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INDYCAR (INDIANAPOLIS) - FAST FACTS


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WHAT: IndyCar Series: Firestone Indy 400, 13th race in 17-race 2006 season

WHERE: Michigan International Speedway, 2-mile D-shaped asphalt oval

WHEN: IndyCar Series: Noon. (ET), Sunday, Aug. 5

DISTANCE: IndyCar Series: 200 laps/400 miles

POSTED AWARDS: IndyCar Series: More than $1 million

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

PREVIOUS RACE WINNERS: IndyCar Series: Helio Castroneves (2006), Bryan Herta (2005), Buddy Rice (2004), Alex Barron (2003), Tomas Scheckter (2002)

2006 SERIES CHAMPION: IndyCar Series: Sam Hornish Jr.

TV: IndyCar Series: Race: ESPN2 (live), Noon (ET), Aug. 5 Talent: Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear, (announcers); Jack Arute, Brienne Pedigo, Vince Welch (pit reporters) Note: Live streaming video coverage of practice and AAMCO Transmissions Pole Qualifying (4:30 p.m (ET), Aug. 4) is available at www.indycar.com and www.espn360.com.

RADIO: IndyCar Series: Qualifying: IMS Radio Network, live web-cast, 4:15 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 4 Pre-race: IMS Radio Network (live), 11:30 a.m. (ET), Aug. 5 Race: IMS Radio Network (live), Noon (ET), Aug. 5 Talent: Mike King (host); Davey Hamilton (analyst); Dave Wilson (color commentary); Mark Jaynes (turns); Kevin Lee and Bob Jenkins (pit reporters); Kevin Olson (special assignments) Live coverage of AAMCO Transmissions Pole Qualifying (4:15 p.m. ET, Aug. 4) 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, Aug. 3 5-6 p.m. Autograph session (Jackson Raceweek Festival)

Saturday, Aug. 4 8 a.m. IndyCar Series garage open 10 a.m. – Noon IndyCar Series practice #1 (two groups) 1:15 – 3:15 p.m. IndyCar Series practice #2 (two groups) 4:30 p.m. IndyCar Series AAMCO Transmissions Pole Qualifying

Sunday, Aug. 5 8 a.m. IndyCar Series garage open Noon Firestone Indy 400 (200 laps/400 miles) ESPN2 & IMS Radio Network (Live)

THE TRACK: 2-mile D-shaped asphalt oval; 45 feet wide (straightaways), 73 feet wide (turns) Frontstraight: 3,600 feet banked at 12 degrees Backstraight: 2,242 feet banked at 5 degrees Turns: Banked at 18 degrees

•Michigan International Speedway opened in 1968 in the Irish Hills of Brooklyn, Mich. Lawrence H. LoPatin and American Raceways Inc. owned the facility from 1968-1972 before current IndyCar Series owner Roger Penske purchased the track out of receivership in June 1973. For more than 25 years, Penske rebuilt and maintained MIS, turning it into one of the finest race facilities in the world. In July 1999, Penske Motorsports Inc. merged with International Speedway Corp., and MIS is now one of 13 ISC motorsports venues.

INDY-STYLE RACING IN MICHIGAN: Michigan International Speedway - home of the state's largest single-day, paid-admission sporting events since 1992 - is a track rich in racing tradition. Located in Detroit’s backyard in the Irish Hills of southeastern Michigan, MIS hosted its first race on Oct. 13, 1968. The race, a 250-mile open-wheel event, was won by Ronnie Bucknum. Since then, the 2-mile D-shaped oval has hosted a number of historic races, including several races which were part of the Triple Crown. Among the open-wheel drivers who won at Michigan were: Mark Donohue, A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser and Rick Mears. In 2002, the IndyCar Series visited the track for the first time with rookie Tomas Scheckter earning his first series victory. Road racing also remains popular in Detroit, which will host the IndyCar Series at Belle Isle later this year.

INDYCAR SERIES NOTES: • Five Indianapolis 500 champions are expected to participate in the Firestone Indy 400: 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 400: Scott Sharp (1996 co-champion), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, 2002, 2006), Scott Dixon (2003), Tony Kanaan (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005).

•The Firestone Indy 400 is the only event in the 2007 season that takes place on track with a distance of 2 miles. Michigan International Speedway will play host to the only 400-mile events on the 17-race schedule, the second-longest event of the year. Only the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is longer.

• Drivers entered in the Firestone Indy 400 have combined for 84 IndyCar Series victories, 80 IndyCar Series pole positions and 1,246 IndyCar Series starts.

• In 12 races thus far in 2007, there have been six winners. Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon are multiple winners. Franchitti won at Indianapolis, Iowa and Richmond. Wheldon won at Homestead-Miami and Kansas, Dixon won at Watkins Glen, Nashville and Mid-Ohio and Kanaan won at Twin Ring Motegi and Milwaukee. Other winners in 2007: Helio Castroneves at St. Petersburg, Sam Hornish Jr. at Texas. In those 12 races, 14 drivers have finished in the top five in at least one event.

•Dario Franchitti is looking to becoming the seventh driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and an Indy-style race at Michigan in the same year. Drivers who have accomplished the feat include: Johnny Rutherford (1980), Gordon Johncock (1982), Bobby Rahal (1986), Rick Mears (1991) Juan Pablo Montoya (2000) and Buddy Rice (2004).

• IndyCar Series drivers who have won Indy car events at MIS include: Tony Kanaan (1999), Tomas Scheckter (2002), Buddy Rice (2004) and Helio Castroneves (2006).

•Penske Racing has 10 Indy car wins at MIS. Penske drivers who won at MIS include: Rick Mears (1981, 1983, 1991), Bobby Unser (1979, twice), Mark Donohue (1971), Tom Sneva (1975), Mario Andretti (1980), Danny Sullivan (1988) and Helio Castroneves (2006).

INDYCAR SERIES STORY IDEAS: • Franchitti in front: Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti has led the IndyCar Series point standings for seven-straight weeks, but with 2003 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon 24 points behind, the championship is far from over. Andretti Green Racing’s Tony Kanaan trails by 111 points while Dixon’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dan Wheldon is 117 points back. Team Penske’s Sam Hornish Jr. (129 points back) remains in the mix. In all, 14 drivers remain mathematically eligible to win the IndyCar Series title.

• Dixon goes for four-in-a-row: Scott Dixon will attempt to become the first IndyCar Series driver to win four-straight races at the Firestone Indy 400. Dixon tied the series record for consecutive wins with his victory at Mid-Ohio on July 22. But Michigan may be a tough spot to get his record fourth-straight win. Dixon’s best finish at MIS is fifth in 2003. Here’s a look at how co-record-holders Kenny Brack and Dan Wheldon fared in their quest for a fourth consecutive IndyCar Series victory: ● In 1998, Brack started 10th and finished fifth at Texas2 without leading a lap. ● In 2005, Wheldon started eighth and finished sixth at Texas, leading two laps.

•Hornish searches for “home” win: Three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. is from Defiance, Ohio, about 60 miles from MIS, but has never won a race at his “home track.” Hornish has three top-five finishes in five at the 2-mile track, one of three returning ovals on the 2007 schedule in which Hornish has yet to win (Motegi, Nashville, Michigan).

• Another new winner at MIS?: There have been five different winners in the five previous Michigan races, but none of the top-five drivers in the point standings have ever won at MIS. Only two drivers in the top-10 in the IndyCar Series points standings – Helio Castroneves (6th) and Tomas Scheckter (9th) – have won at MIS.

•Michigan business connections: IndyCar Series owner Roger Penske is founder and chairman of Penske Corporation, a closely-held diversified transportation services company which includes: Penske Truck Leasing Corporation; Penske Automotive Group Inc; UnitedAuto Group Inc.; Penske Transportation Components LLC; Transportation Resource Partners LLC; and Penske Performance Inc. Based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Penske Corporation and its subsidiaries manage and operate businesses with annual revenues approximating $11 billion and employ 35,000 people at more than 1,700 worldwide locations.

• 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.

MILESTONES: • Scott Dixon won his ninth IndyCar Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, tying Scott Sharp and Tony Kanaan for fourth on the IndyCar Series all-time victory list. • Scott Dixon’s win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s 15th IndyCar Series victory. • Scott Dixon is the third IndyCar Series driver to win three consecutive events, tying Kenny Brack and Dan Wheldon’s series record for consecutive wins. • Scott Dixon has been running at the finish of every IndyCar Series race since Watkins Glen in September 2005, a span of 28 races, an IndyCar Series record. • Helio Castroneves tied Billy Boat’s 1998 record for most poles in a season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. • Helio Castroneves has qualified in the top-10 in 27 consecutive races, an IndyCar Series record. • Scott Sharp and Scott Dixon need one win to earn their 10th IndyCar Series victory. • Scott Sharp can extend his series record for consecutive starts to 134 straight races at Michigan International Speedway • Vitor Meira has gone 71 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 400 at Noon on Aug. 5 at Michigan International Speedway. The race will be televised live by ESPN2 and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. The next Indy Pro Series event is the Kentucky 100 on Aug.11 at Kentucky Speedway. The race will be broadcast at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 16. ESPN2’s coverage of the Mid-Ohio 100 will be televised by ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. on July 26.