Indianapolis 500 Notebook ~ Sunday..by Connie Felix
Dario Franchitti Wins Indy 500..by Ron Felix
Indy 500 Notebook ~ Two Minutes With an Indy 500 Driver..by Connie Felix
Milka Duno ~ Excited To Be In Indy Cars..by Ron Felix

2007 Indy 500 Fast Facts 2007 Indy 500 Schedule Opening Day Rookie Orentation Day One Rookie Orentation Day Two Interview With Roger Penske Indy 500 Qualifying - Day One Indy 500 Qualifying - Day Two Indy 500 Qualifying - Day Three Bump Day Notes Freedom 100 Starting Lineup Freedom 100 Final Results

Indy 500 Entry List Indy 500 Qualifying Order Indy 500 Pole Saturday-Sunday Indy 500 Practice No. 1 Indy 500 Practice No. 2 Indy 500 Practice No. 3 Indy 500 Practice No. 4 Indy 500 Practice No. 5 Indy 500 Practice No. 6 Indy 500 Practice No. 7 Indy 500 Practice No. 8 Indy 500 Starting Lineup Indy 500 Race Results

Dario Franchitti Wins Indy 500

Franchitti Celebrates * Photo Dana Garrett

Dario Franchitti became the second Scotsman to win the Indianapolis 500, claiming victory in a rain-shortened 91st running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." -- The Andretti Green Racing driver, who joins Jim Clark as the only Scottish drivers to win the race, inherited the lead on Lap 155 when teammate Tony Kanaan pitted, and the No. 27 Canadian Club Dallara/Honda/Firestone splashed across the finish line under the yellow/checkered flag combination on Lap 166 as rain doused the cavernous facility. "Who would have thought it?" said Franchitti, whose rain-soaked firesuit didn't dampen his enthusiasm as he chugged the traditional winner's bottle of milk in Victory Circle. "I can't believe it. It's the Indianapolis 500."

Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon was runner-up, while pole sitter and two-time 500-Mile Race winner Helio Castroneves of Team Penske finished third. Sam Hornish Jr., who last year gave team owner Roger Penske his 14th Indy 500 title, finished fourth and Ryan Briscoe in the No. 12 Luczo Dragon Racing car (a Team Penske satellite program) rounded out the top five. The 2007 edition of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," played out before a boisterous crowd of more than 250,000, had numerous turns that determined the finish order. Race Day started and ended with rain. Though the 33 cars took the green flag from honorary starter Peyton Manning at the appointed time, the red flag flew on Lap 113 because of a cloud burst that enveloped the racetrack. After a 2-hour, 57-minute delay, Kanaan led the field to the green flag. During the three pace laps, Franchitti pitted because of a right-rear tire puncture.

AGR drivers - Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti - took turns on the point during the ensuing 20 laps (Kanaan leading Patrick by 0.4277 of a second on Lap 135). But when the teammates, who last pitted on Lap 100, ducked in for 22 gallons of ethanol and four Firestone Firehawks under green on Lap 137, Franchitti assumed the lead. It was Jaques Lazier's turn to move to the front when Franchitti pitted on Lap 143, but Kanaan was the leader on Lap 150 (4.1198 seconds ahead of Hornish and turning a lap of 222.645 mph). It was under yellow (single-car crash in Turn 3 involving the No. 25 Roth Racing entry) when Kanaan's No. 11 Team 7-Eleven rumbled onto pit lane. Franchitti again assumed the lead, with Dixon on his tail and Briscoe not far behind.

The deal was sealed on Lap 163 when a multi-car crash on the backstretch, sparked by the Nos. 10 (2005 winner Dan Wheldon) and 26 (Marco Andretti) cars touching wheels. The cars of Ed Carpenter and Buddy Rice also were involved. As the Delphi Safety Team was clearing the racetrack, the skies opened. Scott Sharp (No. 8 Patron Sharp Rahal Leterman Racing), Tomas Scheckter (No. 2 Vision Racing), Patrick (No. 8 Team Motorola), Davey Hamilton (No. 02 HP Vision Racing) and Vitor Meira (No. 4 Delphi Panther Racing) filled out the top 10.
For full results... (Speed News Now)

Tony Kanaan Leads Final Practice
Green Racing hopes Miller Lite Carb Day could be a good indication of Indianapolis 500 Race Day. Tony Kanaan, who will start the 91st Indianapolis 500 from the middle of the front row, topped the speed chart for the final practice session, the final opportunity for teams to fine-tune their cars before Race Day. Kanaan, driving the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car for Andretti Green Racing, topped the speed chart with a quick lap of 225.467 mph (39.9171 seconds). Teammates Dario Franchitti (223.807 mph in the No. 27 Canadian Club car) and Michael Andretti (223.575 mph in the No. 39 Jim Beam/Motorola car) were right behind. Pole sitter Helio Castroneves was fourth at 223.527 mph in the No. 3 Team Penske car, while Jaques Lazier in the No. 21 Playa Del Racing car was fifth (223.468).

Alex Lloyd Wins Indy Pro Race
Alex Lloyd made it 4-for-4 to start the Indy Pro Series season, winning the fifth Freedom 100 under caution because of moisture in Turn 2 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The victory for Lloyd, driving the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Isilon Systems/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, tied Thiago Medeiros' 2004 record for the most consecutive victories. Lloyd's have come in two oval and two street course races. Chris Festa, who started seventh in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing car, finished second. Jaime Camara, the 2005 race winner, advanced from 18th place to finish third in the No. 11 Osofresh car for Andretti Green Racing.

Castroneves Wins "Pit Stop Challenge"
Teammates Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish Jr. squared off in the final round of the "Pit Stop Challenge" at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday. Castroneves had two blistering rounds to eliminate his competition to this point and even though he killed his engine on the start, he was the victor anyway. The competition is from the time the competitor crosses the starting line until the driver crosses the finish line. So despite the miscue, Castroveves was the winner over Hornish Jr., 8.335 seconds to 8.888 seconds. It was the second straight win for Castroneves and his third overall. Castroneves also won in 2002, when he went on to win the Indianapolis 500. It is the 10th victory in the event for Penske Racing.

Winning Crew Chief Will Get Motorcycle
The crew chief whose mechanical skill helps a driver win the 91st Indianapolis 500 will be presented the Honda Motorcycle Indy 500 Winning Crew Chief Award, a Honda Valkyrie Rune cruiser motorcycle. Matt Jonsson of Team Penske won the award and a Valkyrie Rune last year for helping Sam Hornish Jr. capture a thrilling, last-lap victory in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

With the Honda Valkyrie Rune, cruiser styling is taken to all-new heights and blended seamlessly with Honda's most advanced technology. The motorcycle features an 1832cc liquid-cooled, horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine, a five-speed transmission and a shaft final drive. Honda Racing HI7R Indy V-8 engines will power all 33 starters in the 91st Indianapolis 500, which starts at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday. Honda Performance Development became the single provider of engines for the IndyCar® Series in 2006, and the last three Indianapolis 500 winners have used Honda engines.

Jim Nabors Ill ~ Won't Sing "Back Home"
Actor-entertainer Jim Nabors will not attend the 91st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27 and sing "Back Home Again in Indiana" during pre-race ceremonies due to illness. Nabors will address the Race Day crowd on the video boards at IMS from his home in Hawaii and then ask the fans to sing the beloved song together in his place.

"It's a shame that my good friend Jim Nabors is not going to be here on Race Day, and everyone here at the event will miss him tremendously," said Mari Hulman George, Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairman of the board. "We hope that the fans' rendition of 'Back Home Again in Indiana' serves as a get-well card to Jim from hundreds of thousands of his close friends here at the track." -- Nabors has become a legendary figure in Indianapolis 500 lore since he began his stirring rendition of "Back Home Again in Indiana" during pre-race ceremonies in 1972. He has sung the tune before 29 Indianapolis 500-Mile Races since 1972, including every year since 1987.

500 Field Complete
Veteran driver Richie Hearn and rookie Phil Giebler earned the final two starting spots for the 91st Indianapolis 500 as Bump Day played out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hearn, who practiced in his No. 91 Hemelgarn/Racing Professionals Dallara/Honda/Firestone for the first time on Bump Day, had a four-lap average of 219.860 mph to complete the 33-car field.

That set the stage for Giebler, who returned to the track one-day after crashing on his initial qualifying effort. Giebler's average speed (219.637) gave him the fastest rookie honor and bumped Jimmy Kite. It also put Roberto Moreno on the bubble, which didn't set well with team owner Tom Chastain, who withdrew the qualified time of the No. 77 Honda-powered Panoz from May 19 (216.229 mph) in an attempt to solidify its position. Moreno, in his second day in the car after replacing the injured Stephan Gregoire, posted a qualifying average of 220.299 - more than four miles an hour faster than his original time.

A lack of speed was a stark reality for team owners Paul Diatlovich and Kent Baker late on Bump Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Their cars - the No. 18 PDM Racing machine driven by Jimmy Kite and the No. 40 Direct Diversified Team Leader Special driven by PJ Jones - didn't have the speed to burst Marty Roth's (218.922 mph) bubble during a late-afternoon chess match that would complete the lineup. The 33 qualified cars for the Indianapolis 500 return to the track May 25 for the traditional Carb Day practice in advance of the May 27 race.

Larry Foyt Takes Driver's Physical
A.J. Foyt Racing Team Director Larry Foyt underwent a driver's physical this week at Clarian Emergency Medical Center at IMS. Foyt drove in the last three Indianapolis 500's before stepping out of the cockpit this year to manage his father's team. But does the physical indicate that Foyt is considering a return to the cockpit this weekend in a third A.J. Foyt entry, as a teammate to Darren Manning and Al Unser Jr.

LARRY FOYT (Team director, A.J. Foyt Racing): "Well, you never know what's going to happen here. We've got the cars to where if my dad wanted to throw one in, I think that we could do it. I just wanted to be ready in case that happens, but I don't know. I probably won't because I don't want to do anything to take away from our 14 and 50 operations, but at the same time, if it looks like we can easily get in the field, it might be fun to do." (About factors into any decision to run a third car with Larry Foyt): "Well, we're probably just going to see what happens today and how fast people are going. I feel really confident that I could jump in and get up to 220 pretty quickly, but at the same time, our car is not quite ready so it would take a lot of work. It probably won't happen, but I just want to be ready just in case."

Ten More Drivers Qualify
An Andretti, an Unser and the IndyCar Series' first Latina were among 10 drivers who qualified for the 91st Running of the Indianapolis 500. Sunday is the final day of qualifications with at least three drivers expected to compete for the final starting position in the 33-car field. Roger Yasukawa was the quickest qualifier of the day with a four-lap average of 222.654 mph on the famed 2.5-mile oval. He will start 22nd in the 500-Mile race on May 27.

John Andretti, who has not started an Indianapolis 500 since 1994, will start 24th while Al Unser Jr., who will start his 19th 500, qualified 25th. Milka Duno became the first rookie to join the field with a qualifying average of 219.228. The Venezuelan, who will start 29th, joins Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher in the first field to feature three female drivers. Other drivers to qualify included Alex Barron, Jon Herb, Jaques Lazier, Marty Roth, Roberto Moreno and Jimmy Kite.

Rookie Phil Giebler was three laps into his qualifying run when his No. 31 Playa Del Racing car crashed into the SAFER Barrier exiting Turn 2. The car then spun and made contact with the inside retaining wall. Giebler was checked and released from the Clarian Emergency Medical Center. The team hopes to repair the car overnight and make another qualifying attempt Sunday. PJ Jones and Richie Hearn also expect to vie for the final starting position.

Sam Hornish Jr. Quickest On Friday
Team Penske's Sam Hornish Jr. topped the speed chart as qualified teams continued preparations for the 91st Running of the Indianapolis 500. Hornish recorded the fastest lap of the day, 39.990 seconds, 225.006 mph, driving his back-up car. Scott Dixon was second fastest with a lap of 224.458 mph, also in a back-up car. Andretti Green Racing teammates Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Marco Andretti rounded out the top five. Another Andretti, Panther Racing's John Andretti was the fastest among drivers who have not yet qualified for the 33-car field. Andretti's top lap was 222.830 mph. Roger Yasukawa, Marty Roth, rookie Phil Giebler, two-time "500" winner Al Unser Jr. and Jon Herb also were non-qualified drivers who turned laps faster than 220 mph.

Ganassi Back On Top Of Practice
Target Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the top of the speed chart on a cool, blustery day as teams continued preparations for the 91st Running of the Indianapolis 500. Scott Dixon recorded the fastest lap of the day, 40.9119 seconds, 219.985 mph, driving his back-up car. His teammate, IndyCar Series points leader Dan Wheldon, was second fastest with a lap of 219.773 mph, also in a back-up car. A.J. Foyt Racing's Darren Manning was third, while Vision Racing's Ed Carpenter and Davey Hamilton rounded out the top five. None of the five Andretti Green Racing cars practiced while Team Penske's Helio Castroneves, the pole sitter for the race, and Sam Hornish Jr. combined for only 11 laps in their back-up cars as their teams spent the day practicing pit stops.

Among drivers who have not yet qualified for the 33-car field, Stephan Gregoire was the fastest at 217.851 mph, but the Frenchman later crashed into the outside retaining wall exiting Turn 1. Gregoire was transported to Methodist Hospital where he was diagnosed with an endplate fracture of the third thoracic vertebrae. He will be held overnight and is expected to be released on May 18. His driving status will be evaluated after his release from the hospital. Al Unser Jr. and Roger Yasukawa also turned laps faster than 217 mph. John Andretti, cousin of Michael Andretti, turned his first laps of the month in the No. 33 Camping World Panther entry. His best lap was 216.737 mph.

Patrick Leads Practice
Danica Patrick paced the opening day of the second week of practice for the 91st Running of the Indianapolis 500. Patrick, who will start eighth in the race, lapped the famed 2.5-mile oval in 40.6891 seconds, 221.189 mph as most of the 22 qualified drivers worked on race setups. Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon was second fastest with a lap of 220.556 mph while Team Penske's Sam Hornish Jr. was third. Patrick's Andretti Green Racing teammates Marco Andretti and Dario Franchitti rounded out the top five. Among the drivers who will compete for the final 11 starting positions on May 19-20, Playa Del Racing's Jaques Lazier was fastest with a lap of 217.159.

Three drivers began practicing for the first time this month. Jimmy Kite, a five-time starter in the Indianapolis 500, had a fast lap of 204.193 mph but was involved in the only incident of the day when his No. 18 PDM entry made contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 on his 19th lap. Kite was checked and released at the Clarian Emergency Medical Center. PJ Jones, a two-time starter and son of 1963 winner Parnelli Jones, and Roger Yasukawa, a four-time starter, also turned their first laps of the month. Rookie Phil Giebler returned to the track for the first time since completing Rookie Orientation on May 8.

Coca-Cola Throwback Day On Saturday
Coca-Cola Throwback Day, A Groovy Day in the Month of May on Saturday, May 19 will bring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway back in time to celebrate the spirit of the 1970s. Public gates open at 8 a.m., and cars will be on track for Third Day Qualifying for the 91st Indianapolis 500 from noon-6 p.m. (ET), with practice from 10:15-11:15 a.m.

In addition to on-track action, there are plenty of fun, fan-friendly activities, starting with the Psychedelic 70s Car Show on display from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Hulman Boulevard inside the Speedway. The show features unusual, unique passenger cars from the 1970s era, and fans can vote for their favorite car, with the winner of the fan vote receiving prizes on Bump Day/Armed Forces Day, Sunday, May 20. A special Champion's Choice Award will be selected by 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice, an avid hot rod enthusiast.

Free face painting will take place in Pagoda Plaza from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., as well as stilt-walking jugglers and balloon artists. Coca-Cola 70s giveaways will be distributed at Formula One garage No. 34, just south of the Bombardier Learjet Pagoda, while supplies last. A free commemorative Indy 500 DVD will be given to everyone who signs up for The Wing & Wheel e-mail newsletter in the Pagoda Plaza. America Supports You T-shirts and dog tags will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to Homes for Our Troops.

Before the start of qualifying, the national anthem will be performed by 500 Festival Princess, Lori Birrer. A question-and-answer session featuring Indianapolis 500 legends Al Unser, Al Unser Jr. and Bobby Unser will take place from 1-1:30 p.m. on the Coca-Cola Stage with an autograph session following in Pagoda Plaza at 1:45-2:45 p.m. Driver availability is subject to change. Live music will take place on Coca-Cola Stage throughout the afternoon, with Living Proof covering 1970s songs from 2-3 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.

In addition to Coca-Cola Throwback Day and Third Day Qualifying, Breakfast at the Brickyard also will take place at IMS. Formerly known as the Mayor's Breakfast, this annual 500 Festival event attracts mayors from all over the State of Indiana. The 2007 500 Festival Queen will be crowned during the breakfast and then announced to the public during ceremonies before qualifying. The Queen also will wave the checkered flag to conclude qualifications for the day.

Eleven More Added To Field
Davey Hamilton says he has given more than 4,000 passengers a thrill in the Indy Racing Experience two-seater. The veteran IndyCar Series driver received one himself on Second Day Qualifying for the 91st Indianapolis 500. Hamilton, returning to competitive driving for the first time since suffering multiple injuries in a crash during a 2001 race, put the No. 02 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone solidly in the 33-car field at 222.327 mph as positions 12-22 were filled for the May 27 race. Fourteen cars made qualifying attempts, including five that were unsuccessful in securing a spot on Pole Day. Five were quicker than Michael Andretti's 222.789 mph four-lap qualifying average that stood up for 11th on the first day.

Scott Sharp, driving the No. 8 Patron Sharp Rahal Letterman Racing car, topped the list at 223.875 mph (which would have been good for ninth on Pole Day). He will be on Row 4 with Andretti and Vision Racing's Tomas Scheckter. Sharp's teammate, Jeff Simmons (223.693) in the No. 17 Team Ethanol car, Ed Carpenter (223.495) in the No. 20 Vision Racing car and Darren Manning (223.471) in the No. 14 ABC Supply Co. car will share Row 5. - Row 6 will be occupied by 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice (222.826), Kosuke Matsuura (222.595) in the No. 55 Panasonic car and A.J. Foyt IV (222.413). Delphi Panther Racing's Vitor Meira (222.333), Hamilton and Sarah Fisher (221.960) will be on Row 7. Buddy Lazier, the 1996 race winner, bumped Jon Herb from the final available spot on the day with a second attempt of 221.380 mph.

Helio Castroneves On Indy 500 Pole

Helio Castroneves

Helio Castroneves claimed the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award for the 91st Indianapolis 500, capping a dramatic Pole Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Castroneves initially qualified fourth in the No. 3 Team Penske Honda-powered Dallara, but took advantage of the qualifying format to withdraw his time and re-qualify. With eight minutes left in the day, Castroneves took the top spot with a four-lap average speed of 225.817 mph.

The two-time Indianapolis 500 champion then withstood a late challenge from Tony Kanaan who qualified with a four-lap average of 225.757 mph in the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Dario Franchitti, who held the top spot for much of the day, ended up third on the grid with a four-lap average of 225.191 mph.

Scott Dixon (225.122 mph), defending Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish (225.109 mph) and IndyCar Series points leader Dan Wheldon (224.641 mph) make up the second row. Veteran owner/driver Michael Andretti survived several final-hour attempts to knock him out of the field. Combined with its four regular drivers - Kanaan, Franchitti, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti - Andretti Green Racing became the first team to place five cars in the top 11. Second-day qualifying will take place Sunday to fill positions 12-22 in the 33-car starting lineup.
Pole Day Qualifying... (Speed News Now)

Television Broadcast In High Definition
ESPN on ABC’s live telecast of the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 will be in High Definition, a first for the historic motorsports event, and part of ESPN’s multi-platform coverage of The Month of May at Indy. The race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be run on Sunday, May 27, with ABC’s telecast to start at noon ET. In addition to the race telecast, coverage of both weekends of qualifying by ESPN on ABC and ESPN2 will also be presented in HD. GoDaddy.com will be the presenting sponsor for ESPN and ABC’s coverage of Indianapolis 500 Pole Day, Bump Day, and the Indianapolis 500.

ABC will cover the Indianapolis 500 for the 43rd year in 2007, extending the second-longest relationship in television history between a sporting event and television network. Only The Masters and CBS have been together longer. Marty Reid will be ESPN on ABC’s lead announcer for Indianapolis coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by former IndyCar Series driver Scott Goodyear and 1989 NASCAR champion Rusty Wallace. Jack Arute, Jamie Little, Brienne Pedigo and Vince Welch will report the action from the pits, while Brent Musburger will host the race telecast.

The HD coverage will make its debut this weekend as drivers will run for the pole position on Saturday, and ABC and ESPN2 will have five hours of live coverage of time trials beginning at noon ET. ESPN2 will have more than three additional hours of live coverage of the second day of Indianapolis 500 time trials on Sunday. Saturday’s coverage of Pole Day will begin on ESPN2 at noon for two hours. After an hour off, coverage will resume on ABC at 3 p.m. and continue until 6 p.m., returning to ESPN2 from 6-7 p.m. On Sunday, ESPN2’s coverage begins at noon and runs for two hours, then resumes from 5-6:30 p.m. ABC and ESPN2’s coverage of Indianapolis 500 time trials will also be on the air the weekend of May 19-20, including coverage of Bump Day on Sunday, May 20.

2007 INDIANAPOLIS 500 TELEVISION PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

Date    Time          Network   Event

May 12  12-2 p.m.      ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Pole Day
May 12   3-6 p.m.      ABC     Indianapolis 500 Pole Day
May 12   6-7 p.m.      ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Pole Day
May 13  12-2 p.m.      ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Time Trials
May 13   5-6:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Time Trials
May 19   4-6:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Time Trials
May 20   1-3 p.m.      ABC     Indianapolis 500 Bump Day
May 20   5-6:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Bump Day
May 25   4-6:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Carburetion Day 
May 25   4-6:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Pit Stop Challenge
May 25   4-6:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Indy Pro Series Race
May 26   5:30-7 p.m.   ESPN2   Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade
May 26   7-7:30 p.m.   ESPN2   Ready to Race: the 91st Indianapolis 500
May 27   Noon          ABC     Indianapolis 500 (race start 1 p.m.)

Corvette To Pace Indy 500 Again
The 2007 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible will serve as the Official Pace Car for the 91st Indianapolis 500, a record fourth consecutive turn at the front of the field of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." It's the ninth time Corvette will pace the Indianapolis 500, a record for the event. The previous years were 1978, 1986, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. It's the 18th time a Chevrolet will lead the field, also an event record. The 91st Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with live coverage on ABC Sports and the IMS Radio Network. The Pace Car driver will be announced at a later date.

2007 Indy 500 Pace Car * Photo Ron McQueeny

The 2007 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Corvette Convertible was featured in Chevrolet's display at the 99th Chicago Auto Show, the largest auto show in North America, from Feb. 9-18 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The car also was prominently featured in Chevy's media activities Feb. 7-8 before the show opens to the public. Chevrolet will produce 500 special-edition replicas of the Indianapolis 500 Corvette Convertible Pace Car for sale to the general public. The cars, manufactured in Bowling Green, Ky., will be available starting this spring.
More... (Speed News Now)

Dixon Again Leads Practice
(May 11, 2007)    Fast Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway lived up to its name as 28 cars turned 1,263 laps on the famed 2.5-mile oval on the final day of practice before the run for the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award and its $100,000 prize on Saturday. At the end of the day, however, there were few surprises as Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon, second and first respectively in the IndyCar Series point standings, topped the speed chart in preparations for the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500.

Dixon, who also led practice Thursday, recorded a quick lap of 39.6184 seconds, 227.167 mph in his No. 9 Honda-powered Dallara. Dixon will go out second during Saturday's qualifying. Wheldon, who led the first two days of practice, turned in a best lap of 226.650 mph. Andretti Green Racing regulars Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Danica Patrick occupied three of the next four positions, respectively, with Team Penske's Sam Hornish Jr., the reigning race winner, sneaking into the sixth position. Ed Carpenter, Helio Castroneves and Tomas Scheckter rounded out the top 10. The top 10 cars were separated by 0.5217 of a second.

Dixon-Patrick Atop Speed Chart
(May 10, 2007)    Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon supplanted his teammate Dan Wheldon atop the speed charts in the third day of practice for the 91st Indianapolis 500. Dixon capped a frenetic "Happy Hour" that saw four drivers jump to the top of the charts. Dixon's best lap of 39.7398 seconds, 226.473 mph came minutes before practice ended, putting an end to Wheldon's two-day reign as quickest. Before him, Ryan Briscoe and Tomas Scheckter took turns on top the speed chart, bumping out Sam Hornish Jr., who had been the quickest most of the day. When practice ended, Dixon was followed by Andretti Green Racing's Danica Patrick (226.358), Wheldon (226.206), Scheckter (226.161) and Briscoe (225.995) in the top five. Marco Andretti, Hornish, Vitor Meira, Kosuke Matsuura and Helio Castroneves rounded out the top 10.

Wheldon Fastest In Rain Shortened Second Day Of Practice
(May 9, 2007)    Dan Wheldon took all of seven laps to lay down the fastest lap of the month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - 226.391 mph (39.7543 seconds) - during a rain-abbreviated second day of practice for the 91st Indianapolis 500. Helio Castroneves certainly wouldn't allow that to go unchallenged, ripping off a 225.820 mph lap in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone, as Happy Hour wound down.

The procession of "top that speed" began in earnest as the May 12 run for the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award and the first 11 spots draws neigh. Wheldon's Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Scott Dixon, was third (224.902 mph) in the No. 9 Honda-powered Dallara, while Marco Andretti jumped to fourth (224.745). Tony Kanaan (224.112) was fifth in the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car, and defending champion Sam Hornish Jr. (224.054 was sixth). Twenty-six driver/car combinations recorded 680 total laps during the two-hour window without incident. The No. 77 Chastain Motorsports Panoz/Honda/Firestone made a pit road appearance, but Stephan Gregoire didn't get on the track.

5,175 Firestone Firehawk Tires
Firestone produced nearly 5,175 Firehawk racing radials for use throughout the month of May. All were built at the Firestone Technical Center in Akron, Ohio. At the direction of IndyCar Series officials, each entry competing all month will receive 35 sets of Firehawks (140 total tires), to be used at the team's discretion throughout the practice, qualifying and race sessions. The tire selected for Indianapolis has been designed to deliver better grip than in 2006 and is available in two different stagger configurations (.35 and .44 of an inch). The same specification was successfully utilized the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi.

Dan Wheldon Quickest 1st Practice
(May 8, 2007)    IndyCar Series point leader Dan Wheldon topped the speed charts in the first day of practice for all cars for the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500. Shortly after Happy Hour began at 5 p.m., Wheldon, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 champion, posted the day's quickest lap of 39.9868 seconds, 225.074 mph in his No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Team Penske's Helio Castroneves, a two-time Indy 500 winner, posted the second-quickest lap - 40.0007, 224.106. Vision Racing's Tomas Scheckter (224.783 mph), Andretti Green Racing's Tony Kanaan (224.622 mph) and Target Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon (224.564 mph) rounded out the top five. Jon Herb had the lone incident of the day, making hard contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2. He was uninjured in the accident. Twenty-seven car/driver combinations completed 1,218 laps.

Car Enthusiasts Psychedelic '70s Car Show
Car enthusiasts and Indy 500 fans will find plenty of interesting sights May 19-20 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as the Psychedelic '70s Car Show will take place at the track during qualifications for the 91st Indianapolis 500. Passenger cars from the 1970s will be on display in the infield of the famed IMS oval, including on Hulman Boulevard. Fans can vote for their favorite car, with the winner of the fan vote receiving prizes on Armed Forces Day/Bump Day, Sunday, May 20. A special award, the Champion's Choice Award, will be selected by 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner and avid hot rod enthusiast Buddy Rice.

Owners of a passenger car from that decade with an interesting or unique story are eligible to apply. Only 100 spots are available. Applications are available at the Indianapolis 500 section of www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com and must be received by Friday, May 11. There is an application fee of $90, which includes two Bronze Badge credentials and parking passes. Psychedelic '70s Car Show participants also can take one parade lap around the historic 2.5-mile oval on Armed Forces Day/Bump Day Qualifying on Sunday, May 20. Car Show participants also can purchase a special, limited-quantity ticket package for the 91st Indianapolis 500.

Kid Rock To Rock Carb Day
Rock icon Kid Rock will be the headline act for the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Miller Brewing Company and IMS officials announced today. The concert is free to all ticket holders for Miller Lite Carb Day, the final day of on-track activity before the 91st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27. Additionally, legal-drinking-age race fans can win tickets in promotional 24-packs of Miller Lite starting in April.

Kid Rock

"The Miller Lite Carb Day concert is the ultimate convergence of two of America's favorite pastimes - rock and racing," said Dockery Clark, director of sports and alliance marketing at Miller Brewing Company. "Kid Rock is known for his energetic and exciting live performances, so he's sure to get the fans at Carb Day revved up for the big race."

Miller Lite is the official beer sponsor of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Miller Lite Carb Day concert, which takes place on the Miller Lite Stage in the infield of the Speedway's oval, is the final event of an action-packed day for fans at IMS. The final practice for the IndyCar® Series before the 91st Indianapolis 500 starts the on-track activity from 11 a.m.-noon (ET). The Freedom 100 race for the Indy Pro SeriesT starts at 12:30 p.m., followed by the popular Checkers/Rally's Pit Stop Challenge at 1:30 p.m. The Miller Lite Carb Day Concert is scheduled to start at approximately 3:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance online at (www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com), via phone at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or at the Ticket Office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Tickets also can be purchased at the gate. All Miller Lite Carb Day activities are included in the ticket price.

Grand Marshal: Peyton Manning
Super Bowl XLI Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning will wave the green flag to start the 91st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Two-time National Football League MVP Manning also will serve as grand marshal of the IPL 500 Festival Parade on Saturday, May 26 in downtown Indianapolis. Quarterback Manning led the Indianapolis Colts in the 2006-07 season to their first NFL championship, as the Colts beat the Chicago Bears, 29-17, in the Super Bowl. Since joining the Colts as an NFL rookie in 1998, Manning has become one of America's most respected and beloved sports stars.

Manning holds several NFL passing records, including: touchdown passes in a single season (49 in 2004), most consecutive seasons with more than 4,000 yards passing (six, from 1999-2004), and most seasons with 4,000 or more yards passing in a career (seven). Manning has been selected to seven NFL Pro Bowls in his nine seasons with the Colts. He is also the only player in NFL history with more than 3,000 passing yards in each of his first nine seasons. In 2006, Manning was named the recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his charitable contributions.

More than 300,000 spectators are expected to line the 2-mile IPL 500 Festival Parade route to catch a glimpse of the 33 starting drivers of the 91st Indianapolis 500, more than 80 specialty units, spectacular floats, marching bands and entertainment groups, giant inflatable balloons and costumed characters.

Themed "Spirit and Speed," this year's parade is a true representation of the power and pageantry of the month of May - a Hoosier tradition for 50 years - with a television package that will bolster the Parade's national presence. The IPL 500 Festival Parade will be televised nationally on ESPN2 from 5-6:30 p.m. (ET) and locally on WISH TV 8 from 8-10 p.m. The IPL 500 Festival Parade has grown to be one of the signature events in the U.S. each year. It consistently ranks among the top three parades in the nation, including the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.