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  • INDYCAR News and Notes – April 19, 2012

    INDYCAR News and Notes – April 19, 2012

    [media-credit name=”IZOD IndyCar Series” align=”alignright” width=”287″][/media-credit]Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

    1. Clauson joins Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing for Indy 500

    2. Teams prepare for fly-away race to Brazil:

    3. Mazda Motorsports Hour debuts on Velocity

    1. Clauson joins Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing for Indy 500: USAC open wheel star Bryan Clauson has been hired by Sarah Fisher and Wink Hartman to drive the No. 39 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing/RW Dallara/Honda/Firestone car in the 96th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

    Clauson, from Noblesville, Ind., is a multi-time USAC national champion and has won several races behind the wheel of his family-owned No. 39 USAC midget. He will be teammate to another young American driver, Josef Newgarden, from Nashville, Tenn.

    Newgarden drives the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone car full time in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Clauson and Newgarden were teammates in Firestone Indy Lights in 2011.

    “It’s an awesome opportunity for me to enter the Indianapolis 500 with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing,” said Clauson. “It’s almost surreal just talking about it. For me to be attempting to make the race with Sarah’s team is just phenomenal. With her background in sprint car and midget racing and her continued involvement at that level, this is just a good fit for me. I’m also proud to be an Indiana boy driving for an Indiana team.”

    “I’m also excited about the continuity we’re building into the program,” added Clauson. “My car number will be No. 39 and I’m bringing along some of my short track supporters with me like Rotondo Weirich.”

    Clauson won back-to-back USAC National Drivers Championships in 2010 and 2011 for his performance in all three major USAC open wheel divisions. He also won the USAC National Midget Championship in 2010 and 2011and has more than 26 USAC wins.

    In addition, Clauson had four top-five finishes in Firestone Indy Lights racing in 2011, when he earned a Mazda Road to Indy Scholarship for winning the USAC National Drivers Championship. His best finish was third at Iowa Speedway driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

    “It’s quite an honor to bring a USAC champion to the Indianapolis 500,” said Fisher. “I am very fond of my roots in short track oval racing, and watching Bryan at some of these events really brings back memories. Personally knowing his background, I have complete confidence in his credentials, talent and capabilities, and look forward to working with him at Indy. It will be exciting to fill out our team roster with both of the Road to Indy Champions from last season, really solidifying the ladder program.”

    The pairing of Clauson and Newgarden is a strong statement for the Mazda Road to Indy program. In addition to Clauson’s USAC National Drivers Championships, Newgarden won the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights Championship.

    “INDYCAR continues to focus on strengthening ties with USAC as a path to the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500,” said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. “After a strong oval debut in Firestone Indy Lights last season, it made sense to utilize our USAC National Drivers Championship scholarship to enter Bryan in the Indianapolis 500. Not only is Bryan one of the most talented USAC drivers, his participation in the Indy 500 will attract the interest of short track fans across the country.”

    It’s more than a coincidence that SFHR has hired two American drivers for its Indiana-based operation. The team is proud of its Indiana roots and routinely flies an American flag in its pit box.

    “SFHR is happy to welcome Bryan to the team,” said Wink Hartman, co-owner of SFHR. “We’ve been working toward this program for quite some time, and I feel we are prepared to present a first-class effort for the entry. Working with young American talent fits this team and its values perfectly, and we are working hard to find a primary sponsor for Bryan to match that platform. We are also thankful to have the support of all our partners, including Honda, for this program and the excitement the total package brings.”

    Not lost on Clauson is the fact he is joining an emerging IZOD IndyCar Series team that already has a victory in its portfolio.

    “With its performance so far this year with Josef on the road courses, combined with the fact it ran strong at Indy and won the last oval race in 2011, SFHR is proving it is a first-class team. I can’t wait for ROP.”

    Clauson and Newgarden both passed their INDYCAR rookie oval test at Texas Motor Speedway on April 5. They will both participate in the Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program on May 10.

    2. Teams prepare for fly-away race to Brazil: More than 400,000 total pounds will be swallowed by two Nippon Cargo Air 747-400F planes for the 5,000-plus-mile trip between Indianapolis and São Paulo, Brazil – the initial logistical stage of conducting the Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle on April 29.

    Race cars, a Holmatro Safety Team truck and equipment for two more, pit and scrutineering equipment, tools, rain tires and consumables will be weighed, wrapped, stacked and set in a staging area this weekend at Indianapolis International Airport by INDYCAR and DB Schenker personnel in a free-form ballet of fork lifts and 18-wheelers.

    On April 22, the two behemoth cargo planes will take off for Viracopos-Campinas International Airport in the state of São Paulo. Firestone Firehawk slicks, fuel and Dallara parts and equipment departed via ocean cargo vessel last month.

    The freight is then transferred to trucks to continue the journey to the Anhembi complex in the north-central section of the largest city in South America. Manifests are checked and spot customs inspections are conducted at the venue in time for team personnel to unpack the next day and begin preparations for the race weekend.

    Cargo provisions recently were made for a 27th entry, the No. 25 Andretti Autosport car to be driven by Ana Beatriz in her “home” race, as a promoter’s selection. Also, slight modifications were made to the car racks to accommodate the new Dallara chassis (most entrants will pack only one car).

    “In the past we were able to mount wings on the car rack, but with different configurations this year we’re not able to do that,” INDYCAR director of operations Bill van de Sandt said. “The front wings will be on the car itself and teams have made the frames designed by Bryan Herta Autosport. The rear-wheel guard is disassembled and put in with rest of cargo.”

    DB Schenker has been associated with INDYCAR since 2009, providing logistics for the Honda Accord Safety Cars between North American event venues. Its role expanded in 2010 with oversight of the event logistics for the inaugural race on the streets of São Paulo.

    “It’s multiple processes, but it’s very well-organized,” van de Sandt said. “The cooperation of the governments, the help of DB Schenker and the airlines works very well. It’s a process that is very effective and efficient.”

    3. Mazda Motorsports Hour debuts on Velocity: The first of 24 episodes of “The Mazda Motorsports Hour” will be broadcast at noon (ET) April 21 on the Velocity Network.

    “The Mazda Motorsports Hour” will focus on the racing stars of tomorrow — drivers looking to move up the Mazda Road to Indy and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports ladders.

    The inaugural show features the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Race 1 from Sebring International Raceway. Shows in May and June will feature Star Mazda and USF2000, which are part of the Mazda Road to Indy for drivers seeking to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series.

    To watch the Velocity Network, go to http://velocity.discovery.com and type your zip code into the channel finder.

    ***

    The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle on April 29 on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 11:30 a.m. (ET) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network on SiriusXM (XM 94 and Sirius 212) and affiliates.

  • Kenzie Ruston Makes A Dream Come True at Anderson Speedway

    Kenzie Ruston Makes A Dream Come True at Anderson Speedway

    [media-credit name=”Kenzie Ruston” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Mooresville, NC – For the first time in twenty-year-old Kenzie Ruston’s racing career she was faced with the opportunity to make a dream come true for a very special little girl and that’s exactly what she did.

    Teressa Harp is a twelve-year-old little girl from Oklahoma that is fighting her second round of Rhabdomyosarcoma, which is a cancerous tumor of the muscles that are attached to the bones. Teressa was first diagnosed in September 2010 and after a year of grueling chemo, radiation, and brain surgery, the cancer has returned and the survival rate is now next to zero.

    Once Ruston found out about Teressa’s wish to watch her race, the Team-along with the help of Cruise 4 Cancer Foundation and the staff at Anderson Speedway (IN)-began to put the plan together to put a smile on this little courageous girl’s face.

    “We knew right away that we needed to put something together that would allow Teressa to come to Anderson to watch my first race of the season.” said Ruston. “With the help of Theresa Coffman and Rita Presley with Cruise 4 Cancer, and Rick Dawson and his great staff at Anderson Speedway, we were able to make the weekend an unforgettable experience for her and her family.”

    Teressa, her sister and grandmother got a once in a lifetime experience this weekend in Anderson, Indiana. It all started with a private ride from the airport to their Holiday Inn hotel where she got to meet Kenzie and her team and share some smiles and laughs.

    “Teressa’s courage and strength is such an inspiration to me and my team. The smile on her face this whole weekend was priceless and I am very happy that we were able to provide her with that.”

    Teressa was then treated to a meal at Montana Mike’s Steakhouse and Culver’s Eatery complements of the Anderson Speedway staff and the restaurant managers before heading to get her pedicure and manicure in Kenzie blue.

    As if the trip wasn’t great enough, the twelve-year-old got to experience life in the fast lane at the beautiful Anderson Speedway. First, race track president, Rick Dawson, introduced Teressa as the official grand marshal for the event before handing her an autographed checkered flag that was signed by every driver in attendance. She was treated like a VIP on race day and also gave the command for the drivers to fire their engines.

    “Hearing Teressa’s voice say ‘fire your engines’ was pure motivation for myself,” stated Ruston. “We didn’t qualify as good as we would of liked to, but thinking of her smile and the situation she is faced with reminded me that no matter where I started for the race, I was still able to live my dream and that together everyone made this little girl have a smile on her face that isn’t going away anytime soon.”

    Once the green flag dropped for the feature event Kenzie managed to miss several wrecks and work her way past 14 cars to finish 11th in the season opener. Although the driver and team would have liked to have brought home a better finish, the mood quickly changed as Teressa was the first one to tell Kenzie that she was proud of her efforts and she did a great job.

    “We had a solid finish, would have liked to finish inside the top 10, but looking at the big picture our team is happy with the result but most importantly our lives were touched today and that’s what really matters. Teressa gives us all hope, faith, and courage and with her on our team we can accomplish anything and even on the bad days we will think about her fight and how she has stayed strong through it all.”

    For more information on Teressa Harp please contact Cruise 4 Cancer on Facebook or (405) 905-WISH. For more information on Kenzie Ruston please visit GoKenzie.com

  • Save Big Money: June 2 ARCA Racing Series Tickets Going on Sale at Menards Stores near Elko Speedway

    Save Big Money: June 2 ARCA Racing Series Tickets Going on Sale at Menards Stores near Elko Speedway

    [media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”370″][/media-credit](ELKO NEW MARKET, Minn.) – In addition to roles as the presenting sponsor of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and as a co-primary sponsor on Frank Kimmel’s No. 44 Ansell / Menards Toyota, Menards is participating heavily in promotion of the Saturday, June 2 Akona 200 presented by Federated Car Care at Elko Speedway.

    The race will be the first appearance for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards at the track south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and Menards stores in and around the area will give race fans and store customers the chance to “Save Big Money” on tickets to see the action live for the first time.

    Starting Friday – tomorrow – fans can buy tickets for the ARCA race at $15 – a 40 percent, or $10, discount off of the advertised at-track price – at 32 Menards stores in Minnesota.

    The store locations are: Alexandria, Apple Valley, Baxter, Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Buffalo, Burnsville, Cambridge, Coon Rapids, Cottage Grove, Dundas, Eden Prairie, Elk River, Forest Lake, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hudson, Hutchinson, Mankato, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Oakdale, Red Wing, two stores in Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Croix Falls, St. Paul Midway, Stillwater, West St. Paul, Willmar, and Winona.

    The in-store ticket promotion will last until Friday, June 1, one day before the race.

    While in the store, race fans and customers can also enter a promotion to win four VIP tickets, at-track hospitality, and the chance to wave the green flag at the start of the race, among other prizes. The promotion begins tomorrow and will end on Monday, May 28.

    The Akona 200 will begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, with two 45-minute practices scheduled for 2 and 3:15, and Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 5. Each driver in the starting field will participate in an on-track autograph session from 6:30 to 7:30, just before the green flag. All times are Central. Elko Speedway is located at 26350 France Avenue in Elko New Market.

    The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course in its most recent season. This year, the series visited Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway for the first time. In June, the first event at Minnesota’s Elko Speedway will give ARCA a race in a 29th state.

    Founded by John and Mildred Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in three professional touring series and local weekly events.

    – Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

  • Kimmel Racing To Host Grand Re-Opening; Fan Appreciation On Salem Race Weekend

    Kimmel Racing To Host Grand Re-Opening; Fan Appreciation On Salem Race Weekend

    [media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”370″][/media-credit]

    CLARKSVILLE, Indiana (April 20, 2012) – – With the third race on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards quickly approaching, it seems only appropriate that with the event being hosted at nearby Salem (Ind.) Speedway, that Kimmel Racing plans to take full advantage of the opportunity to host a grand re-opening of the team’s ARCA shop while also officially host a fan appreciation in a night that is destined to be full of food, music, friends and racers.

    The scenery completely changed when the curtain opened on the 2012 season. With Frank Kimmel’s departure to another operation – Kimmel Racing was left without a driver, a skeleton budget but aspirations of a championship. Bill Kimmel, owner of Kimmel Racing isn’t a man to go down without a fight and with the support and talent of his son and new driver Will Kimmel; the two have quickly delivered a message to the competitors – that despite their limited resources, they still can compete competitively.

    The Clarksville, Indiana-based team was dubbed as one of the Cinderella stories from the season-opening event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway where Kimmel cleverly drafted his No. 68 Ford Fusion to a stout third place finish. A few weeks later, another top-10 appeared to be easily in the clutches of the family-owned operation but a mechanical failure within the final 10 circuits of the event left the operation with a sour finish – but still plenty to be proud about.

    With the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 set for Sunday, April 29 at a place where the younger Kimmel has mounted thousands of laps, netted a track championship and is the home to his career best ARCA finish (second) last September, the team is eager to welcome the ARCA “family” into their territory with a little pleasure and relaxation on Friday, April 27 before getting down to business.

    From 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Kimmel Racing will host music from Country music songwriter and artist Hali Hicks. Further entertainment will also be provided from Blue Collar 40. The team will also host an autograph session with race fans which are set to include the Kimmel clan, Sean Corr, NASCAR icon Charlie Glotzbach, Korbin Forrister, Chad Hackenbracht and others. Food will be provided by Ann’s by the River.

    “We’re all about family and ARCA to us is our extended family, so we wanted to do something nice but also show everyone that we are alive and kicking,” said Bill Kimmel. “We’re hard at working on sponsorship for other races and we’ll have a new addition to our family to announce soon – so things are looking up, but we just wanted to provide a night where the shop is open to anyone that wants to stop by and have a great time with us.”

    Not only will the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers continue to hoist the role as the title sponsorship of the first of two ARCA races held at Salem Speedway – but the local group has also latched onto Kimmel Racing and will sponsor the No. 68 entry allowing the Indiana-based team to continue their quest towards an ARCA championship.

    “I can’t begin to thank everyone associated with the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers for stepping up and helping us race at Salem,” said Will Kimmel. “We’re hyped and excited about our chances and look forward to having a spectacular run.”

    Kimmel Racing is located at 201 East Lewis & Clark Parkway, Clarksville, Indiana 47129. The shop is located between Morrison Chiropractic and Clarksville Schwinn.

    For more on Will Kimmel, please visit willkimmel.com.

    For additional input on Kimmel Racing, please log on to kimmelracing.com.

  • Nick Tucker To Return To Driving Duties At Salem Speedway

    Nick Tucker To Return To Driving Duties At Salem Speedway

    [media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”370″][/media-credit]MOORESVILLE, North Carolina (April 20, 2012) – – Nick Tucker has spent the first two races of the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season serving as the crew chief for Carter-2-Motorsports, but next weekend Tucker will exchange his wrenches for a steering wheel when he returns to ARCA for the running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 at Salem (Ind.) Speedway.

    For Tucker, a native of Bremerton, Washington it will be his first ARCA start since 2008 when he competed in the Carolina 500 at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway for Mark Gibson Racing where he finished a competitive 16th. However, Tucker is anxious to make his third start at the historic Salem (Ind.) Speedway driving the No. 40 Ron Paul 2012 Dodge Charger for Mooresville, North Carolina-based Carter-2-Motorsports.

    “I’m ecstatic about getting back in an ARCA car, especially at Salem,” noted Tucker, who also has 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts to his credit. “We’ve worked incredibly hard on our short track program and I think we’ll have a shot at a good run next weekend if we can get all the dominos to fall our way.”

    When it comes to racing at Salem Speedway, Tucker is well aware of the track’s brutal conditions and how much patience and conservation will come into play – but the 26-year old is ready for whatever types of racing conditions that he may be faced with.

    “Sometimes, you see a race with a lot of cautions at Salem and there have been others where you see a long-span of green flag runs. To be honest, I don’t really know what to expect; but I do know that we want to get our No. 40 Ron Paul 2012 Dodge Charger into the top-10 for the first time this season,” offered Tucker. “We don’t hide that we don’t have a lot of resources, like some of the other teams in the series. But, we’re true racers at heart and I work on these cars personally inside and out, so I know what I’m looking for. Hopefully, it will just be a race that will give us all something to build on for the rest of the year.”

    For car owner Roger Carter II, the decision to put Tucker behind the wheel was a no-brainier. “Nick’s one of the best short track racers around and I’ll vouch for that any day or night. He’s so focused behind the wheel and he takes care of the equipment and we feel he’ll do us a great job in the No. 40 Ron Paul 2012 Dodge Charger,” noted Carter II, a racer himself.

    In his two previous starts at the Southern Indiana race track, Tucker has delivered a best outing of seventh after starting eighth in the No. 67 Prototype Racing Dodge Charger in 2007. Earlier in the year, he finished a commendable 16th after starting 12th.

    Tucker will be one of three entries for Carter-2-Motorsports at Salem. The team will also field rides for Rookie of the Year candidate Larry Barford Jr. and ARCA newcomer Danny Esposito.

    The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 (200 laps / 111 miles) is the third of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 88thARCA race held at Salem Speedway is a two day show. Practice begins Saturday, April 28 with a forty-five minute session planned from 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Final practice also consisting of forty-five minutes begins at 1:15 p.m. and will conclude at 2:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day on Sunday, April 29 set to launch at 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:15 p.m. The race will not be televised but race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

    The official website of Carter-2-Motorsports is in the process of a complete makeover for the official kickoff of the new season, but for the latest on the team, drivers and sponsors, please log onto RogerCarter2Racing.com.

    For more on Ron Paul and his mission to “Restore America Now”; please log onto ronpaul2012.com.

  • Talladega Superspeedway Announces the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250

    Talladega Superspeedway Announces the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250

    [media-credit name=”talladegasuperspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]TALLADEGA, Ala. – Kicking off this year’s Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway will be the newly named International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race on Friday, May 4.  The International Motorsports Hall of Fame facility, which is located on superspeedway grounds, is home to many of the greatest names and artifacts in the history of motorsports.  It will induct a stellar class on Thursday, May 3, that honors NASCAR legend Richard Childress and NHRA legends John Force and Kenny Bernstein.

    “The pairing of these two longstanding racing institutions is a perfect one considering the long history they share together,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch.  “Both built by ‘Big’ Bill France, Sr. these legendary facilities have seen the best of the best when it comes to racing.  The International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 will be an event that can’t be missed!”

    2012’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony honoring Bernstein, Childress and Force will include a welcome reception, dinner and the induction ceremony. Tickets are $125 each, or $1,000 for a table of eight. To order tickets or reserve a table, please call 256-761-4725.

    Tickets for the Aaron’s Dream Weekend, including the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250, are available now and can be purchased online at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or over the phone at 1-877-Go2-DEGA.

  • CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Team Chevy Driver Post Race Quotes

    CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Team Chevy Driver Post Race Quotes

    IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

    GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

    STREETS OF ST. PETERSBURG

    TEAM CHEVY DRIVER RACE NOTES & QUOTES

    MARCH 25, 2012

    HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 SHELL-PENNZOIL TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – WINNER: CONSIDERING THE STRUGGLES OF A YEAR AGO AND ALL THE EMOTIONS THAT CAME WITH THE FINALE LAST YEAR, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO WIN THIS RACE TODAY?  “This is a great effort for everyone.  First I want to thank the Shell V-power team, Pennzoil which was awesome.  I want to thank Verizon, IZOD, SKF Group and Chevy. No question about it our friend upstairs Dan Wheldon.  Certainly coming back last year was a big struggle.  Now to be here in Victory Circle it is a dream come true.  I just have to thank, obviously, Roger Penske, Tim Cindric and this time John Erickson and Ron Ruzewki  and my group here they did a hell of a job this whole entire week.  Thanks again.  Thanks for all the support.”

    AFTER THE FINAL PIT STOP YOU CAME OUT AND YOU MADE THAT OUTSIDE PASS ON (SCOTT) DIXON IN TURN ONE, TAKE US THROUGH THAT:  “As soon as we came out (of the pits) I kind of went right in front of (Scott) Dixon. I couldn’t make a move because he was already making a move and the rules are you can’t block.  He passed me and I said ‘you know what let’s see what’s going to happen on the straight-a-way.’ As soon as he moved he gave me an option to go on the outside.  I made it stick and I made it turn.  It was great.  It was a fair race.  Great start for this group No. 3 and a great start for Team Penske, no question.”

    ROGER PENSKE, TEAM OWNER, NO. 3 SHELL V-POWER/PENNZOIL TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, RACE WINNER: “This is a great day for General Motors and obviously for Chevrolet who made the commitment to come back into IndyCar racing. This is really an event that shows the commitment in the automobile industry in the U.S.  All the engineers within Chevrolet teaming with Ilmor to bring a product to the marketplace like this car in one year is amazing.

    “I can tell you that is a terrific run.  With the new Chevy engine, the new cars and John Erickson at the wheel there along with Helio (Castroneves) and (Ron) Ruzewski it’s great.  We had three good cars today.  It’s going to be a great season. I want to thank our sponsors Shell-Pennzoil for putting us up front.  It’s great to be back racing.”

    RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO. 28 DHL/SUN DROP CITRUS SODA ANDRETTI ATUOSPORT CHEVROLET – FINISHED 3RD:  YOU WERE ON A FUEL STRATEGY, INSTEAD OF GOING FOR IT YOU HAD TO GO FOR MILEAGE THAT IS FRUSTRATING: “I thought we had something for Scott (Dixon) on old tires, but that is the way it is sometimes.  That Chevy engine made great fuel mileage and we are happy to get a podium to start out the year.  This certainly had bigger things in mind that is for sure.”

    IF YOU HADN’T OF BEEN PLAYING FUEL STRATEGY, DID YOU HAVE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TO GET HIM? “I think so.  He was really good on cold tires and at the beginning of stints.  Then I would reel him back in as the tires would get hot.  Scott (Dixon) did a great job today.  We are happy to have two Chevy’s on the podium.  Great showing for DHL and Sun Drop, but most of all we are missing Dan (Wheldon).  That wound is still fresh and this race would have been better with him in it that’s for sure.  He was just such a great ambassador for our sport.  He was a champion and all of us want to emulate him.  We all want to be like him.  We love the Wheldon family; this is their city and thank you to all the fans that came out.”

    JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, NO. 27 GODADDY.COM ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, FINISHED 4TH: ON HIS RACE: DID YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE BATTERY? “Obviously when we are trying to save fuel under caution, you are running very low on the RPMs and the alternator only charges over a certain RPM. A couple of guys were running a little bit too low and actually drained-out the battery. But, my guys on this team were keeping me up-to-date on where my battery was and I needed to raise the revs; when I could conserve more fuel, I did. It was a really big team effort there. I lost my dash for a little bit of the second stint there, so they were my eyes and ears even more than normal. We got that all sorted. It was just a great effort.”

    ON THE RACE: “It was a great race. A great way to start the season for the GoDaddy car. Happy for Ryan (Hunter-Reay) to get on the podium there. We were so close there. We keep knocking on the door. It was great, but I kept getting hosed by being on the outside for those double-file restarts and losing places. The guys did a great job with the strategy and the pit stops were flawless. We were able to do that; conserve just enough fuel. The thing ran out of fuel coming into the pits. Just all around a great effort. Can’t thank the boys, Chevy and GoDaddy enough.”

    RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 2 IZOD TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, FINISHED 5TH: ON HIS RACE: “Not bad. We just got beat by the two-stop strategy today. The team did an amazing job battling some electrical issues since qualifying yesterday. Saving fuel wasn’t an option for me. I had to run high RPM under all the yellows. So we basically just committed to a three-stop strategy. Race was good. It was a lot of fun. The Chevy engine did an awesome job all day long and had plenty of power. Definitely more power than any of the competition. Really pleased with that. Not a bad top-five way to start the championship. We’ll just keep pulling on these points.”

    WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, FINISHED 7TH: ON HIS RACE: “I just got swamped on that first restart and that kind of screwed us. The strategy, we could have ended up good, but man, my restarts were atrocious. I just kind of was too conservative, but its just impossoble to pass. You cannot pass. You just cannot pass, man. Everybody gets about the same drive out of the corner. Impossible. I could not pass. I was two seconds a lap quicker than guys in front of me and couldn’t get by. Great job for Helio, he hasn’t had a win in a long time.Maybe these cars just have a lot of grip. It’s so hard to pass. It really is. You can’t pass in these things, so you have to make hay when you get a restart. First restart I was just conservative and getting in the wrong spot. Just one of those days when nothing seemed to right until the end there. We got a clear track and got a chunk of track position back.”

    E.J. VISO – NO. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET, FINISHED 8TH: “I was very sick last night, so I had very little energy during the race.  Despite that we had a pretty good event.  The team gave me a good and consistent car and I was able to keep a good pace all through the race.  This was the first time Jimmy (KV Racing Technology co-owner Jimmy Vasser) called one of my races and he was a big help.  I really liked what he did.  He was a key person today.  I am excited how we started the season and am looking forward to next weekend at Barber.

    MARCO ANDRETTI, NO. 26 TEAM RC COLA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, FINISHED 14TH: “We were short on fuel on the last run and had to make an extra pit stop. I’m not happy to finish 14th, but, considering how I did here last year (knocked-out in lap one crash), it’s an improvement. We ran in the top-five early on, and I think we’ll have the speed to be at the front at Barber (Motorsports Park, home of next week’s IndyCar race).”

    RUBENS BARRICHELLO – NO. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET, FINISHED 17TH: “I had fun out there.  Unfortunately we had a meter reading problem so I ran out of fuel at the end.  However, I enjoyed the race and dicing with other cars, but would have liked to have been able to push more.   It has been a good learning experince this weekend and I look forward to being back in the car in a few days for the next race.”

    ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA CHEVROLET, FINISHED 18TH:  “I’m a little disappointed to come home 18th because we had good pace for a lot of race.  We were off on the balance in the first half of the race, but we made the car better with each stop.  The last stint was very good and we set some pretty quick laps. It’s good to see a Chevy in victory lane today, but I can’t say I appreciated the way Helio (Castroneves) moved me out of the way when I was trying to get to the pits.  Without doing much road racing last year, I think it was a good start for me.  I felt we had a better car than 18th and it is the best car I have ever had at St. Pete.  With the little track time we have had so far, I think this is a good start for us.  I think we found something we can improve on as the year goes on.  I’m really proud of the team this weekend.  I’m just disappointed we lost a couple of laps due to the spin because I felt we could have finished on the lead lap.  It would have shown how we ran today.  Overall, we know how we ran and the improvement we gained this weekend.  Now, we gather ourselves and get ready for Barber next week.”

    JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 20 NATIONAL GUARD PANTHER RACING CHEVROLET, FINISHED 19TH: “In that last stint we passed Dario (Franchitti), Marco (Andretti) and were going to be able to easily get by Will (Power) and Simon (Pagenaud) for a potential Top Five. As frustrating as it is that we don’t have anything on a piece of paper to show how well we performed today, I’m really jacked up about the pace we had all race and that the National Guard car felt really good the whole time. I’m just ready to keep this moving, and the National Guard boys did so well all day in the pits, even after we had a mechanical issue on a stop that sent us all the way back to dead last. We knew our Chevy was good all through practice and we learned a lot about the racecar today because it didn’t matter what tire we were on, we were fast as the leaders the entire time. This gives all of us the confidence that we can be doing this on a more regular basis on any type of track. Panther has always been known for their oval package, but I think we’re here to show everybody this year that on any type of track we can get up there with the guys at the front and beat anybody.”

    TONY KANAAN, NO. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY W/SH CHEVROLET, FINISHED 25TH: Sidelined on lap 22 with suspected electrical issues: TV INTERVIEW – DID YOU HAVE ANY WARNING SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG? “It was a shame today because I think we could have had a good result.  We had an electrical problem.  We are not really sure right now what it was or what caused it, but my dashboard just went blank and the car shut down.  Looking around it is a beautiful day with everyone remembering Dan (Wheldon).  It reminds you that there are a lot more important things in life than dropping out of a race.”

    About Chevrolet

    Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

  • CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Chevrolet V-6 IndyCar Debuts With Win at St. Petersburg – Helio Castroneves Wins

    CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Chevrolet V-6 IndyCar Debuts With Win at St. Petersburg – Helio Castroneves Wins

    Helio Castroneves’ Victory Paces 6 Chevy-Powered Teams in the Top 10

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (March 25, 2012) – Helio Castroneves punctuated Chevrolet’s return to Indy car racing following a six-year absence by winning the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Castroneves led 28 laps en route to his third career win at the 1.8 mile street course.

    “This was a great effort for everyone,” said Castroneves, who moved into a tie for 13th place on IndyCar’s all-time list with his 26th career victory. “Chevy did a great job to keep everything under control. We had some issues in the beginning that we have to raise the revs so that we can have the battery, or something like that. But, to be honest, it didn’t upset us, it makes our temperature in the engine very nice and everything went really smooth.”

    Castroneves, who drives for legendary team owner Roger Penske, paced six Team Chevy drivers in the top eight: Ryan Hunter-Reay (third), James Hinchcliffe (fourth), Ryan Briscoe (fifth), pole-sitter Will Power (seventh) and E.J. Viso (eighth).

    “This weekend was very satisfying from the perspective that all of the Chevrolet teams worked together to prepare for this first race, and the outcome was terrific,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet’s North American Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “I’m very proud of all of the teams that were here competing. This was a terrific day for all of the teams, and for Chevrolet as we introduce the twin-turbo Indy V-6.”

    The victory was Chevrolet’s first in the series since Sept. 21, 2003, when Sam Hornish Jr. won at then-California Speedway.

    “This is a great day for Chevrolet who made the commitment to come back into IndyCar racing,” said Roger Penske. “This is really an event that shows the commitment in the automobile industry in the U.S.  All the engineers within Chevrolet teaming with Ilmor to bring a product to the marketplace like this car in one year is amazing.

    “It’s going to be a great season. It’s great to be back racing.”

    Chevrolet—now with a purpose-built Chevy IndyCar twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V-6—previously competed in Indy-style competition from 1986-93 and 2002-05 with a V-8, winning 104 races—including seven Indianapolis 500 wins—and powering six driver champions.

    Chevrolet will next compete in IZOD IndyCar Series next weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., on April 1, 2012.

    About Chevrolet

    Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

  • CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Will Power and Ryan Briscoe Fastest in Combined Practice

    CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Will Power and Ryan Briscoe Fastest in Combined Practice

    IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

    GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

    STREETS OF ST. PETERSBURG

    TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRACTICE NOTES AND QUOTES

    MARCH 23, 2012

    As the first day of on-track activities for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg comes to a close, the Chevrolet-powered cars of Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, and Ryan Briscoe, No. 2 IZOD Team Penske Chevrolet, turned in the fasted times in the combined results of the two one-hour practice sessions.

    Following practice, the Chevrolet drivers commented on how practice went for the first competition practice sessions as well as the transcript of the fastest-two driver press conference:

    CHEVROLET DRIVER POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:

    ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA CHEVROLET: “It was an okay day.  Obviously, we would like to have a smaller gap to the front guys.  We just need more laps and more things to work on.  But we have a direction to go which the team feels good about.  I think we’ll make some good changes tonight and be ready to go on Saturday.  Despite being our first race together, the guys are doing a great job working as a unit.  I’m very pleased with the team coordination.  We are sorting out the bugs with so much new stuff that has been thrown at them.  All in all, I think our program is going really well.”

    JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 4 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET: “We felt really good out there today. One of the things I felt like was good for us this year coming into St. Pete is that we have a pretty clear idea of what we need to do with the National Guard car to go faster. The new car has been really responsive for us and being able to start fresh with a new chassis, new Chevy motor, new everything has been a nice change of pace. We’ve still got a little bit of lap time to find, but the other thing that’s been nice for us here is we’ve been able to repeat our quick lap time when the tires start going off. All and all we’re looking all right right now.”

    E.J. VISO – NO. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET: “The first day of practice in St. Petersburg is always nice and refreshing. I ran some laps in this beautiful place.  The morning session went pretty well.  Then in the afternoon we tried some things with the car that didn’t work out the way we hoped, but at least we know what direction to go in for tomorrow.”

    TONY KANAAN – NO. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY W/SH CHEVROLET: “It was an interesting day.  We tried a lot of new things to make the car better.  It was a typical first race of the year, but with a new car, new engine and new team.  It is the same name, but a lot of new people, so everybody is getting used to everything.  At least for me, it was a positive day and we can use the good things that I did to help my teammates and then tomorrow we can put the three cars in the top-10.

    RUBENS BARRICHELLO – NO. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET:

    “With the problem we had this morning, it was pretty much a setback. I spent the afternoon session learning the track, while everyone else was now improving their cars.  I was playing catch up big time that’s for sure.  Hopefully tomorrow I can improve a little more from today.”

    JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, NO. 27 TEAM GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET: “I think certainly the Go Daddy car saw an improvement from the first session to the second today which is what we are here to do. If we can improve a little each session, then when it matters we’re going to be there. We’ll just keep chipping away and hopefully get the No. 27 Chevy in the Firestone Fast Six by tomorrow afternoon. This track is fun, as you know, it’s my first time here in an IndyCar and it feels a lot tighter in this car than it did in a Firestone Indy Lights car! The car has a decent amount of power and grip to hold onto the (green) track the way it does. Overall, it’s cool to be here at the first event and I think everyone is excited that we’re finally racing.”

    “We have a brand new tire compound this year for street circuits and the tires are really, really good when they’re new and it feels like we have a ton of grip and the balance is really good. But it seems like compared to last year they are degrading at a quicker rate. Maybe that’s intentional – I think Firestone was maybe asked to do something to spice up the show a bit. When the tires fall away sooner it will definitely make the racing better. With the limited time we’ve had on the tire so far it’s just up to us to figure it out, get a better feel and learn how to keep (the tires) under the car a bit better and longer.”

    RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO. 28TEAM DHL/ SUN DROP CITRUS SODA CHEVROLET: “No doubt we could have had a smoother day, but we’re still trying so many things with the car, the engine – the entire setup. It’s all new, so you have to expect that on the opening day. We were much better in the second session (than the first), but we still have a lot of ground to make-up to be where we want to be for qualifying.”

    MARCO ANDRETTI, NO. 26 TEAM RC COLA CHEVROLET, NO. 26: “I’m pretty excited about qualifying because we didn’t get the most out of any our runs today on new tires. Every time we went out with fresh tires, someone would spin or the caution would come out and we weren’t able to get a clean, fast lap. Each of those laps would have easily been much quicker than what we ended up with.”

    HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 SHELL V-POWER PENNZOIL-ULTRA TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: “It was definitely a good first day for Team Penske. The Shell V-Power Pennzoil-Ultra car was very promising. Our second session was much improved and the guys did a good job. I’m very encouraged about our chances for tomorrow and in Sunday’s race

    WILL POWER AND RYAN BRISCOE PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT:

    POWER – WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE NEW CAR AT ST. PETE? “We sat most of the session. We just did two three-lap runs. We definitely made improvements from the first session. The car felt better. I think we definitely need to make more changes overnight. We basically saved our tires. We are pretty restricted on them for tomorrow’s practice and also the race.”

    POWER – YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO PICK WHICH GROUP YOU WILL QUALIFY WITH TOMORROW, WHAT WILL BE YOUR STRATEGY IN THAT DECISION? “We will definitely pick group two, because that just allows us to see times and understand the track a little bit better from what group one does.”

    BRISCOE – TALK ABOUT TODAY’S SESSIONS: “We were pretty good. We were working through a lot of the set-up changes. Good to be getting some pretty consistent reads on the changes we’ve been finding in post-season testing. Almost feel more ready for this race than we have in the last few years because we have done so many miles in pre-season testing. Feels good. I feel race-fit and ready to go. The car is pretty strong. I still feel like we have to make it better. It is always difficult on a street course because you are making changes, the track is getting faster, the rubber is getting laid down and you are always kind of chasing the track. I feel like we have unloaded with a good baseline and we’ll just keep working on it into tomorrow.”

    BRISCOE – WILL HAS WON THE LAST TWO POLES AT ST. PETE, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BEAT HIM? “We’ll see. Hopefully we will have all three Team Penske cars up front. We’ve been working hard in the off-season. It will be an interesting match-up against the Ganassis (cars). I think they have led all of their test sessions; we’ve led all of our test sessions. I’m sure it will be a good fight against the year. Certainly the goal this first race of the season is to try to come out of here with good points. Obviously we want to win. The race will be tough I think. Firestone has provided a tire that’s very soft. We’ve sort of been pushing for that. It is going to make it hard working the race because of the configuration of the tires. I think management of that is going to be key. Will is already thinking about that and not running much today. That is certainly in the back of all of our minds.”

    POWER – HOW IS IT THAT DESPITE ALL THE NEW ASPECTS THIS SEASON, AT THE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD IS STILL PENSKE AND GANASSI. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TOO? “Just to better teams. I mean, they have more resources; more money. They are able to employ the best drivers and the best people, so they are able to get on top of things more quickly. That is the reason they are always at the front.”

    BRISCOE – TURN ONE LOOKS BUMPY. IS IT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE? “It looks bumpy. I was riding around on the golf cart yesterday, and I think it might have been even bumpier on the inside. I didn’t really run down there today. It is bumpy. Turn one is always a mess here.  I think we’ve gotten a better handle on the double-file restarts since we were here last year, so hopefully it goes a bit smoother. The bumps certainly add to the unpredictability here of getting into turn one; especially when you are running side-by-side.”

    BRISCOE – WHAT ABOUT THE NEW CURBING? “I think they have done a great job putting in permanent curbs, because the bollards were coming up and getting loose bolts which was certainly a hazard. I think this curbing is an improvement. There were a couple of corners where you just want to stay off them. I guess we will have to see in the race if that becomes a problem or not. So far, just for running and putting in lap times, I think they are quite good and you can make them. You can use a couple around the track. We were a little bit worried yesterday, talking about turn 12, the high-speed chicane, because if you get forced onto that one, it might send the car into that outside wall, which might be a bit dangerous. But, that was the only one we were a little bit skeptical about.”

    POWER – IS TODAY THE HARDEST YOU HAVE PUSHED THE CAR? “No, definitely not. We pushed it really hard in testing. As the track grip comes up, you push accordingly and lap times drop. I think you push it as hard as you can every time it goes out.”

    POWER – WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE MORE HORSEPOWER? “No question. I think we would like to see more horsepower. Something like it was in Champ Car because the car actually has a lot more grip now. It probably has a little bit more top-end horsepower.  I think this car can handle a lot of power. Another 150 I think.”

    BRISCOE – WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE MORE HORSEPOWER? “Until you are not wheel spinning before the brakes are on, you don’t have enough power. So, we will take as much as you give us.”

    BRISCOE – THE FACT THAT THE TEAM PENSKE/GANASSI DOMINANCE CONTINUED TODAY WITH THE TOP SIX TODAY.  ARE YOU EXPECTING THAT STILL COULD CHANGE SOME DAY?  THERE HAS BEEN SOME TALK THAT WITH ALL THE UNPREDICTABILITY THAT THERE COULD BE MORE UNDERDOG STORIES EARLY IN THE YEAR DO YOU THINK THAT IS STILL A POSSIBILITY FOR SOME OF THESE RACES? “You never know in the race.  I think no one has really expected anything less than seeing Penske and Ganassi on top. We don’t know there are a lot of things we are going to learn this weekend in the race with this new car.  There is no doubt there is a lot of stout competition out there other than the two teams we are talking about. I think we sort of, at Penske and Ganassi, are always the teams setting the standards and the goals for everyone else to reach.”

    POWER – FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE OVALS WILL HAVE 550 HORSEPOWER AND THE ROAD COURSES YOU WILL HAVE EITHER 700 OR 750.  I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU ARE GETTING WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO GET OUT OF THE CARS?  “Oh I don’t think anyone knows the numbers.  I think that is just a rough estimate of what the series wanted.  I think these engines are probably getting close to 700 on the road courses, maybe.”

    BRISCOE: FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE OVALS WILL HAVE 550 HORSEPOWER AND THE ROAD COURSES YOU WILL HAVE EITHER 700 OR 750.  I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU ARE GETTING WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO GET OUT OF THE CARS?  “Running less horsepower on the oval that is just a direction of the series, so that we will run less downforce and get the speed back with less drag.  The goal is to run similar speeds to what we have been.  To achieve that with less horsepower and make us drive the cars a bit more on the ovals.”

    BRISCOE – HOW GOOD DO YOU THINK THIS PACKAGE IS GOING TO BE ON A NATIONAL TERRAIN ROAD COURSE LIKE MID-OHIO?  “Oh it will be fast.  I mean the car has a lot of downforce, good brakes.  I believe we will be setting track records all over the place this year.”

    POWER: HOW GOOD DO YOU THINK THIS PACKAGE IS GOING TO BE ON A NATIONAL TERRAIN ROAD COURSE LIKE MID-OHIO?  “I mean, just with the testing we have done there is no question it is faster in the fast corners.  I mean, it’s just like Ryan (Briscoe) said it will be breaking lap records everywhere.”

    POWER – THE CAR LOOKS SMOOTHER GOING THROUGH TURN 10, IT JUST LOOKS MORE STABLE AND SOLID DOES IT FEEL THAT WAY?  “It feels that way just because its downforce.  It is just more ‘stuck’ easier to drive no question.”

    BRISCOE – WITH THE NEW BREMBO BRAKES SITUATION HAVE YOU GUYS HAD TO CHANGE YOUR STYLE OF ATTACKING THE CORNER USING THIS TYPE OF BRAKING? “You just have to adapt to the different power from the brakes.  They have a higher performance throughout the brake zone and you just have to adjust accordingly.  In the beginning of the year we sort of had to think about different master cylinder sizes and stuff.  But, the brake is very solid it’s a very durable brake with high performance.  It’s good from cold to hot and it seemed to last a long way. The brake package in my opinion is very strong.”

    About Chevrolet

    Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

  • CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Andretti Autosport Driver Press Conference

    CHEVY INDYCAR AT ST. PETERSBURG — Andretti Autosport Driver Press Conference

    IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

    GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

    STREETS OF ST. PETERSBURG

    TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE NOTES AND QUOTES

    MARCH 23, 2012

    Andretti Autosport drivers, Marco Andretti, No. 26 RC Cola Chevrolet, James Hinchcliffe, No. 27 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet and Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 28 DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Chevrolet met with members of the media at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg prior to the start of the weekend’s activities. Here are a few selected quotes from the press conference.

    ANDRETTI: ON STARTING THE NEW SEASON: “The new car has been pretty similar. The biggest thing with the new car is going to be the engine, in my opinion. The thing still has four wheels so it handles similar to the old one. A lot of things that worked on the old car are working now. With the engines, it has been fun working with Chevy and the engineers to kind of tune it to your style. Other than that, it is still a race car.”

    HUNTER-REAY: ON THE NEW COMBINATION OF DRIVERS: “We’ve been working really hard on moving Andretti Autosport forward these last few years. With the camaraderie we have now, it’s just easy. We communicate well together. It is an open platform; so hopefully now, we can just turn that into results. That’s the hard part. We are certainly working hard at it. The greatest part is that when we get done with our first practice, we’re all going to share what we learned and hopefully move forward three times as fast. That’s the plan.”

    HINCHCLIFFE: ON STARTING THE NEW SEASON: “A year ago, I was sitting on the sidelines, so it is quite cool to see how a year can change things. I’m now in a great situation here with Andretti Autosport and GoDaddy.com. This is one of my favorite events. It is a great event for us to start the season. It has just got such a cool atmosphere. It is a cool track. Now, we are coming into the season with these new cars, the new engines; a whole lot of unknowns. It is just all very exciting. For me, it is a new car, a new engine, new track, new team, new teammates. I almost feel like a rookie all over again. It has been a long off-season. A lot of testing; a lot of development. Now, I’m completely happy to be here and finally get to racing and get on the track.”

    ANDRETTI: HOW IS RUBENS BARRICHELLO GOING TO IMPACT THE SPORT? “I think it is exactly what we need. The more followers; the more eyes on us. Rubens will be able to do that. He is a very talented driver.  For us, he is more of a pain in the butt (LAUGHS). If we can learn how to beat him, we’ll be looking good.”

    HUNTER-REAY: ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS FOR THE COURSE? “The only concern is that in the past, we’ve been able to run over them (the curbs). They were still pretty big, but they were designed in way that we could hit them. We had to setup the car to get over them; but that would open up the corner and thus make it faster through the corner for us. But, now, we have to drive around them since they are so aggressive. Our concern is that it is going to lower our cornering speeds a little bit. We need these things to look as fast as possible on TV. Now, we may have to tiptoe around them. We’ll see.”

    HUNTER-REAY: IS THIS SEASON THE MOST UNKNOWNS AS A DRIVER YOU HAVE HAD? “It is definitely the most unknowns. We have no idea, really, but it is exciting. Everyone is a contender and everyone has a chance at making their mark early in the season. At the same time, we could be having a great weekend doing everything you are asked to do, and things could fall through for you from a reliability standpoint. Chevy and Ilmor have done an amazing job with these engines in such a short amount of time. It really is a short amount of time. There are so many moving parts; so many variables involved in making these things go fast, it would honestly be expected there might be reliability issues, because we are just trying so many different things. So, yes, it is nerve-wracking to say the least.”

    ANDRETTI: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEW RULES AFFECTING THE DRIVERS? “We are race car drivers, we don’t anybody to pass us. I think it can be a little tricky, but I was definitely on-board for the rule change for blocking. They still don’t allow blocking. And blocking is different than defending. There is an art to defending. If you are the leader, if you want to come off the corner a little shallow, you should be able to drive down the straightaway wherever you came off the corner. Now you have to enter the next corner at a bit of a handicap. The guy behind actually has it better because he can set you up for the next corner. Definitely an art. One argument was there would be no passing on street circuits. I argued the opposite, because if someone is blocking me into turn one at Toronto, that is perfect for me because now I can get them down the back straightaway. He is not going to come off the next corner as quick. So, there is definitely an art to it.”

    ANDRETTI: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION IN THE SERIES? “It is the best it’s been. The competition from the drivers and the teams. In 2006, I’ll give you an example, I could be two-tenths off and still be in the top-six. Now, you aren’t making the top-six, you are probably 16th.  It’s crazy. Now it’s all about that last two-tenths. Any driver can find that big step in speed. It’s about finding that last little bit. That last little bit is very detrimental today. This day and age puts an emphasis on pulling out what you have.”

    HINCHCLIFFE: DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE IN INDY LIGHTS AT THIS TRACK HELP YOU? “I think my experience here in Indy Lights will serve a purpose. It will give me a little bit of a basis when we go out there. Obviously the car changes, but when you have track knowledge and you know you are in a different car, you know sort of what to expect from the car. You can take the different parts of the track that you know and sort of know roughly what is going to happen. The biggest difference now is actually the track more than the changes to the car. We were talking about the curves earlier; I think that is actually going to have more affect on my previous experience here in Indy Lights rather than the actual difference in the car.”

    About Chevrolet

    Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.