INDYCAR (NASHVILLE) - FAST FACTS

FAST FACTS

WHAT: IndyCar® Series: Firestone Indy 200, 11th race in 17-race 2007 season Indy Pro Series™: Sunbelt Rentals 100, 11th race in 16-race 2007 season

WHERE: Nashville Superspeedway, 1.33-mile concrete oval

WHEN: IndyCar Series: 7:30 p.m. (ET), Saturday, July 14 Indy Pro Series: 4:30 p.m. (ET), Saturday, July 14

DISTANCE: IndyCar Series: 200 laps/266 miles Indy Pro Series: 77 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: Scott Dixon (2006), Dario Franchitti (2005), Tony Kanaan (2004), Gil de Ferran (2003), Alex Barron (2002), Buddy Lazier (2001). Indy Pro Series: Jay Howard (2006), Jaime Camara (2005), Thiago Medeiros (2004), Mark Taylor (2003), Cory Witherill (2002).

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

TV: IndyCar Series: Race: ESPN (live), 7:30 p.m. (ET), July 14 Talent: Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear, (announcers); Jack Arute, Brienne Pedigo, Vince Welch (pit reporters) Note: Live streaming video coverage of AAMCO Transmissions Pole Qualifying (5:15 p.m., (ET) July 13) is available at www.indycar.com

Indy Pro Series: Race: ESPN2 (tape-delay), 5 p.m. (ET), July 18 Talent: Bob Jenkins, Robbie Buhl (announcers); Mike King (pit reporter) Note: Live streaming video coverage of the Sunbelt Rentals 100 (4:30 p.m., (ET) July 14) is available at www.indycar.com and www.espn360.com.

RADIO: IndyCar Series: Qualifying: IMS Radio Network, live web-cast, 6 p.m. (ET) July 13 Pre-race: IMS Radio Network (live), 7 p.m. (ET), July 14 Race: IMS Radio Network (live), 7:30 p.m. (ET), July 14 Talent: Mike King (host); Davey Hamilton (analyst); Dave Wilson (color commentary); Mark Jaynes, Jerry Baker (turns); Bob Jenkins and Kevin Lee (pit reporters); Kevin Olson (special assignments) Live coverage of AAMCO Transmissions Pole Qualifying (5:15 p.m., (ET) July 1) and the race also will be available at www.indycar.com. The race broadcast is also available on XM Satellite Radio channel 144 “XM Sports Nation” and XM channel 145 “IndyCar Racing”

SCHEDULE (all times local; subject to change): Friday, July 13 8 a.m. IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series garages open 9:15-9:45 a.m. Indy Pro Series practice 10 a.m. – Noon IndyCar Series practice (two groups) 12:15 -1 p.m. Indy Pro Series practice 1:30 -3:30 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups) 4 p.m. Indy Pro Series SWE Race Car Parts Pole Qualifying 5:15 p.m. IndyCar Series AAMCO Transmissions Pole Qualifying 6:45-7:15 p.m. Final Indy Pro Series practice 7 p.m. Autograph session

Saturday, July 14 11 a.m. IndyCar Series garage opens 3:30 p.m. Sunbelt Rentals 100 (77 laps/100 miles) (ESPN2, 5 p.m. EDT, July 18; taped) 6:30 p.m. Firestone Indy 200 (200 laps/266 miles) ESPN & IMS Radio Network (live)

THE TRACK: 1.33-mile concrete oval Frontstretch: 2,494 feet banked at 9 degrees Backstretch: 2,203 feet banked at 6 degrees Turns: 1,220 feet banked at 14 degrees Width: 55 feet (minimum) •Ground was broken on Nashville Superspeedway in August 1999, and the facility includes 3,000 acres of which 1,200 have been developed. The track, owned by Dover Motorsports, Inc., is one of three concrete ovals in the United States, the others being Dover International Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. The facility has 50,000 seats (25,000 permanent, 25,000 temporary) and 24 luxury suites. Ken Schrader won an ARCA event on April 13, 2001, the first race at the new facility.

INDY-STYLE RACING IN NASHVILLE: Middle Tennessee has hosted top-level auto racing since 1958, but open-wheel racing only has taken place there since July 2001. NASCAR stock car races were held at Nashville Speedway USA from 1958-1984. The track’s weekly racing series helped launch the careers of Darrell Waltrip, Sterling Marlin and Bobby Hamilton. In 2001, racing moved 30 miles east of Nashville to Nashville Superspeedway, which played host to its first IndyCar Series event that July. Since then, five drivers have claimed the hand-painted Gibson guitar given to the race winner. The 1.33-mile tri-oval is the only concrete track on the IndyCar Series schedule. The pavement, which consists of 7,500 cubic yards of concrete, was placed full-width for the entire length of the track by a concrete paving machine that was specially constructed for the project.

INDYCAR SERIES NOTES: • Five Indianapolis 500 champions are expected to participate in the Firestone Indy 200: Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Rice (2004), Dan Wheldon (2005), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006) and Dario Franchitti (2007).

• Five IndyCar Series champions are scheduled to participate in the Firestone Indy 200: 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 Firestone Indy 200 have combined for 82 IndyCar Series victories, 78 IndyCar Series pole positions and 1,208 IndyCar Series starts.

•The Firestone Indy 200 is the only event in the series that takes place on a track with a concrete surface and the only track with a 1.33-mile distance. The event is the fourth of five night races in the 2007 season. Other events in 2007 that have taken place at night include the March 24 event at Homestead-Miami Speedway won by Dan Wheldon, the June 9 event at Texas Motor Speedway won by Sam Hornish Jr. and the June 30 event at Richmond International Raceway won by Dario Franchitti.

• In 10 races thus far in 2007, there have been six winners. Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan and Dan Wheldon are the only multiple winners. Franchitti won at Indianapolis, Iowa and Richmond. Wheldon won at Homestead-Miami and Kansas and Kanaan won at Twin Ring Motegi and Milwaukee. Other winners in 2007: Helio Castroneves at St. Petersburg, Sam Hornish Jr. at Texas and Scott Dixon at Watkins Glen. In those 10 races, 14 drivers have finished in the top five in at least one event.

INDY PRO SERIES NOTES: • Camara holds ‘Iron man’ title: Jaime Camara established the Indy Pro Series’ all-time mark for consecutive starts at the Liberty Challenge at Indianapolis on June 16 with his 32nd consecutive start. He extended the streak to 36 at Watkins Glen on July 8. Camara competed for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2005 and for Andretti Green Racing in 2006. He returns in the AGR entry in 2007.

• Cunningham can extend record: Wade Cunningham has started in the top 10 in the past 19 consecutive races, which is the Indy Pro Series record.

INDYCAR SERIES STORY IDEAS:

• IndyCar Series drivers face concrete challenge: The IndyCar Series makes its seventh visit to the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway, the only concrete facility on the schedule. The concrete surface puts a premium on handling as track conditions change throughout the race, which begins at twilight and ends under the lights. Last season, Scott Dixon claimed the hand-painted guitar that serves as the winner’s trophy at Nashville.

• Franchitti in front: Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti leads the IndyCar Series point standings for the first time in his career, but with defending Nashville winner Scott Dixon within 47 points of his lead, he knows the championship is far from over. Franchitti’s Andretti Green Racing teammate Tony Kanaan trails by 75 points, while Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dan Wheldon is 81 points back, respectively. Team Penske’s Sam Hornish Jr. (97 points back) remains in the mix.

• Resurgent Rice: After two tough seasons with Rahal Letterman Racing, Buddy Rice has made the most of his fresh start with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The pairing has quickly gelled, with the 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion giving the team its best season in recent years. Consecutive top-10 finishes at Texas, Iowa, Richmond and Watkins Glen have moved Rice to 11th in the standings, a first for the Dreyer & Reinbold team since 2000.

• Local links: IndyCar Series driver Dario Franchitti is a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, but the driver of Andretti Green Racing’s No. 27 Canadian Club Dallara/Honda/Firestone calls the Nashville-area home. In addition, Nashville-based Firestone provides all of the tires for every Indy Racing League team. The company operates a distribution center near Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., which handles 90,000 tires per day and services customers in the company’s mid-South region, shipping tires to every state east of the Mississippi River. Firestone also serves as title sponsor of the Firestone Indy 200.

• Ethanol Power: The 2007 IndyCar Series season marks the first year where the full field is fueled by ethanol. All IndyCar Series competitors employ the 3.5-liter Honda Indy V-8 engine fueled by 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) grown in the United States.

INDY PRO SERIES STORY IDEAS: • Lloyd re-writing record book: Alex Lloyd is re-writing the Indy Pro Series record book by starting the season with seven wins in the first 10 races. Below is a look at some of his milestones: • 9 career victories: Lloyd became the winningest driver in Indy Pro Series history with his victory at Iowa Speedway on June 23. Lloyd has won nine times in 19 starts. He won two of nine last year with AFS Racing and is seven for 10 this season with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Thiago Medeiros, Jeff Simmons and Mark Taylor each won seven Indy Pro Series races. Dominant streaks Lloyd: Won 9 of 19 starts, including 7 of 10 to start the 2007 season. Medeiros: Won 4 consecutive races in 2004 and 5 of 6 from the final race of 2003 through the first five races of 2004. Simmons: Won 5 of 8 races from Milwaukee 2005 through Homestead 2006. Taylor: Won 7 of 11 careers starts in 2003.

• 7 victories in a season: Lloyd tied Mark Taylor for the most victories, 7, in a season with a victory in Race 2 at Watkins Glen. Lloyd also set the Indy Pro Series record for most consecutive top-five finishes. He enters the weekend 13 consecutive top-five finishes.

• 5 consecutive victories: Lloyd is the first Indy Racing League driver to record five consecutive victories, which he did to start the season. Thiago Medeiros held the mark with four straight wins in the Indy Pro Series in 2004. Dan Wheldon and Kenny Brack share the IndyCar Series record with three consecutive wins. Notable all-time winning streaks include: 10 – Richard Petty (1967), NASCAR Nextel Cup 9 – Alberto Ascari (1952-53), World Driving Championship (now F1) 8 – Patrick Carpentier (1996), Atlantics 7 – A.J. Foyt (1964), Indy car 5 – Greg Moore (1995), Indy Lights

• Indy history: Lloyd is the first driver in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to win on both the oval and the road course. Lloyd’s first Indy Pro Series victory came last July at the Liberty Challenge when he passed Graham Rahal with two laps to go. Earlier this season (May 25), Lloyd led all 40 laps of the Freedom 100 to win on the oval.

• Can Sam Schmidt Motorsports continue domination at Nashville? Sam Schmidt Motorsports drivers have won the last three races at Nashville with Thiago Medeiros (2004), Jaime Camara (2005) and Jay Howard (2006) hoisting the Gibson guitar after the race. Schmidt has three cars entered in the 22-car field this weekend, including points leader Alex Lloyd. Rookies Logan Gomez and Ryan Justice also drive for Sam Schmidt.

• Cunningham rides hot streak: 2005 Indy Pro Series champion Wade Cunningham comes to Nashville on a hot streak. He’s won the last two pole positions (Iowa and Watkins Glen) and earned a victory in Race 1 at Watkins Glen. He finished second at Iowa and Race 2 at Watkins Glen. He’s enjoyed previous success at Nashville, winning the pole and leading 48 laps last year before finishing fifth. He finished fourth at Nashville in 2005.

• It’s all downhill from here: The Indy Pro Series is into the second half of the 2007 season. The final six races include three races on road courses and three races on ovals. After watching Alex Lloyd dominate the first half of the season, who will step up to challenge him in the second half?

• Familiar location: Along with Kentucky Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway is one of only three tracks to have played host to the Indy Pro Series every season since its inception in 2002.

• Local links: Indy Pro Series rookie Brad Jaeger graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in mechanical engineering in May Jaeger drives the No. 3 Brian Stewart Racing entry.

• Alternating schedule: For the remainder of the 2007 season, Indy Pro Series teams and drivers will alternate racing on ovals and road courses. The stretch began at Milwaukee on June 2 and continues through the end of the season. On June 16-17, the Indy Pro Series competed on the 13-turn, 2.605-mile road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The schedule continued with Iowa (oval), Watkins Glen (road course), Nashville (oval), Mid-Ohio (rc), Kentucky (oval), Infineon (rc) and Chicagoland (oval).

• IndyCar Series influence: Four of the top IndyCar Series teams are fielding 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.

MILESTONES: • Scott Dixon won his seventh IndyCar Series race at Watkins Glen International, tying Dario Franchitti for seventh on the IndyCar Series all-time victory list. • Scott Dixon’s win at Watkins Glen International was Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s 13th IndyCar Series victory. • Scott Dixon is the second IndyCar Series driver to win three-straight races at one track. Dan Wheldon won his third-straight race at Homestead-Miami Speedway earlier this year. • Scott Dixon has been running at the finish of every IndyCar Series race since Watkins Glen in September 2005, a span of 26 races, an IndyCar Series record. • Dan Wheldon has led 574 of 1,879 laps this season or 29.1 percent of all laps. Tony Kanaan holds the IndyCar Series record for most-laps led with 889 during the 2004 season. • Helio Castroneves can tie Billy Boat’s 1998 record for most poles in a season should he earn the pole at Nashville Superspeedway. • Helio Castroneves has qualified in the top-10 in 26 consecutive races, an IndyCar Series record. • Tony Kanaan finished in the top five for the 50th time in his IndyCar Series career. • Scott Sharp needs one win to earn his 10th IndyCar Series victory. • Scott Sharp can extend his series record for consecutive starts to 132 straight races at Nashville Superspeedway. • Scott Sharp needs to earn $40,888 to surpass $10,000,000 in career earnings. • Vitor Meira has gone 69 starts without a victory in the IndyCar Series, the longest drought of any IndyCar Series driver. *** The 2007 IndyCar Series season continues with the Firestone Indy 200 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on July 14 at Nashville Superspeedway. The race will be televised live by ESPN and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. The next Indy Pro Series event is the Sunbelt Rentals 100 on July 14 at Nashville Superspeedwat. The race will be televised by ESPN2 at 5 p.m. on July 18. ESPN2’s coverage of the Corning Twin 100s will be broadcast at 5:30 p.m. on July 12.