CHEVY INDYCAR AT MID-OHIO: Ryan Hunter-Reay Wins Pole at Mid-Ohio with Chevrolet Power

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE

TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES

AUGUST 3, 2013

Ryan Hunter-Reay Wins Pole at Mid-Ohio with Chevrolet Power

LEXINGTON, Ohio (August 3, 2013) – For the third time this season, defending IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay has set the fastest time in the Firestone Fast Six to win the Verizon P1 Award. The driver of the No. 1 DHL Andretti Autosport Chevrolet missed breaking the track record by just two-hundredths of a second with his lap of 01:05.3519 minute/124.385 m.p.h. around the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio.

Turning in the second quickest time of the session was Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. It is his fifth time this season Power has posted a front row qualifying effort.

“Kudos to Ryan Hunter-Reay and the Andretti Autosport team for winning the pole today at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager, IZOD IndyCar Series. “Ryan and his DHL crew have been strong all week here and are again showing that championship form. Will Power and his Verizon / Team Penske squad have been quick all week as well, and will start alongside Ryan on an all-Chevrolet front row for the 200 mile race. Our focus now shifts to providing the Team Chevy contingent with the most reliable, powerful and tractable engine so they may execute flawless race performances on Sunday. We will not rest until the Chevy bow tie is on the top step of the podium.”

Giving Team Chevy three of the Fast Six was Marco Andretti, No. 25 RC Cola Andretti Autosport Chevrolet. Andretti was posted fourth in the final order of 24 cars that qualified for the 14th race of the 19-race season.

Making up the remainder of the Fast Six were: Scott Dixon – third fastest, Charlie Kimball – fifth quickest and Dario Franchitti turned in the sixth fastest time of the day.

The Chevrolet IndyCar V6 drivers will have one more look at the track prior to the start of the 90-lap/ 203.22-mile race during a 30-minute warm-up scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET.

Sunday’s race is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET with live television coverage on NBC Sports Network. Live radio coverage will be on XM Radio Channel 94 and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 212. In addition, IndyCar live timing and scoring with the radio broadcast can be found at www.indy.car.com

POST PRACTICE DRIVER QUOTES:

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO 1 DHL ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, VERIZON POLE AWARD WINNER: ON HIS STRATEGY IN QUALIFYING: “It took a lot of guts to do that strategy there. We put ourselves at risk there in that middle session to go on used reds against a field this competitive, but the risk paid off. That was definitely the most nerve-wracking part of that session, going out on used reds.”

ON IF THE CAR HAS BEEN GOOD ALL WEEK OR IF THEY MADE A LOT OF CHANGES FROM TESTING: “We’ve been working on it steadily, but the track conditions, you know it’s been raining and then the track comes back, and then it rains overnight, so it’s been a big engineering exercise trying to stay on top of the grip of the track, but as always these guys have done a great job. Hopefully we can put the weekend together and have a good one here. I love Mid-Ohio, and it’s great to have the No. 1 DHL Chevy on top.

ON WANTING TO FINALLY GET A WIN HERE: “Absolutely, that’s the one thing I’m missing. I’ve finished on podium here a bunch, started on the front row before but never had the chance to win this race; I’ve never won this race. We need to bring it home, for the championship too. It’s going to be a long, hard race tomorrow going up against the Ganassi, Penske boys and my teammates as well.

POST FIRESTONE FAST SIX PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT: THE MODERATOR:

We are now pleased to be joined by Ryan Hunter-Reay. You were just shy of the track record by two-hundredths of a second. Talk about qualifying.

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Anytime you qualify around this place in IndyCar is some of the best times you’re going to have in a car. There’s not many tracks like it, so I really enjoyed it today.
We made some big gambles. Going with the used reds in the second session was a huge, huge gamble. We know where we are in the season right now with only five or six races left. We’re third in points, so it’s definitely time to get going.

Michael made the call to do it. I was skeptical at first, but I kind of just wanted to plug my ears and let them make the decision, I’d go out and drive it as best I could. They made the decision to go out on used reds.

We saw Dario, Scott and Will going out on new. We knew it was going to be tough to be in the Fast Six. Got it in there. I think we were second or third for that outing. The last one on new Firestone reds, knew we had to bring it home. It’s a shame to miss the track record by that much.
Whose track record is that?

THE MODERATOR: Tied between (Gil) De Ferran and Dario (Franchitti). Long-standing.
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Wow, that sucks.
THE MODERATOR: But you got the pole.
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Some good news.
Tomorrow is going to be a tough race, long race. They extended it now. We got Will and Dixon right behind me, my teammate Marco back there. Just going to be a really tough race. It’s going to be a long one.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll start with questions.
Q. 56 points. You’re not going to make them up in one race. How cognizant are you of the 56-point deficit?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: I think it’s 69. Just opened up the gap.
We are cognizant of it. Last year we clawed back from bigger deficits. Being late in the season, we need to go like we did last year at the end of the season, which is go-for-broke. We’re not interested in banking results right now and going for second or third in the championship because nobody really remembers who finishes second a couple years from now. It’s all about the series championship.
We’re going for it. Hopefully this is the first step in it. But we got a long, long way to go, including tomorrow’s fight for the win.

Q. Since IndyCar has come back here in ’07, no one has won the race from further back than sixth. How important is it to be in the top six?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: There’s certainly a lot of weight placed on qualifying here. It’s crucial to be up towards the front. The thing is here, if you’re mid pack, you can have a lot of passing because you have a lot of comers and goers. There’s varying setups and strategies. It seems to be much easier to pass back there.
Once you get into the top six, seven, eight cars, they’re all really dialed in. It’s tough to get that run on them, unless you experience lap traffic, which lap traffic really mixes up this race, or you have different fuel strategies or tires going off. At the end of stints, you’ll see some guys really lose the rear of the car and that will promote some passing.
It is somewhat difficult to pass here. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad race. We’re out there doing qualifying laps for two hours, so it’s plenty exciting from the car.

Q. When you were told by how much you did miss the record, do you flash back to that lap and go, That’s where I could have gotten it there?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: You can always do that here. You never really get one that, Man, that one was perfect. It’s that kind of place. There’s always sacrifices in corners to be quicker in others. I can think of the corner, 12, what we call the carrousel. Definitely didn’t have the best of runs through there on my quick lap. Just trying to get a little bit too much in.
That would have been nice to have the track record around here, a track I respect so much, been here since I was 16 doing Skip Barber stuff, fresh out of go-karts. That would have been really cool.

Q. Being out front, how different is it to be out front here as opposed to behind two or three guys from the standpoint of your aerodynamics and everything else?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: It is better because you have clean air. You’re the first guy to come up along lap traffic. It gives you the advantage of picking when you want to go, when you want to save fuel. You kind of set the pace that way.
The only reason tomorrow to save fuel I think would be to shorten up pit stops because the series lengthened the race so it’s a longer race to make it basically 100% racing the whole time, to just go, go.
It’s definitely an advantage. You set the pace. Yeah, hopefully we’ll be there all day. But you got to survive the start, first of all, with Dixon right behind me, and those Hondas have sure been fast in a straight line. It’s going to be tough.
But hopefully we’ll have that DHL Chevy up there at the end of the day. I’ll be pushing 110%, that’s all I know.

Q. I know you go into every race trying to drive your race. Do you ever learn watching other drivers, specifically Dixon here, to what worked so well for him and try to adapt that for yourself?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Dixon is super consistent and smooth. It helps with the setup. If you have a car that’s really good, you can be super consistent. Dixon is a guy that I respect a lot, looked up to for years. He’s definitely one of the best IndyCar has ever seen.
But, yeah, can you study his style, what he does. He’s just very consistent. He doesn’t have a lot of mistakes. If he’s leading out in front in the race, you’re not going to see him slip up and lose a position. Keep as cool head. The team executes for him.
It’s all a package deal, though. It comes with the team, what the car gives you, so… Definitely I’ve studied him for years.

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 2ND: ON HIS QUALIFYING RUN:
“Yeah we definitely got it in a pretty good window right now. Just have to make it good for the race. Pretty happy to qualify on the front row then see what we can do in the race. I have finished second here many times in the race. I would love to go that one step further it would be awesome.”

HOW TOUGH IS THIS RACE TRACK?
“Oh well you have plenty of time around here, it’s just more about judging the track conditions because it changes constantly here. One good thing about the race is just a slow progression you get a real good understanding of it. Good to get the Verizon car on the front row. Definitely would love to get a win tomorrow.”

POST FIRESTONE FAST SIX QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT: THE MODERATOR: Will, another demanding session here at Mid-Ohio. Talk us through today’s qualifying.
WILL POWER: Yeah, quite uneventful, you could say. Getting the most out of the tires. Really happy to be second. Tough to try to get pole when Hunter-Reay had new reds.
Yeah, still very good. I would love to get a win sometime this year if it’s possible. But, you know, I can be quite aggressive because I’m not in the championship and the guys around me are. I just need to go for it and see what I can get.

Q. Will, talk about your opportunity to get a victory here. You’ve done well at this track in the past. How do you feel about tomorrow, being able to get your first win of the season?
WILL POWER: We’ve started on pole here a couple of times. Just lost out during the pit sequence, yellows. Definitely would love to get a win.
We’ll be doing everything possible. It’s going to be interesting to see how these strategies work out as far as fuel mileage goes. It looks like a three-stop race. Have to have something special to do it in two. We’ll see how the yellows fall and so on.

MARCO ANDRETTI, NO. 25 RC COLA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 4TH: “Even though it’s my first top six, I think we had a lot more potential in the No. 25 car. I’m a little disappointed, because obviously we have to beat Ryan in the championship as well and he goes and gets another point, but we need to learn off it and figure out where he beat me and come back tomorrow. That’s the one that pays the big points.”

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO, NO. 78 NUCLEAR ENTERGY AREVA KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 9TH: “P9 is definitely one of the better qualifying efforts we’ve had lately and I think we can be okay with that. We made a few changes and learned from it, so that was a good thing. We’ve been far away from this for a long time and now it’s really good to be back. We’ve worked really well through the weekend and just missed it by a little bit; I think it was a tenth to get into the fast six. We have a little more work, but we feel pretty confident. We have a really good pace and with where we’re starting hopefully we can finish up front. A top-ten would be huge for us. We started off the season so well and then hit a little bit of a slump, so now it’s really time to get it back on track and I feel that’s what we’re doing. My team is really good and we’re working really hard and that’s what counts right now.”

E.J. VISO, NO. 5 TEAM VENEZUELA PDVSA CITGO ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT HVM CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 12TH: “I qualified 12th – not too happy with that qualifying position. I think we had a little bit more speed in the car. We couldn’t finish our qualifying lap as we had traffic twice from (Tristin) Vautier. Starting in this position is definitely going to be a tough job tomorrow in the race, but I have a lot of faith that in the direction we are working in; we are going to find a good set up and a good strategy to bring a good race result tomorrow

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, NO. 27 GODADDY ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 13TH: “It was only about a tenth we missed it by and we had that on two different laps; the car had that and I made little mistakes. It’s the nature of the business with this qualifying format, you only get a couple laps to have a crack at it. We went out early and did an extra lap, but like I said, twice we had a car good enough to advance and just didn’t get it done. I feel bad for the guys, the GoDaddy Chevy is quicker than that. It’s a shame.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 7 MCAFEE DRAGON RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 14TH: “We have a disappointing qualifying session obliviously, we were not happy and super confident after the practice sessions. I thought we had a little better car than that, even though we were not able to get a good read on the car this morning. We have been dealing with a very loose car all weekend and we really haven’t been able to get the change we need. We anticipated some under steer, but it was worse than we thought. Just a little frustrating because its going to be a lot harder for the race since this place is so tough to make a pass. We will keep digging and keep fighting to see what we can get out of it.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 PG TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 15TH: “Of course we would have loved to be on the pole. Starting 15th is not ideal when you’re going into the race as the points leader. We will need to work out a new strategy since we still start towards the rear of the field but the PPG guys are working hard to make the right changes to the car. Fortunately, for us today is only Saturday and the race will be tomorrow. We’re going to try something different because what we were planning on doing tomorrow strategy wise won’t work with as far back as we will have to start. We have not given up hope yet, tomorrow will be a long race and I know we’ll be able to make it back up.”

ORIOL SERVIA, NO. 4 NATIONAL GUARD PANTHER RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 18TH: “It’s very rare when you finish qualifying feeling the way I feel – where you don’t transfer – but the car is so good. I’m really happy with the National Guard Chevy and had what I needed; it’s just so tight that we missed transferring by half of a tenth. It’s just one of those things where you need to hit everything right, and on my second (hot) lap I was already two-tenths down a few corners in, but on the third corner I just tried a little too hard and l lost the rear. It’s amazing what IndyCar is today and what it takes to be up front, and this year is very special. But I’m really happy with the work we’ve done, I had the engineers here working until late, and the car is really good. You know with this place it’s hard to overtake and the way they’ve done the length of the race I’m not sure there’s room for multiple strategies. You never know what could happen, I’ve got a good car and hopefully we can get up front and make the National Guard proud.”

TONY KANAAN, NO. 11 SUNOCO-TURBO KV RACING TECHNOLOGY – SH RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 20TH: “Obviously I am disappointed and frustrated. We worked hard to improve the car during the practice sessions and we thought we had a top-10 car, but things just didn’t work out that way. We have to sit down, take a look at the data and make some changes. It is going to be a long race tomorrow. Hopefully we can improve the car and come up with a strategy that will get us back to the front.”

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA, NO. 6 TRUECAR DRAGON RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 21ST:

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S VODKA/ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 23RD: “James (Davison) was in a hurry when the session started and went by and then decided he was going to back up. He was warming up the tires all the way down the backstretch. I started to go around him going into Turn 4. He about hit me into the grass so I was going to go around him in five. He was going to the left to set up for six and turned right back in the front of me when I was making a run on him into six. I’ve been there. There’s a lot going on. But he’s not paying attention to what’s going on. If that’s how he’s going to drive tomorrow, he’s going to end up getting run in to. I’m really just disappointed. We’d struggled yesterday and had really made good improvements this morning and the way that worked out, we broke a front wing, had to come in, and by the time we got everything fixed, we ran the least amount of laps that session than anybody. All you have to do is watch the way these sessions have gone. The track gets quicker every single lap. It wasn’t a good session for us.”

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Ben Kennedy Adds Chicagoland to 2013 Camping World Truck Series Plans

Ben Kennedy Adds Chicagoland to 2013 Camping World Truck Series Plans

For Immediate Release
Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
Media

Daytona Beach, Fla. (5 July 2013) – When NASCAR launches the Chase to the Sprint Cup at the Chicagoland Speedway September 13-15, the race weekend will not only be the opening chapter of a championship story, it will also offer a sneak peak into the future of the sport.

Turner-Scott Motorsports, which currently has three drivers among the top-10 in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship competition, confirmed that young Ben Kennedy will race the No. 30 Chevrolet Silverado in the Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday, September 13 as part of the big Chase kick-off weekend.

The event is one of four (Bristol, Iowa, Chicagoland, Homestead-Miami Speedway) events that Kennedy is slated to race as he eyes a full-time move up to the highly competitive truck series in 2014. Kennedy currently holds third in the NASCAR K&N East standings, and already has success behind the wheel of a truck to his credit, having scored two Pro-Truck championships in 2009.

“I can’t wait to make my Camping World Truck Series debut at Bristol with Turner-Scott, and I am excited to get the chance to build on that this season,” said Kennedy who was recently named as part of NASCAR “Next” as a talent of the soon-coming future. “I am just trying to learn as much as I can every time I go out there, so it is humbling to be included as someone to keep an eye on in the future. We are focused on having a strong run in the K&N East championship, and of course looking forward to getting the chance to race in trucks, so I just can’t wait for what’s next!”

Kennedy will be back in K&N East action at Columbus Motor Speedway July 13 for the NAPA 150.

Ben Kennedy NASCAR Camping World Trucks 2013 Schedule:


UNOH 200 Bristol Motor Speedway – August 17 – Fox/Speed (Wednesday)

American Ethanol 200 Iowa Speedway – September 8 – Fox/Speed (Sunday)
Camping World 225 Chicagoland Speedway – September 13 – Fox/Speed (Friday)
Ford Ecoboost 200 Homestead Miami Speedway – November 15 – Fox/Speed (Friday)

Ben Kennedy Statistics:
Ben Kennedy – DOB 12/26/1991
2009 Pro-Truck Champion-New Smyrna Speedway
2009 Pro-Truck Champion-Orlando Speedworld
2010 NASCAR K&N East Debut-Gresham Motorsports Park

2010 Super Late Model Champion-Orlando Speedworld
2010 FASCAR Sportsmanship Award
2010 FASCAR Bright House Challenge Series 3rd place in points
2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-13th in points
2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series First Coors 21 Pole-Columbus Motor Speedway

2012 NASCAR Euro-Racecar Series-First NASCAR win and first oval race in Europe win-Tours Speedway
2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-3 top 5’s, 9 top 10s
2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-9th place in points

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For additional information
http://www.benkennedyracing.com/v2/Index.html
http://www.sundaymanagement.com/

Late-Race Pass Gives Action Express First Victory Of Season

Late-Race Pass Gives Action Express First Victory Of Season

Auberlen, Dalla Lana Win In GT After Last-Lap Penalty Against Marsh Racing
Tremblay, Long Give Mazda 6 Third Consecutive GX Victory

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 15, 2013) – A pair of late-race passes played a major role in the outcome of Saturday’s GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Diamond Cellar Classic at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, for entirely different reasons.

Joao Barbosa gave Action Express Racing its first Daytona Prototype (DP) victory of the season, passing Spirit of Daytona driver Richard Westbrook with 29 minutes remaining. Co-driving the No. 5 Corvette DP with Christian Fittipaldi, Barbosa made slight contact while making his pass on Westbrook in Turn 2 and went on to the lead the final 22 laps of the race.

“Just racing here is intense,” Barbosa said. “It was really hard racing, but I was able to judge traffic a little bit better and get a run on him. I knew I was a little bit faster. I was just being a little bit patient, but I had to be careful with the guys behind me, as well. As soon as I saw a small window to go for the lead, I did that. After that, I was able to pull a good gap and control the race a little bit.”

Meanwhile, contact for the Grand Touring (GT) lead with two laps remaining resulted in a penalty that gave Bill Auberlen and co-driver Paul Dalla Lana their second consecutive race win at Mid-Ohio in the No. 94 BMW M3. Marsh Racing driver Eric Curran crossed the stripe first in the No. 31 Chevrolet Corvette, but was penalized one minute and 24 seconds for avoidable contact. Curran and co-driver Boris Said finished fourth after the penalty.

“The series did the right thing by straightening it out,” Auberlen said. “We were faster in the straight and Eric was much quicker in the corner. All lines were off; I just kept taking the inside. If all you have to do is beat someone off the track with one or two laps to go, that’s a lot easier.”

Sylvain Tremblay and Tom Long took GX class honors in the No. 70 MAZDASPEED/Mazda/Castrol Mazda6 GX, picking up the third consecutive win for MAZDASPEED/Speedsource, but the first for the Tremblay and Long. Dr. Jim Norman finished second in the No. 38 Calcium Pro Porsche Cayman to extend his points lead to 14 points (201-187) over Joel Miller.

Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli maintained their lead in DP points for Wayne Taylor Racing with a sixth-place finish in the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide/Toshiba/Chevrolet Corvette DP. They now hold a one-point advantage over the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance team of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney. Ryan Dalziel and co-driver Alex Popow raced from a sixth-place starting position to finish third in the No. 2 Starworks with Alex Popow Ford/Riley and are now third in points, just two out of first.

John Potter and Andy Lally took over the GT points lead with a second-place finish in the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche GT3 for Magnus Racing. No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 driver Alessandro Balzan is second, three points back (169-166).

The next Rolex Series race will be Sunday, June 30, at Watkins Glen International for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, live on SPEED at 11 a.m. ET.

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#TheFuture Comes To Le Mans: ‘Test Day’ A Final Dress Rehearsal

#TheFuture Comes To Le Mans:

‘Test Day’ A Final Dress Rehearsal

(Note: This is the sixth installment in “#TheFuture Comes to Le Mans” – a series of news items on American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing involvement in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 7, 2013) – Circuit de la Sarthe. The name alone is synonymous with the history and tradition that makes the 24 Hours of Le Mans the world’s most renowned sports car race. It’s a place where legends are made, and for many who will turn their first laps on the 8.469-mile circuit in France this weekend, a place where dreams are realized.

A total of 61 teams – including six teams and 33 drivers from the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and GRAND-AM Road Racing – will embark on the historic course Sunday for “Test Day”, the dress rehearsal for the 90th anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The one-day test provides teams their only opportunities to practice at the circuit outside of the June 22-23 race weekend.

It also is mandated for rookie Le Mans competitors.

“The reality is starting to set in that I’m going to get to do the race for the first time,” said SRT Viper driver Jonathan Bomarito. “As a race car driver, it’s one of those races that’s at the top of everybody’s list.”

Bomarito has years of experience in GRAND-AM and has already won another premier endurance race – the Rolex 24 At Daytona – but at Le Mans he is still considered a rookie. Teams and drivers who have never raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans must participate and complete a minimum of 10 laps at the test; so must those drivers not on the list of confirmed drivers automatically allowed to take part in official practice. New cars – Lotus and Viper – must participate in the test with at least one entry.

“The first priority is to satisfy that requirement,” said Tommy Kendall, who will share driving duties with Bomarito and rookie Kuno Wittmer and competes in select ALMS events. “The first part of the test with our (No.) 93 car will focus on everybody getting their minimum 10 laps in. It’s kind of like Indianapolis 500 rookie orientation. We’ve got to get that out of the way first and then start working on tuning the car.”

For those of who have previously competed at Le Mans, Test Day is still a learning – or re-learning – experience.

Circuit de la Sarthe is one of the longest – and fastest – racing circuits in the world. Translation: it’s easy to get lost. To soften the learning curve, Kendall says drivers rely on simulators for re-acclimation to the course.

“Without the simulator you [actually] could [get lost],” he said. “It’s unlike any other place, it’s so fast. The medium-speed corners are faster than regular medium-speed corners and high-speed corners are faster than regular high-speed corners … the straights are longer than normal straights.”

In addition to the 56 entries for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship teams that were not invited to compete in the race can also participate in the test. Prototypes belonging to the Formula Le Mans category, which does not compete at Le Mans, are also eligible.

The race will showcase a number of top drivers and teams that will compete in next year’s unified sports car series in North America. To kick off the event, the man heading the board of directors guiding United SportsCar Racing, GRAND-AM founder Jim France, will wave the French flag on the afternoon of June 22 to start the race.

“It all comes back to the history of motorsports and sports car racing; Le Mans is the pinnacle,” said Bomarito. “When you look at all the winners and manufacturer support over the years, it’s just incredible.

“Now, to be a part of that and having your name in those record books is very special.”

Live television coverage of the 90th Anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans will air on SPEED beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22.

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Jordan Taylor Leads Detroit Qualifying, Captures First DP Pole

Please see attached press release, below is a text-only version.

Jordan Taylor Leads Detroit Qualifying, Captures First DP Pole

Max Papis Takes GT Pole In R. Ferri/AIM Motorsport Ferrari

DETROIT (May 31, 2013) – Jordan Taylor already has enjoyed his share of success at Detroit Belle Isle, taking the Rolex Series GT class victory in last year’s inaugural Chevrolet GRAND-AM 200.

Taylor is looking to carry that success to the Daytona Prototype ranks for Saturday’s race. He captured the TOTAL Pole Award on Friday, running a lap of 1:27.675 (96.903 mph) in the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette DP co-driven by Max Angelelli.

Taylor will lead the field for the start of Round 5 of the 2013 season Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (SPEED, same day, 5 p.m. ET).

The 22-year-old Floridian had to overcome the most successful qualifier in Rolex Series history to earn his first career Daytona Prototype pole. Jon Fogarty, looking for his 26th pole in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP shared with Alex Gurney, led the session early but will start second after running a best lap of 1:27.802 (96.763 mph) on the slightly reconfigured 2.36-mile circuit.

“We weren’t too confident going into qualifying,” Taylor said. “We weren’t in the top five in either (practice) session. We got together and made some big changes and something worked.”

Max Papis led the GT session with a lap of 1:35.171 (89.271 mph) in the No. 61 R. Ferri/AIM Motorsport Ferrari 458. While it was his first pole in GT competition, Papis was an eight-time DP pole winner in 2004, when he joined Scott Pruett in capturing the championship for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Boris Said broke up an all-Ferrari front row when he ran a lap of 1:35.583 (88.886 mph) in the No. 31 Marsh Racing Corvette – bumping Jeff Westphal in the No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 to third.

In GX, Tom Long captured his second pole of the season with a lap of 1:41.638 (83.591 mph) in the No. 70 MAZDASPEED/SpeedSource Mazda 6 co-driven by Sylvain Tremblay.

The Rolex Series will hold a 30-minute practice session Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. in final preparation for the two-hour race.

—

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media

@sundaygroup
317.908.2975 (m)
www.sundaymanagement.com

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, www.twitter.com/Sundaygroup

Pro Mazda and USF2000 Head to ‘Night Before the 500’

Series News
May 21, 2013

Pro Mazda and USF2000 Head to ‘Night Before the 500’
Mazda Road to Indy Clinic and First-Ever Fan Fest Enhance Busy Week

PALMETTO, Fla. – The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda return to racing action this week with the traditional Visit Hendricks County ‘Night Before the 500’ at Lucas Oil Raceway. Rising drivers on the first two levels of the Mazda Road to Indy will join the USAC Midget Series for a night of racing under the lights on May 25, the evening before the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Following over five hours of combined testing for both series on Friday at the 0.686-mile oval located just outside Indianapolis in Clermont, Ind., Saturday’s packed schedule includes practice and qualifying rounds with the green flag for the USF2000 race at 7:40 pm followed by Pro Mazda at 8:25 pm and the USAC feature at 9:30 pm.

The ‘Night Before the 500’ is the lone oval event on the 14-race USF2000 schedule and is the first of two oval races for Pro Mazda competitors on its 16-race calendar, preceding the Milwaukee IndyFest at The Milwaukee Mile on June 15.

Ones to Watch – Pro Mazda
Series points leader and MAZDASPEED driver Matthew Brabham set the pace in a recent test at Lucas Oil Raceway on May 11. Brabham, of Andretti Autosport and the reigning USF2000 champion, turned an unofficial lap of 19.904 seconds, besting the track record set by Connor De Phillippi in 2011 of 19.999 seconds.

Teammate Shelby Blackstock was second quickest with a lap of 20.314, followed by Diego Ferreira of Juncos Racing (20.363), Spencer Pigot of Team Pelfrey (20.379) and Scott Anderson also of Juncos Racing (20.461).

Brabham started on pole for last year’s USF2000 race at Lucas Oil Raceway and finished second to Pigot after an exciting side-by-side duel between the then Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing teammates.

Another driver on the radar is Anders Krohn, 25, who will be making his debut with Team Pelfrey. The vastly experienced Norwegian driver participated in only the final test session but was quickly up to speed posting the sixth best time overall with a lap of 20.485. Krohn is the 2010 Star Mazda Championship runner-up.

Ones to Watch – USF2000
As with Pro Mazda, it was USF2000 points leader Scott Hargrove at the top of the timesheets in testing on May 11. Hargrove, who contested a partial season of USF2000 in 2012 which did not include the Lucas Oil Raceway event, will be making his oval debut this weekend. His best lap of 21.478 was .156 seconds clear of Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing teammate Neil Alberico (21.634) in second.

ZSports Midwest with Team E Racing’s young gun RC Enerson, who topped the second of three sessions, was third overall with a best time of 21.705, followed by Danilo Estrela of Belardi Auto Racing (21.744) and Stefan Rzadzinski of JDC Motorsports (21.806).

The entire field of 25 cars was covered by 1.174 seconds. Narrowly missing the top five in testing were MAZDASPEED driver Peter Portante of Belardi Auto Racing (21.811), Henrik Furuseth of PRL Motorsports (21.817), Matt McMurry of Belardi Auto Racing (21.918), Wyatt Gooden of Afterburner Autosport (21.986) and Jason Wolfe of Pabst Racing Services (21.992).

By the Numbers
With three wins in four Pro Mazda events to date, Brabham has amassed a 13-point lead over Ferreira, who also has been a model of consistency with one win and three additional podium finishes. Blackstock lies 23 points in arrears of Ferreira, finishing on the podium in the last three races and sitting on pole for the two most recent rounds in St. Petersburg, Fla.

In USF2000, Hargrove has a commanding 43-point lead after three wins and a second-place drive. Gooden lies in second after a pair of second-place runs with Jesse Lazare of Pabst Racing Services in third, only nine points behind Gooden, leading a string of drivers in a tight points battle.

Hometown Ties
Brandon Newey will have a busy week of activity. The 20-year-old Indianapolis native and Purdue University sophomore will not only be preparing for his USF2000 oval debut, but will be dividing his time between Lucas Oil Raceway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he will be cheering on Bryan Herta Autosport, which is co-owned by his father Steve Newey. The team will be seeking its second Indy 500 victory after winning in 2011 with the late Dan Wheldon.

Pro Mazda and USF2000 teams with a short drive this weekend include Andretti Autosport, based in Indianapolis, and Juncos Racing and Belardi Auto Racing in Brownsburg.

Results Equal Opportunity
Brabham and Hargrove will have the opportunity to drive their Pro Mazda and USF2000 entries at the famed Brickyard on Carburetion Day. As what has now become a tradition, the series points leaders will pace the Firestone Freedom 100 Indy Lights race.

The winners of the ‘Night Before the 500’ and Firestone Freedom 100 races will also have a moment to shine at the Speedway when they are interviewed on the Victory podium just prior to the start of the Indianapolis 500.

Drivers Head Back to the Classroom
Following Indianapolis 500 Community Day activities on May 22 which include an autograph session and on-stage Q&As, drivers will take part in the final phase of the Mazda Road to Indy Summit beginning with a Fitness and Wellness Course at PitFit Training hosted by owner Jim Leo.

On May 23, drivers will attend seminars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Media Relationship Building with Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star; Performance Thinking with Dr. Jacques Dallaire of Performance Prime; Simulator Training with Kelly Jones and Peter Olrich of RaceCraft1; and Return on Investment with John Doonan, Director of Motorsports at Mazda North American Operations, and Dean Case, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Communications Officer.

First-Ever Visit Hendricks County ‘Night Before the 500’ Fan Fest Scheduled
The Town of Brownsburg, Lucas Oil Raceway, Visit Hendricks County, Brownsburg Park and the Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce have teamed up for the first-ever ‘Night Before the 500’ Fan Fest on Thursday, May 23. Held on the town square in front of the Brownsburg Town Hall (61 North Green Street), the family-friendly event will feature autograph sessions with drivers competing in Saturday’s races; a local band; a game truck, bounce house and photo booth for children; food merchants; local vendors; and a silent auction of racing items.

The Fan Fest will run from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET with the driver autograph session scheduled from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Indianapolis 500 Field Dominated with Mazda Road to Indy Ties
Over half the drivers in this year’s Indianapolis 500 have honed their skills in one or more levels of what is now the Mazda Road to Indy – USF2000, Star Mazda (now Pro Mazda) and Indy Lights. By starting position, these include:

1. Ed Carpenter (Indy Lights), 2. Carlos Munoz (Indy Lights) 3. Marco Andretti (Star Mazda/Indy Lights) 8. Helio Castroneves (Indy Lights) 9. James Hinchcliffe (Star Mazda/Indy Lights) 10. JR Hildebrand (USF2000/Indy Lights) 12. Tony Kanaan (Indy Lights) 13. Oriol Servia (Indy Lights) 16. Scott Dixon (Indy Lights) 19. Charlie Kimball (USF2000/Indy Lights) 22. Townsend Bell (Indy Lights) 25. Josef Newgarden (Indy Lights) 26. Graham Rahal (Star Mazda/Indy Lights) 27. Sebastian Saavedra (Indy Lights) 28. Tristan Vautier (Star Mazda/Indy Lights) 29. Ana Beatriz (Indy Lights) 30. Pippa Mann (Indy Lights) 31. Conor Daly (Star Mazda).

Of Note
Michael Johnson, who competes in USF2000 and is the only paralyzed racer on the Mazda Road to Indy, will have his 2014 Pro Mazda car on display at the Speedway in the Vets Help booth to showcase what is possible even when you are faced with a disability. Johnson’s goal is to race in the Indianapolis 500 and he will progress up the ladder to Pro Mazda competition next year with his JDC MotorSports team… Andrew Hobbs of ArmsUp Motorsports is another driver who will be turning some laps at the Speedway. Hobbs, grandson of former Formula One driver and current commentator David Hobbs, will drive Michael Andretti’s Kraco car in the Vintage Lap sessions taking place this Thursday and Friday.

Follow the Action
Live commentary and Timing & Scoring for the ‘Night Before the 500’ races will be available at usf2000.com and promazdachampionship.com.

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About USF2000: The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debuted in 2010 and is a continuation of the highly-regarded USF2000 series which ran from 1990 through 2006, launching the careers of many of today’s top drivers. Sanctioned by INDYCAR and managed by Andersen Promotions, the series is the first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system. The top driver in the Championship class will earn a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The series also is part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder program which assists young drivers in advancing from the Skip Barber Racing School to USF2000. Additional information can be found at www.usf2000.com.

About Pro Mazda: The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires debuted in 2013 as a new series, replacing the Star Mazda Championship which ceased operation in 2012 after 22 years. The series is sanctioned by INDYCAR and owned and operated by Andersen Promotions. It is the second official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system with the series’ champion awarded a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to Firestone Indy Lights competition the following year. For more information, visit www.promazdachampionship.com.

About Mazda: Mazda is the number-one brand for road-racers across North America. Thousands of Mazda powered grassroots racers compete in various classes with the SCCA and NASA highlighted by Spec Miata, the world’s largest spec class with over 2,500 cars built. In 2006 Mazda established the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder to assist racers in moving up through the ranks. In 2010 this was expanded to include the Mazda Road to Indy. Key to Mazda’s success is strategic partnerships with the Skip Barber Racing School and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

MAZDASPEED Motorsports is managed by Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). MNAO is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. Consumer information can be found at www.mazdausa.com with press information at www.mazdausamedia.com. Racers and fans can follow the action on Facebook (Mazdaspeed Motorsports).

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) is a global company with affiliates, subsidiaries and joint ventures that specialize in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck tires. The company also has subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 11 countries around the world. Additional information can be found at www.us.coopertire.com.

Pro Mazda and USF2000 Head to ‘Night Before the 500’.pdf

CHEVY INDYCAR AT INDIANAPOLIS: Team Penske Press Conference Transcript

MEMBERS OF TEAM PENSKE met with members of the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Full transcript:

97th INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRESS CONFERENCE

Team Penske

Friday, May 17, 2013

MODERATOR: OK. Good morning, everyone. I’m Bob Jenkins, and it’s my pleasure to host this news conference, which I have done in the past but haven’t in the last few years. But glad I can do it again.
We have the members of Team Penske up here. From on the far end of the line is, of course, the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves. Tim Cindric, president of Penske Performance. Will Power. AJ Allmendinger. And the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Rick Mears.
Tim, I know you have something to say regarding Roger (Penske), who is unable to be here with us today.

TIM CINDRIC: I just wanted to on behalf of Roger send his regards. He’s a bit conflicted this week for sure, as he had promised Mille Miglia. At the Mille Miglia in Italy this week. When he made that promise, he wasn’t quite sure how it all conflicted with pole weekend. So anyway, it’s in the midst of it next they’ll or four days competing in the Mille Miglia with Mario Illien. So he started that process last night, actually ran in to a bit of a mudslide, so he called me actually at 10 o’clock here. So he’d just gotten to the hotel for the first round of that. So he’s having fun. It’s good to see the boss do something a little different than work. But he certainly misses being here at this place, but obviously he’ll be here next weekend.

MODERATOR: Start with the junior member of the team, AJ Allmendinger. Dinger, is –

CINDRIC: Dinger, that’s a good name for you.

A.J. ALLMENDINGER: Thanks, Bob.

MODERATOR: Glad to do it. So was this on your bucket list, seriously?

ALLMENDINGER: Yeah, I mean, back when I was in Champ Car and growing up through open-wheel racing, this was the pinnacle. I always wanted to be here and, you know, as the split happened and Champ Car wasn’t here, and I never got the opportunity to run here, I mean it was always disappointing. The Memorial Day weekend, it was always difficult sitting at home watching it and not having a chance to run it, especially being a Indy-car driver at that point, and obviously over the last seven years being in NASCAR, just to watch it on TV was kind of always a thing Sunday morning before the Cup race, I’d sit there and watch Indy 500 and just always wanted to be here. Always did, and, you know, happy to have the opportunity to be here with Team Penske and for Roger to give me the opportunity to kind of live out a dream and to be here with no better team than Team Penske. It’s kind of a dream come true. And having to deal with Will and Helio a little bit for two weeks straight gets a little much. Today Helio was singing Taylor Swift to me. It was rough. It was hard. (Laughter). But other than that, it’s been a lot of fun so far.

MODERATOR: Is there anything similar from the ChampCar that you drove to these things nowadays?

ALLMENDINGER: No. Not that I remember. The problem was, since I’ve got back into this race car, I’m just trying to remember, was it this hard to drive a Champ Car? You know, seven years of a Sprint Cup car, it’s — everything that I’ve learned back in my open-wheel racing that I’ve gotten used to, you know, it took a couple years switching to stock cars to really feel comfortable in the car. And it’s kind of — the roles have gotten reversed since I’ve come back here. Try to get used it to again and understand what this car likes and how hard you’ve got to drive it to be fast, especially on the road and street courses.
It’s been a tough challenge. I really enjoy it, though, and I feel like the first two races I’ve had decent speed in the race car, decent race pace. Haven’t had the finishes to show it, but Will and Helio have helped me out a lot since I have come back to really just bring me into the race team and, you know, make me feel like actually a member of the race team, not just a part-time, third-time car.You know, it makes me feel like part of the team, and hopefully there’s little things that I’ve brought to the team that hopefully help them, my energy level, my excitement. My charm and good looks. (Laughter).

MODERATOR: There you go. Of course, Kurt Busch was here and did the rookie orientation, a lot of speculation as to whether he might do the double. Is the double something that you might want to do some day and think you can?

ALLMENDINGER: I think I could, but it’s got to be the right situation. This year wasn’t the right situation to try it. I think it’s something that — it’s — there’s so many things that have to line up perfectly to be able to make it happen, and do it the right way, not just to say do it. And that’s the big thing.
You know, one day, you know, one year maybe, maybe the right opportunity is going to show up and everything falls into place at the right time and that’s the right year to do it, but I hope we’re all celebrating after Indy. I wouldn’t be worried about the 600.

MODERATOR: Now, Rick, you are in a great position of being experienced, needless to say, on this racetrack. What do you teach these guys? Or can you teach them anything?

MEARS: Can’t teach these guys anything. Obviously all three of these guys know what to do, they know how to get around these joints and how to drive race cars. I think with A.J., obviously, it’s more of a matter of laps. Like he said, getting comfortable, getting back in the swing of things, getting comfortable with the team, working with the guys. With these cars working on the timing on the racetrack as far as traffic goes, that kind of thing. That’s just laps. That’s all it is. He obviously knows how to drive a race car; all three of them get around this joint pretty well.
So I just kind of stand back and watch if anything pops up that I might be able to help with I try to help. That’s the main thing.

MODERATOR: Now, if Helio is leading on Race Day, and he’s got a full lap on the field, and you’re seeing him as a member of the four-time winner club, will you throw a bottle on the track or anything to keep him from joining your club?

MEARS: I haven’t decided yet. (Laughter).

MODERATOR: Helio, what do you have to say about that?

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I say that Rick, he didn’t win four, he actually won six and a half. (Laughter) Because he’s — he’s been there since my first one. And certainly without him and the Team Penske I would not be able to do what I did. So hopefully, at the end of the race I will get another one, and it will be a dream come true.

MEARS: I’d go for that.

CASTRONEVES: OK. Good. I dream every night, obviously. But we’re working very hard to make that happen. We have three fast cars, very competitive fuel. The course today is a different day, we’ll focus on qualifyings, increasing the boost level. So speed’s going to increase, and it’s going to be interesting.

MODERATOR: Do you still get the chills when you get out there for the first time?

CASTRONEVES: When I walk into this place, I get the chills. It’s just amazing. We went to the museum the first night and to see all the history of this place, it’s incredible. It’s never the same. Always there is something different. And obviously in the situation that we are right now, we’re certainly feeling very confident, but we know what we need to did, as well, there. So now we’re looking strong.

MODERATOR: By the same token, is it different the night before the race here? Do you have a little more trouble sleeping or relaxing?

CASTRONEVES: Certainly you don’t rest as well as you wish. Because first you got to beat the traffic, which is always a good thing. And second, you know, you’re thinking about a lot of things. We’re talking about 500 miles; there’s a lot of circumstances that could play in your favor and could go against you, as well. And I have to say every time in any race but especially this one, when you start playing the national anthem, and the Indianapolis song, everything. It’s just kind of like “(Back Home Again in) Indiana,” thank you.(Laughter) So I knew it was something like that. I didn’t know how to say it. (Laughter).
So basically that’s when the butterfly goes in your stomach. And it is awesome. Especially when you have the crowd there, oh, my God, guys, it’s the best feeling in the world.

MODERATOR: All right, Will. I think the very first time I talked to you was on pit lane after you qualified, and one of the questions I asked you was, where in the world is Toowoomba? And you might refresh our minds as to where that is and how big it is.

WILL POWER: Toowoomba is west of Brisbane, about an hour-and-a-half drive. It’s in the state of Queensland in Australia. It’s an awesome town. It’s got probably over a hundred thousand people.

MODERATOR: Really?

POWER: It’s not as small as you think. People come to Toowoomba. He doesn’t know how to pronounce the name. He calls it Chambawamba. (Laughter).

MODERATOR: Do the residents really get behind you this time of year?

POWER: Yeah, I think so. I don’t go back there very often, but I do there’s a big “Will Power” –

MODERATOR: So how’s the month gone for you so far?

POWER: It’s been interesting. You know, I think just trying to work out a good race car. Obviously qualifying such a different — different thing because you have a different boost levels, so probably going 6 or 7 miles an hour quicker.

ALLMENDINGER: Really? That fast? You didn’t tell me that, Rick.

MEARS: Surprise.

POWER: So you probably won’t being as good as you were. (Laughter) But yeah, I mean, we’re just trying to get good car in traffic. I can tell it’s a very competitive field this year. You can’t really see anyone that’s sticking out as being the quickest. So it’s going to be interesting, I guess, come qualifying day to see when everyone’s on the track by themselves see where they stack up. But we’re still working away and, you know, just hope to have a good solid race car and see if we can qualify up front somewhere. Pole would be nice.

MODERATOR: Tim, elaborate if you will on this boost increase and how you deal with it in terms of setup and so forth.

CINDRIC: It is a bit challenging. I think it’s difficult sometimes for the fans to understand as well because there’s an anticipation typically of the speeds building through the month, and then on Friday you have this large buildup in terms of the speeds. And the teams, it’s difficult for us to actually work on qualifying setups throughout the week until today. Today we have a weather situation where you might have rain from 3 o’clock on. It kind of amplifies the day. But today’s the day when the pressure really starts to mount in terms of for the drivers and really trying to understand how to get ready in a very short period of time. And understanding how the speeds will then affect the balance of the car. It’s a lot to ask of these guys to have that increase in speed, this 5- to 7-mile an hour difference, where they’ll get — you know, if it rains today two or three hours of that today and then right into qualifying tomorrow morning.
So it’s very challenging and, you know, I think that it’s good in terms of the overall impact to the sport to continue to go faster on qualifying day. It’s just difficult to do that in a very short period of time like we have. But I’m certainly an advocate of trying to set new track records here, so I think we need to continue to work towards the right balance of safety and speed.

MODERATOR: So 230 is likely, you think?

CINDRIC: I think you’ll see 230 in terms of the times in practice and tomorrow morning. In qualifying, I think it really depends on the engine manufacturers, and I think that’s yet to be seen. But I guess last year I think it was a low 227. So I think 230 might be a stretch. So I don’t want to put that expectation out there, but I think we’ll see those laps with some draft.

MODERATOR: OK. Let’s open it up to questions.

Q: I’m going to take a shot at each one of you, a question I asked the Ganassi guys already. Each of the drivers — well, in fact both of you, both Rick and Tim can weigh in, too. What is it about your love of the Indianapolis 500 that keeps bringing you back? What makes it special to you personally?

ALLMENDINGER: For me, I mean it’s the prestige of the race. You know, it’s one of those races, and it may be the biggest race in the world when it comes to, you know, if you’re not even a race fan, you don’t really know anything about racing, but you say you won the Indianapolis 500, they know that’s pretty special. And for me, that’s something that the first time I signed with Penske last year, you know, you walk into the main office and the Borg-Warner Trophy is there with the helmets of everybody that’s won the race.You know, for me, it’s like as soon as I walk in, being a NASCAR driver, at that point that’s special right there. You see what that means. And to me, just to — it would be special to have my face on that trophy, have that trophy in your trophy case. And, you know, once you become an Indy 500 winner, that will never be taken away. You’re part of a special club. And that to me is what makes this race so amazing is the fact that, it doesn’t matter who you say it to, if you say you’re an Indianapolis 500 champion, that’s pretty special.

MEARS: Pretty much the same thing. For myself it was, you know, we had heard about Indy, listened to it on the radio early on.Then finally when they came out with a little bit of the live coverage growing up. But for me it was way out of my league. There was no way. I never dreamed of coming here because it was way out of my league. You know, we were just racing around home for fun as a hobby and recreation, and I never realized — even thought about coming here until about six months before I actually got into an Indy car.
I didn’t dream about because I didn’t think it would ever happen. There was no question. So to be able to accomplish that and hook up with Team Penske and the right organization and have the tools to be able to accomplish what we have here is just incredible.

MODERATOR: Will, Tim, Helio.

POWER: Much the same as Rick and A.J. said. You know, it’s just — I didn’t realize how big the event was until I’d actually been through the process of the month. And it’s just — couldn’t believe the media coverage, and Race Day is the biggest eye-opener when you walk out into pit lane and just the amount of people. It’s phenomenal.
And apart from all that, it’s a challenge of getting it right because, you know, it’s such a hard place to get right in the car. And when things aren’t working, you don’t even want to be out there. It’s just so hard. But when they do work, you have a good car and you’re passing people, you know, it’s the best feeling in the world. So it’s a very unique place, nothing like it in the world.

CINDRIC: For me it’s pretty simple. I grew up watching all the history being made. And to be part of and have the opportunity to work with these guys and Roger, it kind of all puts it full circle and perspective for me to understand how difficult it is. I watched my father try and win this race with an engine for 30 years and he never got that done. And to have the chance to be part of five of those is a big deal.
And, you know, Rick, I tell the story all the time about the time when I was kid he went back and got me a hat. And I never forgot that. So, you know, to work with him and these guys, it’s a big deal for me.

CASTRONEVES: Well, several things. History, challenging of going for 500 miles in this place, when you’re able to accomplish that, it’s just an amazing accomplishment. And drinking the milk. It’s all about, do you want to be there. I guarantee everybody’s thinking I want to drink that milk. Those are the things.

Q: Helio, if you want to comment, has there been a change, sort of a transition in mentorship between you having Rick your rookie year and then now seeing somebody like AJ coming in, have you kind of taken over that role of kind of being his mentor and teacher here? I know he’s not a rookie to the Speedway itself but to these Indy cars?

CASTRONEVES: It’s amazing. Helping Jr. here, it’s not — it’s been quite challenge, you know (Laughter). Certainly Rick would be my mentor. I don’t know if I’m Jr.’s mentor, but I’m certainly trying to keep him in line, but he doesn’t need much to be honest, of — you know, it’s easy to say because he’s out there, seems to know exactly what he wants, and it’s good. It’s good to have another guy on our team again to — like he said, his energy, and we just got to keep controlling him a little bit better unless he goes all out of control.So, it’s cool. It’s very nice. I feel awesome.

Q: This is for Rick and all the current drivers. I know weather is a key factor, but every time you take a lap on this oval, what are one or two things that you always have to remind yourself and be aware of?

MEARS: Well, you say weather. One of the key things for me around here was always the weather. Just worry about the weather coming in and setting your strategy when you need to get what done. But as far as the track, we were talking the other day, every time you roll out of pit lane here, like during practice today, the last thing I did as I rolled off was look at the flag, see which way the wind was blowing, what it was doing. Because you always have to figure that into the equation of the change you made on the car.How much of it was the change, how much of it was the wind. So weather as far as all four corners is always changing on you with the wind direction. Temperature changing, they’re very critical and sensitive to that. So weather is a key factor at this place.

ALLMENDINGER: I think for me it’s just every day is like starting over, just kind of a reset. And talking to all these guys about coming here. And I guess in a way you never want to get too comfortable. You want to — for me it’s just going out there and I kind of just reset my mind, and those first laps are always a little — kind of got the nerves built back up just because, you know, I watched this race for many years, and talking to everybody, it’s about, you know, you got to respect this place every lap. Because I think as soon as you let your guard down a little bit, like “OK, I got this place,” that second will bite you.
And as Rick talked about the wind, I’m starting to become familiar now as an Indy driver because you wake up, and a couple days ago opened my hotel room window and the trees are blowing, I’m like, “Oh, crap.” So it’s something that you just got to — for me just got to — I’ve got to start over every day, just a little bit, just kind of work back up to it.

POWER: The wind is so bad around this place, especially this car, more than the previous car because it’s a little bigger. And, you know, the wake that’s left of the car in front is a massive deal. I mean you totally change the balance, so it’s really hard to get the car working around that. But that’s something you’ve got to always be aware of when you go out.

CASTRONEVES: Yes. Same. Weather is always — plays a big factor in this place.
And like junior said, you got to reset every time you come out there.

Q: Question for Tim and for A.J. Tim, I would like to ask this question to Roger but maybe Tim can answer. For the next years in IndyCar will stay with the Dallara chassis. Nevertheless, nothing is impossible in motor racing. Given the circumstance of coming to the right place at the right time, do you think Team Penske will ever build its own chassis like they did in the past? And question for A.J. and (inaudible) which way you want to be both together.

CINDRIC: I think the answer to your question really is obviously to determine on which way the direction of the series goes in terms of what is allowed. At this point in time it’s not an opportunity, it’s not something that’s really in our short-term future. I don’t think it’s in the short-term future of INDYCAR at the moment because of the agreements that they have.
But we do feel like this place was really based on innovation. And there’s a balance between having 33 participants at this race.And if you were to open up a complete innovative scenario like what it used to be, I think you’d really struggle to fill the field. So there’s a certain balance where that can be. But I think it’s somewhere beyond where we are now. But to the extent of Penske building an Indy car, I think that’s probably a ways away.

ALLMENDINGER: Yeah, I mean I think for me it’s — you know, I just — it’s the same as this year, I just kind of look at whatever the best opportunity is for me. I don’t have in mind one series over the other of what I’d like to be in. And for me to be a part of this organization, to be with Team Penske and be one of Roger’s drivers, it’s very special. And I feel like the luckiest guy in the world, honestly, to have a second opportunity at it.
And it’s — it’s as I told Roger, if he wants me here, I’m not going to think about it. I’m going to be here, no matter what it is. And he’s taken care of me and I feel very special to be a part of his family, and to be here to be just called one of his drivers, whether it was a NASCAR driver or IndyCar driver, sports car driver, whatever it is, to be part of Roger’s organization, for me it’s the best thing in the world. So if that opportunity’s there, I’m going to be here.

Q: Helio, can you take us through your first three wins a little bit? I know each of them are different, but this is kind of looking forward to maybe getting number four. Is there anything you can take from those first three as you look back and say, “OK, I need to do X, Y and Z in order to get number four?”

CASTRONEVES: Well, I look at those, and certainly those are the ones that may have happened, but I look more at the ones that didn’t happen, why? Because the recipe was there. You know, we know we can do it. And I look more at the place — at the races that we didn’t do it. You know, 2003 I have a very fast car, and unfortunately we got caught in one of those scenarios where we finished 3/10ths behind my teammate. 2005, I think we finished third. It was ‘5 or ‘6, when rain came out unexpected, and people took a gamble and just went with what we could tell. I mean I look at those more than actually why. Especially last year, for example, why we didn’t have a better performance than we did. So it was — the rest of it, the other ones that we won, for me the first one was just knowing a little bit and understanding and listening a lot of what we had to say. The second one was an opportunity to put ourselves in and be able to took a chance and gamble. And the third one, it was — the car was extremely well. And we took advantage to make a move at the right point and keep going.
So it’s all about putting ourselves in that situation, and the key to this place is when. That’s the toughest part to find.

Q: When or wind?

CASTRONEVES: When to make it happen.

MODERATOR: We’ve got time for two more questions.

Q: Helio, you touched on it a little bit, but talk a little bit more about what it means to have three wins here and have a fourth. And do you feel fortunate? Is it — how do you sort of explain being able to do this given the frustrations that so many race drivers have had here?

CASTRONEVES: I feel blessed to be in this opportunity, to be in this elite group, I feel blessed. Certainly there was, as you said, there’s a lot of guys, lot of races, and being in very good position, unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. But again, this place is more about there was so many things that can go wrong, and so few things that can go right. So that’s why this team’s won fifteen times because they found a way to look for those moments that it makes right.
But for me, certainly I’m happy. But I still have a great chance to keep going. And until this team and myself have the fire inside to go and try everything we could, we’re going to keep trying.

Q: For decades, when you’re trying to deal with — whether it was Paul Page or Bob Jenkins or Marty Reid, when you try to tell the millions watching on television, you know, what you’re thinking, that we don’t know, if you’re coming off Turn 4 and you’re about to win, Will or AJ, your first Indy 500, Helio, your fourth, TK says if it happens for him we all know he’ll be thinking about his dad, the promise he made to his dad. But for you three, coming off of Turn 4 about to win your fourth and joining a very elite crew, or you guys about to win your first, where do your thoughts go? Who do you think about? Who’s the first person in your mind that you think about that’s so special that makes this day?

CASTRONEVES: Get off Turn 4. Complete Turn 4. (Laughter) We seen before that did not happen, unfortunately. But you got to be focused. It’s a tough question. For me, you know, I only look at the checkered flag. I want to make sure I see that checkered flag first and then just thank God. For me it’s just, “Thank you, God; you first put me in this position and to do what I love to do.”

ALLMENDINGER: I think for me — and I’ve gotten asked the question already, what — what’s that — do I look ahead to that moment, and it’s too far away. Way too far away. This is kind of a step-by-step process day by day, and for me right now lap by lap.And, you know, I don’t allow myself to think, you know, what’s it going to be like when I come off the corner to win the race. It’s there’s so many things that got to happen in this race to have an opportunity — even have an opportunity to win the race let alone actually have it happen. And, you know, it’s just — I don’t want to let — I don’t even want to allow myself to think like that, you know, what happens.You know, I want that moment if it does happen to just be in the moment. You know, and I don’t know what it’s going to be like. I don’t know if I’m going to be — there’ll be so many emotions that run through, but I won’t allow myself to look ahead. You know, that’s something that, as it happens, it happens. We got a way too long of a time before we get to that point.

POWER: Yeah, I mean, it’s — I couldn’t imagine. I just couldn’t imagine the feeling of winning this race. It’d just be — you know, it’s a life-changer. So, yeah, like AJ I haven’t really — just haven’t thought about it. I mean it’s such a process to have that happen. So many things have got to go your way. I mean things — it’s just got to be your day. It’s such a funny race that you could never predict who’s going to win. You know, you just kind of — if someone moves quick all month, you know, you just can’t tell. So, that’s what makes it pretty cool, makes it great for the fans. If you happen to accomplish winning the Indy 500, I mean it’s the biggest race you’ll ever win because it is the biggest race in the world, AJ.

ALLMENDINGER: You will get that billboard in Toowoomba?

POWER: I might get that. I probably could get the billboard. Maybe even Australian of the Year (Laughter).

ALLMENDINGER: Adam Scott won the Masters; you ain’t getting that.

MODERATOR: Thanks to Helio, Tim, Will, AJ and Rick. Best of luck with the rest of the month, and there will be an opportunity for one-on-ones.

Transcript courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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Chip Ganassi Racing Press Conference Transcript (May 17)

For Immediate Release 97th INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRESS CONFERENCE Chip Ganassi Racing Friday, May 17, 2013 MODERATOR: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, for a traditional stop by for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Chip Ganassi and Mike Hull and a talented group of drivers who not only know how to win here; they know how to win championships. And as I’ve take a look at things over the years, Chip, I think one of the things that makes an organization strong is consistency. I thought to myself how long some of the key players have been with you, and all of them know a little bit about winning. You have to feel good about your chances again. CHIP GANASSI: Certainly. Yeah, I mean, that consistency starts with the guy to my right, with Mike, you know, and the group of people he puts together. And, yeah, I mean when you look at how long Dixon has been around now, it’s quite a long time. And Dario, of course, and Charlie. And obviously bringing back Ryan. It’s — I was surprised after we — after we did the deal with Ryan there a month or so ago — not even a month ago — it was pointed out to me that all four of these guys finished in the top eight last year. So I didn’t realize that beforehand, but certainly consistency is a big thing. And, you know, I think this sport sometimes rewards longevity. Experience. So, yeah, I look forward to this weekend and next. MODERATOR: Mike, you have a talented group of drivers, obviously, that you each are different, each have different styles, each have different things they want, I suspect. You know if you at least come somewhat toward making them happy, they have a chance to deliver the goods, that’s one of your tasks. MIKE HULL: I think keeping them unhappy might be better (Laughter) to be very blunt about it because unhappy race drivers are ones that work really, really hard to be better. But I think as a group what you see in front of you is a definition of partnership. Certainly this month, partnership is good because one day somebody has a really good day, and his teammate doesn’t have a great day, you compare notes and come back stronger the next day. I think that’s truly what we’re all about. Particularly Indianapolis because you have enough time to be able to get everything right when you work together. MODERATOR: No question about that. We’ve got a lot of interest in these guys. We’re going to open it up right away to some questions. Q: Question for you, Ryan. What’s the situation — how are you doing more races and what kind of races you have done? RYAN BRISCOE: I’m just doing this race at the moment. I’m doing the American Le Mans series this year, including Le Mans next month. So from here I will be moving to France for that. So we’re just taking it one step at a time here. It’s been great to be on board at Chip Ganassi Racing again. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s great to team up with Scott again and get to know Charlie and Dario. Working with them on the race car. And I think that longevity that Chip was talking about, it’s certainly made this transition a lot easier, in the fact that I know pretty much everyone on the team. It’s just been seamless. I feel like I’ve just slotted right in and it’s been all business. It’s felt great, and I think we’re just working hard here to get better and better. Hopefully we’ll get a repeat of last year what the team did. Q: This is for Mike and whichever one of the drivers wants to chime in. Since they took the second week out of the schedule, are you working more backwards, but all of your race stuff the first five, six days and then really start focusing on qualifying trim yesterday and today. HULL: Yes. The obvious answer is yes, we do. And I think you’ve seen that for the most part. Most of the team have — you want to work to be at the front at the end of the race and have the opportunity to win. It’s an intensified week, but you have to wait for a couple of days for the place to rubber-up a little bit. Then you really start working. And I think that was evidenced again yesterday when you saw people out there doing runs together and trying to find traffic so you could do that. You might see a fast a lap because of the tow, but you’re more interested in what your car’s going to be like when you have about 40 percent left in the tires. That’s really the difference-maker in how you win the race. That’s what we work on. Q: Drivers? DARIO FRANCHITTI: I agree with Mike. Obviously it’s a balancing between the engine miles and the sets of tires you have, as well. Obviously with the qualifying setups you don’t get full boost until today, so really today is really all about qualifying. Up until now it’s really been about general stuff. SCOTT DIXON: I totally agree. Biggest thing this week already from the start of — with testing we’ve been pretty lucky. Some years you can come and you don’t run three days in a row. So this year it’s been about managing time a lot more because you have a lot of on-track. As Dario mentioned, tires and engine miles. Still very limited. You got to pick the right time. Obviously for us it’s trying to find paths recently in the heat of the day. That’s about it. Q: Chip, your thoughts on where the series is at. Do you feel good about with fans, with sponsors, television? Do you like the direction? GANASSI: I think, you know, it’s kind of a broad question. You know, can you bring that down a little bit? Q: Do you feel like you’re going forward? GANASSI: Obviously the front office is in transition mode, I guess. I’m certainly happy with who’s at the helm there now, whether it’s Mark Miles or Derrick (Walker). I think that’s a good — I think that’s a good addition, great addition. In fact, I think, you know, they still have some work to do there. I think freely admit that. What else? Fans? I think we have some work to do with the fans. We need to do a better job of explaining — of being relevant to — relevant to fans and relevant to the people who put the money in this sport, whether it’s sponsors or manufacturers, whoever. We can do a better job being a little more relevant. What else? Q: How is, sort of, the direction different this year from last year? GANASSI: I think there’s a longer view of things. Which I think, you know, it was my opinion that the prior administration was viewing down their nose, and these people seem to be looking a lot farther down the road. Q: Dario, going for your fourth (win). Any thoughts on adding any members to the four-time winners club? Any pressure on you? FRANCHITTI: There’s no more pressure than there is on anybody else in the field. Doesn’t make you any faster. Doesn’t make the team work any harder. It’s simply right now about the mechanics of trying to put ourselves in a position to challenge on Race Day, trying to make sure the Target car is fast, consistent. And then try and qualify well, ourselves — as I say, when we put ourselves in that position, go race and see how it all works out. Do the best job we can on that day. There’s no more pressure. It’s a great position to be in, trying to win that fourth one. Scott is obviously trying to win his second, and the guys here trying to win their first. And it’s great memories of last year. And looking forward. Hopefully we do have a job — today, tomorrow, and then next Sunday. Q: Chip, when you were filling out the team and deciding to bring Ryan on, what was kind of the decision factor to bring him on? Second, is it maybe like an interview process for a permanent position? GANASSI: I think it’s safe now to tell the story. I was on the plane with Mike Hull one day, en route to another function. And we got in a discussion. I said, "Where’s Briscoe?" He said, "I don’t think he’s anywhere." I said, "What? Well, we got to get him." He said OK. And that was the whole conversation. (Laughter) We can’t leave a guy like that — if a guy like that’s available. We got to get him. It worked out well with some of our staffing. You know, we obviously had the cars, we had the staffing and it was a pretty — pretty — I don’t want to use the word "seamless." It was something done fairly quickly in about two or three days it seems like. And quite frankly, I didn’t know Ryan was available. When I fought out he was, it was just a matter of Mike and I having the conversation. It took, like I said, about five minutes, maybe. BRISCOE: Didn’t take long to say yes. (Laughter). That’s in this case. MODERATOR: Can you quantify it? A second, five seconds, or 10? Q: Dario, you talked a little bit about going for a fourth. Far more than you probably could have ever asked for to win three of these things. What’s it been like just hanging out with the three four-time winners and stuff like that? Kind of say wow, they consider me one of the all-time greats of this racetrack. FRANCHITTI: I am very happy to have won one. So difficult — look at some of the great drivers that didn’t get the opportunity even to win one, so I was happy. Three is beyond anything expected. But I really want the fourth. But hanging out with those guys has been a lot of fun. We see a lot of — we see JR at the track, we see Bobby occasionally. And Helio is still competing. Rick’s here all the time with the Penske guys and A.J. is here and occasionally Al Senior, to hang out with those guys is fun. When they start telling stories, Helio and the younger guys have to sit and listen and laugh. The rivalry those guys had, you know, 40 and 50 years ago are still going on. It’s really a privilege to hang about with guys that I consider my heroes. Q: Charlie, you’re on the uptake, it looks like. How do you feel about chances this year and about this season and a minor question. What is the significance are your number 83? KIMBALL: Well, it’s always great to be back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and to have the opportunity to just compete in the Indy 500. It’s very special. But to do it with a team like Chip Ganassi Racing has been fantastic. The season started out really well, and we’re seeing some momentum and seeing some results that, frankly, are necessary. Are expected as we gain experiences. So predictions, ideally, as a team, I think every single one of us is here to win. We don’t come to a racetrack to finish second. So the idea is that we’re doing everything we can this week to prepare ourselves. And this weekend to be in position, as Mike said, to race for the win at the end of the race. So, that’s our goal and that’s kind of our expectation. As far as the number, it’s 30 years, this year actually, since Chip’s best result as a driver here at the Indianapolis 500. And he happened to be driving a car that my dad had a hand in designing. So it’s important for me to recognize Chip’s history as a driver and his success here by running the number 83. Q: Scott, as a former winner you’ve been very close to being a multiple winner here the last couple years. Last year looked like you might have a great shot. Just that kind of magnifying, just how difficult it is to win here, as many second-place finishes that you’ve had since your victory. DIXON: I think would two of those have been behind Dario. When are you retiring? (Laughter). That that was five years ago. You know, I love this place, everybody loves this place. It’s good to be back here. Everyone here, Charlie and everybody up here has mentioned, the goal is the same. We want to win the race. I think we’re very fortunate to be with a great team that can put you in that position. Yes, we’ve come up short a couple times. I think probably 2011 was a clear race that we maybe stood on our own feet and should have had a great shot at it. Luckily it went to another great driver. As long as you keep fighting and keep knocking on the door — last year was the perfect scenario, obviously, have a one-two finish. Especially on Target’s 50th anniversary. But that’s what we strive for, to be in that position, every time we come here. Nothing’s changed on that. Nobody remembers the second-place finishers, so we need to try to bump up a couple more. Q: For all the drivers. Talk about road race driving as opposed to oval, what’s your strengths and what do you enjoy? FRANCHITTI: I think they are very different skill sets. Driving on an oval, whether is a short oval, that’s one skill set, superspeedway, another road course, street course being another. And it does take some adapting to. We’ve all driven on road courses racing go-karts. It’s something you definitely have to learn. Preferences, I think, it’s one of the great thing about the IndyCar Series you have to be good at all of them. You can’t have a preference. We all loving coming to Indianapolis, and this is the jewel in the crown in the IndyCar Series, for sure. You have to be good on every track if you want to challenge for championship. DIXON: I think to reiterate, this is the toughest championship to win. To be good at all the disciplines, short oval, super speedway, Indianapolis. It’s one of the toughest series to get everything together. And I think it’s kind of what we like about it, the challenge, that we have a hand. I didn’t come to race on an oval until 1999 when I first started Indy Lights. But it’s a great mix. I love both for different reasons. They are both are very challenging. And I think we have a good mix right now. Maybe a few more ovals would even it up pretty good. KIMBALL: I can’t agree with Scott and Dario more. I mean the only other comment I have is that it’s a testament to a championship-caliber team that the engineers and the mechanics are so versatile that they are able to come up with winning equipment, give us the opportunity as drivers to run up front and be successful on multiple types of tracks and types of races, throughout the season, throughout the championship. That’s a credit to them and to the management that has put them in place. BRISCOE: They really said it all, but I mean honestly, for me, as well. I love them both. When you get to a track, you know, your mindset just changes to what that track is. And you know, that really is the most — the best thing about IndyCar Series here is the diversity. It’s tough on the drivers, it’s tough on the mechanics and the engineers, because the engineering of the car is so different from a track like this to a Milwaukee and then to a Baltimore. So that’s the beauty and the challenge of IndyCar racing, and it makes it unique to anything else in the world. Q: As kind of a follow-up, if each of the drivers can tell us their love for the Indianapolis 500, what it is about the lure of this race and why you guys love coming here. BRISCOE: It’s everything to do with it. It’s something about this place when you drive in through the tunnel where it makes hair stand up on the back of your neck. It’s a race that’s known by everybody in the world. It’s by far the most important race for any driver or any team to win in any form of racing. So I think it’s all that, the history and how people are remembered for having done well at this track. KIMBALL: Ryan hit on a couple of key points. Being lucky enough to live here in Indianapolis, even when I just drive past it on 16th Street, even in the dead of winter with snow on the ground, it still makes you feel special knowing that you get to come here and compete in the Indy 500 and everything that means for a driver, for a team. Have the opportunity to go out and try and win it. Somebody asked me earlier in the week what it was like for my third race, third time here. You know, each year it just gets more and more special because you have your own history to add to the rich history of the race itself. DIXON: It’s the key point to the history that sums it all up. To be in a sport doing something very similar or the same for over a hundred years. Tradition is very important. I think those definitely stand out. You know, I think for me personally, to be on a short list of 67 different who have won at this place, that’s special to me. Dario is on a much shorter list of winning it three times. It’s everything that’s involved. You know, I think a lot of us have been lucky to go to World Cup, Super Bowl, Wimbledon, the Olympics, and nothing compares to Indianapolis. As an event and Race Day with so many people here, the sheer size of this facility, it’s really special. FRANCHITTI: Yeah, I absolutely agree with everything these guys said. But I think it’s one of the few things I’ve done in my life the more you do it, the more it means to you. That’s a very odd feeling. Each time you come back here you just — it gets deeper, deeper. It’s such a great event. You think what a challenge it is to race here, to try to win. People take most of their life to try to compete in this race. It means so much to all involved. It’s a special place. It’s a great, great feeling to win it. It hurts like hell when you don’t. MODERATOR: You know, race drivers life in the now, but the two gentlemen who have won the race, do you have a moment to reflect? Do you reflect and say, "I am really part of the history of the sport, having my image on the Borg-Warner Trophy"? FRANCHITTI: I think when you see your likeness on the Borg-Warner Trophy, it kind of takes me back a little bit. Rocks me back on my feet. You see all the people beside you, whether it’s great drivers that are friends that you know, and guys you consider heroes, guys from really the past who you never met that you are part of that whole hundred years of tradition now. And you’re on that very short list. What did Scott say — 67 winners. That’s very, very special. Not only to the drivers feel that, but every member of the crew and the team. I think Chip as a team owner there. We all feel it. MODERATOR: How about you, Scott? DIXON: As Dario said, I think in looking back at my youth coming from New Zealand and a lot of farmland and not big circuits and the occasionally sheep (Laughter), it’s definitely, you know, special to be able to come through a long road and make it to the world stage and with such a prominent team and achieve — I think that’s what you dream about. So actually you know, make one of your dreams come true is very special. So, yeah, I guess, you know, it’s — as I said, the whole history and the tradition and, you know, what this place means to you just racing. To win it is definitely the top piece, but coming back and trying to do it again after you’ve already done it, it gets tougher. But it also — it makes you want it that much more as well. MODERATOR: Thank you, as always, for your usual visit here. We appreciate you coming in. …I5002013…

CHEVY INDYCAR AT INDIANAPOLIS: Kanaan and De Silvestro Press Conf. Transcript

Tony Kanaan, No. 11 Hydroxycut KV Racing Technology SH Racing Chevrolet, and teammate Simona De Silvestro, No. 78 Nuclear Entergy Areva KV Racing Technology Chevrolet met with members of the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Full transcript:

97th Indianapolis 500 Press Conference

Tony Kanaan and Simona De Silvestro

May 15, 2013

MODERATOR: Welcome to Economaki Press Conference Room with another of our 11:00 o’clock press conferences with two very popular drivers obviously. Simona De Silvestro is going into race four and Tony Kanaan has been a fan favorite here for a long time.
TK, welcome back to Indianapolis, as always it’s great to see you.

TONY KANAAN: Thank you.

MODERATOR: Tell us about how things have gone this.

KANAAN: Smooth. The best field days have been more of a weather challenging as far as being cold and windy, but you know, we’re keeping our head straight with the program that we decide to do, doing some race stuff. So far so good. It’s early days to say anything, to predict anything. I think a lot of the times that we see are being posted on huge draft, so the reality is still not there.

MODERATOR: And that’s fairly obvious, we’ve watched that unfold.
Simona, I would think for you this has to feel like just a great opportunity for you. Coming into your fourth 500 with a solid organization behind you. I can imagine your confidence has got to be pretty good.

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Yes, definitely. Coming here with KV is a very special feeling. Definitely also having the Chevy engine behind us, it’s going much faster around here so it’s way more fun. For us it’s been going pretty well. Going through the motions every day and sticking to our program, going step by step, and that’s been really important. Working with Tony, too, it’s been a lot of fun, you know, so I feel like as a team we’ve been doing pretty well and going through the motions, and I think it’s the right path right now.

MODERATOR: Tony, I was thinking about this coming in. Simona’s an accomplished race driver, that’s quite obvious. But you have been in this sort of position it seems to me a lot occasionally with drivers, sort of taking them through their paces and understanding Indianapolis and the whole cadence of the event, that seems to be a role that you find yourself in a lot.

KANAAN: Yes, I guess they picked the old guy to teach the young kids all the time, I guess that’s what it is. (Laughter)
It was a role that I got. Not that I wanted it, but back in the Andretti days, and it’s been following me every since. I don’t mind at all. I think if I can contribute to the team’s success, obviously thinking on my own.
But with Simona, it’s different; it’s definitely a lot of fun. I think we knew each other before she was my teammate; we got along even before that. We had a couple accidents in separate occasions, but we caught fire and did similar things that we both went through. I think, you know, last year she had a very, very tough year, which I appreciate. I was watching from far, and the way she handled herself was remarkable. I don’t think I could have done that myself. You know, so she deserves what I can do and she’s extremely fast, so I got to worry about her. (Laughter)

MODERATOR: Very good. Let’s open it up to questions.

Q: I’ve got a question for both of you. How’s your hand?

KANAAN: My hand is OK. It hurts, but I guess — Jimmy Vasser told me in Brazil if I’m going to hurt my hand and go that fast every time he was going to hit the other one. (Laughter)
It’s hurting, it’s going to take a while it heal. Here in Indy I’m doing treatment at St. Vincent with the guys, and Dr. Trammell and all the guys are here in town, so I get a chance to see them every day. But it will take at least eight months to be back to normal. As long as I can drive — there are a couple things that I can’t do, but it’s not in the car. (Laughter)
So my wife will be able to help me out. Don’t get bad ideas, guys. (Laughter)
Typical things — but it sound wrong. (Laughter)
So Simona, how’s your hand?

DE SILVESTRO: Mine are fine. They have been fine since like a year now so it’s all good. I don’t have to wear any funky gloves anymore for s, you know, burn or anything, so we’re all good.

MODERATOR: OK.

Q: Simona, last year was a frustrating season in the Lotus engine. Is there anything positive that you can take over in 2013 with KV?

DE SILVESTRO: Yeah, I think it is. Especially here at the Speedway. Last year was kind of a difficult month but, you know, after I crashed in 2011, I was pretty skeptical about the oval stuff. Maybe last year actually really helped me kind of not having any pressure, just going through what I had to do, get comfortable out there, and I think that’s really helping me this year because I got this the car, felt confident with what I learned last year, and that’s been kind of pretty rewarding to myself. You know when you take a big hit like that; it takes a little bit of time to get the confidence back in yourself and in the equipment around you. So I think actually last year helped me a lot on the ovals, to be honest.

Q: Question for both of you. Tony, first off, I’ve heard you say among other drivers that the Speedway picks you, you don’t pick it. But there’s a lot of fans out there that feel like this place owes you. How do you feel about that?

KANAAN: I don’t feel this place owes me anything. I have had great times here. Although some people would say I’m making an excuse or I’m sounding like — but the experiences that I had which I can only say every time I’ve been here I put myself in the position to win this race. That’s all I can do. There’s a man sitting right beside (points to Scott Goodyear) you that knows exactly what I’m saying.
The way the fans treat me, you know, and the privilege that I have to be here every year. I’ve led in nine of the eleven times — eight out of the ten times I’ve been here. So I don’t think it owes me anything. I love the way the fans think like that, because I think they know how much I work for it. But it will be really unfair for me to say I deserve to win this thing because there’s other 33 people there looking for that as well.
So to me the best memories I have, it’s every time I drive my golf cart out there I can hear my name big time. The year that I started that last, we went all the way to the lead and we ended up finishing 11th because of a strategy at the end. I got out of the car; the entire place was screaming my name and Dario had won the race. If I never win this thing, I think I got the feeling like from the people around here how is it to win. Obviously it will be a lot different if I would have my face on the trophy and stuff like that, but I don’t take it like that, I don’t think it owes anything.
I am not going to go away years from now if I never win regretting or being a little bit bitter about it. I mean, I had great time. My name in IndyCar, it’s a lot bigger right now because of the fans of Indianapolis and because I have not won it yet than actually probably if I had won already.

Q: Simona, for you, obviously over the years, a slightly smaller brunette was vying to become the first woman to win here. Realistically, which — where do you place your chances now that you’ve got your best ride, your best opportunity ever and the speed that you’ve attained so far this week.

DE SILVESTRO: I think anybody that qualifies has a chance to win it. For me it’s always been hard for me to put a result you know as a goal or anything like that. But I feel like if we really do all the work we need to and be as prepared as we can and get a chance to win it for sure, you know, we’re going to take it.
But right now, it’s kind of going through every day and kind of not, you know, expecting too many things. That’s how it went in my rookie year and went really well because I went through the motions and then a pretty good result came out of it. So now with a better team and a better engine and everything, you know, things can work out. You know, I’m working hard towards that goal and hopefully it will happen.

Q: Two questions for you, Tony. Number one, it was already said, you have much more experience than Simona in IndyCar. Nevertheless, is there anything you can learn from Simona? And Question No. 2, last year you were driving together with your friend Rubens (Barrichello). Are you still carrying on to convince him to make a return to IndyCar?

KANAAN: Well, the first question is obviously I definitely can learn a lot from her. More in the street courses right now because I think I can contribute a lot more to her oval experience. But we’re exchanging information every day, her feedback, it’s remarkable. So I think I definitely learn every day with her, and you know, I think it’s a learning process for both of us to understand the way we like cars and how we can migrate from one car to the other.
The Rubens question is, I don’t think Rubens needed any convincing. He wanted to do it, but for somebody like him that came from Formula One and the name that I think he brought it a lot to IndyCar by doing the switch, we didn’t do a good job getting him to stay. When a guy like that put a lot out of his own pocket, almost $5 million to invest in his career after 19 years in Formula One, just because he wanted to keep racing, it was remarkable of him, but to ask him to do it again the following year I don’t think was fair. Not blaming anybody, it was just a situation that we all face right now with the economy. You know, it’s pretty hard to everybody. It’s hard for big names in America already to find a meaningful sponsorship to keep racing. It was just a matter of trying to put the two and two together and he felt that he couldn’t find that amount of money, got another offer to do stock cars in Brazil down there, and he’s doing some TV. That was it. I don’t think it was a choice, just the consequences of the financial situation right now.

MODERATOR: Any questions?
Let me ask you one, Tony, based on something you just said. That is, there’s always this balance between what the engineers say the car is and what the driver likes and what the driver wants. When you’re in a team, you’re the senior member; you give some feedback about what you want. I don’t mean by age now, Tony, come on. (Laughter)

KANAAN: Can I have a wheelchair? (Laughter)

DE SILVESTRO: Who’s got the gray beard?
Then you have Simona who’s new on the ovals and she has a feedback about what she feels or like. How does the team work that out? How does that all sort of get dissected and understood?

KANAAN: I would say me my engineer, as you call me, I’m an older man. He doesn’t fool me anymore. He will do what I say because I have been around. Simona actually, when we find stuff that I don’t want to try. I said, she doesn’t know any better. (Laughter)
Let her do a couple laps, and if it works give it back to me. I had that in the past with Zanardi, I remember, I used to ask Alex all the time, why do I try all those things? Because I don’t want to. (Laughter)

DE SILVESTRO: Simona that’s still going on. (Laughter)

KANAAN: That’s the difference. When you’ve been around a lot, there’s things or days you say I’m not running today and you can see the rookie going, oh, I want to do it. I want to go out. You know. All right.
Like today, I can’t get into much details but we had a decision to make last night about setups and stuff. And the young lady picked — there is stuff I didn’t want to do.

MODERATOR: So you understand, Simona, he’s the senior member of the team.

DE SILVESTRO: Yeah, he is. I tell him sometimes and I always get in trouble for it.

KANAAN: And she understood last night when she was on her way home what happened to her car, so she knows.

DE SILVESTRO: Everybody kept asking me if I got pranked by Tony yet and until yesterday I was fine.

KANAAN: You still haven’t. Just the beginning.

DE SILVESTRO: Well, a little bit. I tried to get in my car and I think he put all kinds of like — well, I don’t even know what it was.

KANAAN: It was grease.

DE SILVESTRO: Grease on my door handle. I almost fell over when I tried to get in my car. (Laughter)
I told him thanks and he was, like, you’re welcome.

KANAAN: I was going to leave you a note and a couple napkins so you could clean your hand.

DE SILVESTRO: I had to do the walk of shame back to the truck and get some napkins and clean my door handle.

MODERATOR: That’s what senior guys do.

DE SILVESTRO: It is. I think they have to try the difficult stuff –

KANAAN: Should we tell about today?

DE SILVESTRO: Oh, yes. No. I wasn’t even — I didn’t even know about this until he threw me under the bus.

KANAAN: That’s not true. Anyway, we want to find Simona a boyfriend.

DE SILVESTRO: We don’t but apparently Tony is convinced.

KANAAN: I want to go to dinner with me, my wife, you and your boyfriend. So I launch on Twitter that people could send me pictures and their phone numbers and we’re going to pick the top five. (Laughter)
But she’s not going to know them. Me, my engineers and her engineer will pick the guy and I’m going to take them to dinner and she’s going to meet him.

DE SILVESTRO: Great.

KANAAN: And if she’s nice enough and he’s nice enough, she is going to come to the banquet with him on Monday night next week.

DE SILVESTRO: He planned all this, I had nothing to do with it. I just got dragged into it somehow.

MODERATOR: We’re going to look at all the data, telemetry; we’re going to make the appropriate decision.

KANAAN: We might get a new sponsor. Maybe he has a lot of money.

DE SILVESTRO: That won’t be bad. (Laughter)

MODERATOR: Well, we need some updates on this one.

KANAAN: Don’t worry, you’ll get it.

MODERATOR: Other questions for these two? Thanks a lot.

Transcript courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the IZOD IndyCar Series.

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NASCAR Champion Kurt Busch To Test at IMS

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
MEDIA ADVISORY
NASCAR Champion Kurt Busch To Test
IZOD IndyCar Series Car Thursday at IMS
2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch will test a Chevrolet-powered Andretti Autosport IZOD IndyCar Series car Thursday morning, May 9, just two days before IMS opens for practice for the 97th Indianapolis 500.
Andretti Autosport team owner and Indianapolis 500 legend Michael Andretti will be on hand to provide driver coaching and assist Busch, who is expected to be on track from approximately 8:30 a.m.-noon. Under the supervision of INDYCAR officials, Busch will go through the speed phases similar to the Rookie Orientation Program in which all drivers must participate to compete in Indianapolis 500 practice and qualifying.
A pre-test photo opportunity will start at 8 a.m. on pit lane near the MotoGP garages. Busch and Andretti will be available to the media after the test at 12:15 p.m. in the Economaki Press Conference Room on the first floor of the IMS Media Center.
Fans are welcome to watch testing for free from the South Terrace grandstands and the Turn 2 viewing mounds adjacent to the IMS Hall of Fame Museum.
Media wishing to cover this event must RSVP to Suzi Elliott of IMS Public Relations and enter via Gate 2 off 16th Street. Media will be directed to park in the Media Center parking lot.

WHAT: Kurt Busch IZOD IndyCar Series Test
WHO: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Kurt Busch,

Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti

WHEN: Thursday, May 9

Busch will be on track from approximately 8:30 a.m.-noon.

MEDIA Photos: 8 a.m., Pit Lane near MotoGP garages

OPS: Interviews: 12:15 p.m., Economaki Press Conference Room

RSVP: Media must RSVP to Suzi Elliott,