – 5th (2005)
Best Start – 1st (2005)
Top-5 finishes – 1
Top-10 finishes – 2
Laps Led - 6
Alex Tagliani
Starts – 8
Best Finish – 3rd (2001, 2006)
Best Start – 4th (2003)
Top-5 finishes – 3
Top-10 finishes – 6
Laps Led - 1
Justin Wilson
Starts – 3
Best Finish – 2nd (2007)
Best Start – 5th (2007)
Top-5 finishes – 1
Top-10 finishes – 3
Laps Led – 4
Team history at Surfers Paradise
AJ Foyt Racing
Races: 4 (1992-1995)
Best Start: 4th (Robby Gordon, 1993)
Best Finish: 3rd (Robby Gordon, 1993)
Top-5 finishes: 1
Top-10 finishes: 2
Conquest Racing
Races: 5 (2003-2007)
Best Start: 7th (Justin Wilson, 2004)
Best Finish: 5th (Andrew Ranger, 2006)
Top-5 finishes: 1
Top-10 finishes: 6
Dale Coyne Racing
Races: 15 (1991-2000, 2003-2007)
Best Start: 7th (Bruno Junqueira, 2007)
Best Finish: 3rd (Bruno Junqueira, 2007)
Top-5 finishes: 1
Top-10 finishes: 7
HVM Racing
Races: 8 (2000-2007)
Best Start: 5th (2x - Mario Dominguez, 2004; Nelson Phillipe, 2006)
Best Finish: 1st (2x - Mario Dominguez, 2002; Nelson Phillipe, 2006)
Top-5 finishes: 5
Top-10 finishes: 8
KV Racing Technology
Races: 5 (2003-2007)
Best Start: 2nd (Oriol Servia, 2007)
Best Finish: 3rd (Jimmy Vasser, 2005)
Top-5 finishes: 1
Top-10 finishes: 2
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Races: 17 (1991-2007) Only team to start all races at track.
Best Start: 1st (7x - Michael Andretti, 1991, 1995; Nigel Mansell, 1993, 1994; Cristiano da Matta, 2002; Sebastien Bourdais, 2003; Oriol Servia, 2005)
Best Finish: 1st (6x - Nigel Mansell, 1993; Paul Tracy, 1995; Cristiano da Matta, 2001; Bruno Junqueira, 2004, Sebastien Bourdais, 2005, 2007)
Top-5 finishes: 14
Top-10 finishes: 21
Rahal Letterman Racing
Races: 12 (1992-2003)
Best Start: 2nd (Bryan Herta, 1999)
Best Finish: 2nd (3x - Bobby Rahal, 1995; Max Papis, 1999, Kenny Brack, 2000)
Top-5 finishes: 7
Top-10 finishes: 14
Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Races: 12 (1991-2002)
Best Start: 1st (3x - Jimmy Vasser, 1996; Alex Zanardi, 1997; Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000)
Best Finish: 1st (3x - Michael Andretti, 1994; Jimmy Vasser, 1996; Alex Zanardi, 1998)
Top-5 finishes: 7
Top-10 finishes: 10
Team Penske
Races: 11 (1991-2001)
Best Start: 2nd (3x - Emerson Fittipaldi, 1993; Paul Tracy, 1997; Gil de Ferran, 2000, 2001)
Best Finish: 1st (Emerson Fittipaldi, 1992)
Top-5 finishes: 6
Top-10 finishes: 9
Schedule (local time-Eastern time is 14 hours behind Australia):
Oct. 24
8-9:30 a.m. – IndyCar Series practice
11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. – IndyCar Series practice
Oct. 25
9:50-10:55 a.m. – IndyCar Series practice (two groups)
1:10-2:50 p.m. – PEAK Motor Oil Pole Qualifying
Oct. 26
8:35-9:05 a.m. – IndyCar Series warm-up
11:35 a.m. – Nikon Indy 300 pre-race
12:40 p.m. – Nikon Indy 300 (60 laps/167.7 miles)
