FAST FACTS IZOD IndyCar Series heads to

Story Ideas: Don’t count out Dario may have started defense of his IZOD IndyCar Series title slowly, but looks to have turned his season around after winning the 96th 500. Franchitti, who won the first Firestone Twin 275 at Texas last year, has climbed to fourth in the championship after strong finishes in Firestone 550 Brazil, Indy and Belle Isle. Can he continue his march towards a fourth- straight series title with another win at Texas Motor Speedway? Race Broadcast Saturday, June 9 Power looks to repeat at Texas 8 p.m. (ET) With a wins at Barber, Long Beach and Sao Paulo, finds himself NBC Sports atop the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings. Power, who claimed his first Network (Live) oval win at Texas last year, saw championship rival gain ground with a win at Belle Isle. Can Power pad his lead with another win in Texas or Qualifying can Dixon cut into Power’s advantage? Broadcast Friday, June 8 Panther, Hildebrand eye Victory Lane 7:30 p.m. (ET) has won five races at Texas Motor Speedway second only to NBC Sports for most IZOD IndyCar Series wins at Texas. Network (Taped) (2005), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001-02) and Scott Goodyear (1999-2000) all drove a Panther car to Victory Lane at Texas. Can JR Hildebrand help Panther Racing claim its sixth victory at the Great American Speedway? Track Texas Motor Conway aims to give Foyt win in Texas Speedway hopes to return Texas racing legend A.J. Foyt to a familiar place (1.5-mile oval) – Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway. Foyt, who along with is honored on Texas’ winner’s trophy, last visited Texas Motor Distance Speedway’s victory circle in 1998 with Billy Boat. Can Conway beat his best 228 laps / 342 miles finish of 16th on the 1.5-mile oval and bring Foyt back the Foyt-Rutherford Trophy? Radio IMS Radio Network/ hopes to ride oval momentum into another Texas win XM 94/Sirius 212 hopes to continue its turnaround season at Texas, home of a key team partner /Snapple. and Ryan Hunter-Reay 2011 Race Winners: have been strong on the 1.5-mile oval and had a strong Dario Franchitti Month of May at Indianapolis. Can the Andretti team score another win at (Race #1) Texas? Will Power (Race #2)

2011 Polesitter: First IZOD IndyCar Servia rides Indy 500 momentum into Texas Series event: There have been four different winners in six races in 2012, including Scott 6/7/1997 Dixon’s win at Belle Isle. Oriol Servia, who has recorded top-five finishes in the last two races, hopes to maintain his positive momentum at Texas. Can Servia score a win at TMS?

Rookies face another first – night racing The rookie drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series take on another new challenge – their first night race – less than two weeks after racing their first oval at Indianapolis. Leading rookie , and Katherine Legge are making their debut under the lights at Texas. How will the first-timers fare?

Close racing a hallmark at Texas In the 23 previous races at Texas, 16 have finished with a margin of victory of less than one second, and eight races have been decided by less than one-tenth of a second. Will the Firestone 550 live up to the history and produce another photo finish at Texas?

Race Notes: The Firestone 550 will be the 24th IZOD IndyCar Series event conducted at Texas Motor Speedway. Previous Texas winners entered include Dario Franchitti (2011 – Race 1), Will Power (2011 – Race 2), (2010), Helio Castroneves (2009, 2006 and 2004), Scott Dixon (2008), (2004)

Twenty-one (21) drivers entered in the Firestone 550 have competed in IZOD IndyCar Series events at Texas Motor Speedway. Ten (10) of those drivers led laps at the track (Marco Andretti 25, Ryan Briscoe 277, Ed Carpenter 1, Helio Castroneves 360, Scott Dixon 123, Dario Franchitti 236, Tony Kanaan 305, Will Power 72, Alex Tagliani 34, E.J. Viso 2,

The Firestone 550 will be the second race in the A.J. Foyt Trophy, given to the 2012 Oval Champion. Dario Franchitti won the to take the early lead in the championship within the IZOD IndyCar Series championship.

Four drivers will compete in their first Indy car race at Texas: , Katherine Legge, Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud.

Season to Date:  Scott Dixon won the Indy Grand Prix presented by shopautoweek.com at the Raceway at Belle Isle.  Dario Franchitti won the 96th Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Will Power won back-to-back-to-back races at Barber Park and the streets of Long Beach, Calif., and Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Helio Castroneves won the season opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

 Helio Castroneves, Will Power, Ryan Briscoe and Scott Dixon have won poles this season. Power won the pole at St. Petersburg and Sao Paulo, Castroneves won the pole at Barber, Briscoe won the pole at Long Beach and Indianapolis and Dixon won the pole at Belle Isle.  Three drivers (Rubens Barrichello, Katherine Legge and Josef Newgarden) started their first career IZOD IndyCar Series race at St. Petersburg.  James Hinchcliffe has finished in the top-10 in the first five events of 2012 before he failed to finish at ...  Drivers from six different teams are in the top-10 in points entering Indianapolis.  There were seven race leaders and nine lead changes in the season opening race at St. Petersburg and in the third race of the season at Long Beach. There were also nine lead changes at .  There were a season-best 10 race leaders and 34 lead changes at the Indianapolis 500.

Milestones & Records:  Should Dario Franchitti win the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series championship, he will join Sebastien Bourdais as the only drivers to win four consecutive Indy car titles. Bourdais won four-straight Champ Car titles from 2004-2007.  Should Dario Franchitti win the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series championship, he will join A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to win five Indy car titles in his career. Franchitti, who won the title in 2007 and again from 2009-2011. Foyt won seven championships in his career.  With his next victory, Dario Franchitti will pass and Sebastien Bourdais for sole possession of seventh (7th) on the all-time wins list if neither Bourdais nor Tracy wins before he does. The trio is tied with 31 wins.  With his victory at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Scott Dixon extended his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to eight.  With his victory at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Scott Dixon took sole possession of 11th place on the all-time wins list. Dixon who has 28 wins is one behind for 10th place.  Helio Castroneves needs three earned poles to reach 40 career poles in his Indy car career. Castroneves won the pole earlier this year at Barber Motorsports Park.  Scott Dixon needs two earned poles to reach 20 in his Indy car career.  Dario Franchitti needs four earned poles to reach 30 in his career.  With his pole at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Scott Dixon extended his IZOD IndyCar Series streak to six consecutive seasons.  Tony Kanaan will attempt to make his 188th consecutive Indy car start, dating to Portland in 2001. holds the all-time record of 211. Scott Dixon with 127 straight starts and Marco Andretti with 104 straight starts are the only other active drivers with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts.  Marco Andretti made his 100th IZOD IndyCar Series start at St. Petersburg.

At-Track Schedule (all times local): Friday, June 8 12:30 – 1:45 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series Practice (all cars) 3:30 – 5 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series Pole Qualifying 6:45 – 7:15 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series Practice (all cars)

Saturday, June 9 7 p.m. – Firestone 550 pre-race 7:45 p.m. Firestone 550 (228 laps/342 miles), NBC Sports Network, Live

INDYCAR PR Contacts: Amy Konrath, 317-492-6453, akonrath@.com Denise Abbott, 317-492-8836, [email protected] Steve Shunck, 317-492-8532, [email protected] Dave Lewandowski, 317-492-8533, [email protected] Arni Sribhen, 317-492-8531, [email protected] Kate Guerra, 317-492--8577, [email protected]