2012 Media Guide FAST FACTS Story Ideas: Highly-competitive season makes returns to ovals at Milwaukee The2012 Firestone Indy Lights season returns to ovals for the next two races beginning with the Firestone Indy Lights 100 at the famed Milwaukee Mile. Firestone Indy Defending race winner Esteban Guerrieri leads the points by 15 markers over rookie. Lights 100 teammate Tristan Vautier with Sebastian Saavedra 16 points behind. Can one of the lead trio take control of the points at Milwaukee? Date / Time 5:45 p.m. (EDT) Veterans return in search champion’s scholarship Friday, June 15 Esteban Guerrieri, who finished second in the point standings in 2011, leads a talented group of drivers returning to Firestone Indy Lights for the 2012 season in hopes of Track securing the Mazda Road to Indy scholarship to graduate to the IZOD IndyCar Series in The Milwaukee 2013. Belle Isle race winner Gustavo Yacaman, who will race in his fourth Firestone Mile Freedom 100, Jorge Goncalvez, Juan Pablo Garcia, join Guerrieri, a two-time race (1-mile oval) winner in 2012, in the field for this weekend’s race. Distance Saavedra returns to chase title 100 laps/100 miles Sebastian Saavedra, who claimed three wins and the series rookie title in his two seasons in Firestone Indy Lights, is off to a strong start in his returns to the series. The TV Colombian returned AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport to victory lane at Barber. Can NBC Sports Saavedra, who competed in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2011, do the same in Network (Taped), Milwaukee? 5 p.m. June 21 Mazda Road to Indy scholarship winners excelling in 2012 Radio Two drivers who moved up the racing ladder as part of the Mazda Road to Indy had IMS Radio Network successful 2012 debuts. 2011 Star Mazda Championship winner Tristan Vautier is (Live) second in the Firestone Indy Lights standings with four podium finishes, including a win in his series debut, while 2011 Firestone Indy Lights champion Josef Newgarden 2011 Winner impressed during the Month of May Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. Both drivers will be Esteban Guerrieri racing this weekend at Detroit. 2011 Polesitter Busy week for Clauson Esteban Guerrieri Two-time USAC National Champion Bryan Clauson, who made his IZOD IndyCar Series debut in May, returns to Firestone Indy Lights at Milwaukee. Clauson will skip USAC Indiana Midget Week event at Bloomington Ind., to compete in Firestone Indy Lights100 in the No. 24 Fan Force United car. Talented field for 2012 The 2012 season features a talented field of international drivers with returning drivers Sebastian Saavedra, Esteban Guerrieri, Jorge Goncalvez, David Ostella and Gustavo Yacaman among the series’ favorites. A promising rookie class includes Oliver Webb (World Series by Renault/Firestone Indy Lights), Tristan Vautier and J.V. Horto (Star Mazda), Alon Day and Carlos Munoz (Formula 3 Euro Series). Season To Date: Gustavo Yacaman won his first race of 2012 and the second of his Firestone Indy Lights career at Belle Isle. Esteban Guerrieri won back-to-back races at Long Beach and Indianapolis. They were the fourth and fifth race wins of his Firestone Indy Lights career. Sebastian Saavedra won his first race of 2012 and his fourth career Firestone Indy Lights race at Barber Motorsports Park. Tristan Vautier won in his Firestone Indy Lights debut at St. Petersburg. He became the 10th driver to win his debut in Firestone Indy Lights. Five drivers who have previously won a race in Firestone Indy Lights are entered in the Firestone Freedom: Victor Carbone, Esteban Guerrieri, Sebastian Saavedra, Tristan Vautier and Gustavo Yacaman. There were a season-best four leaders and three lead changes at the Firestone Freedom 100 at Indianapolis. Milestones: Tristan Vautier claimed his first career win at St. Petersburg. It was Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ sixth win at St. Petersburg and the team’s 47th Firestone Indy Lights victory. Tristan Vautier claimed his first career pole at St. Petersburg and the 49th for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Sebastian Saavedra won for the fourth time in Firestone Indy Lights and recorded his 12th podium in 28 starts (43 percent). Esteban Guerrieri extended his Firestone Indy Lights record for top-five starts to 17 straight races at Long Beach. The streak ended at Indianapolis. Esteban Guerrieri set the Firestone Indy Lights record for winning from the lowest starting position when he came from 18th to win the Firestone Freedom 100. Weekend Schedule: (All times local) Friday, June 15 7 a.m. – Garage opens 9 – 9:45 a.m. – Firestone Indy Lights practice 11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. – Sunoco Pole Qualifying (two laps) 12:20 – 1 p.m. – Firestone Indy Lights practice 5:30 p.m. – Firestone Indy Lights 100 pre-race 5:45 p.m. – Firestone Indy Lights 100 (100 laps/100 miles), NBC Sports Network (Taped, 5 p.m., June 21). TRACK FACTS – The Milwaukee Mile RACE & POLE WINNERS Year Winner Avg. Speed Pole Avg. Speed 6/19/11 Esteban Guerrieri 130.236 Esteban Guerrieri 149.005 5/31/09 Mario Romancini 113.945 Mario Romancini 147.800 6/1/08 Bobby Wilson 112.260 Pablo Donoso 145.699 6/3/07 Alex Lloyd 108.894 Alex Lloyd 146.077 7/22/06 Jaime Camara 131.060 Wade Cunningham 147.783 7/24/05 Jeff Simmons 110.881 Jaime Camara 142.852 7/25/04 Paul Dana 120.840 Thiago Medeiros 147.283 LAP RECORDS Laps/ Fastest Date Driver Time Speed Miles Race 7/22/06 Jaime Camara 46:28.0393 131.060 100/100 Qualifying Lap 6/18/11 Esteban Guerrieri 24.5189 sec. 149.028 1/1 2-Lap Qualifying 6/18/11 Esteban Guerrieri 49.0454 sec. 149.005 2/2 Race Lap 5/31/09 Mario Romancini 25.3397 sec. 144.201 1/1 Note: Records based on time, not speed. TRACK RECORDS Most Wins: 1 (Jaime Camara, Paul Dana, Esteban Guerrieri, Alex Lloyd, Mario Romancini, Jeff Simmons, Bobby Wilson) Most Top-Five Finishes: 3 (Bobby Wilson) Most Top-10 Finishes: 3 (Wade Cunningham, Arie Luyendyk Jr., Bobby Wilson) Most Lead Changes: 3 (7/24/05) Fewest Lead Changes: 0 (6/2/07, 5/31/09 6/19/11) Most Race Leaders: 2 (7/25/04, 7/24/05, 7/22/06, 6/1/08) Fewest Race Leaders: 1 (6/2/07, 5/31/09, 6/19/11) Most Caution Periods: 4 (5/31/09) Fewest Caution Periods: 1 (7/22/06) Most Caution Laps: 22 (6/2/07) Fewest Caution Laps: 3 (7/22/06) Most Drivers on the Lead Lap: 10 (6/1/08) Fewest Drivers on the Lead Lap: 3 (7/25/04) Most Drivers Running at the Finish: 19 (6/1/08) Fewest Drivers Running at the Finish: 3 (7/25/04) Most Laps Led by a Race Winner: 100 (Alex Lloyd, 6/2/07; Mario Romancini, 5/31/09, Esteban Guerrieri, 6/19/11) Fewest Laps Led by a Race Winner: 2 (Jaime Camara, 7/22/06) Closest Margin of Victory: 0.0893 of a second (Bobby Wilson over Jeff Simmons, 6/1/08) TRACK FACTS – The Milwaukee Mile Widest Margin of Victory: 5.5012 seconds (Esteban Guerrieri over Josef Newgarden, 6/19/11) Most Wins by a Team: 2 (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) Most Poles Earned: 1 (Jaime Camara, Pablo Donoso, Esteban Guerrieri, Wade Cunningham, Alex Lloyd, Thiago Medeiros, Mario Romancini) Lowest Starting Position of a Winner: 7th (Jeff Simmons, 7/24/05) Youngest Winner: Mario Romancini, 21 Years, 167 Days, 5/31/09 Oldest Winner: Paul Dana, 29 Years, 101 Days, 7/25/04 Firestone Indy Lights To Debut New Car In 2014 Firestone Indy Lights announced May 25 its intentions to debut a new race car for the 2014 season. A request for proposal was distributed to potential manufacturers and development firms earlier this month for both engine and chassis, and series officials will begin reviewing and evaluating the submitted applications after the due date of June 30. "As we look to the future for Firestone Indy Lights, we believe it's important that we do everything we can to attract new drivers, teams, partners and manufacturers to our series to continue to improve our formal system of driver development," said Tony George Jr., director, Firestone Indy Lights. "The debut of the new car in 2014 will be a key step in this process while allowing our teams to operate as a true business through improved value proposition." The desired attributes of the 2014 Firestone Indy Lights car include: New chassis is to reflect current contemporary race car design with a forward-thinking, sophisticated and exciting formula. Chassis must be adaptable to compete on road, street and oval circuits with a minimum of facility-specific parts. New chassis to surpass all current FIA static and impact regulations while having the flexibility to accommodate a broad spectrum of drivers and seating positions. Improved aerodynamic performance that must also allow for enhanced sponsor placement opportunities on the car. Improved technological package to include but not limited to: paddle shifting, data systems and sensors. Potential to integrate an alternative fuel source. "With our premium on safety, our goal is to develop a car that is technology relevant to the new IZOD IndyCar Series car," said Vince Kremer, technical director, Firestone Indy Lights. "It is our intent to remain a spec series, as it creates the right platform to identify driver talent and contain costs. While it is important for us to gain a manufacturer badge for the engine and receive the endorsement of the auto industry, we want to make sure it is done in the right economic structure for our teams." The project will be under the supervision of INDYCAR vice president of technology Will Phillips and Kremer.