ArcaEx/Franchitti Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Fact Sheet
If the following text-only file is not easily readable, particularly any tables of numbers, try enlarging this window since every line has a forced end and there is no word-wrap. Otherwise, this report will look and print better from the following PDF file: http://www.sportssystems.com/applib/PDFload.cfm?file=/email/filehost/MT299.pdf&id=BC299MT9EC574 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For Immediate Release April 9, 2004 Indianapolis, Ind. ArcaEx Driver Dario Franchitti 2004 Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Fact Sheet Who: #27 ArcaEx Dallara/Honda/Firestone driver Dario Franchitti What: Bridgestone Indy Japan 300, Round 3 of the Indy Racing LeagueŽ IndyCarŽ Series Where: Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan When: Saturday, April 17, 2004 Television: ESPN2 (Live), Friday, April 16 at 11:30 p.m. (EDT) Dario Franchitti on the Bridgestone Indy Japan 300: "Motegi is a great track. In the past, it has always produced very close racing. I think it does that by having two very different ends, by being an egg-shaped track. I like that style of track. It adds to the challenge of the whole thing. It just seems to take a lot of luck to win there. Tony (Kanaan) was in a position to win last year and I've been in a position to win there before, but some strange things have happened or broken there. Hopefully, luck will be on our side this time around. "I'm just very eager and enthusiastic about getting another shot at a good finish in Japan in the ArcaEx car. We've been quick in both races this year, but just have gotten he results we wanted. I know we can do that job and will do the job. I'm just ready to get out there and start winning." Dario Franchitti Facts Twin Ring Motegi marks Franchitti's seventh career IndyCar Series start, first series start at Twin Ring and sixth overall open-wheel start there In five previous open-wheel starts at Motegi, Franchitti recorded two podium finishes (2000 and 2002) Franchitti is looking to rebound from his second consecutive 17th place finish after an accident ended his Phoenix race on lap 180 At Phoenix, Franchitti spent all 180 laps he completed in the top 10, including 109 laps in the top-five Franchitti has 10 major open-wheel racing victories and 11 career pole positions Dario Franchitti -- IndyCar Series Statistics Top Top Laps Starts Wins 5 10 Poles Led Pts (Rk) Earnings 2004 2 0 0 0 0 0 26 (19th) $71,300 Career 6 0 1 2 0 0 - $361,965 -more- ArcaEx, 2004 Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Fact Sheet Continued Andretti Green Racing Team Facts Andretti Green Racing has three wins and four poles in the IndyCar Series Andretti Green won both the pole (Dan Wheldon, March 20) and race (Tony Kanaan, March 21) at Phoenix Andretti Green has had at least one car in the top-five in eight consecutive IndyCar Series events dating back to Aug. 10, 2003, which stands as the longest active streak in the series AGR entries have combined for 25 top-five finishes in 18 career IndyCar Series races AGR has placed two cars in the top-five of an event eight times AGR has fielded at least three cars in each IndyCar Series event it has entered Kyle Moyer, General Manager, Andretti Green Racing: "We just need to finish the job at Motegi. We've had cars capable of winning in both races this year, but just haven't gotten to the end. The good thing about Motegi is that it's probably one of the best ovals for Dario. Our hopes are pretty high for him this time around. He's had the best team finishes and the best finishes for Honda over there a couple times before, so if we can just improve his best finish by one spot we'll be where we want to be." -AGR- Contact: Al Larsen, (317) 872-2700 ext 239, alan.larsen@andrettigreenracing.com Carol Wilkins, (317) 872-2700 ext 241, cwilkins@andrettigreenracing.com