IndyCar - Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Edmonton Advance Notes

NOTES/NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Graham Rahal and Charlie Kimball.

Team Manager Mitch Davis on Edmonton: “We’re looking forward to racing on the new street course in Edmonton. Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing and Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing had a strong run going in Toronto and we’re confident we can do that again this weekend. With the track layout being new for all drivers, I know both Graham and Charlie will perform well.”

Charlie Kimball and the No. 83 Novo Nordisk Team

Follow Charlie on Twitter: Follow @racewithinsulin for updates as the driver of the No. 83 Novo Nordisk Honda completes his rookie year with Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

International Livery: The No. 83 will carry its international livery in Edmonton with Novo Nordisk branding only. The standard Levemir and Novolog FlexPen branding will return to the No. 83 when the IZOD IndyCar Series heads to the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 7, 2011.

Edmonton Stats: This will be Kimball’s first career start at Edmonton in the IZOD IndyCar Series, but he has made two previous starts at the City Centre Airport circuit in Firestone Indy Lights. In his two races there, he has tallied two top-fives, never started outside of the top-six, his average starting position is fifth and he has an average finishing position of 4.5. Kimball’s best finish came in 2010 when he took the checkered flag in fourth, after starting from the outside of row two.

Best of the Season: After last weekend’s race on the Streets of Toronto, Kimball has now made 10 IZOD IndyCar Series starts during his rookie campaign. His best qualifying effort of the season came at Texas Motor Speedway for Race One of the Firestone Twin 275s, where he qualified 17th, but his best starting position this year came in Race Two of the “Twins” after he drew eighth-place. Kimball’s best finish this season was a 10th-place run in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.

Kimball’s Mid-Season Thoughts: I think it’s been a really good first half of the season for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing and for me as a rookie, I’ve learned a lot. We’ve had some good results but we expect to have stronger results as we get into the second half of the year. The experience I’ve had so far has set me up well, not just for the rest of this season but for the rest of my career in the IZOD IndyCar Series.”

In the Points: With Kimball’s 21st-place finish at Toronto, he moved to 21st in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings, 224 points behind leader Dario Franchitti. He remains third in the 2011 Rookie of the Year standings behind JR Hildebrand and James Hinchcliffe.

Toronto Recap: The No. 83 Novo Nordisk Honda lined-up 25th for the 85-lap race on the 11-turn, 1.75-mile street course. Kimball showed strength early by driving up to 14th by lap 20. The Novo Nordisk team would claim a spot in the top-15 until the No. 83 was involved in an incident on lap 47, damaging the front wing and forcing Kimball to make an unscheduled pit stop for repairs. He got back out on the circuit in 18th-place and battled to 12th by lap 66. However, the solid run ended abruptly when the No. 83 was collected in an accident on lap 76 causing the drive line to break, resulting in a 21st-place finish.

Kimball on Toronto: “We had an unfortunate finish for what was going to be a really good race for the No. 83 Novo Nordisk car. We had really good pace all day, we were quick. The whole Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing crew did a great job with race strategy and pit stops. I just got pinballed around and got involved with some guys that weren't really driving heads up. It's disappointing, but we'll be able to build on this because we know we have the speed to go to Edmonton and then on to Mid-Ohio."