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IndyCar - Title Contenders Get In Track Time At Fontana


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Fontana, Sep. 7, 2012: Eight drivers, including IZOD IndyCar Series championship contenders Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power, tested the new chassis-engine package Sept. 6 on the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval in advance of the MAVTV 500 INDYCAR World Championships at Auto Club Speedway.

Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, takes a 17-point advantage over Hunter-Reay into the 250-lap season finale (7:30 p.m. ET Sept. 15 on NBC Sports Network). Both will return - along with 20 others - to put in another day on the racetrack Sept. 12.

"This track will be great to race on; it is so wide and we'll have room to drive," Power said. "We all have a long way to go, but I think I have already run three completely different set-ups and we still have lots to learn before we come back and test next week and then qualify and race.

"During a 500-mile race anything can happen and it will be very exciting for sure. We want the championship and will work with a 100 percent focus to get it. Now till the checkered flag falls, no slowing down."

The race weekend schedule includes a 90-minute practice session (1:45 p.m. ET start Sept. 14) that precedes qualifications. A 45-minute practice follows at 8:45 p.m. (ET).