The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit will mark the first of three doubleheaders on the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule. The series will race a pair of 70-lap races Saturday and Sunday on the 2.36-mile temporary street circuit, posing a unique challenge for IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and teams. In addition, SONAX will offer a $50,000 bonus to any driver who can win both races through the SONAX Perfect Finish Award. Will someone sweep the races and be crowned king of the streets in Detroit?
Kanaan looks to continue surge at Detroit
Tony Kanaan scored the biggest win of his career when he won the 97th Indianapolis 500. Kanaan, who won at Belle Isle in 2007, has climbed to seventh in the championship and looks to maintain his momentum at a place where he has had the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Can he continue his climb towards the top with at least one win in Detroit?
Second-generation stars hope to add to family legacy
The latest generation from two of open-wheel racing's most familiar families comes to Belle Isle in hopes of adding to the family legacy. Marco Andretti - the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti and son of two-time Detroit winner Michael Andretti - leads the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings for the first time in his career. Off-season focus has paid off for Andretti, who is enjoying the best start of his career. Andretti has posted five straight top-seven finishes. Another son hoping to return his father's team to Victory Lane is Graham Rahal. The son of inaugural Belle Isle winner Bobby Rahal returns to his family's team hoping to improve on his second-place finish at Long Beach earlier this year.
A.J. and Sato proves to be a winning combination
A.J. Foyt liked the speed and aggressiveness he saw in Takuma Sato in 2012 and the Japanese driver has already brought the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner his first win in more than a decade. Now Sato aims to deliver Foyt another win and his first team championship since 1998. Can Sato take Foyt to victory lane at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park.
Detroit natives look for win as team owners
Two team owners call Detroit home and bring a strong chance to win the home race for engine manufacturer Chevrolet. Roger Penske played an active role in bringing back the race in Detroit. His Team Penske has Will Power, former Belle Isle race winner Helio Castroneves and AJ Allmendinger. Penske's son Jay owns Dragon Racing, which returns to the Motor City with four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Saavedra.
Hinch finds a home
Continuity is key for third-year driver James Hinchcliffe, who returns to the same team - Andretti Autosport - for the first time in his racing career. Hinchcliffe, already a two-time IZOD IndyCar Series winner in 2013, has also been reunited with his engineer from his rookie season, Craig Hampson. Will the familiarity breed success for the popular Canadian driver, nicknamed the Mayor of Hinchtown?
Helio returns to site of his first fence climb
Helio Castroneves returns to Belle Isle, hoping to climb the fence at the circuit where he won his first race. Castroneves has two victories and two poles at Belle Isle for team owner Roger Penske's team. Can he win again at the Captain's home track?
Watch for Wilson
Justin Wilson is familiar with victory lane at Belle Isle, having won the race in 2008. Wilson returns to the circuit with a team very familiar with the Motor City, Dale Coyne Racing. Can Wilson, who won the team's first race in 2009 at Watkins Glen, bring the team back to Victory Lane at Belle Isle?
Rising stars seek breakthrough win
James Hinchcliffe claimed his first two Indy car wins at St. Petersburg and Sao Paulo, while Charlie Kimball knocked on the door for his first win at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham. JR Hildebrand, Simon Pagenaud and Simona De Silvestro have built strong fan followings with their performances on and off the track, but each is looking for their first win in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Can one of the young stars break through at Detroit?
American flyers
The IZOD IndyCar Series features a group of home-grown stars who represent the stars and stripes in the most diverse series in motorsports. Reigning series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, race winners Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter and Graham Rahal and rising stars JR Hildebrand, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden all worked their way up the American open-wheel ladder to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series. They'll be joined by AJ Allmendinger in Detroit.
Kimball matures with Ganassi team
Charlie Kimball, the third full-time driver in Chip Ganassi's driver lineup is ready to be a contender in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Can the young driver, who has already won the Rolex 24 with Ganassi this season, build upon his relationship with teammates Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe to continue his momentum and claim his first win?
Newgarden avoids sophomore jinx
After a rookie season in which he made solid progress in the car and earned respect from his peers, Josef Newgarden and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing are having a breakthrough sophomore season. The young Tennessean scored his best finish at Sao Paulo (5th). Can the consistency of returning to a series with the same team and equipment for the first time in his career coupled with his acclimation to ovals help Newgarden in his development?
Keep an eye on Simona
A strong sixth-place finish at St. Petersburg showed that Simona De Silvestro is ready for a breakout season. The Swiss driver looked poised to finish on the podium in her KV Racing Technology debut before finishing sixth. Will De Silvestro benefit from the experience having a teammate for the first time in her IndyCar career, and not just any teammate but 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner and former IZOD IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan - and hit the target at Belle Isle to become the first women to win in Detroit and the third first-time winner in 2013?
Race Notes:
The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit will be the fourth and fifth IZOD IndyCar Series races conducted at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park. Previous Detroit winners entered include Dario Franchitti (1999), Helio Castroneves (2000-01), Tony Kanaan (2007), Justin Wilson (2008) and Scott Dixon (2012).
The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit are the 14th and 15th Indy car races at the Raceway at Belle Isle and the 17th and 18th Indy car races held in Detroit. A 2.5-mile street circuit in Detroit hosted CART from 1989-1991.
The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Detroit three times. Alex Zanardi won on Belle Isle in 1998, Bobby Rahal won at Belle Isle in 1992 and Emerson Fittipaldi won in Downtown Detroit in 1989.
Since 1993, seven drivers have won the sixth race of the season and also won the championship. They are: Dario Franchitti (2011, Texas-1; 2010, Indianapolis), Sebastien Bourdais (2004, Toronto), Scott Dixon (2003, Pikes Peak), Cristiano da Matta (2002, Portland), Alex Zanardi (1998, Gateway), Jimmy Vasser (1996, Michigan) and Jacques Villeneuve (1995, Indianapolis). Eight drivers have won the seventh race of the season and also won the championship. They are: Dario Franchitti (2009, Iowa), Scott Dixon (2008, Texas and 2003, Richmond), Sebastien Bourdais (2005, Edmonton), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006, Richmond), Cristiano da Matta (2002, Chicago), Greg Ray (1999, Dover), Kenny Brack (1998, Charlotte) Tony Stewart (1997, Charlotte) and Al Unser Jr. (1994, Portland).
Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti have competed in seven previous races at Detroit, most of any driver. Five drivers have previous led laps at the track (Helio Castroneves 175, Scott Dixon 78, Dario Franchitti 44, Tony Kanaan 20 and Justin Wilson 15.)
The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit will be the fifth and sixth races on a road/street course in 2013. The first four races were won by James Hinchcliffe (St. Petersburg and Sao Paulo), Ryan Hunter-Reay (Barber) and Takuma Sato (Long Beach).
Season to Date:
James Hinchcliffe won the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. It was the first win of his Indy car career. He was the 207th driver to win an Indy car race. Will Power won his 30th career Indy car pole at St. Petersburg. Tristan Vautier started his first career IZOD IndyCar Series race at St. Petersburg. Ryan Hunter-Reay won his 10th Indy car race when he won the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park from the pole position. It was the second time he had won a race from pole. Takuma Sato won his first Indy car race when he won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He was the 208th driver to win an Indy car race and first Japanese driver to win. It was A.J. Foyt's first win as a car owner since 2002. Dario Franchitti won his 30th career Indy car pole at Long Beach. James Hinchcliffe won the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 with a last-lap, last-turn pass of Takuma Sato. It was his second win of 2013 and the third win in four races for Andretti Autosport. Ed Carpenter won his first pole position since 2010 at Kentucky when he won the pole for the 97th Indianapolis 500. Tony Kanaan won the 97th Indianapolis 500 to record his 16th Indy car victory. There were four race leaders and four lead changes in the season-opening race at St. Petersburg. There were four race leaders and six lead changes at Barber. There were seven leaders and nine lead changes at Sao Paulo. There were a race-record 14 leaders and race-record 68 lead changes at Indianapolis.
Milestones & Records:
Should Dario Franchitti win the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series championship, he will join A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to win at least five Indy car titles in their career. Franchitti won the title in 2007 and again from 2009-2011. Foyt won seven championships in his career.
With their next victory, either Dario Franchitti or Sebastien Bourdais will move into sole possession of seventh place on the all-time wins list. Franchitti and Bourdais are tied with Paul Tracy with 31 wins.
With a victory in 2013, Scott Dixon will extend his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to nine.
With his next victory, Scott Dixon will move into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time wins list. Dixon won his 29th race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 5, 2012, to tie Rick Mears for 10th place on the all-time wins list.
With his next victory, Helio Castroneves will move into sole possession of 11th place on the all-time wins list. Castroneves, who won his 27th race at Edmonton City Centre on July 22, 2012, tied Johnny Rutherford for 12th with the victory.
Helio Castroneves needs three earned poles to reach 40 career poles in his Indy car career.
Will Power recorded the 30th pole of his Indy car career at St. Petersburg.
Dario Franchitti recorded the 30th pole of his Indy car career at Long Beach.
Scott Dixon needs two earned poles to reach 20 in his Indy car career.
With one pole in 2012, Scott Dixon will extend his IZOD IndyCar Series streak to seven consecutive seasons.
Scott Dixon's second-place finish at Barber was the 30th of his Indy car career. It tied Helio Castroneves, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Jr., and Bobby Unser for fifth on the all-time list.
Tony Kanaan recorded the 108th top-five finish of his Indy car career at Indianapolis to pass Helio Castroneves and Gordon Johncock for 10th on the all-time list.
Scott Dixon recorded the 100th top-five finish of his Indy car career at Barber Motorsports Park.
Tony Kanaan will attempt to make his 202nd consecutive start. Jimmy Vasser holds the all-time record of 211. Scott Dixon with 143 straight starts and Marco Andretti with 119 straight starts are the only other active driver with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts.
Ryan Hunter-Reay needs six starts to mark 100th consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series starts.
At-Track Schedule (all times local):
Friday, May 31
11:10 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series practice (all cars)
3-4:10 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series Race 1 qualifying for Verizon P1 Award. (Knockout qualifying/Firestone Fast Six)
Saturday, June 1
9:15-9:45 a.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series Race 2 qualifying for Verizon P1 Award. (Two groups)
3:50 p.m. - Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit Race 1 (70 laps/164.22 miles), ABC (Live)
Sunday, June 2
9:30 - 10 a.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series warmup
3:50 p.m. - Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit Race 2 (70 laps/164.22 miles), ABC (Live)
