IndyCar Series Season Opener Next Weekend

Subject: XM Satellite Radio Indy 300/Miami 100 Fast Facts


XM Satellite Radio Indy 300/Miami 100
FAST FACTS

WHAT:
IndyCar(r) Series:	XM Satellite Radio Indy 300, first race in
17-race 2007 season
Indy Pro Series(tm):	Miami 100, first race in 16-race 2006 season

WHERE:	Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1.5-mile variably banked asphalt oval

WHEN:
IndyCar Series:	8 p.m. (EDT), Saturday, March 24
Indy Pro Series:	12:30 p.m. (EDT), Saturday, March 24

DISTANCE:
IndyCar Series:	200 laps/300 miles
Indy Pro Series:	67 laps/100 miles

POSTED AWARDS:
IndyCar Series:	More than $1 million
Indy Pro Series:	More than $275,000

CARS:
IndyCar Series:	Dallara chassis; Honda Indy V-8; Firestone tires; 
100 percent fuel-grade ethanol
Indy Pro Series: Dallara chassis; Firestone tires

PREVIOUS RACE WINNERS:
IndyCar Series:	Dan Wheldon (2005, 2006), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, 2002,
2004), Scott Dixon (2003).
Indy Pro Series: Jeff Simmons (2006), Travis Gregg (2005), Phil Giebler
(2004), Mark Taylor (2003).

2006 SERIES CHAMPIONS:
IndyCar Series:	Sam Hornish Jr.
Indy Pro Series: Jay Howard

TV:
IndyCar Series:	Race: ESPN2 (live), 8 p.m. (EDT), March24
Talent: Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear, (announcers); Jack Arute, Brienne
Pedigo, Vince Welch (pit reporters)
Note: Live streaming video coverage of IndyCar Series Pole Qualifying
(8:30 p.m., (EDT) March 23) is available at www.indycar.com

Indy Pro Series: Race: ESPN2 (tape-delay), 5 p.m. (EST), March 28
Talent: Bob Jenkins, Robbie Buhl (announcers); Mike King (pit reporter)
Note: Live streaming video coverage of the SWE Race Car Parts Pole
Qualifying (7:45 p.m. (EDT)  March 23) and the Miami 100 (12:30 p.m.
(EDT) March 24) is available at www.indycar.com


RADIO:
IndyCar Series:	Pre-race: IMS Radio Network (live), 7:30 p.m. (EDT),
March 24 
Race: IMS Radio Network (live), 8:15 p.m. (EDT), March 24
Talent: Mike King (host); Davey Hamilton (analyst); Dave Wilson (color
commentary); Mark Jaynes (turns); Bob Jenkins and Kevin Lee (pit
reporters); Kevin Olson (special assignments)
Note: Live coverage of IndyCar Series Pole Qualifying (8:30 p.m. EDT,
March 23) and the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 are available at
www.indycar.com and XM Satellite Radio channel 144 "XM Sports Nation."


SCHEDULE (all times local; subject to change):
Friday, March 23
9 a.m.	IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series garages opens
11 - 11:45 a.m.	Indy Pro Series practice (two groups)
Noon- 2 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)
4:45 - 5:30 p.m. Indy Pro Series practice (two groups)
5:40 - 7:40 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)
7:50 p.m. Miami 100 SWE Race Car Parts Pole Qualifying
8:45 p.m. XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 Pole Qualifying

Saturday, March 24
8 a.m.	Indy Pro Series garages opens
9:35 - 10 a.m. Indy Pro Series final practice (two groups) 12:30 p.m.
Miami 100 (67 laps/100 miles), ESPN2 (5 p.m., March 28) 8 p.m. XM
Satellite Radio Indy 300 (200 laps/300 miles), ESPN2 & IMS Radio Network
(live)

THE TRACK:
1.5-mile asphalt oval; 55 feet wide 
Frontstraight: 1,760 feet banked at 4 degrees
Backstretch: 1,760 feet banked at 4 degrees
Turns: 650 feet variably banked at 18, 19 and 20 degrees
* Homestead-Miami Speedway is owned and operated by International
Speedway Corporation. The facility, which opened in 1995, features a
1.5-mile asphalt oval which was re-configured to its current high-banked
1.5-mile layout in 2003.

INDY-STYLE RACING IN SOUTH FLORIDA: 
The 1.25-mile wood oval of Miami-Fulford Speedway opened in 1926. The
track was designed by Ray Harroun, the inaugural winner of the
Indianapolis 500, and was built by Carl Fisher, who also built the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Pete DePaolo, who won the 1925 Indianapolis
500, won the only race at the track, a 300-mile race in 1926. A
hurricane destroyed the track in September 1926. The wood and material
from the track was used to rebuild the town of Miami Beach. Open-wheel
auto racing returned to South Florida in 1996 when the Homestead-Miami
Speedway opened to racing. Built by Miami motorsports promoter Ralph
Sanchez in hopes of aiding the revitalization of Homestead, Fla., the
1.5-mile oval hosted its first open-wheel race in 1996 when Jimmy Vasser
won the inaugural Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami. In 2001, the Indy Racing
League made its debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway as Sam Hornish Jr.
edged Sarah Fisher and Eliseo Salazar to win the inaugural Grand Prix of
Miami, the first IndyCar Series event at the track. Hornish won again in
2002, and Scott Dixon claimed his first victory in his IndyCar Series
debut in 2003. Shortly after Dixon's victory, the track was
re-configured to its current high-banked 1.5-mile layout. 

INDYCAR SERIES NOTES:
*Four Indianapolis 500 champions are expected to participate in the XM
Satellite Radio Indy 300: Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Rice
(2004), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Sam Hornish Jr. (2006).

*Five IndyCar Series champions are scheduled to participate in the XM
Satellite Radio Indy 300: Scott Sharp (1996 co-champion), Sam Hornish
Jr. (2001, 2002, 2006), Scott Dixon (2003), Tony Kanaan (2004) and Dan
Wheldon (2005).

*Drivers entered in the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 as of March 14 have
combined for 72 IndyCar Series victories, 67 pole positions and 1,007
starts.

*The XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 will be the seventh IndyCar Series
event conducted at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Every former Miami winner
is expected to participate including: Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, 2002,
2004), Scott Dixon (2003) and Dan Wheldon (2005, 2006). The winner at
Miami has gone on to win the IndyCar Series championship four times in
the last six seasons.

INDY PRO SERIES NOTES:
* Fifth race, fifth race winner: None of the race winners from the
previous four Indy Pro Series races at Homestead-Miami are entered in
the Miami 100 meaning there will be a fifth winner in five events.

* Camara to take 'Iron man' status: Miami resident Jaime Camara will
make his 27th consecutive Indy Pro Series start when he takes the green
flag for the Miami 100. Camara competed for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in
2005 and for Andretti Green Racing in 2006. He returns in the AGR entry
in 2007. Camara can tie Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s all-time mark for
consecutive starts (31) at Milwaukee on June 2.

* 15 rookies in the field: As of March 14, 15 rookies were entered for
the Miami 100 with two cars yet to list drivers. Sixteen rookies took
the green flag at Michigan and Kentucky in the Indy Pro Series'
inaugural season of 2002.

INDY RACING LEAGUE STORY IDEAS: 
* First Race on 100 Percent Fuel-Grade Ethanol: The IndyCar Series
season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway will mark the first time a
race will be run on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol. The IndyCar Series
is the first in motorsports to embrace a renewable fuel source. Ethanol
is an environmentally-friendly fuel, distilled from high-starch crops
(primarily corn) produced in the United States. During his State of the
Union address in February, President Bush emphasized the need for a
significant increase in ethanol production. Learn about the changes made
to prepare cars for 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol and how the IndyCar
Series is helping promote the message of renewable fuels.

* Back-to-Back Winner: Last year, Dan Wheldon began his career with
Target Chip Ganassi Racing in dramatic fashion, winning the first race
of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his second victory in as many
seasons.  Wheldon continued to impress his new team, scoring two wins,
nine top-five finishes and tying Sam Hornish Jr. in the season-ending
point standings, resulting in a tie-breaker for the championship title.
During February's Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Wheldon posted
the fastest speed both days on the 1.5-mile oval, but also crashed his
primary car. Can Wheldon win at Homestead for the third consecutive time
as well as carry last season's momentum into this year?

* 100 Starts and Counting: The XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 will mark the
100th IndyCar Series start for three-time champion Sam Hornish Jr. In
2000, Hornish joined the IndyCar Series to run a partial season with PDM
Racing. His performances as a rookie caught the eye of Panther Racing,
which went on to hire him for their 2001 IndyCar Series campaign.
Panther's decision was rewarded when Hornish claimed back-to-back
IndyCar Series championships. In 2003, Hornish's lifelong dream came
true when Team Penske invited him to join the team for the following
season. In 2006, Hornish captured his first Indianapolis 500 victory and
record third IndyCar Series championship with Team Penske. Look back at
Hornish's career and find out how this mild-mannered driver from
Defiance, Ohio has developed into one of the country's top open-wheel
racers.

* The Return of Sarah Fisher: After a stint in stock cars and only
running three IndyCar Series races in the past three years, Sarah Fisher
returns this season with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. In 2002, Fisher
became the first woman in North American motorsports to win the pole
position for a major-league open-wheel race, earning the MBNA Pole for
the Belterra Casino Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway.  Find out how Fisher
is preparing for her open-wheel return. 

* Under the Lights: For the first time in its history, the IndyCar
Series will open its season with a night race. The IndyCar Series was
the first Indy car racing series to compete at night, and now it's the
first to open its season under the lights. The event will take place at
8 p.m. ET on March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  Find out from teams
and drivers how the change in timing will affect their preparation and
strategy for a race traditionally run in the afternoon in higher
temperatures.

* Faces in New Places: An off-season game of musical chairs has produced
an interesting lineup of driver-team pairings for the 2007 IndyCar
Series campaign: * After two years of IndyCar Series competition with
Rahal Letterman Racing, Danica Patrick moves to Andretti Green Racing
looking for her first career win. Patrick joins the team's returning
lineup of Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan. 
* 1996 IndyCar Series co-champion Scott Sharp joins Rahal Letterman
Racing for his 12th season of competition. Sharp, the IndyCar Series'
"Ironman," has made 129 starts and scored nine victories, including just
up the road at Walt Disney World Speedway. 
* Panther Racing expands to a two-car effort with the addition of Kosuke
Matsuura, the 2004 Bombardier Rookie of the Year. Matsuura joins Vitor
Meira, who finished fifth in the 2006 championship standings. 
* After naming Larry Foyt to Team Director at the end of last season,
A.J. Foyt Racing has hired Darren Manning to drive the No. 14 car. After
a two-year absence from the IndyCar Series, Manning looks to rebound
under the watch of racing legend A.J. Foyt. 
* Dreyer & Reinbold Racing expands to two cars with Sarah Fisher and
2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice in the seats. Fisher made two
starts in 2006 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, while Rice has spent the
past three seasons competing with Rahal Letterman Racing.

INDY PRO SERIES STORY IDEAS:
* Record-setting season set to begin: The 2007 season will be one of
records for the Indy Pro Series. The season features a series-record 16
races on nine road courses and seven ovals, competitors will vie for a
record amount of prize money - almost $4 million, and a record number of
cars (25) are entered in the Miami 100.

* Home state advantage: Bobby Wilson, who has lived in Ocala the past
several years working as an instructor at Ocala Gran Prix karting
center, will compete in the first three races of 2007 in his home state.
Following the Miami 100, the Indy Pro Series heads to St. Petersburg for
a doubleheader race weekend March 31 and April 1. Wilson won last year
at Watkins Glen and has moved into the Brian Stewart Racing car that has
won the past two entrant championships.

* Five of top eight drivers return: Five of the top eight drivers from
last year's championship return in 2007, including Wade Cunningham, the
2005 series champion who missed repeating the feat by only 11 points,
and Bobby Wilson, who finished fourth just 47 points out of first. Also
returning are Jaime Camara (6th), Alex Lloyd (7th) and Chris Festa
(8th).

* IndyCar Series influence: Four of the top IndyCar Series teams will
field cars in the Indy Pro Series this season, including two for the
first time. Andretti Green Racing returns for its third season in the
series while Panther Racing returns for the first time since its
championship-winning campaign in 2003. Target Chip Ganassi Racing and
Rahal Letterman Racing enter the Indy Pro Series for the first time.

* Don't blink: Blink and you could miss the winner of the Miami 100.
Last year's race was decided by 0.0199 of a second when Jeff Simmons
edged Nick Bussell at the start/finish line by a matter of feet. Two
years ago, the margin of victory was 0.0713.

* More Florida ties: Several drivers and teams boast ties to Florida.
Jaime Camara, driver of the No. 11 car, lives in Miami while Shane
Lewis, driver of the No. 8 car, resides in Jupiter. Team KMA, a new
entry to the Indy Pro Series, is based in Cape Coral.

* Graduation day: Last year's Miami 100 proved to be a graduation day of
sorts for race winner Jeff Simmons. The victory was his fifth in eight
starts and catapulted him into a full-time ride in the IndyCar Series
with Rahal Letterman Racing. Simmons, Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter and
A.J. Foyt IV are full-time IndyCar Series drivers who graduated from the
Indy Pro Series. Marty Roth, entered for the season-opening IndyCar
Series race, also is an Indy Pro Series graduate. 

MILESTONES:
* Sam Hornish Jr. or Helio Castroneves can tie Scott Sharp's IndyCar
Series record for most consectutive seasons with at least one win should
either win the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300. Sharp claimed at least one
win from 1997-2003. * Sam Hornish Jr. will attempt to make his 100th
start at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He will become the second driver to
reach the milestone, joining Scott Sharp. * Dan Wheldon can become the
13th driver to win back-to-back IndyCar Series races should he win at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. The last driver to win back-to-back events was
Sam Hornish Jr., who won at Richmond and Kansas in 2006. * Dan Wheldon
can tie Sam Hornish Jr. as Homestead-Miami Speedway's winningest driver
should he win the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300. Hornish has won at the
track three times * Dan Wheldon could become the first IndyCar Series
driver to win three consecutive events at one track should he win at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. * Scott Sharp needs one win to earn his 10th
IndyCar Series victory and Sharp will attempt to extend his series
record for consecutive starts to 122 straight races. * Vitor Meira has
gone 59 starts without a victory in the IndyCar Series, the longest
drought of any IndyCar Series driver. 
* A win by a driver from either Andretti Green Racing or Team Penske
will break the tie the two team's have as the IndyCar Series' winningest
team.
***
The 2007 IndyCar Series season begins under the lights with the XM
Satellite Radio Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 24. The
race will be telecast live by ESPN2 at 8 p.m. (EDT) and broadcast by the
IMS Radio Network. A Spanish-language telecast of the race will be
carried by ESPN Deportes. The IMS Radio Network broadcast also is
carried on XM Satellite Radio and www.indycar.com. The sixth season of
Indy Pro Series competition begins with the Miami 100 on March 24 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be telecast at 5 p.m. (EDT) on
March 28 by ESPN2. ESPN2 also will preview the upcoming season of the
IndyCar Series with a one-hour special that will air at 7 p.m. (EDT)
March 16.

World Wide Web: http://www.indycar.com