Barber Open Test Fast Facts and Participant ListsFAST FACTS
with Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park
Track Barber Motorsports Park - 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course
Faces in New Places: The Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park will be one of the last opportunities for several drivers and key personnel to gel with their new teams as they prepare for the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season. Ryan Hunter-Reay joins Andretti Autosport, Justin Wilson joins Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Jay Howard joins Sarah Fisher Racing, 2003 Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran joins de Ferran Luczo Dragon Racing as co-owner, managing partner and team president and veteran team manager Tom Anderson joins Andretti Autosport as senior vice-president of racing operations. How much time is needed for the chemistry to set in with these new pairings before the first race of the season?
First four races on streets/road courses: Nine road/street circuits are part of the 17-race IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, and the season kicks off with four non-oval events for the first time. A temporary street course in São Paulo, Brazil - the largest city in South America - plays host to the IZOD IndyCar Series for the first time on March 14 to start the season.
The domestic opener is March 28 in St. Petersburg, Fla., where in 2008 Graham Rahal became the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing history. Last year, Rahal became the youngest pole sitter in IZOD IndyCar Series history. Four drivers have won in the five years of the event. The inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is on the schedule for April 11, followed by the 36th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Dario Franchitti will seek to successfully defend his race victory. How will these early races set the tone for the championship hunt?
Another tight championship expected: Through 17 events, on the most diverse set of racetracks in motorsports, four IZOD IndyCar Series drivers swapped the 2009 points lead a record 15 times. Dario Franchitti wrested the driver championship away from Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon and Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe in a season-finale shootout at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The final margin was 11 points (the third-closest in series history and the fourth consecutive year it's been less than 20 points). Another close battle to the finish is expected, with multiple drivers in championship contention. Who are the drivers most likely to sustain a run through Oct. 2?
We'll be back in six weeks: IZOD IndyCar Series drivers return to Barber Motorsports Park for the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on April 11. The 2.38-mile natural-terrain road course played host to an Open Test in 2009 in addition to this week's preseason test for all teams. Teams will work through multiple car set-ups and collect pages of data that they will use to create a race weekend plan, and drivers will use every inch of the circuit to understand its nuances and formulate their own plans of attack for qualifications and the race. How does a test at a new venue carry over to the race weekend?
Where's the fuel-setting dial? The four-position fuel mixture dial has been removed from the cars, though the Honda overtake assist system will remain and receive almost a doubling of horsepower boost (it was between 5 and 20 horsepower in 2009 depending on fuel position). "Teams and drivers can still save fuel because they can develop their own fuel strategy, but instead of having a mechanical device to achieve it they can use their right foot," Indy Racing League senior technical director Les Mactaggart said. What goes into a fuel strategy at a road course such as Barber Motorsports Park?
At-Track Schedule (all times local):
Wednesday, Feb. 24
9 a.m. to Noon - IZOD IndyCar Series Open Test
Noon - Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Press Conference
1 to 5 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series Open Test
Thursday, Feb. 25
9 a.m. to Noon - IZOD IndyCar Series Open Test
Noon - Driver Availability in Media Center (Andretti, Wheldon)
1 to 5 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series Open Test
Feb. 24-25, 2010
Car/Driver/Hometown/Entrant
2 Raphael MatosBelo Horizonte, Brazilde Ferran Luczo Dragon Racing
3 Helio CastronevesSao Paulo, BrazilTeam Penske
5 Takuma Sato (R)TokyoKV Racing Technology
6 Ryan BriscoeSydney, AustraliaTeam Penske
7 Danica PatrickRoscoe, Ill.Andretti Autosport 1
8 E.J. VisoCaracas, VenezuelaKV Racing Technology
9 Scott DixonAuckland, New ZealandTarget Chip Ganassi Racing
10 Dario FranchittiEdinburgh, ScotlandTarget Chip Ganassi Racing
11 Tony KanaanSalvador, BrazilAndretti Autosport 3
12 Will PowerToowoomba, AustraliaVerizon Team Penske
14 Vitor MeiraBrasilia, BrazilA.J. Foyt Enterprises
22 Justin WilsonSheffield, EnglandDreyer & Reinbold Racing
24 Mike ConwayBromley, EnglandDreyer & Reinbold Racing
26 Marco AndrettiNazareth, Pa.Andretti Autosport 2
32 TBAKV Racing Technology
34 TBAConquest Racing
37 Ryan Hunter-ReayBoca Raton, Fla.Andretti Autosport 4
67 Sarah FisherCommercial Point, OhioSarah Fisher Racing
67 Jay Howard (R)Basildon, EnglandSarah Fisher Racing
77 Alex TaglianiLachenaie, QuebecFAZZT Race Team
78 TBAHVM Racing
06 Hideki MutohTokyoNewman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Twenty-one cars entered. All cars use Dallara chassis, Honda engines and Firestone tires.
Firestone Indy Lights®
Driver/Hometown/ Entrant
2 James HinchcliffeOakville, OntarioTeam Moore Racing
5 Carmen Jorda (R)Alcoy, SpainAndersen Racing
7 TBASam Schmidt Motorsports
10 Santiago de Cali, ColombiaCape Motorsport with Wayne Taylor Racing
11 Pippa MannIpswich, EnglandSam Schmidt Motorsports
17 Jan HeylenGeel, BelguimTeam E
18 Rodrigo BarbosaSao Paulo, BrazilPDM Racing
22 Adrian Campos Jr.(R)Valencia, SpainTeam Moore Racing
26 Charlie KimballCamarillo, CalifAFS Racing/Andretti Autosport
27 Martin PlowmanTamworth, EnglandAFS Racing/Andretti Autosport
28 Stefan Wilson (R)Sheffield, EnglandBryan Herta Autosport
29 TBABryan Herta Autosport
36 Richard Kent (R)Clifton Reynes, EnglandGenoa
49 Philip Major (R)OttawaSam Schmidt Motorsports
14 cars entered. All cars use Dallara chassis, Firestone Indy Lights spec engines and Firestone tires.
