Firestone Indy 225, 13th race in 16-race 2004 IRL IndyCar® Series season - Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, Pa., 1-mile oval
WHEN: Broadcast: 2 p.m. (EDT), Sunday, Aug. 29, ABC. - Green flag: 2:25 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 29
DISTANCE: 225 laps/225 miles - POSTED AWARDS: More than $1 million
CARS: Dallara and Panoz G Force chassis; Chevy Indy V8, Honda H14R Indy V-8 and Toyota Indy V8 engines; Firestone tires
PREVIOUS RACE WINNERS: 2003: Helio Castroneves; 2002: Scott Sharp.
2003 SERIES CHAMPION: Scott Dixon
TV: Race: ABC (live), 2 p.m. (EDT), Aug. 29
Talent: Paul Page (Announcer), Scott Goodyear (Analyst), Jack Arute (Analyst), Dr. Jerry Punch (Pit Reporter), Todd Harris (Pit Reporter).
RADIO: Race: IMS Radio Network, 1:30 p.m. (EDT), Aug. 29
Area affiliate: WEAB-AM 790, Allentown
Live coverage of MBNA Pole Qualifying (11:15 a.m. EDT, Aug. 28) and the race also will be available at indyracing.com/indycar.
SCHEDULE: (all times local; subject to change)
FRIDAY, AUG. 27
11 a.m. – Firestone Indy 225 practice (two groups/45 minutes each)
2:30 p.m. – Firestone Indy 225 practice (two groups/45 minutes each)
SATURDAY, AUG. 28
9 a.m. – Firestone Indy 225 practice (two groups/30 minutes each)
11:30 a.m. – Firestone Indy 225 MBNA Pole Qualifying
SUNDAY, AUG. 29
2:25 p.m. – Firestone Indy 225 (225 laps/225 miles)
2004 INDYCAR SERIES STATISTICS
Driver Points
1. Tony Kanaan 463
2. Buddy Rice 395
3. Dan Wheldon 381
4. Helio Castroneves 326
5. Dario Franchitti 319
Entrant Points
1. Andretti Green Racing #11 463
2. Rahal Letterman Racing #15 395
3. Andretti Green Racing #26 381
4. Marlboro Team Penske #3 326
5. Andretti Green Racing #27 319
Manufacturers’ Points
Engine
1. Honda 117*
2. Toyota 83
3. Chevrolet 64
* Clinched title at Kentucky (8/15)
Chassis
1. Dallara 108*
2. Panoz G Force 96
* Clinched share of title at Pikes Peak (8/15)
Money Leaders
1. Buddy Rice $2,502,040
2. Tony Kanaan $1,590,990
3. Dan Wheldon $1,341,490
4. Helio Castroneves $989,190
5. Dario Franchitti $917,490
Wins
1. Tony Kanaan 3
Buddy Rice 3
2. Dario Franchitti 2
Dan Wheldon 2
3. Adrian Fernandez 1
Sam Hornish Jr. 1
MBNA Poles
1. Buddy Rice 5
2. Tony Kanaan 2
Dan Wheldon 2
3. Helio Castroneves 1
Dario Franchitti 1
Vitor Meira 1
Laps Led
1. Tony Kanaan 813
2. Dario Franchitti 347
3. Dan Wheldon 318
4. Buddy Rice 303
5. Sam Hornish Jr. 200
• Championship Chase Continues At Nazareth: The Firestone Indy 225 is the 100th IndyCar Series event and the final event in an important three-race stretch in the month of August. With four races remaining, the IndyCar Series championship race could come down to which team and driver is most successful on the unique 1-mile Nazareth Speedway.
• Kanaan Stays Hot During Summer: Tony Kanaan took the points lead at the Indianapolis 500 in May and has done his best to maintain it. Kanaan, who has recorded 11 consecutive top-five finishes, has an average finishing position of third this season and leads 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice by 68 points heading into Nazareth, but this is the race where Kanaan surrendered the point lead one year ago. Kanaan entered the race with the points lead, but an accident with Tomas Scheckter dropped him to third.
• Rice Emerges As Series Star: Buddy Rice entered this season as a substitute driver for Rahal Letterman Racing. Now, he may deliver the team’s first IndyCar Series title. Rice’s breakthrough year includes a series-best five MBNA Pole Awards and three race victories, including a win at the Indianapolis 500. He is second in the IndyCar Series point standings and can tie Billy Boat’s series record for most poles in a season if he wins the pole at Nazareth.
• Castroneves Back To Defend Firestone Indy 225 Title: Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves returns to one of the two tracks where he won last season, Nazareth Speedway. Castroneves is fifth in the series point standings, but has not won a race since he climbed the fence following his win at Nazareth last year.
• Local Links: The Nazareth event is the home venue for team owner Michael Andretti, whose family lives in Nazareth, Pa. Andretti co-owns four cars entered in the Firestone Indy 225, including those of title contenders Tony Kanaan and Dan Wheldon. The Nazareth race is also the home event for Marlboro Team Penske, which is based in nearby Reading, Pa., and fields cars for defending race winner Helio Castroneves and two-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr.
• Fan Experience Rolls Into Town: The Indy Racing League Fan Experience, the one-of-a-kind, interactive mobile entertainment experience that touched more than 1.6 million people in 2003, returns for its second season-long, nation-wide tour. Designed to bring fans of all ages closer to the excitement of the IRL IndyCar Series, the Experience is divided into five properties – Indy Racing Challenge, Indy Racing Kids, the Indy Racing Live stage, Indy Racing Pit Stop Challenge and Indy Racing Gear and makes various stops throughout the Lehigh Valley prior to the Firestone Indy 225.
• Delphi IRL Safety Team Goes High-Tech: IRL medical personnel receive real-time information from safety trucks responding to accidents thanks to two Delphi on-board camera systems installed for the 2004 season. A front-facing camera records the Delphi IRL Safety Team’s extraction of the driver from the vehicle and transfers that video wirelessly to the infield medical center so doctors can have an early indication of the nature and severity of any injuries. A rear-facing camera monitors the two firemen on the back of the truck and the oil dry distribution.
PRE-RACE QUOTES: (Drivers listed in alphabetical order)
ALEX BARRON (No. 51 Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone): “(Nazareth Speedway) is one of my favorite places to race because it is such a one-of-a-kind track. With it being a 1-mile oval with different turns, it allows for some very exciting racing. It’s a shame to see that this will be the last time that we visit, and hopefully, we can leave with a good memory.”
ED CARPENTER (No. 52 Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone): “(Nazareth Speedway) is the trickiest oval we run on because each corner is different. It is a very unique track compared to all of the others we race on. This will be my first time racing there in a rear-engine car, so I’m excited to see how it works out. Pit stops are going to play a big part in deciding who wins the race, and I’m sure the team will be up to the challenge.”
HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota/Firestone): “Nazareth is a very challenging track for both the drivers and the engineers because it has three very different corners. Turn 1 we can take flat out, Turn 2 is off banking and Turn 3 is like two corners. It can be a very long day if the car isn’t good, but it’s a lot of fun when the car is handling well. The team’s been working so hard all season. I hope we can bring home a strong finish this weekend. It would be great to repeat last year’s performance at Nazareth, and win the last race at the track. It is Marlboro Team Penske’s home track and the team has so much history there, like Gil (de Ferran) getting Penske Racing’s 100th win in 2000. I remember watching races at Nazareth while growing up in Brazil and am glad to have had the opportunity to race there.”
SCOTT DIXON (No. 1 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G Force/Toyota/Firestone): “Nazareth is a track I always look forward to going to because it is so unique. It has very unique corners with an elevation change that is really unusual for an oval track and that I think drivers really appreciate. It’s a shame that this is the final time we’ll be running here. The Target team had a good car last year that we won the pole with. This has been a very difficult year for this team, but as we wrap up the season we’d really like to do it on a more positive note, and Nazareth is one of the tracks we should be able to do well on.”
ADRIAN FERNANDEZ (No. 5 Quaker State Telmex Tecate Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone): “I have raced many times at Nazareth Speedway. It is a track that I know very well, and I enjoy racing there. It is a tough oval, and you need a good car to perform well. I think we will be strong there. We have a lot of momentum right now from the past two races, and I am very proud of the team and the job that they are doing. I think we are looking good for a strong finish to our first season and, if we can keep up our pace, a good result in the championship standings.”
A.J. FOYT IV (No. 14 Conseco/A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara/Toyota/Firestone): “Last year when I came to Nazareth for the race, it was the first time I ever saw the track, so it took us some time to get everything figured out. We ran decent in the race, so we can go back with a similar setup for the Conseco car. We’ll just try to be consistent, run all day and get a good finish.”
DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 27 ArcaEx Dallara/Honda/Firestone): “The ArcaEx team has been successful on the last two 1-mile ovals we’ve raced, but Nazareth is a completely different type of race track as the three turns have nothing in common with each other. It’s a much narrower track, and it requires a different approach from both the car and the driver. Everything seems to come at you a bit quicker at Nazareth. It’s a quick lap. When you come barreling down to Turn 3, you just have a small lift to get through there. It opens your eyes, let’s put it that way.”
BRYAN HERTA (No. 7 XM Satellite Radio Dallara/Honda/Firestone): “I’ve always liked Nazareth. It’s a place I’ve been racing at since the early 1990s, so I’ve got more than a decade there. To me it’s one of the most fun ovals to qualify on because you’ve got three very distinct corners. The problem has always been that it’s difficult to pass during a race. I enjoy Nazareth, and I’m looking forward to going back one last time in the XM Satellite Radio car, especially because I know it’s important to (team co-owner) Michael (Andretti). It’s his hometown. We’ve had a great season, but I’m not sure that the season will be complete if we don’t bring him a win in his hometown.”
SAM HORNISH JR. (No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota/Firestone): “I enjoy racing at Nazareth Speedway, and I always have fun competing there. It’s almost like a road course; the only difference is that we’re only making left turns. The track is very challenging for the drivers because we have to deal with elevation changes and three totally different corners, plus it’s very difficult to pass. Nazareth is a handling track and that’s where Marlboro Team Penske has felt the most comfortable this season, so I think we should be competitive there. This weekend is also the100th race for the IndyCar Series, which will add a new level of excitement as the Series competes here for the final time. It’s always been a track where everyone has really enjoyed competing, and it’s too bad that we won’t be coming back.”
TONY KANAAN (No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone): ”I am looking forward to racing at Nazareth this weekend. With this being the final race at what is the ‘home’ track for the Andretti family, it would be a great honor to be able to win this weekend and dedicate the race to them. Team 7-Eleven has been very strong this season and I’m confident we’ll have another strong run. When it comes to the championship, I am taking things race by race and my focus is on this weekend’s event.”
JAQUES LAZIER (No. 20 Patrick Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone): “We’re getting stronger and stronger. We’ve got the chassis now where it’s working well and we’re able to utilize all of the Chevy power. We’re going to keep moving forward. I’m definitely looking forward to going to Nazareth. We had a good car (at Pike Peak), and that tells us that we had a good mechanical setup. Nazareth is all about mechanical grip so we’ll try to continue this momentum.”
DARREN MANNING (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G Force/Toyota/ Firestone): “I got a chance to get to know the Nazareth track a bit better at the Toyota engine test we had there a little while back. It’s an interesting track that is so very different from any other in the series. It has three very different corners that are each a challenge. I really enjoy the elevation change and the highspeed corner. The Target team has been much more competitive on the shorter tracks that require more emphasis on handling. I’ve finished fourth on three occasions this year, but I’d really like to break into the top three and Nazareth is probably our best chance to do that as we head to the final stretch of this racing season.”
KOSUKE MATSUURA (No. 55 Panasonic/ARTA Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone): “Our last 1-mile oval race was at Pikes Peak, and that was not a good weekend for me after I crashed in practice. I was very happy to finish that race, and I think I learned a lot about the smaller ovals. I have never been to the Nazareth track, but I will do my best for a good result this weekend. It is important to finish the season strong and have good results in the last four races.”
VITOR MEIRA (No. 17 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Centrix Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone): “I wasn’t real happy with our performance at Pikes Peak, but now we are going to Nazareth, and I know (teammate) Buddy (Rice) had a very good test there a couple of weeks ago. I feel good about that track. (Team co-owner) Bobby (Rahal) and Kenny (Brack) were always good at Nazareth, and they can help a little with some of the setups. Overall, we have a good starting point for that track. It is tight and passing is very hard. You have to drive carefully at times because that track can get you.”
BUDDY RICE (No. 15 Rahal Letterman Racing Pioneer/Argent Mortgage Panoz G Force/Honda/ Firestone): “Pikes Peak was pretty disappointing. I’m still at a loss a little how (the spin) happened. I guess the air came off the rear wing because the car just snapped around so quickly. (Teammate) Vitor (Meira) said he could see how that could happen in the middle of the pack. It didn’t help our situation in the championship, but the championship isn’t over yet. I know we’ll be ready for Nazareth. I won my first (Toyota) Atlantic race at Nazareth in 1998, and I enjoy that track. It is tight, and you have to be ready to make a move at any time. It’s a one-groove track, and you have to be ready to take advantage of another driver’s mistakes. We had a very good test at Nazareth a few weeks ago, and I feel confident about the race. We need to put together a strong weekend after the past one in Colorado. I know this Rahal Letterman team can get us right in the fight for the lead.”
SCOTT SHARP (No. 8 Delphi Dallara/Toyota/Firestone): “Nazareth has been the classic bullring of IndyCar (Series racing), especially before Richmond came on board. For us to win the race there a couple of years ago was a highlight for us. Being from Connecticut, it’s my home track. I always have a lot of friends and family that come out. I’ll have to find a new one now that Nazareth is closing. It’s a little bit of a bummer from that perspective, but we’re looking forward to giving it a great race. As a team we’ve been struggling on the short ovals this year, so we’re really hoping we can turn that around.”
MARK TAYLOR (No. 13 Access Motorsports Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone): “Nazareth is going to be tough. We haven’t tested there yet. It’s going to be important to get the setup right, but it is a longer weekend, so we have a bit more time. It will be a challenge. I’ve never raced there, so I’m going to have to learn the place during practice. Hopefully, we can get enough laps in, so that I can learn and gradually work our way up to speed through the weekend.”
DAN WHELDON (No. 26 Klein Tools/Jim Beam Dallara/Honda/Firestone): “In all honesty, I think (Nazareth) is going to be the most difficult track for me. I do enjoy the Nazareth track, but it’s obviously very challenging. I’d certainly like to run well there this year, and I do believe we can do that with the Klein Tools/Jim Beam car. The racing is different. There is very little overtaking, so I think it’s about qualifying well, having a consistent race car and having very good pit strategy, which I have no doubt about with the guys in the pits doing the pit stops and Tony Cotman calling the race.”
Entry List
Car - Driver - Hometown - Car Name - C/E/T - Entrant - Chief Mechanic
1 Scott Dixon Auckland, New Zealand Target Chip Ganassi Racing G/T/F Target Chip Ganassi Racing Ricky Davis2 Townsend Bell San Luis Obispo, Calif. Menards/Johns Manville Racing D/C/F Panther Racing Eric Haverson3 Helio Castroneves Sao Paulo, Brazil Marlboro Team Penske D/T/F Marlboro Team Penske Rick Rinaman4 Tomas Scheckter Cape Town, South Africa Pennzoil Panther D/C/F Panther Racing Simon Morley5 Adrián Fernández Mexico City Quaker State Telmex Tecate G/H/F Fernandez Racing Mike Sales6 Sam Hornish Jr. Defiance, Ohio Marlboro Team Penske D/T/F Marlboro Team Penske Matt Jonsson7 Bryan Herta Valencia, Calif. XM Satellite Radio D/H/F Andretti Green Racing Jeff Grahn8 Scott Sharp Norwalk, Conn. Delphi D/T/F Kelley Racing John Worth10 Darren Manning North Yorkshire, England Target Chip Ganassi Racing G/T/F Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dave Higuera11 Tony Kanaan Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Team 7-Eleven D/H/F Andretti Green Racing Jeff Simon12 Tora Takagi Shizuoka, Japan Pioneer Mo Nunn Racing D/T/F Pioneer Mo Nunn Racing Don Lambert13 Mark Taylor (R) London Access Motorsports G/H/F Access Motorsports Jamie Nanny14 A.J. Foyt IV Hockley, Texas Conseco/A.J. Foyt Racing D/T/F A.J. Foyt Enterprises Bill Spencer15 Buddy Rice Phoenix Rahal Letterman Racing Pioneer Argent G/H/F Rahal Letterman Racing Ricardo Nault17 Vitor Meira Brasilia, Brazil Rahal Letterman Racing Team Centrix G/H/F Rahal Letterman Racing Greg Cates20 Jaques Lazier Vail, Colo. Patrick Racing D/C/F Patrick Racing Neil Brown24 Felipe Giaffone Sao Paulo, Brazil Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing D/C/F Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Brian Franzosi26 Dan Wheldon Emberton, England Klein Tools/Jim Beam D/H/F Andretti Green Racing Mike Horvath27 Dario Franchitti Edinburgh, Scotland ArcaEx D/H/F Andretti Green Racing David Popielarz51 Alex Barron Menifee, Calif. Red Bull Cheever Racing D/C/F Red Bull Cheever Racing Craig McCain52 Ed Carpenter (R) Indianapolis Red Bull Cheever Racing D/C/F Red Bull Cheever Racing Todd Tapply55 Kosuke Matsuura (R) Aichi, Japan Panasonic ARTA G/H/F Super Aguri Fernandez Racing David Janquart
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