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INDYCAR SERIES NEWS AND NOTES (May 3)


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1. History on Wheldon’s side for 500

2. Fisher experiences ups and downs at Texas

3. IndyCar.com offers live streaming from Indy 500

1. History on Wheldon’s side for 500: Dan Wheldon is currently the hottest driver in the IndyCar® Series, and if past records are any indication, the Indianapolis 500 may not be the struggle it’s been for other points leaders. The series points leader has finished in the top 10 at Indianapolis only three times in the previous 11 IndyCar Series races at the Brickyard. But while the average finishing position for the points leader is 16th, Wheldon, who enters Indianapolis as the points leader for the third time in four years, has finished in the top five in the last three 500s. He recorded a third in 2004 and a win in 2005 when he entered as the race as the series’ point leader. Wheldon can also take some solace should he fail to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The IndyCar Series points leader entering Indianapolis has gone on to win the IndyCar Series championship five times in 11 seasons. Here is a listing of the previous points leaders and their finish at the Indianapolis 500:

Year Points Leader Indy 500 Finish 1996 Buzz Calkins 17th 1997 Mike Groff 12th 1998 Tony Stewart 33rd 1999 Scott Goodyear 27th 2000 Buddy Lazier 2nd 2001 Sam Hornish Jr. 14th 2002 Sam Hornish Jr. 25th 2003 Scott Sharp 20th 2004 Dan Wheldon 3rd 2005 Dan Wheldon 1st 2006 Helio Castroneves 25th 2007 Dan Wheldon ??

2. Fisher experiences ups and downs at Texas: IndyCar Series driver Sarah Fisher is accustomed to routinely pulling heavy G-force loads during races. She was subjected to 4 Gs on May 2 on the Titan roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas. As part of her appearance with Texas Motor Speedway to promote the Bombardier Learjet 550k on June 9, Fisher rode and rode and rode the coaster with media members. “That was crazy,” said Fisher, 26, who drives for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. “That was one of the best roller coasters I’ve ever been on for sure. You can definitely feel the G-forces at work on your body. The turns on the Titan are just incredible and I really like how it cornered. “The biggest problem was that I wasn’t driving the roller coaster. I’m a control freak even when my fiancé Andy is driving the street car. I think the Titan definitely gave everyone else today a pretty good idea of the Gs we can experience driving an Indy car. Cornering and having the Gs put on your body is very similar especially at Texas because at Texas Motor Speedway we pull a lot of Gs in the banking and trying to keep yourself all squared up is impossible.” The Titan is the tallest steel roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas and reaches a top speed of 85 miles per hour. Indy cars will speed around Texas Motor Speedway for the Bombardier Learjet 550k in excess of 220 mph. The first descent on the Titan is 65 degrees while Texas Motor Speedway is banked 24 degrees in the turns. While the speeds and banking/descents are strikingly different, the G-force load at times is very similar. Indy car competitors experience sustained forces of 4.5 Gs during the length of the 228-lap Bombardier Learjet 550k while riders on the Titan experienced similar G-forces for short periods during the three-minute ride. The 26-year-old Ohio native will be looking to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing on Saturday, May 12. She will be one of three females looking to make the field, joining Danica Patrick and Milka Duno in the quest. “It’s really neat to be part of the three women starting this year,” Fisher said. “It just shows progress in our sport that we’re following in the trend of the business world where there are a lot of women that are CEOs and a lot of women leaders. It is nice to have the IndyCar Series be the first to really have more than just one phenomenon. It’s all of us competing together.”

3. IndyCar.com offers live streaming from Indy 500: More than 160 hours of on- and off-track activity from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be broadcast on www.indycar.com via live streaming video during the Month of May. The first free IndyCast show begins at 9:30 a.m. (ET) May 6 with ceremonies on A.J. Foyt Opening Day presented by the Indianapolis Star and continues through 5:30 p.m. after the close of the first day of the Rookie Orientation Program. The streaming video module is integrated with Timing & Scoring applications, and interactive features that include chats in four languages, polls and daily calendars. In addition to on-track action, news conferences, interviews and assorted features will be shown throughout each day. Practice and qualifying May 24 for the Indy Pro Series Freedom 100 will be shown live, along with all the activity on Miller Lite Carb Day May 25 (final IndyCar Series practice, Freedom 100, pit stop competition, concerts). Log on to indycar.com for a daily schedule. *** The 2007 IndyCar Series season continues with the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 at 1 p.m. (ET) on May 27. The race will be telecast live by ABC and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. The IMS Radio Network broadcast also is carried on XM Satellite Radio and www.indycar.com. The sixth season of Indy Pro Series competition continues with the Freedom 100 on May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast as part of ESPN2’s coverage of Carb Day at 4 p.m. on May 25.