Race Broadcast Saturday, June 8 8:30 p.m. (ET) ABC
Track Texas Motor Speedway (1-5-mile oval)/Distance 228 laps/324 miles
Radio IMS Radio Network XM 211/Sirius 2112012 Race Winner Justin Wilson
2012 Pole Sitter Alex Tagliani (48.5695, 215.691 mph)
Track Records Single Lap: Gil de Ferran (23.5031, 222.864 mph) October, 2003
Who's got that number?
The Firestone 550 will be the 25th IZOD IndyCar Series race at Texas Motor Speedway dating to the track's opening in 1997. Underscoring the competitiveness of the series, there hasn't been a repeat winner in the past seven years. Through the years, 18 different drivers have won the 24 races. Who will take the checkered flag in the silver anniversary race?
Three in a row for Tagliani?
Alex Tagliani earned the pole for the Firestone 550 in 2011 and 2012. Last week, the driver of the No. 98 Barracuda Racing car qualified a season-high sixth for the first race of the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit. Can the Montreal native match Tomas Scheckter's record with three earned poles (2002, 2003, '05) on the 1.5-mile, high-banked oval?
Winner could come from anywhere
Last June, Justin Wilson grabbed the victory after starting 17th in the Dale Coyne Racing car. It marked the lowest starting position for an IZOD IndyCar Series winner at Texas Motor Speedway in a race that featured seven different lap leaders. Wilson nearly registered a similar jump in the 97th Indianapolis 500 on May 26, advancing from 18th on the grid to finish fifth. With the field so closely matched, another mid-pack driver could easily rise to the top over the course of the 228 pressure-packed laps.
Ironman Kanaan ready to celebrate again
Texas Motor Speedway holds fond memories for reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan. Victory in the June 2004 race helped secure his lone IZOD IndyCar Series title, which he celebrated following the October race at the speedway in which he finished second. The Firestone 550 will mark Kanaan's 204th consecutive Indy car start, which is seven off the record by his team's co-owner, Jimmy Vasser.
Fourth win would boost title drive
Helio Castroneves is the active leader with three victories (2004, '06 and '09) at Texas Motor Speedway, and enters the Firestone 550 tied for the lead in the championship standings. A fourth win would boost his aspirations for a series title - something he hasn't achieved in his distinguished career that includes three Indianapolis 500 victories. The driver who has won at Texas has gone on to win the series championship in five seasons.
Remembering when it started: Arie Luyendyk followed his 1997 Indianapolis 500 victory from the pole with a victory from the 11th starting position in the inaugural Indy car race at Texas Motor Speedway nine days later. Tony Stewart started from the pole, while Billy Boat and Davey Hamilton finished second and third, respectively, in the race. Stewart, Hamilton and Boat had finished fifth, sixth and seventh in the Indy 500. Luyendyk serves as an IZOD IndyCar Series driver steward in Race Control.
Lessons learned in second year
Alex Tagliani earned the pole at Texas in 2012 with a two-lap average qualifying speed of 215.691 mph in the first year of the current chassis-engine package. It was the second oval and seventh event of the season. With engineers collecting data and drivers learning the car, combined with a refined aerodynamic package and a new Firestone tire, speeds are expected to rise and the competition will be stout. Who will make the most of opportunities?
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 his first oval win since 2002 and his first team championship since 1998. Can "honorary Texan" Sato take the racing legend's team - run by TCU graduate Larry Foyt - to victory lane in their home state?
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?"
Rising stars seek breakthrough win
James Hinchcliffe claimed his first two Indy car wins at St. Petersburg and Sao Paulo, while Simon Pagenaud won the second race at Detroit's Belle Isle. Charlie Kimball, who knocked on the door for his first win at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, and Simona De Silvestro have built strong fan followings with their performances on and off the track. Can Kimball or De Silvestro find their their first win in the IZOD IndyCar Series become the latest young star to break through at Texas?
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 Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden all worked their way up the American open-wheel ladder to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series.
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 (fifth). 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 of 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 woman to win in Detroit and the third first-time winner in 2013?
Close racing a hallmark at Texas
In the 24 races at Texas, 16 have finished with a margin of victory of less than one second, and eight races have been decided by less than one-tenth of a second. Will the Firestone 550 live up to the history and produce another photo finish at Texas?
Race Notes:
The Firestone 550 will be the 25th IZOD IndyCar Series event conducted at Texas Motor Speedway. Previous Texas winners entered include Dario Franchitti (2011 - Race 1), Will Power (2011 - Race 2), Helio Castroneves (2009, 2006 and 2004), Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2004).
The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Texas five times. Dario Franchitti won Texas 1 in 2011; Scott Dixon won in 2008, Tony Kanaan won Texas 1 in 2004, Sam Hornish Jr. won Texas 2 in 2002, clinching the title at Texas, and Hornish Jr. also won Texas 2 in 2001, celebrating the championship he had clinched at the previous race.
Since 1993, 11 drivers have won the eighth race of the season and also won the championship. They are: Dario Franchitti (2011, Milwaukee; 2007, Iowa), Sebastien Bourdais (2007, Edmonton; 2005, San Jose ), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006, Kansas; 2002, Richmond), Tony Kanaan (2004, Nashville), Cristiano da Matta (2002, Toronto), Buddy Lazier (2000, Kentucky), Gil de Ferran (2000, Portland), Greg Ray (1999, Pikes Peak), Alex Zanardi (1998, Detroit), Kenny Brack (1998, Pikes Peak), Al Unser Jr. (1994, Cleveland).
Twenty-one (21) drivers entered in the Firestone 550 have competed in IZOD IndyCar Series events at Texas Motor Speedway. Ten (10) of those drivers led laps at the track (Marco Andretti 25, Ryan Briscoe 277, Ed Carpenter 1, Helio Castroneves 360, Scott Dixon 123, Dario Franchitti 236, Tony Kanaan 305,
Will Power 72, Alex Tagliani 34, E.J. Viso 2,
The Firestone 500 will be the second race on an oval in 2013. Tony Kanaan won the Indinanapolis 500 last month.
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.Mike Conway and Simon Pagenaud split the winsin the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit. It was Conway's second Indy car win and Pagenaud's first 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 and his 31st pole position at Detroit 1.
Scott Dixon needs two earned poles to reach 20 in his Indy car career.
With one pole in 2013, 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 and Helio Castroneves recorded his 108th top-five finish at Detroit 1 to pass 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. With a pair of top-five finishes at Detroit, Dixon tied Paul Tracy for 12th on the all-time list.
Tony Kanaan will attempt to make his 204th consecutive start. Jimmy Vasser holds the all-time record of 211. Scott Dixon with 145 straight starts and Marco Andretti with 121 straight starts are the only other active driver with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts.
Ryan Hunter-Reay needs four starts to mark his 100th consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series starts.
At-Track Schedule (all times local):
Friday, June 7
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series practice (all cars)
3:30-5 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series qualifying for Verizon P1 Award. (Single car/Two-lap average)
6:45-7:15 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series practice (all cars)
Saturday, June 8
2:35-2:40 p.m. - IZOD IndyCar Series systems check
7 p.m. - Firestone 550 pre-race
7:45 p.m. - Firestone 550 (228 laps/342 miles), ABC (Live)
