Champ Car will provide increased coverage of its races around the world in 2006, with a new international television package that brings race action to 170 countries via a number of respected broadcast partners. Eurosport will carry action from every stop on the Champ Car schedule to 57 countries in 15 different languages on its primary Eurosport channel. Ten of the 15 races will be shown live with the remaining races to receive same-day coverage. FOX Sports Latin America will carry live Champ Car events in Spanish throughout Latin America and the Caribbean while FOX Sports Middle East & Africa will service 60 countries with series coverage.
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Simmons, 29, a native of East Granby, Conn., is one of the winningest drivers in Indy Pro Series history with seven wins, including a victory in the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This past weekend on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., he finished second and fourth in two races in the Kenn Hardley Racing car. In four Indy Pro Series seasons, Simmons twice finished as the championship runner-up, in 2003 and 2005. He also has made two IndyCar Series starts, including as a late entry with Mo Nunn Racing in the Indianapolis 500 in 2004. He finished 16th at Indy after starting 29th.

"These are not the circumstances that I would like this opportunity to come about, but Paul had the same dreams as me," Simmons said. "Like him, this is what I've worked so long for. I just want to do my very best to promote the cause that Paul worked so hard for and do the best job I can in the car for Team Ethanol."

Team co-owner Bobby Rahal said when principals were forced to look for a driver to continue the program, Simmons was at the top of the list. "Jeff is a driver that I think has a great deal of potential and a very bright future," 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Rahal said. "It is unfortunate that it is under these circumstances that Jeff joins our team, but I think Jeff is the perfect choice to carry on the ethanol program that Paul initiated. Jeff has paid his dues and worked his way up through the ladder system. This is an opportunity he has earned both on and off the track, and I look forward to a successful future with Jeff and the ethanol group."

Simmons will participate in an Open Test on April 5 at IMS to prepare for the 500-Mile Race and get acquainted with his crew. "I am honored to have the opportunity to promote the message and need for the clean, renewable fuel ethanol and to become a member of Rahal Letterman Racing," Simmons said. "The last two times (with Mo Nunn and Patrick) I was just right into the car and right onto the racetrack. It's going to be nice to have some time to prepare, and I'm looking forward to getting in the car and getting started. It is one of the most professional teams I could ever hope to be associated with, and I truly appreciate the faith that Bobby and the Team Ethanol sponsors have placed in me."

"We're proud that this year's Indianapolis 500 will showcase the new 505-horsepower Corvette Z06 and honored that it will be driven by another racing icon - Lance Armstrong," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "The 2006 Corvette Z06 is infused with technology from our own endurance racer - the four-time Le Mans winning C6.R Corvette race car - and having it play such a key role at this important event acknowledges the significance the vehicle has played in American culture for more than 50 years."

Veteran drivers Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr. and rookies Marco Andretti and P.J. Chesson will not participate in the Open Test. They will all practice at the track during Rookie Orientation on May 7.

Castroneves, who won his eighth career win and marked the win with his signature fence climb victory celebration, took the IndyCar Series point lead with the win and leads Kanaan by 23 heading into the Indy Japan 300 on April 22 at Twin Ring Motegi.

Also on April 2, Raphael Matos completed a St. Petersburg sweep by winning his second Indy Pro Series of the weekend in the Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Castroneves, who won his eighth career win and marked the win with his signature fence climb victory celebration, took the IndyCar Series point lead with the win and leads Kanaan by 23 heading into the Indy Japan 300 on April 22 at Twin Ring Motegi.

Also on April 2, Raphael Matos completed a St. Petersburg sweep by winning his second Indy Pro Series of the weekend in the Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

“Compared to last year, I feel much better,” Bourdais said. “We have had good tests in Sebring and we ran well today. We have had good weather for our tests and that has allowed us to get a lot of work done. I feel very good with the progress we’ve made.”

Wilson was neck-and-neck with the defending series champ after a day of running that got started two hours late due to overnight and early-morning rains. “We had a good test plan that allowed us to evaluate a lot of changes that we hope will help us at Long Beach,” said Wilson. “We’ve been working very hard on the overall quality of the team and I’ve been really impressed with the preparation as we head toward Long Beach.”

The competition level in the 2006 version of the Champ Car World Series is expected to be higher than it has been in a number of seasons, and that was borne out in the faces of a number of drivers who had solid times – just not as solid as they might have hoped.

RuSPORT’s A.J. Allmendinger was fourth on the charts while four-time Long Beach winner Paul Tracy was fifth, but being in the top five was of little comfort to two of the drivers that are expected to contend for the 2006 championship.

Cristiano da Matta represents the strongest driver yet to drive for Dale Coyne Racing. Da Matta ran two years with Newman/Haas Racing, which included 10 race wins and a Championship winning season in 2002. His solid efforts for the Toyota powered team vaulted him to the newly formed Toyota Formula 1 effort, where he showed his expertise during a development program in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, the 31 year-old returned to Champ Cars driving for PKV Racing winning one round in Portland and finishing 11th in the season points battle.

“Our team has smelled victory in the past, it is now time to taste it,” commented team owner Dale Coyne. “I am very proud to have Cristiano join our efforts for 2006 and look forward to an exciting season.” Dale Coyne Racing has campaigned cars in the Champ Car World Series and CART since 1984. Scoring multiple top tens with an array of drivers, podiums with Roberto Moreno and Oriol Servia and near wins with Alex Barron, the team is now poised to have its best season ever.

Da Matta will drive the entire 2006 season in the teams #19 entry. Sponsorships continue from several loyal sponsors including Northern Illinois Steel, Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q, Vernon & Maz, Aurora Bearings and a few new surprises to be announced prior to Houston. David Watson returns to the team to engineer the effort headed by Chief Mechanic Andy Greene and crew. The team is currently in Fontana for a two-day test. Cristiano will take the wheel of the Coyne Lola for the first time in preparation for the first race next week at Long Beach.

Barron, 35, has raced in both the Champ Car World Series and the IRL since capturing the ’97 Atlantic crown. The homecoming for the Menifee, California native represents a reunion with Jim Griffith, the engineer who helped guide Barron to his Atlantic title with Lynx Racing. Griffith now owns the Polestar team along with his wife Pam and engineer Bruce Potter. Barron not only becomes an instant contender for the ’06 Atlantic championship with the experienced Polestar squad, he will also help serve as a guiding force for rookie and new 17-year-old teammate Alan Sciuto, one of America’s brightest rising racing stars.

“I’m excited to be returning to Atlantic competition,” said Barron. “With a new crop of very talented teams and drivers, the Atlantic Championship should be one of the most competitive series in all of racing this season. It’s going to be a lot fun working with the Griffiths again and everyone at Polestar. I’ve gotten to know Alan a little bit and I think he’s a tremendous talent. With the team we’ve got assembled here, I think we’re going to have an awesome 2006 season.”

Barron will pilot the #21 Mazda-Cosworth/Swift 016.a/Yokohama for the fourth-year Polestar team. He’ll compete with sponsorship from The Room Store, Arizona’s largest volume furniture store, which also sponsors veteran Dan Selznick in the Atlantic Championship. Additional sponsorship may be added to Barron’s entry in the coming weeks.

Moreno, 47, was a consultant and set up the car for Carpenter during Open Tests last year at the Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International road courses. The "Super Sub" co-drove the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche Fabcar, replacing the suspended JC France, in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 25. He was in the No. 20 Vision car in the Open Test on March 28 at Homestead-Miami Speedway's 2.21-mile road course.

"Yesterday's test was good," Moreno said. "I impressed myself and how quickly I got into the pace. IndyCars are quite tough, but I suddenly realized how quickly I was able to rely on my experience to get the car up to the pace." Moreno, from Brazil, competed in seven Grand Am races in 2005, and had been consulting with Fabcar over the winter. Moreno said he was buoyed by the support of team co-owners Tony and Laura George, team manager Larry Curry and Carpenter.

"It is very tough to replace a driver and it is very difficult to just jump in a car and drive," he said. "I was glad to be able to get in the car a little bit already this week. Plus, road racing is what I know so I hope that get the car up to speed quickly this weekend and get good results. While I know road course racing, I'm not as confident about the car, but the team will give me the info that I need to be competitive and comfortable in the car. The guys I will be racing against are very competitive so it will be a tough weekend." Moreno is seeking sponsorship to compete in at least the 90th Indianapolis 500.

"My ideal situation for the rest of the season is to find a ride for Indy and the other two road courses," he said. "I've been seeking sponsorships and meeting with teams to try and be able to do that.