INDYCAR SERIES NOTES - November 17, 2008

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1. Kanaan claims eighth Granja Viana title: Tony Kanaan teamed with Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Giaffone, Renato Russian and Luciano Burti Nov. 15 to win the Granja Viana 500 - a 500-mile kart race in Sao Paulo, Brazil - for the eighth time in its 12 years.

The event, held at the Giaffone family's venue, featured 65 karts. IndyCar Series drivers Vitor Meira, Mario Moraes and Raphael Matos also competed. A second Kanaan kart included co-drivers Cristiano da Matta and Antonio Pizzonia.

"Each time I win, I feel a different emotion," said Kanaan, who finished third in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship with Andretti Green Racing. "The team was very dedicated during the race, and in the end this helped us to win the trophy. This is my eighth victory, and I have a great history with this race that I can tell my son about.

"It was a really tough race, physically, in the beginning, when I was driving for three straight hours in the sun. I am really old now, but I was able to get through it."

Kanaan, whose No. 72 kart started from the pole, also will be competing in the International Challenge Of Go-Kart Champs on Nov. 30 in Florianopolis, Brazil - a charity race organized by Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa.

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2. Team Moore Racing signs Prendeville: Team Moore Racing has signed Firestone Indy Lights veteran Andrew Prendeville to drive the team’s Xtreme Coil Drilling entry in the series in 2009.

“We are excited to have Andrew join our team,” TMR co-owner Tom Wood said. “He has great skills as a driver, and with our top flight racing team, we think that will be a winning combination in ’09. Watching him race last year – Andrew is a winner.”

Prendeville will be entering his third season of Firestone Indy Lights competition. The 27 year-old recorded 14 top-10 finishes in 28 starts the past two seasons with RLR/Andersen Racing.

"I am really looking forward to the 2009 season with Mark Moore and the whole team,” said Prendeville, a native of Chatham, N.J. “After testing with the team, I think that we can work very well together and fight for podium finishes. We still have lots of time before the season starts, so my focus will be on testing, and building a solid chemistry with everyone on the team."

“The team and I are really looking forward to 2009 with Andrew in our car,” TMR co-owner Mark Moore said. “He is a very talented driver, and I really feel we have shot at the championship with someone of Andrew’s caliber behind the wheel.”

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The 2009 IndyCar Series season opens April 5 with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. The race will be telecast live at 2 p.m. (EDT) by VERSUS. The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights season begins with a doubleheader race weekend April 4-5 at St. Petersburg.