Viso, Moraes and Sato Prepared For Great Wheel-to-Wheel Runs

NEWTON, June 17, 2010: The tight Iowa Speedway oval, site of this Sunday’s Iowa Corn Indy 250, will make for some of the most exciting open-wheel racing in the 17-race IZOD IndyCar Series this year.

For KV Racing Technology drivers E.J. Viso, Mario Moraes and rookie Takuma Sato, the Iowa 7/8-mile banked oval is different than any track they will compete on during the season. The “Bull Ring” layout is tough for the drivers and their engineering staff. The teams use three different compounds of Firestone tires and various road racing wing packages on the Honda-powered cars.

At least Viso and Moraes, with two Iowa races under their belts, have an idea of what they are to expect when the 25-driver field flies into turn one on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. EDT.

But the F-1 veteran Sato, entering only his fourth oval track race this weekend, will be in for a new experience when the green flag drops. The Japanese star is a road racing specialist who has been in a sharp learning curve on the oval tracks.

The popular 33-year-old driver of the No. 5 Lotus—KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry has put in impressive oval runs at Kansas and Indianapolis, running as high as sixth in both events. A part failure halted Sato’s Texas race, but the help of veteran racer Roger Yasukawa has continued Sato’s progress in his oval racing education. Now the Iowa track brings a new challenge this weekend for Sato.

Viso, driving the No. 8 PDVSA—KVRT Honda/Dallara/Firestone car, comes off a strong showing at the Texas oval a week ago when the Venezuela competitor battled in the Top Five with Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Viso also went from 16th to fifth at Kansas in the first 60 laps before a lapped driver forced him into the turn one wall.

Viso’s hard-charging style has made him a crowd favorite and the Iowa crowd will keep their eye on the No. 8 machine this weekend.

Moraes, the youngest series regular at age 21, has been an oval contender in the No. 32 KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine. The Brazilian has worked well with veteran engineer Iain Watt to give the team a strong combination including a seventh place at Kansas.

DRIVERS QUOTES:

TAKUMA SATO, #5 LOTUS - KVRT HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE: "I was a little disappointed when the Watkins Glen test (June 9) was cancelled due to the bad weather because I was so looking forward to go around the beautiful circuit and particularly turning right again! Nevertheless, I am up for the next Iowa race after a little break. It will be another new type of oval and experience for me. It requires a high downforce package from the road course and it's the shortest oval track in the series. The race should be a very exciting one like the previous high-banked Texas. So I am looking forward to going there."

E.J. VISO, #8 PDVSA - KVRT HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE: “The Iowa Speedway is a fun track to drive. The racing is always tight on the small oval, but very entertaining for the fans. The track surface is a little bumpy and, with full tanks, it is difficult to handle the car sometimes. We run the road racing wings for this oval, so that helps the downforce of the car. Our PDVSA-KV Racing team has been very good on the ovals at Kansas and Texas. I think we’ll have a good car for the Iowa oval. This race is the last of four ovals in a row, so we want to finish off the oval stint with a strong effort before moving to the road courses.”

MARIO MORAES, #32 KV Racing Technology HONDA/DALLARA/FIRESTONE: “I feel great to be back at the Iowa Speedway. Last year we had a great car, but the race didn't finish the way we wanted. So this year, working with my engineer Iain (Watt), I think we are going to be better. I know that we are working hard to have a quick car from the first practice throughout the weekend.”