IRL IndyCarsR Roar Around Ghirardelli Square

IRL IndyCars(r) Roar Around Ghirardelli Square

in advance of Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix

 

            SAN FRANCISCO  - The sound of the cars of
the Indianapolis 500 reverberated off buildings around Ghirardelli
Square this morning as rookie sensation Danica Patrick and 2004 Indy
winner Buddy Rice took three laps around the San Francisco landmark in
the machines that will take part in Sunday's historic Argent Mortgage
Indy Grand Prix at Infineon Raceway.

 

            Crowds lined the streets to get a glimpse of the drivers and
cars of Rahal Letterman Racing prior to a press conference, autograph
session and Danica Patrick look-a-like contest. Rice said they took the
laps at a slower pace than they'll be on Sunday.

 

            "We were using both of our (primary) racecars so we weren't
going to beat them up for the weekend," he said.

 

            Sunday's race will be the first for the IndyCars at Infineon
Raceway since 1970, and the first on a permanent road course in the
10-year history of the IRL.

 

            "It's going to be exciting," Patrick said. "It's one thing
driving around in a circle with a lot of power and another when you have
to do more things with your foot."

 

            Scott Sharp, the 1996 IRL co-champion and winner of the
league's race two weeks ago in Kentucky, and Chris Festa, a driver in
the supporting Sonoma 100 Menards Infiniti Pro Series(tm), also attended
the conference.

 

            Sharp has raced at Infineon before in other types of
machines, including the Trans-Am Series.

 

            "Infineon's a great circuit and I wish it correlated with
Trans Am, but it doesn't," Sharp said. "The elevation changes,
off-camber turns....uphill, downhill.....it presents a lot of challenges
and it's a track you never get a 'break' on, mentally or physically."

 

            Fans started lining up for the afternoon autograph session
as early as six hours before Patrick, Rice, Sharp and Festa were
scheduled to be on hand.

 

            Maria Day arrived more than two hours before Patrick and
Rice staged the exhibition, and got her picture taken beside Patrick's
car.

 

            "I came up on the train from San Jose," she said. "I thought
it'd be go-karts or something but they said it's the real thing. I can't
believe I'm part of a little slice of history. I haven't been to a race
yet but I'm going even if we have to leave in the wee hours."

 

Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix

WHAT: Big O Tires Racing Season Presents: Argent Mortgage Indy Grand
Prix

WHEN: August 26-28

CIRCUIT: 12-turn, 2.26-mile road course

IN ADDITION: The weekend will also feature the Menards Infiniti Pro
Series(tm), as well as the Moly Shield Oil Historic Grand Prix

NOTABLE: This will be the first-ever permanent road-course race in the
10-year history of the IRL

TICKETS: 800-870-RACE, www.infineonraceway.com
<http://www.infineonraceway.com/> , www.ticketmaster.com
<http://www.ticketmaster.com/>