INDYCAR (NASHVILLE) - TARGET TEAM LOOKING TO DEFEND NASHVILLE WIN

THIS WEEKEND’S INDYCAR ACTION: Target Team drivers Scott Dixon (No.9 Target Honda-powered Dallara) and Dan Wheldon (No.10 Target Honda-powered Dallara) have a concrete challenge on their hands this weekend as they hope to defend the Target team’s 1-2 finish last year at Nashville Superspeedway. The Firestone Indy 200 will take place Saturday evening and is the 11th race in 17-race 2007 season.

INDY PRO SERIES: Chris Festa and the no.9 CareCentric Target Indy Pro Series team will also compete in at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend. Festa had a pole position and a second place finish in the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway but is still looking for an elusive win.

VENUE: The 1.33-mile tri-oval at Nashville Superspeedway opened in 2001and is the only track on the schedule to have a concrete surface, putting more emphasis on handling and tire wear.

TV RACE BROADCAST AIR DATE: 7:30 pm (ET) Live on ESPN, Saturday evening, July 14, 2007

CATCH IT LIVE ON THE WEB: The Indycar.com website features LIVE video streaming in addition to LIVE timing & scoring, audio from the IMS Radio Network, a chat feature and links to other videos. Streaming video also will be available live for all practice and qualifying sessions from Nashville Superspeedway.

KEEPING IT GOING, AND GOING, AND GOING… The Target team is hoping to keep the momentum created by last week’s success at Watkins Glen with a win by Scott Dixon going… and going, and going… this weekend as the no.9 Target Honda will once again take on the blue /black /silver colours of the Energizer E2 Lithium Battery theme featuring the pink bunny that keeps going, and going and going…. The last time Dixon took the wheel of the no.9 Energizer schemed car, he drove it to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen in 2006! The Target team will be joined this weekend by the actual Energizer bunny who will also be present at the IndyCar Series autograph session and take part in pre-race ceremonies for the Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.

LUCKY NUMBER 13: This Friday’s practice will take place on Friday the 13th. The Target team has 13 wins in the IndyCar Series since 2003. Dan Wheldon has 13 career IndyCar wins of his own with Andretti Green Racing (9) and the Target team (4). Scott Dixon has been running at the finish of every IndyCar Series race since Watkins Glen in 2005, a span of 26 (2 x 13) races, an IndyCar Series record.

A LOOK at NASHVILLE IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR: Last year, the Target team’s Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon combined to lead a total of 184 of the 200 lap race at Nashville Superspeedway to give the team their first 1-2 finish since joining the IndyCar Series in 2003. Dan Wheldon won the pole position as well at Nashville last year while Dixon started on pole in 2003 and finished second en route to his IndyCar Series Championship.

DIXON JOINS WALL OF FAME: As with the past two years, Target team driver Scott Dixon’s championship laurel from his race win at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix was placed among racing memorabilia at historic Seneca Lodge at Watkins Glen, NY this week by Craig Rust, President of Watkins Glen International, on behalf of Dixon, the Target team and the track.

Dixon’s victory was truly a historical achievement as he joined Formula 1 great Graham Hill (’63 - ’65) as one of the only drivers to win three consecutive major open-wheel races at The Glen. He also joined the exclusive club of drivers that have won three consecutive races at The Glen in any major racing series that already included Hill and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Mark Martin ’93-’95 and Jeff Gordon ’97 -‘99. Tony Stewart also has three wins including ’02, ’04 and ’05.

The traditional induction ceremony dates back to the 1960’s when drivers of the original Six Hours of The Glen and the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix often stayed at the Seneca Lodge. A victorious driver would be honored by having his championship laurel displayed on one of the lodge’s walls. There are currently eight United States Grand Prix championship laurels on display belonging to legendary drivers such as Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, James Hunt and Emerson Fittipaldi.

THE (Championship) RACE IS ON! Scott Dixon’s win at Watkins Glen kept him in second place (347 points) in the IndyCar Series Championship race and allowed him to gain a little ground on points leader Dario Franchitti (394 points). Dan Wheldon (313 points) fell back into fourth place behind Tony Kanaan (319 points). Sam Hornish Jr. rounds out the top five with 297 points.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights this season to date includee11 top-5 finishes to date, two pole positions and three race wins. The Target team has lead 656 laps of a possible 1879, and Dan Wheldon still leads the charge with 572 laps led (29.1%). Wheldon also has a pole position and a pair of victories while Dixon has a pole, a win and has kept his streak of running at the finish alive at 26 consecutive races.

THREE FOR THREE: Both Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon are the only IndyCar Series drivers to have won three consecutive races at one track. Dixon did it with the Target team at Watkins Glen with the win last weekend, while Dan Wheldon did it in the season opener at Homestead Miami Speedway (one with AGR 1, two with Target).

ST. JUDE 2007 TALLY: The Target team’s St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Target House donation with three wins ($5000 each), two pole positions ($1000 each) and 666 laps led ($25 each) by the NASCAR (3 laps), IndyCar (656 laps) and Grand Am Target cars (7 laps) brings the total to $33,650 this season to date.

LAST RACE: Camping World Watkins Glen Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International, July 8th, 2007

NEXT RACE: Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday Night, July 14, 2007