Indy
Racing League
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Toyota Indy 400/California 100
FAST FACTS
WHAT:
IndyCar
Series:
Toyota Indy 400, 15th race in 16-race 2003 season
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
California 100, 11th race in 12-race 2003 season
WHERE:
California
Speedway, 2-mile asphalt D-shaped oval
WHEN:
IndyCar
Series:
12:30 p.m. (PDT), Sunday, Sept. 21
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
3:30 p.m. (PDT), Saturday, Sept. 20
DISTANCE:
IndyCar
Series:
200 laps/400 miles
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
50 laps/100 miles
POSTED
AWARDS:
IndyCar
Series:
More than $1 million
CARS:
IndyCar
Series:
Dallara and Panoz G Force chassis; Chevrolet Indy V8, Honda Indy V-8 and
Toyota Indy V8 engines; Firestone tires
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
Dallara chassis; Infiniti Q45 engines; Firestone tires
2002
RACE WINNER:
IndyCar
Series:
Sam Hornish Jr.
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
Inaugural event
2002
SERIES CHAMPION:
IndyCar
Series:
Sam Hornish Jr.
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
A.J. Foyt IV
TV:
IndyCar
Series:
Pre-race:
ESPN2 (live), “Indy Racing 2Day,” noon (EDT), Sept. 21
Race:
ABC (live), 3:30 p.m. (EDT), Sept. 21
Talent:
Bob Jenkins (host); Paul Page, Scott Goodyear (announcers); Jack Arute,
Gary Gerould, Dr. Jerry Punch (pit reporters)
Menards
Infiniti Pro Series:
Highlights:
ESPN2, 2:30 p.m. (EDT), Sept. 25
Talent:
Dr. Jerry Punch, Scott Goodyear (announcers); Amy East (pit reporter)
RADIO:
IndyCar
Series:
Qualifying
wrap-up show: IMS Radio Network, 7:30 p.m. (EDT) Sept. 20
Pre-race:
IMS Radio Network (live), 3 p.m. (EDT), Sept. 21
Race:
IMS Radio Network (live), 3:30 p.m. (EDT), Sept. 21
Area
affiliates: TBD
Talent:
Mike King (host); Davey Hamilton (analyst); Dave Wilson (color commentary);
Mark Jaynes (turns); Kim Morris, Pat Patterson (pit reporters)
Live
coverage of MBNA Pole Qualifying (2 p.m. EDT, Sept. 20) and the race also
will be available at www.indyracing.com
SCHEDULE
(all times local; subject to change):
Friday,
Sept. 19
7
a.m.
IndyCar Series and Menards Infiniti Pro Series garages opens
8:15-8:45
a.m.
Menards Infiniti Pro Series practice
9-10:30
a.m.
IndyCar Series practice (two groups)
12:45-1:15
p.m.
Menards Infiniti Pro Series practice
1:30-3
p.m.
IndyCar Series practice
4:30
p.m.
Menards Infiniti Pro Series qualifying
Saturday,
Sept. 20
7
a.m.
IndyCar Series and Menards Infiniti Pro Series garages open
9-10
a.m.
IndyCar Series practice
10:20-10:35
p.m.
Final Menards Infiniti Pro Series practice
11
a.m.
IndyCar Series MBNA Pole Qualifying
3:30
p.m.
California 100 (50 laps/100 miles), ESPN2, 2:30 p.m. (EDT), Sept. 25
4:45-5:15
p.m.
Final IndyCar Series practice
5:30
p.m.
Autograph session
Sunday,
Sept. 21
8
a.m.
IndyCar Series garage opens
12:30
p.m.
Toyota Indy 400 (200 laps/400 miles), ABC-TV & IMS Radio Network (live)
THE
TRACK:
2-mile paved oval
Front straightaway: 3,100 feet
Back straightaway: 2,500 feet
Width: 75 feet
Banking:
Frontstraight: 11 degrees
Backstraight: 3 degrees
Turns: 14 degrees
·California
Speedway opened in 1997 and has a seating capacity of 92,109. One of the
most modern tracks in the country, the Speedway has on-site Metrolink
train service during race weekends. The facility also includes 28 skyboxes
and 71 pit lane deluxe corporate suites. Along the main straightaway,
there is a four-sided, 146-foot scoring pylon. Thirteen message boards
are also located throughout the grounds. The track also includes a 1.3-mile
infield road course. In addition to the Indy Racing League, the speedway
also plays host to NASCAR, CART and AMA events.
INDYCAR
SERIES NOTES:
·Five
Indianapolis 500 champions are expected to participate in the Toyota Indy
400: Al Unser Jr. (1992, 1994), Buddy Lazier (1996), Kenny Brack (1999),
Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002) and Gil de Ferran (2003).
·Drivers
entered in the Toyota Indy 400 have combined for 113 IRL or CART victories,
94 pole positions and 1,654 starts.
·Five
IRL IndyCar Series champions are scheduled to participate in the Toyota
Indy 400: Scott Sharp (1996 co-champion), Kenny Brack (1998), Greg Ray
(1999), Buddy Lazier (2000) and Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, 2002). A.J. Foyt
IV, the 2002 Infiniti Pro Series champion and grandson of four-time Indianapolis
500 winner A.J. Foyt, also will participate in the Toyota Indy 400.
·The
Toyota Indy 400 will be the second event in 2003 contested on a 2-mile
track. Alex Barron won the Michigan Indy 400 in July at the 2-mile Michigan
International Speedway. He defeated Sam Hornish Jr. at Michigan by .0121
of a second, the fifth-closest finish in IRL IndyCar Series history.
·Eight
of the 10 events in the 2003 IRL IndyCar Series season that have finished
under green have featured a margin of victory of less than one second,
including the Delphi Indy 300 on Sept. 7 at Chicagoland Speedway. Sam
Hornish Jr. defeated Scott Dixon by just .0099 of a second in the third
closest IndyCar Series race in history. Bryan Herta finished third, just
.0100 of a second behind Hornish and .0001 behind second-place Dixon.
The .0100 margin from first to third was the closest 1-2-3 finish in the
series history. A total of 35 IndyCar Series events have had a margin
of victory of less than a second.
·In
14 races thus far in 2003, there have been nine different winners, tying
the record set in 1996-97 and 2002. Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Gil
de Ferran and Sam Hornish Jr. are the only multiple winners. Dixon won
at Homestead-Miami, Pikes Peak and Richmond, de Ferran won at Indianapolis
and Nashville, Castroneves won at Gateway and Nazareth and Hornish won
at Kentucky and Chicagoland. In those 14 races, 16 different drivers have
finished in the top five in at least one event.
·Scott
Dixon became the first driver in IRL IndyCar Series history to lead consecutive
laps throughout three consecutive races. He led the last 84 laps June
15 en route to a victory at Pikes Peak and led all 206 laps of the rain-shortened
SunTrust Indy Challenge on June 28 at Richmond. He then led the first
53 laps on July 7 at Kansas for a total of 343 consecutive laps led.
·Scott
Dixon earned his third career IRL IndyCar Series victory June 28 at Richmond
in only his seventh series start, tying the record set by Helio Castroneves
at the 2002 Indianapolis 500.
·The
average speed for the Belterra Casino Indy 300 Aug. 17 at Kentucky was
197.897 mph, the fastest average speed in the history of the IRL IndyCar
Series. The second fastest race was Sept. 7 at Chicagoland when winner
Sam Hornish Jr. averaged 184.294 mph. Alex Barron won the July 27 race
at Michigan International Speedway and averaged 180.917, the third fastest
race in series history.
·Sam
Hornish Jr. extended his IndyCar Series record for career victories with
a victory at Chicagoland He has won 10 IndyCar Series events.
·Scott
Dixon won his fifth MBNA Pole of the season at Nazareth and joined Billy
Boat and Greg Ray as the only drivers to win five poles in a season. Boat
won six poles in 1998, and Ray won five poles in 2000. Dixon has won five
MBNA Poles in just 13 races. He ties Boat for least number of races to
obtain five poles.
·The
top five drivers in the IndyCar Series point standings are still eligible
for the championship. Two races remain: California Speedway (Sept. 21),
Texas Motor Speedway (Oct. 12).
·In
the last three IndyCar Series races (Kentucky, Nazareth and Chicagoland),
no car has dropped out of the race before the 100-lap mark, and an average
of 16 cars have been still running at the finish, including 18 at Kentucky
and 19 at Chicagoland.
·The
20-car IndyCar Series field for the August Kentucky event was separated
by .5367 of a second, the closest field in IndyCar Series history. The
margin at Chicagoland was .6218 of a second, the third-closest field in
history.
MENARDS
INFINITI PRO SERIES NOTES:
·The
second season of Menards Infiniti Pro Series competition consists of 12
races that take place in conjunction with IRL IndyCar Series events.
·Ed
Carpenter won the historic Freedom 100 on May 18 at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway driving for A.J. Foyt Racing. The race marked the first time
that an automobile race in addition to the Indianapolis 500 had been conducted
on the 2.5-mile oval during the month of May.
·Rookie
Mark Taylor has won six events in 2003, setting the record for most victories
in a season and most career victories. He drives for Panther Racing, the
team that won the IndyCar Series championship in 2001 and 2002 with Sam
Hornish Jr.
·Mark
Taylor defeated Ed Carpenter by .0170 of second to win the Sept. 6 Chicagoland
100. The margin was the closest in Menards Infiniti Pro Series history.
The previous closest finish was .0379 in 2002 at Texas Motor Speedway.
·Menards
Infiniti Pro Series driver Ed Carpenter made his IndyCar Series debut
at Chicagoland. He finished 13th and became the first driver to compete
in a Menards Infiniti Pro Series and IndyCar Series event in the same
weekend.
INDY
RACING LEAGUE STORY IDEAS:
·Toyota
vs. Honda vs. Chevy. The growth of the IRL IndyCar Series has been accelerated
in 2003 with the arrival of Honda and Toyota as new engine suppliers.
All three manufacturers have earned wins and MBNA Poles in 2003, and Toyota
clinched the Engine Manufacturers Championship at Nazareth when Helio
Castroneves scored the 10th victory of the season for the engine. The
Indy Racing League rules package continues to ensure controlled costs
and fair competition for all drivers and teams, regardless of the equipment
they use.
·New
teams, drivers. The thrilling, close competition, cost-effective growth
and increasing popularity of the IRL IndyCar Series have attracted new
teams to the series in 2003. Andretti Green Racing, co-owned by Indianapolis
500 veteran Michael Andretti, joined the series this year with Tony Kanaan,
Dan Wheldon and Bryan Herta (substituting for the injured Dario Franchitti)
behind the wheel. 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal fields an IndyCar
Series team for 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack, who also won
the 1998 IRL IndyCar Series title. Target Chip Ganassi Racing, the winning
team at the 2000 Indianapolis 500, is concentrating its open-wheel efforts
in 2003 in the IRL IndyCar Series with young drivers Scott Dixon and Tomas
Scheckter. Existing IndyCar Series team Mo Nunn Racing has added a second
car for Formula One veteran and 2003 Indianapolis 500 Bank One Rookie
of the Year Tora Takagi. American rookie Roger Yasukawa drives for Super
Aguri Fernandez Racing, a new team fielded by CART standout Adrian Fernandez
and former Formula One driver Aguri Suzuki.
·2004
schedule: Indy Racing League officials announced Aug. 16 a 16-race schedule
for the 2004 season, highlighted by the 88th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race
and a new event at The Milwaukee Mile. The 2004 season marks the ninth
year of competition for the IRL IndyCar Series. The 16-race schedule,
featuring all ovals, equals the 2003 season for the largest number of
events on an IRL IndyCar Series season schedule. All 16 events will be
broadcast live on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, including six consecutive ABC telecasts
from July 25 to Sept. 12. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
also will broadcast all races.
·Menards
sponsorship: Menard Inc., a Midwest chain of home-improvement stores,
has become the co-title sponsor of the IRL Infiniti Pro Series, the official
development series of the IRL, league officials announced Sept. 6. The
new series name is the IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series. Menard Inc. is
family-owned by IRL IndyCar Series team owner John Menard and is based
in Eau Claire, Wis. Menard started his business in 1960, selling lumber
on weekends while his competition was closed. The company now consists
of more than 185 stores. The 2004 Menards Infiniti Pro Series schedule
will consist of 12 races at some of the nation’s finest oval venues,
including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 100-mile Infiniti Pro Series
“sprints” will take place in conjunction with IRL IndyCar Series
events, with six of the 12 races scheduled for the same day as the IndyCar
Series races.
·California
connections: There are several connections to the state of California
in the Indy Racing League. IndyCar Series drivers from California expected
to participate in the Toyota Indy 400 include: Alex Barron (Menifee),
Bryan Herta (Valencia), Roger Yasukawa (Los Angeles). Gary Peterson, from
Huntington Beach, Calif., is the only owner/driver in the Menards Infiniti
Pro Series. He founded and serves as president and CEO of Automatic Fire
Sprinklers, Inc., a national fire protection company based in Huntington
Beach. Pro Series driver Taylor Fletcher lives in San Clemente, Calif.
Infiniti Pro Series owner Sam Schmidt graduated from Pepperdine University
in Malibu, Calif. Toyota Racing Development is located in Costa Mesa,
Calif., while Honda Performance Development is located in Santa Clarita,
Calif.
INDY
RACING LEAGUE VIDEO NEWS RELEASES:
The
Indy Racing League will provide video news releases for the Toyota Indy
400 and California 100 on Sept. 17, 20 and 21. The dates, times and coordinates:
Wednesday,
Sept. 17 (Weekly IRL feed):
4-4:30 p.m. (EDT)
Saturday,
Sept. 20 (MBNA Pole Qualifying/California 100):
7-7:30 p.m. (EDT)
Sunday,
Sept. 21 (Toyota Indy 400):
7-7:30 p.m. (EDT)
Coordinates:
AMC
9, Transponder K18
Audio 6.2/6.8
Download Frequency 12060 horizontal
Note: The AMC 9 satellite has replaced AMC 2, same orbital slot.
2003
INDYCAR SERIES STATISTICS:
INDYCAR
SERIES
2003 points leaders
1. Helio Castroneves 439
2. Scott Dixon 427
3. Tony Kanaan 425
4. Gil de Ferran 422
5. Sam Hornish Jr. 398
2003
money leaders
1. Gil de Ferran $2,154,415
2. Helio Castroneves $1,668,315
3. Tony Kanaan $1,469,065
4. Scott Dixon $1,293,465
5. Sam Hornish Jr. $1,183,865
2003
wins
1. Scott Dixon 3
2. Gil de Ferran 2
Helio Castroneves 2
Sam Hornish Jr. 2
4. Alex Barron, Bryan Herta, Tony Kanaan, Scott Sharp, Al Unser Jr. 1
2003
Bombardier rookie points
1. Roger Yasukawa 255
2. Dan Wheldon 245
2. A.J. Foyt IV 177
2003
laps led
1. Scott Dixon 678
2. Helio Castroneves 385
3. Tomas Scheckter 379
4. Sam Hornish Jr. 351
5. Gil de Ferran 337
2003
MBNA Poles
1. Scott Dixon 5*
2. Tony Kanaan 3*
3. Tomas Scheckter 2
Helio Castroneves 2
4. Sam Hornish Jr. 1
Richie Hearn 1
*Lineup
at Motegi (Dixon pole) and Pikes Peak (Kanaan pole) determined by practice
speeds after qualifying was rained out.
MENARDS
INFINITI PRO SERIES
2003
points leaders
1. Mark Taylor 414
2. Jeff Simmons 343
3. Ed Carpenter 305
4. Thiago Medeiros 286
5. Cory Witherill 279
2003
wins
1. Mark Taylor 6
2. Jeff Simmons 2
3. Ed Carpenter 1
4. Aaron Fike 1
2003
laps led
1. Mark Taylor 375
2. Ed Carpenter 141
3. Jeff Simmons 83
2003
poles
1. Mark Taylor 3
Ed Carpenter 3
3. Brandon Erwin, Arie Luyendyk, Thiago Medeiros, Jeff Simmons 1
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