2009 IRL Team Reports: Andretti-Green Racing

IRL Team reports for the 2009 IRL season

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Post by mlittle » Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:26 am

Edmonton: Andretti Green Racing qualifying report


EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada (July 25, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing drivers Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh qualified for Sunday's running of the 2009 Rexall Edmonton Indy race at the City Centre Airport.

Patrick, driver of the #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola car, will start in the 20th position. Kanaan, driver of the #11 Team 7-Eleven entry, will start 13th. Andretti, driver of the #26 Team Mott's Clamato Caesar, will start in the 18th position. Mutoh, who drives the #27 Formula Dream car, will start 12th.

Driver: Danica Patrick Car: #7 Boost Mobile Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"Another tough day for us. I was able to stay in the top-six in my group for most of the run but just couldn't find the speed at the end. Hopefully we will be able to work our way through the field during the race tomorrow."

Driver: Tony Kanaan Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven/Nestle Pure Life Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"It was a disappointing day for Team 7-Eleven. We are looking for answers and this is a time for us to keep our heads and work together as a team. The easiest thing for any of us to do on a day like this is point fingers. We'll keep working and that's all we can do; one race weekend at a time. Hopefully we can pull something out tomorrow."

Driver: Marco Andretti Car: #26 Team Mott's Clamato Caesar Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"Qualifying today didn't end with the results we were hoping for and the #26 car is starting farther back on the grid than we'd like. We are struggling for grip and I'm not exactly sure how to make the car go faster. But it's going to be a physical race tomorrow so we'll just do our best to keep pressure on the car in front of us and take advantage of any opportunities to gain track position."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"We made improvements from yesterday, which is good. We still need to make a few more changes for tomorrow. We are headed in the right direction with the changes we have made throughout the weekend. We found some speed during the first qualifying session and that got us into the top-12. Overall it's been a good day."

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Post by mlittle » Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:45 pm

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada (July 26, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing drivers Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh completed the 11th race of the 2009 IndyCar Series season, the Rexall Edmonton Indy at the City Centre Airport.

Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"I think the #7 car was able to finish the day with a good result, considering our starting position. We had a great first stint, we were able to stay out longer than others so we were able to gain positions. The track is very challenging and hard to pass on. Overall, as a team, we're more on mark than we were at the beginning of the race weekend. But I think we're still off on something since we are off the leader's pace. We are working really hard to pinpoint the issue. I really wish I could've stayed in the top-ten but at the end of the day, points are points."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"I have burns on my hands and face. In the next couple of days we will know the extent. I am glad we are ok, it was a scary moment. I have to thank all the other teams, Penske, the Panther boys and everybody else who came to help me. It's pretty remarkable and it shows the strength of the IndyCar family. We are competitors over the weekend but when somebody needed help, we put the competiveness aside. I am glad I am OK. The fuel probe stayed open, it was open all the way even when my fueler pulled the hose out and at that point there was nothing we could do. I'm glad I'm okay, but I really wish we could've finished the race. It's a shame because we were making progress up to the point in the race."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Team Mott's Clamato Caesar Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"The #26 definitely wasn't perfect today but that's racing; the perfect car isn't possible. We went out and kept pushing but just got caught behind a couple of slower cars and the leaders were able to increase their gap on us. The Mott's boys worked hard all day and we'll take the top-ten finish. It put us up one position in points and we're closing the gap on fifth; hopefully we'll find the points we need in Kentucky next week."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"After the morning session, we made a lot of changes to the car. The changes we made weren't on target so our pace was much slower than the leaders'. I made a mistake after the first pit stop and went off in turn-11, which set us back a few spots. It just wasn't the result we hoped for. Hopefully we can makeup for this weekend next week in Kentucky."

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Post by mlittle » Sat Aug 01, 2009 12:26 am

Kentucky: Andretti Green Racing preview


Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Danica Patrick Facts:
- Patrick is currently fifth in the championship point standings. - Patrick has five top-five finishes and eight top 10 finishes thus far in the 2009 season.
- Patrick finished third at the 2009 Indianapolis 500, her highest career finish in that event.
- Patrick won her first IndyCar Series race in 2008 at the Indy Japan 300.
- Patrick had three top-five and nine top 10 finishes in 2008 and finished sixth in the final IndyCar Series point standings.

Danica Patrick on the Meijer Indy 300:

"I'm ready to get to Kentucky, for sure. As a team, we need to bounce back from what has been a pretty tough stretch of races for us and I'm hoping Kentucky will give us the chance to do that. We've got a few new aero options to work with this week and the 'push to pass,' so we'll see how all that plays out. It should be very interesting."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Tony Kanaan Facts:
- Kanaan is currently ninth in the championship point standings.
- Kanaan captured his first podium finish of 2009 at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, with a third-place finish.
- Finished third in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship.
- Has led over 2,600 laps throughout his IndyCar Series career and won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship.

Tony Kanaan on the Meijer Indy 300: "I'm all set for the weekend. The burns to my hands turned out to be very minor and far better than we first expected. I'm going to be fine. I'm just looking forward to getting back in the car on Friday and making the most of the weekend at Kentucky. The combination of the new aero package and the 'push to pass' button should mix things up a little bit in the race and I'm excited to see what we can do. Hopefully, we'll put on a great show for the fans. They deserve it."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Marco Andretti Facts:
- Andretti is currently sixth in the IndyCar Series championship standings. - Andretti has six top 10 finishes thus far this season.
- Won his first career pole position when he claimed the pole at Milwaukee (2008), the same place where his father (Michael) recorded his first pole position.
- Andretti finished the 2008 IndyCar Series season seventh in point standings with 363 points.

Marco Andretti on the Meijer Indy 300: "I'm looking forward to getting back on an oval for the weekend. The Meijer car ran really strong in Kentucky last season and we were able to come home with a podium finish. This has been an up and down year for us so far and I'm hoping that this weekend will be one of the ups. I'd like to come away with a win and the championship points we need to close the gap on the top-five.

"I've got some experience with the kind of 'push to pass' system that we've got now, so with that and the aero changes to the cars, it should make for better racing on Saturday night. We'll see what happens."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Hideki Mutoh Facts:
- Mutoh has five top 10 finishes so far this season.
- Mutoh is currently 11th in the championship point standings.
- Mutoh posted a 10th place finish in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was his second top 10 at the Indy 500 in two career starts.
- Mutoh captured the 2008 Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year award by finishing 10th in the IndyCar Series championship.

Hideki Mutoh on the Meijer Indy 300:

"The Formula Dream team had a very tough race last weekend in Edmonton and I need to get back to a good flow like before. We couldn't finish the race in Kentucky last year so I hope we get to finish the race. We are trying very hard to improve our performances so I am sure we will be able to show a good performance in Kentucky this time."
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Post by mlittle » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:50 pm

SPARTA, Kentucky (August 1, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing drivers Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh completed the 12th race of the 2009 IndyCar Series season, the Meijer Indy 300 at the Kentucky Speedway.

Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"I really thought the Boost car was capable of a stronger finish, but I will take a top-ten. We were fighting understeer most of the night, I kept asking for more grip but in the end it wasn't the best call on my end. We got caught in some lap traffic, so we decided to take fuel only on the last stop to see if we could take advantage of the time and try to get around Graham (Rahal) but we just didn't have the speed we needed."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"It was a great result tonight for Team 7-Eleven. I need to thank our team owners and the crew; they stayed behind me the whole time. It was a great race tonight and I'll take third place any time after not finishing so many races. I'm extremely happy. The last time I was on the podium was April. We took a few months off and now we'll start again."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"It was a disappointing finish for the Meijer boys tonight. We took a chance on the amount of downforce we put into the car and it turned out that we didn't have enough. I had my handful with the car all night and just couldn't get the grip needed to stay up front. We're back on a road course in Ohio next weekend and hopefully we'll find better results for the #26 car."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"I couldn't find the speed we needed tonight in the #27 car. We struggled to hold our track position all night. The guys did a great job in the pits but I can't really pin point where we went wrong with our set-up."
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Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:15 am

Mid-Ohio: Andretti Green preview
Racing series INDYCAR
Date 2009-08-05

Driver: Danica Patrick Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola
Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Danica Patrick Facts:
- Patrick is currently fifth in the championship point standings.
- Patrick has five top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes thus far in the 2009 season.
- Patrick finished third at the 2009 Indianapolis 500, her highest career finish in that event.
- Patrick won her first IndyCar Series race in 2008 at the Indy Japan 300.
- Patrick had three top-five and nine top 10 finishes in 2008 and finished sixth in the final IndyCar Series point standings.

Danica Patrick on the Honda Indy 200: "I started on the front row in Mid-Ohio last year and I feel that I have bettered my road course skills since then. The team had a successful test there a few weeks ago, so I feel really good about going into Mid-Ohio this weekend. Hopefully we are strong all weekend and can gain as many championship points as possible."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Tony Kanaan Facts:
- Kanaan is coming off a third-place finish last weekend at the Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway.
- Kanaan is currently eighth in the championship point standings, just five points out of sixth.
- Kanaan has three podium and four top-five finishes in 2009.
- Finished third in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship.
- Has led over 2,600 laps throughout his IndyCar Series career and won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship.

Tony Kanaan on the Honda Indy 200: "We had a decent test at Mid-Ohio a few weeks ago, and I think that we will find it really helpful this weekend. We are coming off a great result in Kentucky, so we are definitely going to use it as momentum heading into this weekend's event."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Marco Andretti Facts:
- Andretti is currently sixth in the IndyCar Series championship standings.
- Andretti has nine top-10 finishes thus far this season.
- Won his first career pole position when he claimed the pole at Milwaukee (2008), the same place where his father (Michael) recorded his first pole position.
- Andretti finished the 2008 IndyCar Series season seventh in point standings with 363 points.

Marco Andretti on the Honda Indy 200: "I really enjoy racing at Mid-Ohio. We had a decent test there a couple weeks back and I think it gave us a good direction as far as set up for the race weekend. I'm looking forward to getting into town and getting back to work. Hopefully it will be a rewarding weekend for the Meijer boys."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh Car: 27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Hideki Mutoh Facts:
- Mutoh has five top-10 finishes so far this season.
- Mutoh is currently 11th in the championship point standings.
- Mutoh posted a 10th place finish in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was his second top 10 at the Indy 500 in two career starts.
- Mutoh captured the 2008 Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year award by finishing 10th in the IndyCar Series championship.

Hideki Mutoh on the Honda Indy 200: "It is always nice change to race on a road course after an oval track race. I was able to finish in top 10 last year at Mid-Ohio but I hope I get to finish at least in the top five this year. I truly would like to win a race or more before I go to Japan so I hope to have a good weekend at Mid-Ohio."
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Post by mlittle » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:15 pm

Mid-Ohio: Andretti Green Racing Friday report


Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"I really think the #7 car is decent. We got caught in some traffic, but our time was improving each lap. I think if we would been able to turn a few more laps we would have been faster. Hopefully tomorrow's qualifying run will be strong and so we can go into the race on Sunday confident."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"It was a good day. I think the test here helped us a lot. The track was really dirty so it's hard to judge. Tomorrow is definitely going to be a different day with all the cars running yet tonight and in the morning, but I'm pleased. It's been a while since we've been in the top-five in the first session on a road course, so it feels good."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"Not a bad way to start the weekend for the Meijer boys. We definitely gained some good information when we tested here a couple weeks ago and I think that showed today. Hopefully we can use today's practice notes and put them to use them for a strong result for the #26 car this weekend.

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"The track was pretty slick and greasy at the beginning of the session this afternoon. I was sliding around and spun out so it was hard to get a real feel of the car. We were pretty fast at the beginning of practice today, so I think we will be strong tomorrow during qualifying."
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Post by mlittle » Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:37 am

LEXINGTON, Ohio (August 8, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing drivers Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh qualified for Sunday's running of the 2009 Honda Indy 200 race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Patrick, driver of the #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola car, will start in the 12th position. Kanaan, driver of the #11 Team 7-Eleven entry, will start eighth. Andretti, driver of the #26 Meijer, will start in the 13th position. Mutoh, who drives the #27 Formula Dream car, will start 11th.

Live coverage of tomorrow's race will be provided by Versus, starting at 1 p.m. ET, be sure to tune in!

Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Danica Patrick:
"I thought the Boost Mobile/Motorola car felt really good. We had the balance and the grip that I think we need to run well, but just didn't have the speed we needed to get into the Fast Six."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven/Nestle Pure Life Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Tony Kanaan:
"We have been working really hard to turn this situation around and we are making small steps. If you look back to Edmonton, we started 17th and 18th; this weekend we have four cars in the top 12. I was disappointed because I thought we had a chance at making the Fast Six, but the other teams made better progress throughout the sessions that we are able to."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Marco Andretti:
"We ran well in practice this morning, so I'm really disappointing with the qualifying results. I was able to stay in the top-six of our group for most of the session, but just wasn't there at the end when it counted most. We'll make a few changes tonight and take advantage of every opportunity we can to gain track position during the race tomorrow."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Hideki Mutoh:
"It was a tough qualifying session today. The rain earlier made us change our plans and the track conditions weren't what we were originally planning on. The car was running really good toward the end of the session. I think we change some things for tomorrow and have a good race car set up."
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Post by mlittle » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:44 pm

LEXINGTON, Ohio (August 9, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing drivers Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh completed the 13th race of the 2009 IndyCar Series season, the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"It's a disappointing way to end the weekend. We were running strong until we spun out, which was out of my control. It's frustrating when something like that happens during a race and you have to start all over. Up to that point we were making progress and gaining position. I was hoping for a strong finish this weekend, but it didn't pan out the way we wanted it to. It's going to be nice to have a week off and get recharged before we head into Sonoma."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"I think someone made contact with me at the start of the race so we lost positions pretty early. We had to change our strategy from the beginning, but I have to thank my 7-Eleven team for getting us back into the top-ten; it wasn't easy. It was a tough race for sure, but we were able to move up in points."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"Not a bad day for the Meijer car. It was a long day, but I'm glad we were able to finish inside the top-ten. The goal is to make our way up in points; it'd be great to year if we're able to charge our way up to fifth and today put us closer to that goal."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

"It was a good finish for the #27 car. We were strong and consistent which allowed us to get a top-five finish. Since there were so few cautions, we concentrated on race strategy, which ended up working in our favor today. It's going to be good to have a week off to regroup before Sonoma."
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Post by mlittle » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:45 pm

ANDRETTI GREEN TEAMS WITH AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLERS TO RUN FRANCK MONTAGNY IN FIFTH ENTRY AT INFINEON

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Aug. 11, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing announced today it will team with Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc. (AFS), to run Franck Montagny in a fifth IndyCar Series entry later this month in the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway.

Montagny, who made seven starts for Andretti Green's American Le Mans Series program in 2008, will pilot the #25 AFS Dallara/Honda/Firestone alongside Andretti Green's existing four-driver lineup that includes Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, Hideki Mutoh and Danica Patrick.

AFS is one of the nation's largest multi-family automatic fire sprinkler contractors and is familiar to Firestone Indy Lights fans through AFS Racing, which teamed with Andretti Green Racing to win the 2008 series title. AFS/Andretti Green currently holds down the top two spots in the 2009 Firestone Indy Lights championship standings with drivers J.R. Hildebrand and Sebastian Saavedra.

During his stint with Andretti Green last year, Montagny teamed with a variety of co-drivers and piloted the team's LMP2-class Acura to an overall ALMS victory at Belle Isle and an additional LMP2 win at Laguna Seca. Montagny's racing resume also features seven Formula 1 starts, all in 2006 with Super Aguri, and stints as a Formula 1 test driver and third driver.

The 31-year old Frenchman owns four top-five finishes in his last four starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans including a runner-up finish earlier this summer.

FRANCK MONTAGNY, #25 AFS DALLARA/HONDA/FIRESTONE: "I am certainly looking forward to my IndyCar debut in Sonoma with AFS and Andretti Green Racing. I was able to test one of the team's Indy cars last year and very much enjoyed driving it. Being able to test the track this week will be very helpful for me to learn the circuit and prepare for the race. We have a lot of work to do to get ready, but I believe we are up to the challenge."

GARY PETERSON, PRESIDENT, AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLERS, INC.: "This is an exciting announcement for AFS/Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc. California is an important market for our company and we believe Franck will give us a good shot at competing for a win. "In the midst of this economic downturn, it's important for AFS/Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc., to keep our name out there to attract new customers and the Indy Racing League also provides an excellent venue for entertaining current customers. "We're proud of our Firestone Indy Lights program and this is a great opportunity to be a primary sponsor in the IndyCar Series. It will be exciting to see our traditional red-and-yellow color scheme out there competing with the best."

MICHAEL ANDRETTI, CHAIRMAN, ANDRETTI GREEN RACING: "We're very excited to see this come together for Sonoma. This is a good opportunity for Gary to showcase AFS at the IndyCar level and we think Franck will do a great job in the car that weekend."
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Post by mlittle » Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:08 am

Sonoma: Andretti Green Racing preview
Racing series INDYCAR
Date 2009-08-19

Driver: Danica Patrick
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Danica Patrick Facts:
- Patrick is currently fifth in the championship point standings.
- Patrick has five top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes thus far in the 2009 season.
- Patrick finished third at the 2009 Indianapolis 500, her highest career finish in that event.
- Patrick won her first IndyCar Series race in 2008 at the Indy Japan 300.
- Patrick had three top-five and nine top 10 finishes in 2008 and finished sixth in the final IndyCar Series point standings.

Danica Patrick on the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma:"The track at Infineon is a challenge, but very rewarding if you have a good race. Hopefully our hard work and efforts will pay off this weekend. We have been working really hard this season on all sides, but a win at the last road course event of the season would be gratifying."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Tony Kanaan Facts:
- Kanaan is currently seventh in the championship point standings, just 13 points behind sixth.
- Won the IndyCar Series debut event at Infineon in 2005 and finished third there last year.
- Kanaan has three podium and four top-five finishes in 2009.
- Finished third in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship.
- Has led over 2,600 laps throughout his IndyCar Series career and won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship.

Tony Kanaan on the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma: "I'm very excited to go back to Infineon Raceway. It is in a pretty part of the country and many of our sponsors like to be there as well. I think it is one of the most physical tracks on the circuit so I hope I will do well and win the race."

Franck Montagny
Car: #25 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Franck Montagny Facts:
- This weekend's event marks Montagny's IndyCar Series debut.
- Montagny made seven starts for Andretti Green's American Le Mans Series program in 2008, posting one overall ALMS victory at Belle Isle and an additional LMP2-class win at Laguna Seca.
- His racing resume features seven Formula 1 starts, all in 2006 with Super Aguri, and stints as a Formula 1 test driver and third driver.
- Montagny owns four top-five finishes in his last four starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans including a runner-up finish earlier this summer.

Franck Montagny on the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma: "It's good to be back with Andretti Green. This weekend will be a new challenge, but very interesting. The Infineon circuit is good fun and I was able to get good feedback from the AFS car during the test there last week. But, we still have a lot to learn about the car since it was just a one-day test. It is hard to tell what to expect from this weekend since we have had such little time in the car. But, I think it is most important for us to run all the laps, get the most information from the car and learn what we need to make the car feel the way I like it to feel."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Venom Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Marco Andretti Facts:
- Won his first IndyCar race at Infineon Raceway in 2006.
- Andretti is currently sixth in the IndyCar Series championship standings, 14 points behind fifth. - Andretti has 10 top-10 finishes thus far this season.
- Won his first career pole position when he claimed the pole at Milwaukee (2008), the same place where his father (Michael) recorded his first pole position.
- Andretti finished the 2008 IndyCar Series season seventh in point standings with 363 points.

Marco Andretti on the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma: "I always look forward to racing in Sonoma. My first IndyCar win was at Infineon, so the track obviously has a special meaning for me. We've had a rough year on road courses, but I think at Mid-Ohio we showed that we were able to make some steps in the right direction. Hopefully we can take what we've learned and put the information toward a strong weekend for the Venom machine."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Hideki Mutoh Facts:
- Mutoh has six top-10 finishes so far this season and is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.
- Mutoh is currently 11th in the championship point standings.
- Mutoh posted a 10th place finish in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was his second top 10 at the Indy 500 in two career starts.
- Mutoh captured the 2008 Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year award by finishing 10th in the IndyCar Series championship.

Hideki Mutoh on the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma: "Infineon Raceway is a tough course, but it will be a fun challenge to see how well I can do in the race so I am looking forward to returning there. I spun in qualifying last year and had to start from the back, so I hope I can get a better starting position and get a better result this year."
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Post by mlittle » Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:08 am

ANDRETTI GREEN RACING SHAREHOLDERS SIGN LETTER OF INTENT TO SPLIT OFF PROMOTIONS BUSINESS

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Aug. 20, 2009) - The shareholders of Andretti Green Racing, Inc., Michael Andretti, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree, announced today that they have executed a letter of intent to split off Andretti Green Promotions and Andretti Green Toronto into a separate company from Andretti Green Racing.

Andretti Green Racing began competing in the Indy Racing League in 2003 and currently fields four fulltime teams in the IndyCar Series and two teams with AFS Racing in Firestone Indy Lights. Andretti Green Racing also campaigns A1 Team USA in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. Andretti Green Promotions was formed in 2004, and owns and operates the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which served as the 2009 IndyCar Series season-opening event. Andretti Green Toronto owns and operates the Honda Indy Toronto IndyCar Series event which premiered this past July.

The letter of intent is subject to the execution of definitive agreements with an anticipated closing of October 2009. The terms of the letter will not be disclosed.Upon the completion of the transaction, Andretti will wholly own and operate Andretti Green Racing while Green and Savoree will wholly own and operate the promotions business.

JOINT STATEMENT FROM SHAREHOLDERS MICHAEL ANDRETTI, KIM GREEN AND KEVIN SAVOREE:

"Since becoming partners in 2002, we have been fortunate to see our companies expand and diversify quickly and successfully. All of us believe that this decision will maximize the potential of both companies in the future."
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Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:22 am

SONOMA, California (August 22, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing put all five of its cars in the top-11 during qualifying today for Sunday's running of the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway.

Team Venom Energy driver Marco Andretti, who won at Infineon in 2006, led the way for Andretti Green and will start fourth followed by Formula Dream driver Hideki Mutoh, who qualified fifth. Team 7-Eleven driver Tony Kanaan will roll off seventh alongside AFS driver Franck Montagny, who qualified eighth. Boost Mobile/Motorola driver Danica Patrick rounded out the Andretti Green effort by qualifying 11th.

Live coverage of tomorrow's 75-lap race will be provided by Versus, starting at 5 p.m. (EDT).

Danica Patrick, #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"We made a few changes to the car for the second run, but unfortunately they didn't improve it. I think I led my guys astray with a couple things, but it's good that the team has a couple cars in the top-six. We have an idea of what we'll fix for tomorrow. Overall, I think we are the right track."

Tony Kanaan, #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"I'm disappointed we didn't make it into the Firestone Fast Six, but I think we've got something we can work with for tomorrow. I'm glad to see all the AGR cars making progress. I think that is a good sign of things to come and hopefully we can keep the momentum going for tomorrow."

Franck Montagny, #25 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"Qualifying is so tight in this series, so we played things very conservatively today. This is the first time I've ever used the alternate Firestone tires and they make a drastic difference, so it was a new experience. But, for my first time qualifying this car, I think 'P8' is OK for us."

Marco Andretti, #26 Team Venom Energy Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"It was a great day for the Venom team. We've been working really hard and this shows we've made progress. We are definitely heading in the right direction. I think we've learned how to use the reds (alternate Firestone tires) in our favor and that also helps a lot. I'm looking forward to the race tomorrow and I'm confident we have a car capable of a strong finish. Right now my thoughts and prayers are with Nelson (Philippe) and Will (Power). I hope they're doing OK."

Hideki Mutoh, #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"I'm very happy with today. The car was really good from the start and only very small changes were needed. I made a mistake on the last lap and think I could have gone faster, but we were still able to make the Firestone Fast Six. We are starting up front tomorrow; hopefully we can finish there too. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."
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Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:22 am

SONOMA, Calif. (August 23, 2009) - Formula Dream driver Hideki Mutoh, who was the lone Andretti Green driver to make it through a first-lap incident unscathed, drove to a fifth-place finish today to lead the way for Andretti Green Racing in the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway.

Team 7-Eleven's Tony Kanaan rebounded from his troubles to finish eighth and was followed by Venom driver Marco Andretti in 14th. Boost Mobile/Motorola driver Danica Patrick finished 16th and was followed by AFS driver Franck Montagny, who retired early and wound up 20th.

Danica Patrick,
Car: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"The Boost Mobile/Motorola guys did a great job fixing the tow link that got damaged on the first lap of the race. They almost got it fixed in time for us to stay on the lead lap, but the rod was bent pretty badly. It frustrating when this all happens on the first lap, but it is what it is. We're still fifth in points, so hopefully we will keep it that way next weekend in Chicago."

Tony Kanaan,
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"I felt like a bowling pin since I got hit a few times today. I think if we could've qualified a bit higher on the starting grid we could've stayed out of all that mess. It was unfortunate but a good way to come back. It's just been one of those years, but at least we finished the race. Hopefully next weekend in Chicago we can get the Team 7-Eleven car into victory lane. We're ready."

Franck Montagny, #25 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"I never really had a chance today. We were hit from behind on the very first lap, went into the gravel and that was pretty much the end of our race. We tried a few things as the day went on, but there was not much we could and I didn't want to cause problems for the drivers that are competing in the championship fulltime. It was a tough day, for sure."

Marco Andretti,
Car: #26 Team Venom Energy Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"It's disappointing to start fourth and finish 14th, especially when you have a strong car like we did. We got caught up with Graham (Rahal) at the very beginning which gave us a flat tire, so we had to pit and it put us to the back of the field. We spent the rest of the day fighting our way back through traffic. I feel bad for the Venom boys; they gave me a great car and worked hard in the pits all day. We're on to ovals for the rest of the season, and I think we'll be strong in the remaining races."

Hideki Mutoh,
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"If I was able to keep the third position, it would've been a great finish, but the Formula Dream car was fantastic. Our pit stop was great, as well, so we were able to pass Helio. I really would like to thank all the Andretti Green people for their great support and the fans here. I enjoyed the race today, and am looking forward to next week's race at Chicagoland."
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Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:23 am

Driver: Danica Patrick WCar: #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Danica Patrick Facts:
- Patrick is currently fifth in the championship point standings.
- Patrick has five top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes thus far in the 2009 season.
- Patrick finished third at the 2009 Indianapolis 500, her highest career finish in that event.
- Patrick won her first IndyCar Series race in 2008 at the Indy Japan 300.

Danica Patrick on the PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300:

"I'm looking forward to getting back to an oval this weekend, especially my home track where I will have many friends and family there to support me. It would be great to get a win this weekend for that very reason. I started on the pole there back in 2005, and have always had pretty solid race results since. Hopefully the #7 car will be competitive and strong all weekend."

Driver: Tony Kanaan
Car: #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Tony Kanaan Facts:
- Kanaan is currently seventh in the championship point standings, just 17 points behind fifth.
- In six career starts at Chicagoland, Kanaan has three top-five and six top-10 finishes and owns an average finish of 5.2.
- Kanaan has three podium and four top-five finishes in 2009.
- Finished third in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship.
- Has led over 2,600 laps throughout his IndyCar Series career and won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship.

Tony Kanaan on the PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300: "We were very competitive at the last oval race in Kentucky, so that gives me good reason to be excited for this weekend. The season is winding down and Team 7-Eleven is due for a win, so we need to be focused on that for Saturday. We don't have to be conservative; we can take some chances and go after it, and that's what we're going to do."

Driver: Marco Andretti
Car: #26 Meijer Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Marco Andretti Facts:
- Andretti is currently sixth in the IndyCar Series championship standings, just 12 points out of fifth. - Andretti has 10 top-10 finishes thus far this season.
- Won his first career pole position when he claimed the pole at Milwaukee (2008), the same place where his father (Michael) recorded his first pole position.
- Andretti finished the 2008 IndyCar Series season seventh in point standings with 363 points.

Marco Andretti on the PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300: "It will be nice to get back on an oval this weekend. We've come a long way on the road and street courses. It's too bad we won't get a chance to see how much farther we can go this season on those tracks, but the Meijer car is traditionally strong on ovals like Chicago so we will be competitive for sure. I think making it into the top five in points is still a realistic goal. It's within reach and hopefully these last few races will seal the deal. We've had so many highs and lows this season; breaking into the top five would be a well-earned high for the #26 crew."

Driver: Hideki Mutoh
Car: #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Hideki Mutoh Facts:
- Mutoh has seven top-10 finishes so far this season and is coming off back-to-back fifth-place finishes at Mid-Ohio and Infineon Raceway.
- Mutoh has moved up to 10th in the championship point standings.
- Made his IndyCar Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway in 2007.
- Posted a 10th place finish in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was his second top 10 at the Indy 500 in two career starts.
- Captured the 2008 Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year award by finishing 10th in the IndyCar Series championship.

Hideki Mutoh on the PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300:

"Chicagoland Speedway is one of the most memorable tracks for me since my first IndyCar race was here. I didn't finish the race last year due to the electrical problem we had with the car, so I really want to have a strong finish this weekend. The Formula Dream car has been great and I'm very confident we can do well. I'm looking forward to the race this weekend
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Post by mlittle » Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:51 am

JOLIET, Illinois (August 28, 2009) - Andretti Green Racing drivers, Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh qualified for Saturday's running of the PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Patrick, driver of the #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola car, will start in the tenth position. Kanaan, driver of the #11 Team 7-Eleven/Oscar Mayer Big Bite entry, will start fourth. Andretti, driver of the #26 Meijer car, will start in the seventh position. Mutoh, who drives the #27 Formula Dream car, will start 13th.

Danica Patrick, #7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"I really thought we had a faster car than the results show. I drove far more aggressively during the qualifying run than I did during this morning's practice. We didn't make a whole lot of adjustments to the car from this morning and we were quicker then than we are now, I don't really know. But once the race starts tomorrow night anything can happen and it's really anyone's game."

Tony Kanaan, #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"We have a good car and if the weather cooperates with us we will have another practice session later today. We got the 7-Eleven car back to where it needs to be. It's going to be a great race tomorrow."

Marco Andretti, #26 Team Venom Energy Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"Our average speed today obviously wasn't all that impressive, but starting seventh isn't bad and we can do what we need to from there. I think we have a better race car than a qualifying car. Hopefully we can back that up tomorrow night and put on a good show for the fans."

Hideki Mutoh, #27 Formula Dream Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"We struggled with the car this morning and made a few changes. I think the changes we made definitely improved the car. We had a pretty decent qualifying run, so I'm happy with the results."
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