CASTRONEVES TAKES PIT STOP CONTEST; CUNNINGHAM WINS THIRD FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100
Target Chip Ganassi Racing hopes Miller Lite Carb Day could be a good indication of Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
Dario Franchitti, who will start the 2010 Indianapolis 500 from the outside of the front row, topped the speed chart for the final practice session, the final opportunity for teams to fine-tune their cars before Race Day.
Franchitti, driving the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car, topped the speed chart with a quick lap of 225.574 mph (39.8983 seconds). Franchitti's teammate Scott Dixon (225.159 mph) and Verizon Team Penske's Will Power (223.575 mph) were right behind.
FAZZT Race Team's Bruno Junqueira was fourth at 224.898 mph in the No. 33 Bower & Wilkins/TorcUP car, while polesitter Helio Castroneves in the No. 3 Team Penske car was fifth (224.753).
Castroneves hopes that winning the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Competition remains a good omen.
Castroneves, driving the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Toyota/Firestone, defeated Hideki Mutoh of Newman/Haas Racing in the championship round. His pit crew received the $50,000 first prize for its speed and accuracy.
The winner of the competition has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500 six times, including Castroneves' win last year. Penske Racing teams have won the pit stop competition a record 12 times, including the last five that it has been contested.
Also on Miller Lite Carb Day, Wade Cunningham became a three-time winner of the Firestone Freedom 100 edging Charlie Kimball by .4368 of a second.
The victory for Cunningham, driving the No. 77 Lucas Oil/BSS/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, gave team owner Sam Schmidt his fifth win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in eight Firestone Freedom 100 starts.
Kimball moved within five points of series point leader J.K. Vernay, who finished 16th after an early mechanical issue. James Hinchcliffe, who started eighth in the No. 2 Team Moore Racing car, finished third.
ZZ Top headlined a concert to conclude the busy day.
MILLER LITE CARB DAY NOTEBOOK:
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Pippa Mann made Indianapolis Motor Speedway history Thursday by becoming the first woman to win the pole position for a race in the 101-year history of the facility, capturing the Sunoco Pole Award for the Firestone Freedom 100.
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Entry update: Tony Kanaan has switched from the #11T that he qualified 32nd on Sunday to his #11 car for the Indianapolis 500. He will start 33rd, moving Sebastian Saavedra to the No. 32 starting position.
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Drivers and teams from the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship visited IMS this week as part of the inaugural Road to Indy Summit. The Road to Indy is the development ladder system of the Indy Racing League.
The Road to Indy Summit, a three-day, first-of-its-kind instructional meeting for drivers who someday hope to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series, brings together drivers from the three ladder series under the Road to Indy umbrella - the USF2000 National Championship, Star Mazda Championship, and Firestone Indy Lights.
The purpose of the summit is to teach young drivers the ins and outs of the open-wheel racing business, with everything from pace car rides around the Speedway with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears and two-time Indy winner Al Unser Jr. to fitness tips from PitFit's Jim Leo to training in public relations and marketing. Quotes from selected drivers attending the summit:
JAVIER BARRALES (USF2000 driver, Fuerza Chile Motorsports): "This is my first time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track is amazing. It is so big." (About Road to Indy Summit): "The Road to Indy Summit is great. I think the Museum was the best so far, but I also liked doing the laps with Rick Mears and his tips. The access they gave us at the Summit has been amazing. There is nothing like this program anywhere else in the world!"
JOSH FIELDING (USF2000 driver, Cape Motorport with Wayne Taylor Racing): "I think the best part of the Road to Indy Summit so far is to be able to see things behind the scenes and to be able to talk to the drivers. I got to see what was happening on pit lane. I've never even been to a big track like this before, so it was all new to me. I got to talk to Ryan Briscoe and Will Power. They went over some maneuvers on ovals with me and gave me some information that might help me at O'Reilly Raceway Park. I thought the autograph session was cool, too, because it gave me a look at what can be in the future for me. It helped me feel more comfortable here. This whole Summit has been a great help with my people-building skills."
SAGE KARAM (USF2000 driver, Andretti Autosport): "The tour of the track with Rick Mears was really cool. We did a slow lap and looked at all the details. He gave me some pointers. He said to always be really smooth with my hands. Hopefully, I can take his advice and win the Indy 500 someday." (About the Road to Indy program): "It's great for the USF2000 series to be on the Road to Indy program. Just to give kids an opportunity to see the tracks we hope to race on someday ahead of time is definitely an attention-grabber."
PATRICK MCKENNA (USF2000 driver, Cape Motorport with Wayne Taylor Racing): "Getting to be interviewed on the Coke Stage yesterday was amazing, and so was getting to do a lap with Rick Mears today. The spotters' seminar was pretty good, too. I liked being about to be part of the autograph session, too. I've enjoyed the whole thing. Just to be here is fantastic. I've never been involved in anything that's given me such exposure, and I've met a lot of good people. You don't get a chance to do this in any other series anywhere else; it's fabulous."
MARTIN SCUNCIO (USF2000 driver, Fuerza Chile Motorsports): "I think the best thing about the Road to Indy program is that there are clear steps now. First, you do USF2000, then you do Star Mazda, then you do Firestone Indy Lights, then you can become an IZOD IndyCar driver. With the Road to Indy program, if you work hard on it, the contacts will come. The team owners will look at you if you're part of the Road to Indy program." (What was the best part of the Summit): "Going to the Museum today was fantastic. I got to see Juan Manuel Fangio's car. He's my idol."
ZACH VEACH (USF2000 driver, Andretti Autosport): "One of the coolest things we did today was the track ride with Rick Mears. He described a few tips for us to remember. He said it's important to be smooth, and he told us how to do corrections. I feel very fortunate to be part of the USF2000 series and the Road to Indy program. We're really being groomed to be an IZOD IndyCar Series driver. The Road to Indy program is one of a kind, and it's really helping us out."
MIKAEL GRENIER (Star Mazda driver, Andersen Racing): "The Museum was quite impressive. In some of those old race cars, the seats looked like a sofa! And I couldn't believe the cloth helmets. The tour of the track was cool. Rick Mears showed us some stuff that you could really see at the slow speed we were going. Everything he said really made sense. The oval here is much bigger than I thought it was from just seeing it on TV. When you compare what we're doing at ORP to what they're doing here, it's crazy!"
TRISTAN VAUTIER (Star Mazda driver, Andersen Racing): "I met some interesting people that I wouldn't have met otherwise without the Road to Indy Summit. I met [team owners] Sam Schmidt and Eric Bachelart; the new head of the Indy Racing League, Randy Bernard, and Rick Mears showed us the track. I saw for myself how huge it is. It's good to meet as many people as you can here. Then when you see them again, you'll talk a bit more, and before you know it you will know them and they'll know you. It's an important side of the job. It's really important to be quick too, but all of this is very helpful."
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Jerry Coons Jr. won the 40th First Financial Bank "Tony Hulman Classic" presented by Budweiser and 500 Express USAC National Sprint Car Series feature Thursday night at the Terre Haute Action Track. Coons took the lead from Levi Jones with three laps remaining in the 30-lap feature.
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Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994 and has played an active role in the development of the IZOD IndyCar Series -- as both a manufacturers' championship competitor and sole engine supplier -- since joining the series in 2003.
The company scored its first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2004 with Buddy Rice, manufacturers' championships in 2004 and 2005 and became engine supplier to the entire series in 2006. Honda has supplied racing engines to the entire 33-car Indianapolis 500 starting field every year since 2006, and for a record four consecutive years, there has not been a single engine failure in the '500.'
The 2010 Indianapolis 500 will mark Honda's 100th race win as a manufacturer and engine supplier in IZOD IndyCar Series competition.
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NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. were in the media center today. Fouts is a guest of series sponsor IZOD this weekend.
DAN FOUTS: "Just to be here and see the size and magnitude, and feel the enthusiasm and excitement as it builds for the race on Sunday, it's very unique. I've been to a lot of big sporting events, Super Bowls and whatever. But this is totally different just because of the size and the number of people. I've always watched the Indy 500. As a kid it was part of 'Wide World of Sports,' and you tuned it in because it was going to be something special. It's fascinating, the teamwork involved with the racing teams. I kind of like that part of it." (On the correlation between teamwork in football and racing): "Being a quarterback, I can appreciate the guy behind the wheel. The teamwork involved, it is similar to playing ball. You've got your hierarchy, and you've got the guys doing all the grunt work. You've got to pull together to make it happen, and usually the better team wins." (What are you looking forward to the most?): "I think I get to take a lap today. You know, I've flown with the Blue Angels twice, and this is like on the bucket list. This will be a first-time, only-time deal, and I can't wait."
AL UNSER JR.: "It's just like Fouts said. Rick Galles, my car owner the first time I won the Indianapolis 500, modeled the team after a football team with the driver being the quarterback and the pit crew being the linemen, and so on. It was all modeled after how a football team operates. I never played football or anything, but I did 'quarterback' my team and talk to them and so on. When things were down, it was we or the team who had to bring things backup again. I can't think IZOD and Phillips-Van Heusen for bringing the Legends of Football here. The push that they (IZOD) are making is going to take the Indy Racing League to its next level."
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Fans can choose among legendary drivers of the sport to name the trophies awarded to the oval and road champions of the IZOD IndyCar Series.
Media selected the top-five nominees from each discipline and through June 3, IZOD IndyCar Series fans can vote for their preferred legend at www.indycar.com.
The oval trophy honoree will be announced during the IZOD IndyCar Series event weekend June 4-5 at Texas Motor Speedway while the road trophy honoree will be revealed July2-4 at Watkins Glen International.
Oval nominees: Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Ted Horn, Rick Mears, Bill Vukovich.
Road nominees: Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Al Unser Jr., Alex Zanardi.
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The Honda overtake assist system will be used in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time this year.
The system, which was introduced last August at Kentucky Speedway, provides a 200 revolutions per minute and extra power (5-20 horsepower) boost for a prescribed time limit on all racetracks via a button on the steering wheel designed to complete a pass or defend one.
For the 500 Mile Race, Honda Performance Development has set the duration at 18 seconds for each of the 15 activations. There's a 10-second reset time between activations.
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The Art Institute of Indianapolis joined the FAZZT Race Team in their goal to reach out to younger IZOD IndyCar Series fans, as students at Ai Indy were asked to design a logo, website and autograph card for children.
Ai Indy graphic design students Alex Noonan and Angie Fields created a logo for FAZZT Kidz and a hero card that was distributed Wednesday during American Family Insurance 500 Festival Community Day at IMS. The website, once completed, will include puzzles and games for young children to play and photos and videos by FAZZT driver Alex Tagliani. The site is being created by Ai Indy Web Design & Interactive Media students Jason Luzader, Chris Johnson, Jake Kawaguchi and Matt Turpin.
ALEX TAGLIANI: "This is a great project The Art Institute of Indianapolis and their students have undertaken for me and the FAZZT Race Team. It's nice to be able to have something that appeals to the kids and hopefully gets them interested in racing and learning about motorsport, as they are our future as fans."
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Butler University men's basketball coach Brad Stevens was the honorary starter today. Stevens coached the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division I championship game, where they lost to Duke at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
BRAD STEVENS: "I was supposed to wave the green flag a couple of years ago, but it was raining. This is the first time in (my) last five tries coming to the track that it wasn't raining. I'm excited that I get a chance to be here on a nice day. It's a beautiful day, and it's one of my favorite weekends."(What was it like to wave the green flag?): "When they came out of the pits, it was one thing, but when they came down the straightaway it was another. It was really neat to see those cars. I've been here for a few races and will be here on Sunday, but it's also one of the few things that I get to listen to on the radio rather than now watch on TV. When I was growing up, I listened to it on the radio, and it was just a great event, something you look forward to every spring." (His pick to win the race): "Well, I probably should stay away from picks. I don't want to put any pressure on him, but I'm friends with Ed Carpenter, so I'll l be paying close attention to the Butler graduate."
FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 TOP TWO QUICK QUOTES:
WADE CUNNINGHAM (No. 77 Lucas Oil/BSS/Sam Schmidt Motorsports, winner): "The whole time I thought Charlie (Kimball) was driving a smart race and hanging back. I thought he was going to have something the last 10 laps. But really, his car wasn't good in the draft." (Could you have passed him if he passed you on the final few laps?): "Absolutely. You saw how easy it was for me to pass Charlie. We had the gearing right."
CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 26 Levemir FlexPen, second): "The setup wasn't exactly where we wanted it to be. I ran out of tools about midway through the race. When Vernay came through and ran in front of us, it kind of chewed up the front tires. That didn't help. His (Wade Cunningham) experience around here won the race, for sure."
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 POST-RACE NOTES:
•Wade Cunningham earned his record third Firestone Freedom 100 victory. He also won in 2006 and 2009. He is the only driver to win this race more than once.
•Sam Schmidt Motorsports earned its fifth victory in the Firestone Freedom 100, more than any other team. It also won in 2004 (Thiago Medeiros), 2005 (Jaime Camara), 2007 (Alex Lloyd) and 2009 (Cunningham).
•Wade Cunningham earned his second consecutive Firestone Freedom 100 victory with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. He won the race in 2006 with Brian Stewart Racing.
•Wade Cunningham earned a victory in his first Firestone Indy Lights start of the season. This was his seventh career Firestone Indy Lights victory. His last win came last August at Kentucky Speedway.
•Charlie Kimball finished second for the third consecutive race this season. This was his career-best finish at this race, as his previous best was 13th in 2009.
•James Hinchcliffe earned his second podium finish of the season by placing third. He won in April at Long Beach.
•Dan Clarke finished a season-best fourth. His previous best was seventh in April at Barber Motorsports Park.
•Martin Plowman finished fifth, his best in this event. His previous best was 22nd in 2009.
•Philip Major finished a season-best fifth. His previous best was seventh in April at Long Beach.
•Jean-Karl Vernay finished 13th, his first finish off the podium this season. He won at St. Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park and finished third at Long Beach.
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 POST-RACE QUOTES:
DAN CLARKE (No. 40 Wasteco Deans Knight Special, fourth): "Wow. That was my first ever Freedom 100 and my first-ever Speedway race. That was awesome. I really enjoyed that. We're new to this car. This is our third race together, so we're still finding our feet, but that race car was good. I could really keep the foot down in the corners. It is just a bit unfortunate at the end that (James) Hinchcliffe blocked me. We already had the rules stated to us this morning that you don't change your line when someone is right behind you, and Hinch just drove all the way down inside into (Turn) 1. It stopped me getting past him. So we're hoping that justice can have its day, and we're going to get third place for that. I think we deserve that. Other than that, I'm relieved to finish, because that's one hairy race."
JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 2 TMR -Xtreme Coil Drilling, third): "Bittersweet day, really. Starting eighth, it was great to get the car up on the podium. The car was a rocket ship all day. We managed to get all the way to the leader's gearbox, but ultimately, it was a lap car that came into play and assisted in me losing the draft and second place. That's bittersweet. Getting up to third is a good result, and huge thanks to the boys. But at the same time, I think we could have been running with the two lead cars and challenging for the win."
ARIE LUYENDYK JR. (No. 4 Andersen Racing IZOD, 14th): "The fuel pressure light came on. I don't know what's going on. The car never had speed. All weekend the car's been slow. I don't know what more to do. I don't know if something let go in the motor. But the motor just shut off. Maybe that's the problem we've been having all along. It's just kind of a waste. The car's great. Flat is all you can go. And if the guys are walking away from you, there's nothing you can do. Driving my butt off to finish last is not my ideal situation for a good comeback."
BRANDON WAGNER (No. 32 Davey Hamilton Racing, eighth): "The day was what we had expected. Unfortunately, we had a little problem. We had to change engines right before qualifying (Friday), so we were hoping the engine was fine, and it proved to be good right from the start. I was able to make a couple of moves right away and run down a big line in front of us. The car was really good in traffic. At the end, the tires were going away and the car was getting a little free down in (Turns) 1 and 2 on the exit. You have to expect that the way the heat was today and the tires the way they were. Overall, we were hoping to get a top five, but we'll take a top 10."
ADRIAN CAMPOS JR. (No. 22 TMR-Xtreme Coil Drilling, 10th): "We could have finished closer to the front, but we had a problem with the right front tire. We kept burning it out and then coming in to the pits to change it. Later in the race, the car was very, very good, and I could do whatever I wanted when I was trying to overtake other drivers. It was my first oval race, and I didn't want to take risks. I just wanted to finish the race. I enjoyed it. We had a top-five car, and this is a top team."
JEFF SIMMONS (No. 17 Team E, 15th): "Well, I'm very disappointed for all of us at Team E and our sponsor Zymol. We had a really good car, and I feel terrible that we couldn't bring the car home. We've been fighting a fuel pressure problem since yesterday, and it turns out that we didn't get it completely solved today. Even with that, though, we were still a contender. We kept getting pushed down low and, for some reason or another, the car snapped around and got real loose. We're not sure if it was mechanical or not, and we haven't been able to go through the data yet. Unfortunately, we collected Pippa Mann, and we're disappointed about that, as well as losing our car. It's just very disappointing."
MARTIN PLOWMAN (No. 27 Automatic Fire Sprinklers/KEP Printing, ): "It was a bit of a boring race for me, really. I had a great start. I went from the outside of Row 2, got second place ahead of the pole sitter. Then my teammate got a good run on me on the outside between (Turn) 1 and 2. I kind of let him go because we're working together as teammates and wanted to get to the front of the pack. After the yellow period, the car just developed a really severe push. I tried to dial it out as far as I could inside the car . I was really battling a push the rest of the race. That really hindered me. I had to keep getting out of the throttle to avoid hitting the wall. Today's a really hot day. I think the conditions got us out by surprise."
STEFAN WILSON (No. 28 Bryan Herta Autosport, seventh): "After yesterday, I was a little bit worried about what we had in store for the race. Our work during the week paid off for a good race setup. In the race, the car was handling really good. I kept making a lot of adjustments in the cockpit, and it really paid off. I'm really pleased with seventh place. We got some good solid points for the championship. Not bad for my first Indy race."
PHILIP MAJOR (No.49 Sam Schmidt Motorsports, sixth): "I had a fantastic first run here. I'm just really thrilled to be here. It's pretty much just a learning experience for me. It's my first time on an oval. I think at the beginning I was pretty confident in my car. But then at the end when it starts falling off, I just have a bit to learn as far as how to drive the car and adjust it to where it's a good balance." (On the difficulty adjusting to oval racing): "About halfway through the race, my tires started going off and I had a really big moment coming out of (Turn) 3, which is pretty scary. But I just made some adjustments in the car. What people don't see is you're constantly making small adjustments with your hands as the car is walking up the track. If you see the driver crossing the hands, it's usually going to end up pretty poorly."
SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 29 William Rast/Bryan Herta Autosport, ninth): "The race didn't go our way. We didn't have the car to go in traffic, and that's a shame. Five laps into the race, we were having lots of trouble. That's racing. We'll continue working, continue making the car better. So the next time we come here we will know. We brought the car (home) in one piece. Now let's go for the Indianapolis 500."
PIPPA MANN (No. 11 Sam Schmidt Motorsports): "I've got some pretty bruised feet, and I'm going to have a very sore neck tomorrow. I'm pretty angry, but I'm OK." (About crash): "So the blue car (Simmons) pulls out on the inside, gets pinched down really, really hard on the white line by the car on the outside(Plowman), gives him no room. He spins, slides up the track, whacks me because I'm the car behind. That's what I see on the replay. It was an accident that didn't need to happen, but it's actually not the No. 17 car's (Simmons) fault, in my opinion. He got pushed down really, really hard. I saw it unfolding, but there was nothing I could do about it."
J.K. VERNAY (No.7 Lucas Oil/CJ/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): "I didn't do a great race because I had a problem with the car, and we lost everything (power). I had no power after Turn 1 at the green flag. I don't know what the problem was. We can be happy because I know I can be really fast on the oval, and that's good for the rest of the year. The car was good. I really wanted to win, but it's motorsports. Sometimes you have mechanical problems, sometimes you crash and sometimes you win. The team did a good job. I'm happy for Wade (Cunningham) that he won. (Running between leader and second place) I wasn't trying to overtake Wade (Cunningham), wasn't trying to be quicker, because I was five laps down. I just wanted to really conserve his first place and help him. That's why I was behind him. After my engineer told me that, I had to go down, let them race. That's why I lifted. We had a little problem with the radio, but it turned out not to be a big deal."
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Don Lambert, chief mechanic for Bryan Herta Autosport, was named as the winner of the Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award for the 2010 Indianapolis 500.
Lambert earned a $5,000 check and a plaque. The award is presented annually by the Clint Brawner Foundation and supported by Firestone Racing and recognizes an Indianapolis 500 chief mechanic who exemplifies the mechanical and scientific creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise of legendary Indianapolis 500 chief mechanic Brawner.
Lambert, an Indianapolis native, was recognized for playing his part in the fledgling Bryan Herta Autosport team that helped rookie driver Sebastian Saavedra earn a spot in the race. Saavedra crashed heavily late on Bump Day but still qualified when Paul Tracy and Jay Howard withdrew qualified runs and failed to improve on them.
DON LAMBERT: "It's just hard for me to express how I feel, because this means a lot. I guess I was pretty emotional when they told me because of everything else that went on the previous two days, Saturday and Sunday, and then crashing and looking at the car and thinking, 'Oh, man!' I mean, it broke everything - gearbox, bell-housing, underwings, sidepods, engine cover - and then looking at the work, trying to get the thing put back together, I was just taken back that I actually won that award. I had seen guys in the past that had won that award, including my teammate, Butch Winkle, and I was thinking, 'Man, that would be pretty cool,' and I didn't think I would ever win it!"
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NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Top Fuel star Brandon Bernstein is visiting the track today.
BRANDON BERNSTEIN: "I'm just enjoying the atmosphere today. It's nice to come here. I'm back living in the Indy area now. It's good to be back and have a roundy-round course. I just came out to experience some good racing while we've got some time off before starting a brutal nine-week racing schedule."
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Indianapolis 500 veteran and Rolex Sports Car Series driver Scott Pruett spent some time in the pits on Friday with the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team. Pruett is a Grand-Am championship winner for the Ganassi organization.
SCOTT PRUETT: "It's great being back here seeing Dario and Scott running as good as they are. The Target cars are looking good. It's nice to come here. There's nothing like Indy. Being here in Indy cars, being here in NASCAR, being here in Rolex when we did that test (at IMS), there's nothing like being at Indy and going fast. I think it would be awesome if we (the Rolex Sports Car Series) could get the opportunity to come here and do something different that we haven't done before." (Is it hard to watch the cars running when your last time here for the Indy 500 was a near victory?): "You know, it's just one of those things. It was a long time ago. We'd love to be here with the Rolex Series and love being here with the Ganassi organization."
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IZOD INDY 500 PIT STOP CHALLENGE NOTES:
•Team Penske won the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge for the 12th time, extending its record. Galles Racing is second, with six victories.
•Team Penske has won the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge the last five years (2005, Sam Hornish Jr.; 2006, Helio Castroneves; 2007, Castroneves; 2009, Castroneves; 2010, Castroneves). The event was canceled by rain in 2008.
•Helio Castroneves was the winning driver in the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge for the fifth time, a record. He shared the record with Danny Sullivan entering this year. Castroneves has been the winning driver in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
•Helio Castroneves will attempt to complete the Indianapolis 500 "sweep" of winning the pole, IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year for the second consecutive year, an unprecedented feat.
•Helio Castroneves won the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge and the race in 2002 and 2009.
•This is the first IZOD Pit Stop Challenge victory for Team Penske chief mechanic Sean Hanrahan. Castroneves earned his first four victories in this event with Rick Rinaman as chief mechanic. Rinaman moved to an in-house role this season at the team, overseeing all three Penske teams and engineering.
•Team Penske's winning time of 8.001 seconds was the second-quickest final-round time in the history of the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge, which started in 1977. Team Penske and Castroneves won in the final round last year with a stop of 7.962 seconds.
•This is the fifth time Newman/Haas Racing has finished runner-up in this event. The team also placed second in 1988 (Mario Andretti), 1989 (Mario Andretti), 1993 (Mario Andretti) and 1995 (Michael Andretti). The team won in 1987 (Mario Andretti).
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Paul Tracy will compete for KV Racing Technology in the Honda Indy Edmonton IZOD IndyCar Series event July 23-25 at Edmonton, Alberta, it was announced today.
Tracy is a native of the Toronto area.
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INDIANAPOLIS 500 FINAL PRACTICE QUOTES:
TOWNSEND BELL (No. 99 Herbalife Ganassi/Schmidt Racing, 14th): "It felt great. I think we're going to be very competitive on Race Day. I saw a lot of cars look pretty solid. I'm not sure if people ran as many laps as we did. We ran a long tire run all the way to the end, and we were still handling well and fast at the end, so we're pleased about that. We're going to tweak on a few things that I think we can improve. We are ready for Race Day. And congratulations to Sam (Schmidt) and his team for winning the Firestone Indy Lights race. I feel like the car is pretty close handling to where it what I had last year, so I think I know what to expect on Race Day. It's a long race, but we're planning to be strong." (About his plans for the next 48 hours): "It's fun, really. All the friends and family are coming in to town. More sponsors are getting here each day, and I enjoy that part of it. That's the backbone of what we do and why we're out there. It's just a lot of fun to watch more and more people get into Indianapolis."
ALEX TAGLIANI (No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins/Honda Edmonton Indy, 10th): "I'm very happy. The car seems good. We wanted to be consistent, and I think we are. We wanted to be good in the turbulence, and I think we are. The team has done a really good job all month long. I think were competitive enough to give them a run for their money, but we have to dodge all the bullets in the 500 Mile Race. If we can be there in the last 30 miles, we'll fight as hard as we can. I'm excited about it, but on a 500-mile race you can never take it for granted. We're going to try to execute perfectly. We have to get through the first 470 miles, and then at the end we're going to let it rip."
RAPHAEL MATOS (No. 2 HP de Ferran Dragon Racing, ninth): "This was a very good Carburetion Day. It was important to run behind traffic and decide the downforce level we'll use in the race. The conditions were a little better than what we'll face Sunday. I feel good about the car. We're ready to go."
SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing, second): "It was how big a tow we got. The speeds are pretty good up in the 223s. It's hot, but the car felt good. The heat typically helps us, a little bit more than some of the others. Hopefully that comes true on Sunday. The speeds really don't mean much (on Miller Lite Carb Day). It's all about trying to make sure you can get back in traffic and pass cars. Hopefully we've done enough homework and prepared the cars well. We're only here for one reason, and that's to win."
HIDEKI MUTOH (No. 06 Panasonic Formula Dream, 26th): "I couldn't run the whole session because I had a gearbox problem, so I am concerned about this. I don't want to have the problem on Race Day, but at least we had today to shake down the car. I just wanted to run behind a lot of traffic, but I was only able to run behind one or two cars at a time before we had the problem. The car feels really good behind one or two cars, but we're not totally sure how it will be behind a big group of cars. The car was very good in cooler conditions. But last Sunday, I think we lost some balance in the hot, hot conditions, but now I think it came back. If we can have a trouble-free race, I think we will run well."
MARIO ROMANCINI (No. 34 Conquest Racing, 22nd): "Overall, it was a good day for us. We had a chance to work on the race setup a bit. We still have some things to improve on the car before Sunday, but today we were in the midfield, which shows that we can be competitive during the race."
BERTRAND BAGUETTE (No. 36 Conquest Racing RACB, 23rd): "Today was an important one for us because it is the last practice session before the race. I was able to run just behind the other cars, and everything felt stable and comfortable. It was a good session, which gives me a lot of confidence, and now I think we are ready for the big race."
BRUNO JUNQUEIRA (No. 33 Bowers & Wilkins/TorcUp, fourth): "Forty-three laps, I think I'm getting the groove of it now. It was good to be back in the car and be able to practice and do long runs. I think we improved the car a little bit for race setup. I started out today with a little too much understeer, but we made it better and I'm quite happy. I have to thank (race strategist) Derrick Walker for coming in to help and the FAZZT Race Team for their help, as well. I think we're going to have a good race car, and it's just going to be very difficult to pass, especially from where I'm starting. We need to be very patient, but that is OK because we have a fast car."
VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Racing, 16th): "Practice went very smoothly. It feels so good to go out there with a plan and execute it. We came back to the garage, made decisions over what we did out there, so it was good. The ABC Supply car was good. Sometimes the car was too solid, so we might have had a little too much downforce to begin with. Then we tried some things and the downforce went away, so we have the two sides of the spectrum. Now it's just the Indy 500. Look at the sky, look at the weather and make the right decision. But we did everything we had to do, and I feel very good about the car."
TAKUMA SATO (No. 5 Lotus-KV Racing Technology, 15th): "The conditions today were the most difficult I have experienced here at Indy. We tried various setups in a limited time frame. We concentrated on our qualifying setup until today, so this was my first opportunity to work on our race sim. I feel we need to improve the car some more, but we have a strong engineering staff, and I am very optimistic that we will have a good car for the race. It will be exciting to race in my first Indianapolis 500."
MARIO MORAES (No. 32 GEICO-Curb Records-KV Racing Technology, eighth): "We had a few problems with the GEICO-Curb Records - KVRT car today. It's unfortunate because this was our last practice before the race, but I know the speed is there. I am looking forward to race. We are estimating about nine pit stops, and I just need to be there for the last 30 laps to fight for the good finish."
E.J. VISO (No. 8 PDVSA-Jet Aviation-KV Racing Technology, sixth): "I want to thank the PDVSA - KV Racing Technology team. The last few weeks have been really tough. Now we have a fast and comfortable race setup. This is basically because all the hard work of my mechanics and engineers. After having a big crash last week, this is a great way to recover, and hopefully we will have a great race on Sunday."
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Angie's List will serve as the title sponsor of the No. 36 Conquest Racing car driven by Chase Rookie of the Year candidate Bertrand Baguette, a native of Belgium, on Sunday in the Indianapolis 500.
This is the third consecutive year that Angie's List has sponsored a driver in the "500," as it backed Oriol Servia in 2008 and Sarah Fisher in 2009.
Angie's List is the nation's premier provider of consumer reviews on local service providers ranging from plumbers and contractors to doctors, dentists, and auto repair and service.
BERTRAND BAGUETTE: "I haven't been living in Indianapolis for very long, but I have immersed myself into the American culture very quickly. And to have an Indianapolis-based company sponsor me, means a lot to me. This is my new home, and I'm becoming a Hoosier all the way around."
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Helio Castroneves and Team Penske earned $50,000 for winning the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge today. Hideki Mutoh and Newman/Haas Racing earned $15,000 for finishing runner-up.
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Officials from the three series that comprise the Road to Indy program - Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship -discussed the inaugural Road to Indy Summit today at IMS. The Road to Indy is the development ladder system of the Indy Racing League.
The Road to Indy Summit, a three-day, first-of-its-kind instructional meeting for drivers who someday hope to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series, brings together drivers from the three ladder series.
GARY RODRIGUES (Owner/CEO, Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear): "There's a temptation for me to say, 'Welcome to my dream,' because we've been working for 20 years to get to where we are now and that is to be recognized as a part of the ladder to a career in Indy car. The Road to Indy Summit has been a success that's beyond my imagination. To let our young drivers have exposure to people like Rick Mears, Randy Bernard, Tony George Jr. and Roger Bailey is just a dream come true. It's a privilege for our drivers. These kids are like sponges, and they're absorbing all the information they can. They are as serious as a heart attack when it comes to learning about the job to be done in the car as well as out of the car. It's a major step forward."
DAN ANDERSEN (Founder and co-owner, Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship): "The Road to Indy ladder is a long time coming. There needs to be a clear path to the big series, and there is now. There are a lot of good things that have happened already, and this summit is one of them. It's fantastic. These drivers have never seen anything like this, and all I'm getting from them is positive feedback. F2000 is delighted to be a part of it."
TONY GEORGE JR. (Manager, business development, Firestone Indy Lights): "It's gone really well. I can't believe that it was only six months ago that we announced this idea. Yesterday, we had a Museum tour with Donald Davidson, a track tour and spotter lecture with Rick Mears, and we had the new media presentation this morning. I think we've set the stage, and we've set a standard for what we're trying to do. Hopefully, in the next year and the years to come, we'll be able to improve on it."
ROGER BAILEY (Executive director, Firestone Indy Lights): "It's extremely important. We've put together something that is of benefit to anyone right down into karting. I don't think we can do enough of this sort of thing. The programs that we've had at this summit have been fantastic. It's the first of many summits, and everyone in the sport is going to benefit from it. This is going to be something that is not only vital to the Road to Indy but also to the success of open-wheel racing. It's going to benefit the world of racing."
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Indianapolis 500 veteran Paul Tracy met with the media today. Tracy failed to qualify for the 2010 Indianapolis 500 in the No. 15 GEICO-Curb Records-KV Racing Technology entry.
PAUL TRACY: (On his recent announcement in Toronto): "After leaving here on Sunday with our tail between our legs and waking up in Toronto and still not feeling very good with how the weekend went, we were there to make an announcement about racing in Canada. We announced a sponsorship there (for the Toronto Grand Prix) with Honda Canada and the Blue Jays baseball team. The primary sponsor on that car is a charity, Make-A-Wish Foundation, which supports kids who are sick with various forms of illnesses that are life-threatening. Jimmy (Vasser) and I both got up in the morning and had breakfast. We were both still crying in our cereal bowl about how Sunday went. When we got to the venue where the car was, there were a half-dozen kids there. Your heart just sank. You think you've got troubles, and you've got kids there that are sick. It kind of put things in perspective that life's not so bad for me because I didn't qualify for the Indy 500. So we're supporting a great cause for the Toronto races." (What are your plans for Race Day?): "I'll just be staying here with the sponsors trying to keep our relationships going. We work with the team. Obviously, there's really not much I can do after that, other than just trying to keep ourselves in the loop here." (Will you be spotting or anything specific like that on Race Day?): "No, that's a big responsibility. They have guys that do that full time."
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All carbon emissions connected with the opening race of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season - the São Paulo Indy 300, held on a street course in Brazil's largest city on March 14, will be compensated by more than 23,000 trees planted at the largest sugarcane processing mill in the world, it was announced in a press conference today. The trees were planted based on a study by an independent consultancy, which quantified emissions produced by the São Paulo race and estimated the number of trees needed to offset those emissions.
The study, produced by the São Paulo-based Totum Institute, was commissioned by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) with support from the Indy Racing League. The tree planting was completed May 18 by the world's largest sugarcane processing mill, São Martinho, located in the town of Pradópolis in the Brazilian state of São Paulo.
In all, 23,580 native Atlantic Rainforest seedlings were planted on 14.2 hectares of land around the São Martinho mill, to offset an estimated 1,137.85 tons of CO2 and equivalents emitted by the race in São Paulo. The assessment report called for only 8,128 trees to be planted, but the mill decided to expand the planted area. The mill and the São Paulo state Environmental Secretariat have pledged to monitor the area for at least five years and replant seedlings whenever necessary.
JOEL VELASCO (Chief representative for North America, UNICA): "UNICA was able to bring together all the necessary players to ensure credibility and transparency every step of the way, from the assessment report produced by an experienced and recognized institution, to direct supervision of the tree planting by two state government offices."
TERRY ANGSTADT (President, Commercial Division, Indy Racing League): "It was a huge investment and huge effort to compensate for the carbon footprint around the São Paulo event. I think it was a great effort from our good partners at UNICA, and we are working hard to possibly neutralize more events, which would be fantastic."
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SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE (all times local):
8 a.m. Public gates open10:30-11 a.m. Public Drivers' Meeting, Pit Lane in front of Tower TerraceNoon IPL 500 Festival Parade, Downtown Indianapolis6 p.m. Track Closes
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The 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season continues May 30 with the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at noon (ET) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The race also will be carried on indycar.com. The 2010 Firestone Indy Lights season continues with the Firestone Freedom 100 on May 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway The race will air live on VERSUS.
