IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:
1. INDYCAR Conference Call with Justin Wilson, Tony Kanaan and Cynthia Archer
2. Kanaan to drive Sunoco-Turbo car at Texas, other races
3. Panther Racing names Servia driver for Texas, Iowa
4. Mann rejoins Coyne team at Texas
1. INDYCAR Conference Call with Justin Wilson, Tony Kanaan and Cynthia Archer: Earlier today, IZOD IndyCar Series driver Justin Wilson participated in an INDYCAR Conference Call to discuss the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season and preview the Firestone 550 on June 8 while Tony Kanaan and Cynthia Archer from Sunoco made a team announcement (see note No. 2) Selected quotes from the call are below.
Q. Justin, the season has been super competitive so far, featuring six winners in seven races. With the momentum your team has coming out of Belle Isle, do you think it's possible to make it seven race winners in eight races?
JUSTIN WILSON: We're definitely approaching it that way. We feel we're having a good season. We feel we have a good chance at the next three races, Texas being where we won last year, but we're quick in Milwaukee and Iowa. We're actually looking forward to these, seeing what we can do, seeing what we can achieve. But definitely it's competitive. There are so many good entries out there that are capable of winning. We have to be on our game to make sure we don't make any mistakes.
Q. How much confidence does a weekend like last week give to a team like Dale Coyne Racing? Even though Race 2 didn't go well for you, Mike Conway and you were strong all weekend.
JUSTIN WILSON: It was great. Everyone at Dale Coyne Racing has been working so hard. It's nice to have two cars up there and get a win this season. We're looking for more. We were disappointed with Race 2, only getting one car on the podium. It was a big disappointment. That was a nice way to look at things. We felt, if we weren't involved in that big pile-up, we had a reasonable chance of being in the top five again. You never know what happens. That's just racing. That 10-car pile-up was frustrating for a lot of people. That's just part of it. We want to regroup. We think we're going to be quick here in Texas, see what we can do.
Q. Looking forward to this weekend, obviously last year you came away with the win. It also featured the new aero package that really put the racing back into the drivers' hands. What kind of racing do you expect this weekend at Texas?
JUSTIN WILSON: It's going to be interesting. They took the downforce away, made it harder to drive. But that was good because we weren't flat out. This year, I've been told they've taken even more downforce away, so I think we've lost another 300 pounds, if I'm correct. I think that's going to make it challenging again. I know Firestone has changed the tire slightly. All the teams have to readjust for that. We're going to be working on our setup, trying to get a good balance. It's having that balance that saves the tires, and you can run longer in the stints. That's what we're looking to do. We did that quite well last year and won. We weren't the quickest car outright, so people would pull away at the start of the stints, but we tried to manage it and be quicker over the full stint.
Q. Justin, it's been about a year now since you won here. Can you put in perspective what the victory meant to your career as you've gone forward.
JUSTIN WILSON: It meant a lot, not only with the recognition but in the confidence. That's the biggest thing, is having the confidence on an oval. I felt like I knew what I was doing, but I still wasn't classed as an oval driver. I was kind of disregarded. From that point on, I felt I had the confidence to go out there. I knew what I was doing, knew what I was trying to achieve with the car in the race. Like I said, we backed up Texas qualifying second at Milwaukee, was coming through after a penalty from a testing engine problem, moving to the front and another engine let go. I thought that was a missed opportunity to win there. Same at Iowa, very similar story. I think it just gave me that confidence to go out there and attack and believe in myself.
CYNTHIA ARCHER: We are here today to talk about an exciting partnership with Tony Kanaan as part of our work to promote the upcoming movie this summer with DreamWorks about a snail that wants to win the Indy 500. So, Tony, there's a Sunoco car in that movie. Tony has agreed to be the driver of that actual car in four races that are upcoming, starting in Texas. We're very excited about the movie and we've been excited since returning to IndyCar in 2010 as the official fuel partner. We have a long history with IndyCar, and it means a lot to us and our employees. It turns out it seems to mean a lot to IndyCar fans when they saw the Sunoco car we had at the Indy 500. We're teaming up with Tony and KV Racing, wishing them good luck. There could be nothing more appropriate really than having the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion driving the actual Sunoco car that will be appearing in 'Turbo' in July. We're grateful to him for being willing to do it and happy to make the announcement.
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to you on that. We are pleased to be joined by the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan. How excited are you to carry those Sunoco and Turbo colors on your car in four races?
TONY KANAAN: There are plenty of reasons I'm excited. Obviously the Sunoco history in IndyCar, we obviously all know that. When (Mark) Donohue won the '500' in 1972, I wasn't born yet. But seeing that yellow car with the Sunoco colors for all those years when we go to look at Indy 500 classics, I'm excited. Second of all, I have to say, my kid is the most excited kid at home right now. Apart from getting the Borg-Warner Trophy that I promised him, he's familiar with the 'Turbo' movie. Now my car is the Sunoco 'Turbo' car for him. That, for me, is big. Obviously, as everybody knew, we were struggling to fill up some of the races with the sponsorship this year. Sunoco came onboard. I can't thank them enough for picking up the races that were left for us to be able to finish the season. I'm excited about that. Hopefully we'll bring them a win soon.
Q. Obviously the Indy 500 was big for Sunoco. Why is this a good platform to be related to KV Racing and the movie 'Turbo'?
CYNTHIA ARCHER: As Tony said, a lot of people have a lot of little kids that are going to be excited to see this movie. We've seen clips here and there. Looks like it's going to be great. It's one of those things that makes a whole new generation of people get excited about racing. We can see it at the Indy 500, all the other races we go to, how excited the IndyCar fans are, how passionate they are. The sport needs more of them.
The DreamWorks guys decided to do this movie, which is a realistic depiction of the Indy 500. The graphics are great, the story is great. Then to have Tony who just won the race in the same year that the movie is coming out being willing to drive the car that's now appearing in real life, not just on the movie screens. It's just a really cool thing for us to do. We've got a lot of excited employees and customers. We are rooting that Tony is going to win a race in the Sunoco car before Turbo hits the movie theaters. That's our plan and we're looking forward to supporting him in doing that.
Q. Tony, I guess that puts a little pressure on you heading to Texas this weekend. You won there in 2004 on your way to the IZOD IndyCar Series title. Can you make it two-for-two on ovals at Texas?
TONY KANAAN: Why not? I mean, my record there, it's quite good. Last year we were fighting for the win until we got blocked by Will (Power), then we broke the front wing. I'm excited. Again, I was so happy when I got the news about this. I think the racing world you love to be associated with sponsors that have been there for a long time. Sunoco is such a brand, even combined with the 'Turbo' and DreamWorks guys, a majority of them are kids, they relate to me because I play pranks and I'm happy all the time. I think it's going to be a win-win situation. Hopefully I can make justice for all the trust that Sunoco and everybody put on myself and bring them a win this year and extend the relationship for the years to go.
2. Kanaan to drive Sunoco-Turbo car at Texas, other races: In a renewed relationship with longtime Indy car sponsor Sunoco, Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan will drive the No. 11 Sunoco "Turbo" car at the IZOD IndyCar Series events at Texas Motor Speedway (June 8), Iowa Speedway (June 23), Pocono Raceway (July 7) and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Aug. 4).
The car's livery will feature the lead character from the upcoming DreamWorks Animation feature film "Turbo" about a snail who's dreams of competing in the Indianapolis 500 come true. It features the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Sunoco's first Indy car race as a primary sponsor was Dec. 1, 1968, at Riverside, Calif. The No. 12 Sunoco Eagle driven by Mark Donohue for Penske Racing started fifth and finished 21st (broken right-front suspension). In 1972, the No. 66 Sunoco McLaren won the Indianapolis 500 - the first for Roger Penske, Donohue and Sunoco.
Sunoco returned to IndyCar racing as a primary sponsor in the 97th Indianapolis 500 on May 26 on the No. 60 Sunoco "Turbo" Panther Racing car driven by Townsend Bell.
"I am very proud and happy that Sunoco will be my primary sponsor for four upcoming races," Kanaan said. "Along with Sunoco, 'Turbo' will be riding along with me in those events. My son, Leo, will be excited to see that, and I am very proud to be associated with what is sure to be a very special movie.
"Sunoco has a long heritage in Indy car racing beginning in the late 1960s and is a proven winner. I look forward to my association with them and hopefully get them to victory circle starting in Texas."
3. Panther Racing names Servia driver for Texas, Iowa: Oriol Servia will drive the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car in IZOD IndyCar Series races at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend and at Iowa Speedway on June 23, the team announced.
Servia, who has worked directly with Panther through the team's technical alliance with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the past year, was available after Dreyer & Reinbold Racing elected to not continue its No. 22 car program after the May 26 Indianapolis 500.
"Oriol has been part of our extended family for over a year now, so this will be a seamless transition for the National Guard team," Panther managing partner John Barnes said. "We know what Oriol is capable of, and our team is always happy to add a driver that can contend at any circuit on the IndyCar schedule."
In five events this season, Servia has a high finish of fourth at Brazil (after starting 13th). He has a best finish of 15th in four starts at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval. At the .875-mile Iowa Speedway oval last June, Servia started 15th and finished 21st (mechanical).
"I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity," Servia said. "Firstly, it's a job, but it's with a team that I've been working with very closely with for the last year. Not only do I know everybody that works there, but I know the potential for the National Guard car and the performance we've had will give us a chance to win."
Panther is not expected to name a full-time replacement in the No. 4 car this season after the team announced the mutual termination of JR Hildebrand's contract last week. Ryan Briscoe drove for the team during last weekend's Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans. He is under consideration to compete in additional IZOD IndyCar Series races that do not conflict with his other racing commitments.
The Milwaukee IndyFest on June 15 is between the races in Texas and Iowa.
"The biggest thing we want to accomplish the rest of this season is having a clear direction on who will be the driver of the No. 4 car in 2014," Barnes said. "We're going to take full advantage of the opening we have here to determine what is in the best interest of the National Guard and Panther Racing's long-term future. With limited offseason testing, this is a great chance for us to get familiar with several drivers in a true race weekend scenario.
"We think the world of Servia, and we couldn't have been happier with Ryan Briscoe last weekend in Detroit, but there may be a few others who will have a run in our car before the season ends."
4. Mann rejoins Coyne team at Texas: Pippa Mann will rejoin Dale Coyne Racing to drive the No. 18 CyclopsGear.com car in the Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 8.
Mann, 29, competed in the Dale Coyne Racing car in the Indianapolis 500 on May 26.
"We had a great car at the Indianapolis 500 and I am looking forward to bringing the team a good finish there Saturday night under the lights," Mann said. "It's exciting to be in the No. 18 car that finished 15th in the Indianapolis 500 and finished first and third this past weekend in Detroit."
The event will be her second IZOD IndyCar Series race on a 1.5-mile oval (2011 at Kentucky for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing). She won a Firestone Indy Lights race on the Kentucky Speedway oval in 2010.
"Texas Motor Speedway actually has some pretty special memories for me because it was the venue of my first ever IndyCar outing. That test with Conquest Racing led to my first Indy 500 in 2011, so I'm really looking forward to going back there for the race this weekend," Mann added. "I know driving the car will be pretty different from the last time I drove at that track, but the Cyclops Gear car was great at Indy and I'm definitely ready to be reunited with her in Texas."
Mann's teammate, Justin Wilson, won the Firestone 550 last year.
"She was moving up through the field during the Indianapolis 500 and if she wouldn't have had contact with the wall I think she would have had a top finish that day," team owner Dale Coyne said.
***
The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Firestone 550 on June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live at 8:30 p.m. (ET) by ABC. The IMS Radio Network will also carry the race live on Sirius and XM channels 211. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Milwaukee 100 on June 15. It will be telecast by NBC Sports Network at 3 p.m. on June 15.
