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IZOD IndyCar Series kicks off season with Brazilian debut

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IZOD IndyCar Series Prepares for Brazilian Debut The Sao Paulo Indy 300 will mark the IZOD IndyCar Series first race in and its first trip to South America. Indy car racing has been extremely popular in Brazil; CART hosted five races on a 1.864-mile oval in Rio de Janerio from Sao Paulo Indy 300 1996 to 2000. The Sao Paul Indy 300 will feature at least six Brazilian drivers – , Helio Castroneves, , Raphael Matos, Vitor Meira Race Broadcast and Mario Romancini. Additionally, de Ferran Luczo president Sunday, March 14 and 2003 500 winner hails from Brazil. Will any of 11:30 a.m.(ET) these drivers make their way to Victory Lane in their home country? VERSUS (Live) Series Prepares for Another Competitive Season Track If the times from the preseason Open Test at Barber Park are any Streets of Sao Paulo indication of what’s to come this year, then 2010 is shaping up to be another 2.6 miles, 11 turns competitive IZOD IndyCar Series season. The top 14 cars of the 21 that participated in the test were separated by 0.8399 of second. Last season Distance produced another competitive championships in recent history, with the points 75 laps/195 miles lead swapping hands 15 times over the course of 17 races and the championship once again coming down to the final race of the season. Will Radio 2010 produce similar results? IMS Radio Network / XM 145 / Sirius Penske Power 211 will field three cars this season, adding to its stable of fulltime drivers. The last time the team was a three-car operation was in1994 Qualifying with , and Jr. Power, who joined the Broadcast team last year for five races before a season-ending injury, will pilot the No. 12 Saturday, March 13 Verizon Team Penske car, and looks to join teammates and Helio 2 p.m. (ET) Castroneves as a championship contender. VERSUS Looks to Rebound 2.6-mile, 11-turn One team that experienced significant changes this off-season was Andretti temporary street Autosport. took sole ownership of Andretti Green Racing, circuit changing the name to Andretti Autosport, and hired Tom Anderson as senior vice president of racing operations. Anderson has 40 years of experience in the Inaugural IZOD industry, most recently as the co-owner and managing director of Fernandez IndyCar Series race Racing from 2001 to 2009. Anderson was also the managing director of Racing from 1990 to 2000 and helped lead the team to four- consecutive CART championships between 1996 and 1999. Will the new changes help Andretti Autosport rebound from a winless 2009?

Danica Returns to the IZOD IndyCar Series After making her NASCAR debut, returns to a full season of IZOD IndyCar Series competition, beginning with the Sao Paulo Indy 300. Last season saw Patrick record 10 top-10 finishes in the 17 races to finish a series career-best fifth in the championship. After two season of team owner Michael Andretti calling Patrick’s race strategy, including her historic win at Motegi, Tom Anderson transitions into the role.

Sato Transitions to IZOD IndyCar Series; Leads Rookie Class veteran will make his first IZOD IndyCar Series start on the streets of Sao Paulo. Sato, who competed in F1 for seven years, joined KV Racing Technology prior to the preseason Open Test at , and posted times within the top 10. Sato will be classified as a rookie this season, along with Ana Beatriz, , Mario Romancini and Simona de Silvestra. Beatriz, Howard and Romancini are graduates of Firestone . How will this new class of drivers fair as they compete in their rookie season of IZOD IndyCar Series racing?

Justin Wilson Finds New Home at Dreyer & Reinbold Last season Justin Wilson gave its first win in 25 years of Indy car competition. This season, Wilson transitions to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing behind the wheel of the No. 22 Z-Line Designs car, and has already been fast out of the box, posting the fifth fastest time in testing at Barber Motorsports Park. Can Wilson help Dreyer & Reinbold get back to Victory Lane this season?

IZOD Enters First Year of Entitlement The Sao Paulo Indy 300 marks the first race since IZOD signed on as title sponsor of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The partnership marks the series first entitlement in nearly a decade.

Race Notes: The Sao Paulo Indy 300 will be the first IZOD IndyCar Series event at the temporary . This is the series’ inaugural trip to Brazil as well as South America.

Milestones & Records: With a victory in 2010, Helio Castroneves will extend his IZOD Indy Car Series record to 10 consecutive seasons with a win. With a victory in 2010, will extend his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to six. Three teams have a chance to be the first to reach the 40-win mark in IZOD IndyCar Series competition. Team Penske needs five victories, while Andretti Autosports and Target each need six. Helio Castroneves needs three earned poles to reach 30 career poles in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

With one pole in 2010, Helio Castroneves will extend his IZOD IndyCar Series record of consecutive seasons with a pole to nine. With one pole in 2010, Scott Dixon will extend his IZOD IndyCar Series streak to five consecutive seasons. If Helio Castroneves starts every race in 2010 and does not start a race, Castroneves will tie for most IZOD IndyCar Series career starts with 147. Tony Kanaan holds the longest streak of consecutive starts of active IZOD IndyCar Series drivers with 114. Scott Sharp holds the record with 138. with 112 is the only other active driver with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts. Vitor Meira needs three IZOD IndyCar Series starts to reach 100. needs two starts to reach 200 in Indy car. He has started 114 CART races and 84 in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Helio Castroneves needs to lead 372 laps to become the IZOD IndyCar Series career laps led leader. Sam Hornish Jr. is the leader with 3,428. Scott Dixon needs to lead 435 laps to pass IZOD IndyCar Series career leader Sam Hornish Jr. (3,428). Scott Dixon needs four laps to join Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves with 3,000 laps led in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Dan Wheldon needs 244 laps led to reach 3,000 in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Tony Kanaan needs 377 laps led to reach 3,000 in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Helio Castroneves needs two top-10 finishes to become the first IZOD IndyCar Series driver to reach 100. Tony Kanaan needs 11 top-10 finishes to reach 100 in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Scott Dixon need 11 top-10 finishes to reach100 in the IZOD Indy Series. Helio Castroneves needs five top-5 starts to become the first to reach 100 in the IZOD IndyCar Series. With a top-10 start in the first race of the season in Brazil, Scott Dixon will set the IZOD IndyCar Series record for most consecutive top-10 starts at 33. Tied with Sam Hornish Jr., Dixon has started in the top 10 in every race since in April 2008. Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon each need six top-10 starts to be the second and third driver to reach 100 in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Helio Castroneves was the first to reach that mark and currently has 108.

At-Track Schedule (all times local): Saturday, March 13 9-10:30 a.m. IZOD IndyCar Series Practice 12:30-1:30 p.m. IZOD IndyCar Series Practice 3:30-5:30 p.m. Peak Performance Pole Qualifying

Sunday, March 14 12:30 p.m. IZOD IndyCar Series Pre-Race 12:55 p.m. Sao Paulo Indy 300

Indy Racing League PR Contacts: Amy Konrath, 317-492-6453, akonrath@.com Dave Lewandowski, 317-492-8533, [email protected] Arni Sribhen, 317-492-8531, [email protected]