TARGET GANASSI - NASHVILLE PRE-RACE NOTES

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Energizer Honda Team

Energizer Paint: Dixon will trade his red Target bulls-eye apparel for a blue and black Energizer firesuit and paint scheme. Dixon won in an Energizer donned car at Nashville Speedway last year as he entered the race in second place in the championship points standings trailing eventual IndyCar Championship winner Dario Franchitti by 47 points. Roles are reversed this year as the Kiwi arrives at Nashville with a 48-mark lead in the championship over Helio Castroneves.

ESPY Nom: Dixon was nominated for the Best Driver ESPY award last week. Dixon will join fellow racing nominees Lewis Hamilton, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Dario Franchitti. Open wheel drivers have won the category six times in the 15-year history of the sports award show. The ceremony takes place on Wednesday, July 16th at the Nokia Theatre Los Angeles and airs on Sunday, July 20 at 9:00 pm ET on ESPN.

1,000 Laps Down: Dixon is one of two drivers (Castroneves) to complete all laps raced at Nashville since their debut at the track in 2003. With 200-lap events every year, Dixon has completed all 1,000 laps in the past five years and has scored an average finish of 3rd place.

Two-Peat: Dixon is the first driver in IndyCar, NASCAR Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series to win a race at Nashville in back-to-back years. Dixon could further extend his hold on the track’s history by becoming the first driver to three-peat at the track.

Nashville in the Rear View: After winning at Watkins Glen in 2007, Dixon continued to triumph at Nashville and Mid-Ohio last year to win three races in a row to mark the first trio of victories in his IndyCar career.

Dan Wheldon and the No. 10 Target Honda Team

Full House: Wheldon and wife Susie welcomed two new members to their family, doubling the household’s size. The Wheldon’s were casually shopping at a pet store in St. Petersburg, Fla. after the IndyCar Series race at Richmond International Raceway in June and left the store with Molly, a Toy Poodle and Maverick, a Chihuahua. Molly and Maverick plan on making their race weekend debut at Nashville.

Turning it Around: No.10 TCGR crew chief Kevin O’Donnell shared his insight about the behind-the-scenes work required to restore Wheldon’s car from the rear suspension damage incurred last weekend at Watkins Glen International. “We definitely experience added time to turn around the car because we first have to go through the entire car and take full account of what happened last weekend. Once we are able to pin-point the parts that need to be repaired or re-ordered, we are good to go and then are able to complete setting up the car. We are not racing the same chassis at Nashville as we did at The Glen, so this allows us to have a little more of a cushion to have the road course car ready for next week’s race at Mid-Ohio.”

Tallying Laps: Wheldon’s best start and finish at Nashville occurred in 2006 with a pole starting position and second place finish. Of the drivers racing in Saturday night’s event, he has led the third highest number of laps (135), 59 and 14 laps shy of laps led leaders Dixon and Kanaan, respectively.

CHASSIS INFO

No. 9 Energizer Honda: IR6-6; Chassis is same used for Homestead-Miami win this season and Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio victories in 2007.

No.10 Target Honda: IR6-5; Wheldon won with chassis at Kansas this year.

2008 STATS

IRL IndyCar Series

Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish Pts. Pos./(Prev) Scott Dixon 10 3 5 8 8 3.1 5.1 1/1 Dan Wheldon 10 2 0 7 7 7.5 6.9 3/3

CAREER STATS

Starts Wins Poles Top 3s Top 10s Scott Dixon (CART, IRL) 128 14 13 37 84 Dan Wheldon (IRL) 90 15 5 37 68

TEAM ROSTERS

Mike Hull – Managing Director

Scott Harner – Team Manager (Administrative Operations)

Barry Wanser – Team Manager (Racing Operations)

No. 9 Crew Chief/(R/F): Ricky Davis Shocks: Mike Cicciarelli Engineer: Eric Bretzman Engines/Radio: Troy Scheller Assistant Engineer: Brian Welling Fueler: Todd DeNeve Front End/(L/F): Adam Rovazzini Gear Box: Andy Schneider Front End: Gilbert Swafford Tires/Transport Driver: Jesse Benbow Rear End/(Air Jack): Mark Sampson Floater: Wayne Westplate Rear End/(R/R): Blair Julian Spotter: Glenn “Packy” Wheeler Transport Driver/(L/R): Rich Meredith

No. 10 Crew Chief/(R/F): Kevin O’Donnell Shocks: Mike Cicciarelli Engineer: Chris Simmons Engines/Radio/(R/R): Troy Scheller Assistant Engineer: Brad Goldberg Gear Box/Fueler: Robby Page Front End/(Air Jack): Matt Swan Tires/Truck: Travis Abel Front End: Steve Namisnak Transport Driver: Chris Sutton Rear End/(L/R): Brad Larsen Floater/Front End/(L/F): Wayne Westplate Rear End: Dave Pena Spotter: Scott Harner