With 2003 Gold Coast Indy 300 winner Hunter-Reay’s win (the first for Rahal Letterman Racing since 2004), three other first time winners so far this season, eight different winners from six teams to date, and multiple close-calls, breath-taking spins and battles for the lead, the increasing competition and subsequent drama as a result of the unification is easy to spot.
Scott Dixon, Ryan Briscoe, Graham Rahal, Danica Patrick, Dan Wheldon, Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter Reay have all won races so far this season, while Will Power won the Champ Car Finale in Long Beach, and with nine rookies and a number of other drivers heading to the track for the first time – a maiden Nashville win could be on the cards for some.
One driver who will be hoping that isn’t the case is series leader and Brisbane-born Kiwi Scott Dixon, who will attempt to win his third consecutive race at Nashville, which would make four race wins (and eight podiums) for his season so far.
If he wins, it will be the third time an IndyCar Series driver has won three consecutive races at one track. Dan Wheldon won three consecutive races at Homestead-Miami, and Dixon won three straight at Watkins Glen, leading 194 laps over 5 starts. With these statistics, fans will be sure to have their eye on Dixon as he prepares to come back from his spin at the Glen.
That spin saw polesitter Briscoe taken out of contention when Dixon lost control in front of him. Although able to rejoin and finish 12th, the Team Penske racer from Sydney is sure to be looking to make amends in Nashville, just like fellow Australian Power who had a weekend of great speed but no luck with electrical problems plaguing his #8 Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone.
Also sure to be on the team's minds in addition to the increased race intensity with the number of cars and drivers on-track, is the fact that while the teams are in the middle of a stretch of six consecutive races, the next several races will have them switching from oval setups to road-course setups and back again.
Beginning with the race at Richmond back on June 28 and continuing through the race at Infineon Aug. 28, the schedule alternates between ovals and road courses which will keep the teams on their toes.
Australian fans can catch the Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway action live by tuning in to ESPN at 10.00am on Sunday 13th of July with a re-run scheduled for 7.00pm that same day.
Following the Firestone Indy 200 the unified series will continue on a schedule that is the most diverse in world motorsports.
The 2008 schedule will take the teams and drivers to short ovals, superspeedways, and road and street courses including the Gold Coast Indy 300 which is regarded as a ‘crown jewel’ in international motorsport.
With 96 hours of non-stop excitement over October 23-26 as the Gold Coast comes alive to the sound of the IndyCars burning up the track and Australia’s own V8 Supercars scorching around one of the most famous beach-side cities in the world, the event is the hottest ticket in town.
Tickets are now on sale for the Gold Coast Indy 300 with ticket options to suit everyone's needs. Four day Grandstand passes are available for those who prefer to watch the racing from the comfort of their own reserved seat or for those who prefer to wander around and soak up the atmosphere then a four day, weekend or single day General Admission pass might be more their style. For more information on ticket options go to indy.com.au. For information on Corporate Hospitality packages please call our Sales Team on (07) 5588 6800.
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY…
Ryan Hunter-Reay - #17 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol Honda/Dallara/Firestone
"I don't think there's any question that the intensity level of this series has been ratcheted up," said Ryan Hunter-Reay, who recorded his first victory in the series and first for Rahal Letterman Racing since August 2004, in the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen on July 6.
"So all of a sudden, now to qualify in the top 10 or 12 is a real accomplishment. That's what you want. Everything coming together, it's amazing how tight the competition is. I'm so happy it's this way.
"At the beginning of the year, (team co-owner) Bobby (Rahal) told me to go out there and make something of this and to make something of building this team around myself and we all get along so great. It's really a special thing to be a part of. The fact that we've been building and get faster and faster and faster is a neat thing. And to finally win is huge."
Ryan Briscoe - #6 Team Penske Racing Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“Nashville is one of the few circuits where I’ve actually raced twice – it was the site of my best finish in 2005, and I’ve been lucky enough to finish in the top-ten on both occasions,” said Briscoe.
“It’s a very challenging circuit, but maybe the concrete has a positive effect on me.”
Will Power - #8 Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“The Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia guys did a great job the entire weekend at Watkins Glen and we had a pretty good strategy going there,” said Power.
“Unfortunately I ran out of electrical power, something kept draining the power and I had to keep coming into the pits to charge the battery, which was really unfortunate.
“We are going to have good weekends. I am confident of that. This just wasn’t one of them.
“Now we look ahead to Nashville. It’s back to oval racing but we have been getting stronger and stronger so I think we can run well and come away with a good result.”
ENTRY LIST: Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway
Car - Driver - Entrant
2 - A.J. Foyt IV - Vision Racing
3 - Helio Castroneves - Team Penske
4 - Vitor Meira - Panther Racing
5 - Oriol Servia - KV Racing Technology
6 - Ryan Briscoe - Team Penske
7 - Danica Patrick - Andretti Green Racing
8 - Will Power (R) - KV Racing Technology
9 - Scott Dixon - Target Chip Ganassi Racing
10 - Dan Wheldon - Target Chip Ganassi Racing
11 - Tony Kanaan - Andretti Green Racing
14 - Darren Manning - A.J. Foyt Enterprises
15 - Buddy Rice - Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
17 - Ryan Hunter-Reay - Rahal Letterman Racing
18 - Bruno Junqueira - Dale Coyne Racing
19 - Mario Moraes (R) - Dale Coyne Racing
20 - Ed Carpenter - Vis! ion Racing
23 - Milka Duno - Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
24 - Jay Howard - Roth Racing
25 - Marty Roth - Roth Racing
26 - Marco Andretti - Andretti Green Racing
27 - Hideki Mutoh (R) - Andretti Green Racing
33 - E.J. Viso (R) - HVM Racing
34 - Jaime Camara (R) - Conquest Racing
36 - Enrique Bernoldi (R) - Conquest Racing
02 - Justin Wilson (R) - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
06 - Graham Rahal (R) - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
All cars use Dallara chassis, Honda engines and Firestone tires. Issued: 7/8/08
FIRESTONE INDY 200 RACE-NOTES
- The Firestone Indy 200 will be the eighth IndyCar Series event conducted at Nashville Superspeedway. Past winners Scott Dixon (2006, 2007) and Tony Kanaan (2004) are entered in the event.
- Three drivers entered in the Firestone Indy 200 have won PEAK Motor Oil Pole Awards at Nashville: Scott Dixon (2003, 2007), Buddy Rice (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2006).
- Twelve drivers entered in the Firestone Indy 200 have competed in previous IndyCar Series events at the track. Six of those drivers led laps (Scott Dixon 194, Tony Kanaan 149, Dan Wheldon 135, Vitor Meira 117, Buddy Rice 52 and Danica Patrick 7.
- While Jay Howard, Hideki Mutoh and Jamie Camara are making their first IndyCar Series start at Nashville all three have Firestone Indy Lights experience at the track. Camara and Howard both won at the track. Camara in 2005 and Howard in 2006.
SEASON-TO-DATE
- Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon are the only drivers to finish in the top five in eight of the 10 races this season.
- Helio Castroneves is the only driver running at the finish of every race in 2008.
- Seven drivers have won races in 2008. The IndyCar Series record is nine drivers in 1996/97, 2002, 2003 and 2005.
MILESTONES AND RECORDS
- Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his 108th career IndyCar Series start. It would also be his 106th consecutive start.
- Helio Castroneves can establish an IndyCar Series record for most consecutive seasons with at least one win should he win the Firestone Indy 200. Castroneves is tied with Scott Sharp with victories in seven consecutive seasons.
- Helio Castroneves can extend his IndyCar Series record for consecutive seasons with a pole to seven if he can win the PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award at Nashville.
- Scott Dixon needs to lead 85 more laps to become the fifth driver to lead 2,000 laps in his career. The others to lead at least 2,000 laps are Sam Hornish Jr. (3,428), Helio Castroneves (2,774), Dan Wheldon (2,735) and Tony Kanaan (2,419).
- Scott Dixon has led 633 laps this season. The record for most laps led in a season is 899 by Tony Kanaan in 2004.
- Helio Castroneves has led laps in 64 IndyCar Series races, second only to Sam Hornish Jr., who led laps in 67 races.
- Vitor Meira has gone 86 starts without a victory in the IndyCar Series, the longest drought of any IndyCar Series driver.
INDYCAR SERIES POINTS STANDINGS – POST RACE 10 – TOP TEN
1. Scott Dixon - 370 points
2. Helio Castroneves - 322
3. Dan Wheldon - 311
4. Tony Kanaan - 304
5. Marco Andretti - 241
6. Hideki Mutoh - 238
7. Danica Patrick - 236
8. Ryan Briscoe - 231
9. Ryan Hunter-Reay - 220
10. Oriol Servia - 206
12. Will Power - 194
BOMBARDIER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR POINTS STANDINGS – POST RACE 10
1. Hideki Mutoh - 238 points
2. Will Power - 194
3. E.J. Viso - 190
4. Graham Rahal - 183
5. Justin Wilson - 171
6. Enrique Bernoldi - 160
7. Mario Moraes - 140
8. Jaime Camara - 86
9. Mario Dominguez - 74
10. Jay Howard - 72
INFORMATION FOR NEWS BROADCASTERS
The Indy Racing League will provide Video News Feeds this week featuring material from the IndyCar(r) Series at Nashville Superspeedway.
The weekend feeds will include b-roll of on-track activity and sound from various drivers following PEAK Motor Oil Pole Qualifying, SWE Pole Qualifying, the Firestone Indy Lights Sunbelt Rentals 100 and the Firestone Indy 200.
The AEST dates, times and coordinates are:
Saturday July 12 (PEAK Motor Oil Pole Qualifying and SWE Pole Qualifying):
Time: 11.15am – 11.30am AEST
Coordinates: AMC 16 K22 (Note: AMC 16 was formerly AMC 2)
Downlink Frequency: 12140 MHz Horizontal
Position: 85 Degrees West
Audio: 6.2/6.8
Uplink phone: 615-547-7530 or 615-547-7531
Sunday July 13 (Firestone Indy 200 and Sunbelt Rentals 100):
Time: 1.30pm – 2.00pm AEST
Coordinates: AMC 16 K14 (Note: AMC 16 was formerly AMC 2)
Downlink Frequency: 11980 MHz Horizontal
Position: 85 Degrees West
Audio: 6.2/6.8
Uplink phone: 615-547-7530 or 615-547-7531
Monday July 14 (Re-feed Firestone Indy 200 and Sunbelt Rentals 100):
Time: 6.00am – 6.30am AEST
Coordinates: AMC 16 K22 (Note: AMC 16 was formerly AMC 2)
Downlink Frequency: 12140 MHz Horizontal
Position: 85 Degrees West
Audio: 6.2/6.8
Uplink phone: (404) 638-2000
News 
