2009 IRL Team Reports: KV Racing Technology

IRL Team reports for the 2009 IRL season

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Post by mlittle » Sun May 10, 2009 12:57 pm

KV Racing Technology's Mario Moraes Qualifies Seventh For 2009 Indianapolis 500; Paul Tracy Bumped from Top-11 in Final 15 Minutes

SPEEDWAY, IN - - MAY 9, 2009 - - Round #4 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology's Mario Moraes qualified seventh today for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. Teammate Paul Tracy was in the top-11 after his qualifying attempt, but was bumped and will attempt to get into the race tomorrow.

Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, made two qualifying runs. The first attempt occurred just after the start of qualifying at 12:00 noon with Moraes posting a four-lap average of 222.470 mph. His initial attempt put him squarely in the top-11 until the final 15 minutes of qualifying, which concluded at 6:00 p.m. After getting bumped out of the top-11, Moraes made a second qualifying attempt and had a fantastic run recording an average speed of 223.331 mph. He will start the 2009 Indy 500 on the inside of Row #3.

"I want to thank the whole KV Racing -- Votorantim team. They did a great job today and I am very happy with our qualifying position," said Moraes. "During the first qualifying run we were a little conservative because of the wind. We added a lot of downforce which slowed the car, but still had a good qualifying run and were in ninth going into the afternoon. We did some practice laps in the late afternoon, with less downforce and knew that we could run faster. Then we got bumped out of the top-11, so we went back out with the less downforce setup and had a really good second qualifying run."

The team employed a different strategy with Tracy's qualifying attempt. With strong winds blowing and times clearly slower than they had been during practice the past few days, the team decided to pass when Tracy's turn first came around in the hope of getting better track and weather conditions later in the day. He made his qualifying attempt in the #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine at just after 5:00 p.m. with improved conditions logging an average speed of 221.915 mph temporarily placing him 11th on the grid. However, with time rapidly running out he was bumped from the top-11 at which point he and the team decided to forgo another qualifying attempt preferring to keep the bigger picture in mind, winning the race. Tracy will participate in tomorrow's second round of qualifying and based on his times today should easily make the field for this year's race were his proven talent will surely make him competitive.

"I am disappointed for the GEICO -- KV Racing Technology team," Tracy said. "We just missed a little bit on the setup because I was loose in Turn #2. I think we need to run in the 222 mph range tomorrow to get into the show, which I know we can do."

Moraes will be contesting his second Indianapolis 500 and 12th race on an oval. The 20-year-old Brazilian, the second youngest driver in the series, made his IMS debut last year qualifying 28th and finishing 18th. In 11 previous oval events, Moraes has a best finish of 10th last year in Nashville (career best finish is seventh on the Watkins Glen
road course also in 2008).

Tracy, a native of Canada will be attempting to qualify for his sixth Indy 500 and first with KVRT. In five previous races at the IMS he has a best qualifying effort of seventh in 1993. His best finish is a controversial runner-up performance in 2002.
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Post by mlittle » Tue May 12, 2009 1:03 pm

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S PAUL TRACY QUALIFIES 13TH FOR 2009 INDIANAPOLIS 500

SPEEDWAY, IN - - MAY 10, 2009 - - Round #4 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology's Paul Tracy qualified 13th today for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, qualified with a four-lap average of 223.111 mph on the second day of qualifications. He will lineup on the inside of Row #5. With the addition of Tracy, KV Racing Technology now has two cars firmly entrenched in the field for this year's race. Mario Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, qualified seventh with an impressive 223.331 mph average yesterday. He will start on the inside of Row #3. The team will attempt to qualify a third car for Townsend Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, next weekend.

Tracy made one qualifying attempt yesterday logging an average speed of 221.915 mph, which temporarily placed him 11th on the grid. However, he was bumped from the top 11 forcing him to qualify today. Tracy made his second attempt shortly after 12:00 noon, but after running laps above 223 mph in morning practice, qualified with a 222.749 mph average initially putting him 12th on the grid. As qualifying continued Tracy slipped to 17th so the team decided to make a third attempt. The final attempt was a bit of a gamble since Tracy's original time would have placed him in the top-22 and thus in the race, however, the move paid off as Tracy had an impressive run picking up four places and moved up a row on the grid.

"Paul had a good run this morning", said KVRT General Manager Mark Johnson. "Due to the limited practice time yesterday, we had to roll the dice this morning and see where we were. We were relatively happy with where Paul qualified, but we knew we gave up a little bit. So, we went back and watched how the other teams were doing. With a driver that has Paul's level of talent and confidence there was no doubt in our minds that we could improve our position from where we were. We didn't come here to just put ourselves in the field, but to do the best we can for GEICO. Paul did a great job today and has put us solidly in the field."

Commenting on qualifying Tracy said, "I am really pleased for the GEICO -- KV Racing Technology team. The team did a great job and the second qualifying effort was a lot better. We had done 223 mph earlier in practice, but it just didn't go right in the first qualifying attempt. We were slipping down the grid, so we decided to make another attempt. We told Kevin Kalkhoven what we had decided and he was on board. Then we notified GEICO and they told us they liked that we were not satisfied and loved our intensity. So we went for it and, obviously, it worked out because we picked up four positions and moved up a row."

Tracy, a native of Canada will be contesting his sixth Indy 500 and first with KVRT. This year's 13th place starting position is his second highest in six attempts. His best qualifying position is seventh in 1993 while his best finish is a controversial runner-up performance in 2002.

Moraes will be contesting his second Indianapolis 500 and 12th race on an oval. The 20-year-old Brazilian, the second youngest driver in the series, made his IMS debut last year qualifying 28th and finishing 18th. In 11 previous oval events, Moraes has a be st finish of 10th last year in Nashville (career best finish is seventh on the Watkins Glen road course also in 2008).
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Post by mlittle » Sat May 16, 2009 10:30 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES POSTS FASTEST PRACTICE SPEED; TOWNSEND BELL 10TH ON SPEED CHARTS AFTER FIRST DAY ON TRACK

SPEEDWAY, IN - - MAY 14, 2009 - - Round #4 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology driver Mario Moraes topped the speed charts while teammate Townsend Bell was 10th today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who was on track for the first time since qualifying seventh for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24, spent the day working on his race setup in preparation for the 93rd running of the 500-mile race. He ran just more than half a 500 mile race today turning 103 laps with a fast lap of 222.739 mph. Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, was on track for the first time this year at the Brickyard. The native of California, who will be attempting to qualify for this year's race this weekend, made 75 circuits around the 2.5-mile IMS oval recording a quick lap of 220.938 mph.

"Today was great," said Moraes. "The KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim team did a great job preparing the car. This week we are working on the race setups and I am trying to learn how to handle the car in traffic. Last year it was hard work, but this year I am looking forward to running at the front, so it is important for me to know what the car does in traffic."

Commenting on his first day on track Bell said, "I had a great first day with KV Racing Technology team. The #8 Herbalife -- KVRT car was strong. We did some work on race setups today because we already have a good setup for qualifying based on what the team did last weekend. I feel very comfortable and it's great to be back in the car again."

Moraes will be contesting his second Indianapolis 500 and 12th race on an oval. The 20-year-old Brazilian, the second youngest driver in the series, made his IMS debut last year qualifying 28th and finishing 18th. In 11 previous oval events, Moraes has a best finish of 10th last year in Nashville (career best finish is seventh on the Watkins Glen road course also in 2008).

Bell, 34, will be making his third start at the Brickyard. Last year, competing in his second Indy 500, he had a solid race qualifying 12th and finishing 10th. The native of California made his Indy 500 debut in 2006 qualifying 15th then battling his way into eighth place before suspension damage ended his day placing him 22nd.

Moraes, who qualified for this year's race last weekend with a four-lap average of 223.331 mph, will start on the inside of Row #3. He is joined by Paul Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who qualified at 223.111 mph on the second day of qualifications. Tracy will lineup on the inside of Row #5. Should Bell qualify this weekend it would give KVRT three cars in the field in just their second appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Last year, in their inaugural Indy 500, KVRT qualified two cars. Oriol Servia started 25th and finished 11th while Will Power started 23rd and placed 13th.

Indianapolis 500 qualifying is done in four parts. The first is Pole Day, which determines the winner of the pole (inside front row) plus the next 10 cars (total of 11) on the grid. The second part fills places #12-22. The third segment will be on Saturday, May 16 when places #23-33 are determined. The fourth, Bump Day, will be on Sunday, May 17, when cars can be removed or "bumped" from the field by a faster car.
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Post by mlittle » Sat May 16, 2009 10:42 am

KV Racing Technology's Mario Moraes Second, Townsend Bell Third Fastest During Indy 500 Practice

Bell Fastest of Unqualified Cars on Final Day Before Qualifying

SPEEDWAY, IN - - MAY 15, 2009 - - Round #4 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology driver's Mario Moraes and Townsend Bell were second and third respectively during today's practice for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who qualified seventh last weekend with a four-lap average of 223.331 mph, continued to work on his race setup for the second consecutive day. Running close to half a 500-mile race, 98 laps, Moraes posted a fast time of 222.530 mph in race trim, which provides more downforce and is therefore slower than qualifying trim. Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who will attempt to qualify tomorrow, was the fastest of the cars that will try and get into the field for the 93rd running of the Indy 500. He ran a quick lap of 222.139 posting his fast time on the 76th and final lap he turned on the 2.5-mile superspeedway oval.

"Today was another very productive day for the KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim team," said Moraes. "We worked on different race setups again today and the car felt solid. Only once did we have a problem with the rear. Unfortunately, on my last lap, I went across the start/finish line and sucked up a brick, which damaged my car and ended my day. I feel bad for the crew because they are going to have to do some extra work tonight."

Commenting on his day Bell said, "It was a great day for the Herbalife - KVRT car. We went pretty quick with the race setup and made some long runs. The car felt really good. I've had the chance to run a couple of times at Indy before, but each time you come here you get a little smarter about of what you need to have to run good on race day. I'm pretty happy with where we are right now. We had a chance to work our way towards a qualifying setup on the last run. The car's obviously quick and I'm really excited about getting it into the field tomorrow."

Bell, 34, will be attempting to qualify for his third Indy 500. The native of California qualified 15th and finished 22nd in his Indy 500 debut in 2006 and qualified 12th and finished 10th in 2008. If Bell does get in the field he will join the 20-year-old Moraes, who will be contesting his second Indianapolis 500 and 12th race on an oval. The native of Brazil made his IMS debut last year, qualifying 28th and finishing 18th. Paul Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, has also qualified an entry for KVRT posting a speed of 223.111 mph putting him 13th on the grid. Tracy will be making his sixth Indy 500 start. Should Bell qualify, KVRT will have put three cars in the field in just their second appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Last year, in their inaugural Indy 500, KVRT qualified two cars. Oriol Servia started 25th and finished 11th while Will Power started 23rd and placed 13th.
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Post by mlittle » Mon May 18, 2009 1:15 am

AZUL TEQUILA TO SPONSOR KV RACING TECHNOLOGY AT 2009 INDIANAPOLIS 500

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - - MAY 16, 2009 - - KV Racing Technology announced today that Azul Tequila, will sponsor KV Racing Technology during the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Azul is the newest addition to the portfolio of tequilas from the world's most-awarded tequila distillery -- Gran Centenario. Azul is Mexico's fastest-growing 100% agave tequila brand, but is newly available in the U.S.

"We are extremely excited about the partnership with KV Racing Technology," said Elwyn Gladstone, Marketing Director for Proximo Spirits, Inc. "Azul is fast becoming one of America's most buzzed about tequilas; it's smooth and well-crafted. We are looking forward to watching Car #5 have a smooth run in the race."

KVRT co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven said, "We are very pleased to announce that Azul Tequila has joined KV Racing Technology for this year's Indianapolis 500. This is a company that has been making award winning products for many years. That is a model that fits perfectly with KVRT's mission statement."

The 2009 Indianapolis 500 will mark KV Racing Technology's second appearance in the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The team has already qualified two cars for the race, which will take place on May 24. Mario Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, qualified seventh with a four-lap average of 223.331 mph. He will start on the inside of Row #3. Teammate Paul Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, also qualified with a speed of 223.111 mph. Tracy will start 13th and lineup on the inside of Row #5. The team will attempt to qualify a third car for Townsend Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, this weekend.

KV Racing Technology was established in 2003. The Indianapolis-based team is contesting its seventh open-wheel season and second in the IndyCar Series in 2009. KVRT is owned by successful venture capitalist Kevin Kalkhoven and 1996 Series Champion, Jimmy Vasser. Veteran motorsports manager Mark Johnson is the team's General Manager. KVRT has earned two victories the first by Cristiano da Matta in Portland in 2005 and the second by Will Power in Long Beach in 2008. They have captured two poles, Tristan Gommendy at Mont Tremblant in 2007 and Vasser at Milwaukee in 2005 (Will Power captured the pole at the 2008 Surfers Paradise, Australia exhibition race).

About AZUL Tequila:
Azul is Mexico's fastest-growing 100% agave tequila brand and represents a revolution in the extremely competitive tequila category, with its sleek packaging and affordable price. Azul's modern packaging combined with its super-smooth taste -- due to the use of the finest 100% Agave, sourced directly from family-owned ranches in Jalisco, Mexico - results in an incredible product at an exceptional value. Azul from the House of Gran Centenario (40% Alc./Vol.) is available in 750 ml, Liters and 1.75 Liters, priced at $19.99 per 750 ml.
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Post by mlittle » Mon May 18, 2009 1:16 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S TOWNSEND BELL QUALIFIES 24TH FOR 2009 INDIANAPOLIS 500; TEAM PLACES THREE CARS IN FIELD

SPEEDWAY, IN - - MAY 16, 2009 - - Round #4 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology's Townsend Bell tentatively qualified 24th today for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, had the second fastest qualifying attempt of the day with a four-lap average of 221.195 mph. He is currently slated to line-up on the outside of Row #8.

With the addition of Bell, KV Racing Technology now has three cars firmly entrenched in the field for the Indy 500 in just their second appearance at IMS. Mario Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, qualified seventh with a four-lap average of 223.331 mph last weekend on the first day of qualifications. He is currently set to start on the inside of Row #3. Paul Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, also qualified last weekend, but on the second day, with an average speed of 223.111 mph. Tracy is 13th on the grid and will lineup on the inside of Row #5.

Bell made one qualifying run today, but it took several hours for the attempt to actually take place. The team put the #8 Herbalife -- KVRT car in line at 12:15 p.m. and was set to go out second. However, qualifying was postponed when rain began to fall shortly thereafter. Approximately three and a half hours later qualifying began. Going out second, Bell strung together four very consistent laps of 221.280 mph, 220.953 mph, 221.247 mph and 221.301 mph.

"I had a consistent, reasonable qualifying effort in the #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology car," Bell said. "We were wide open and the balance was perfect. I was pretty happy with the way the car felt. We will have to see what happens tomorrow and if we have to go back out we will. The car is strong and the team has done a great job preparing it, so I am confident."

Bell, 34, qualified for his third Indy 500. The California native made his Indy 500 debut in 2006 starting 15th and finishing 22nd. He qualified 12th and finished 10th in 2008. Bell has made 30 career open-wheel starts over six seasons, 19 in the IndyCar Series. His best finish is fourth at Portland in 2002 driving in the Champ Car World Series. Bell's best IndyCar finish, and oval performance, is fifth at Nashville in 2004.

The Indianapolis 500 qualifying is done in four parts. The first two, which were held last weekend determined the pole sitter and initially slotted places 1-22 on the grid. Today was part three, which initially determines spots #23-33 on the starting grid. Part four, Bump Day, will be tomorrow, Sunday, May 17, when cars can be removed or "bumped" from the field by a faster car.

Notes:

KV Racing Technology announced today that Azul Tequila, will sponsor the team during the 2009 Indianapolis 500. Azul is the newest addition to the portfolio of tequilas from the world's most-awarded tequila distillery -- Gran Centenario. Azul is Mexico's fastest-growing 100% agave tequila brand, but is newly available in the U.S.

Moraes, who will be contesting his second Indianapolis 500 and 12th race on an oval, was also on track today working on his race setup for the third consecutive day. The Brazilian had a fast lap of 220.475 mph putting him ninth on the practice report. Moraes made his IMS debut last year qualifying 28th and finishing 18th. In 11 previous oval events, Moraes has a best finish of 10th last year in Nashville (career best finish is seventh on the Watkins Glen road course also in 2008).
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Post by mlittle » Tue May 19, 2009 1:21 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES THIRD, TOWNSEND BELL SIXTH ON FINAL DAY OF PRACTICE FOR 2009 INDIANAPOLIS 500

SPEEDWAY, IN - - MAY 17, 2009 - - Round #4 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology driver's Mario Moraes and Townsend Bell were third and sixth respectively on the final day of extended practice for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24th, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

With the exception of a one-hour session for all cars on Friday, May 22, Carburetion Day, this was the last practice for the driver's prior to this year's Indy 500.

Moraes, who qualified for the race last week with a four-lap average of 223.331 mph, will start seventh and lineup on the inside of Row #3. The talented Brazilian, behind the wheel of the #5 Azul Tequila -- Votorantim -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine, worked on his race setup for the fourth consecutive day running 92 laps and recording a fast speed of 222.936. Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, qualified for the race yesterday with a speed of 221.195 putting him 24th on the grid and on the outside of Row #8. The native of California also spent today working on race setups turning 46 circuits around the 2.5-mile superspeedway with a quick lap of 222.683 mph.

"KV Racing Technology has spent a lot of time working on our race setup the last few days," Moraes said. "We have run a lot of laps and worked on a lot of different things. The team has done a great job and I think we are as prepared as we can be for the race. I have a good car. It is consistent and well balanced, so I am really looking forward to next Sunday."

Bell said, "It was a good day for the KV Racing Technology team. We learned a lot out there today. The #8 Herbalife car felt very solid in race trim and the KVRT team can't wait to race on Sunday".

Joining Moraes and Bell in the field for this year's Indy 500 is teammate Paul Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who qualified last week with an average speed of 223.111 mph. Tracy is 13th on the grid and will lineup on the inside of Row #5. This is the first time in two appearances at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that KVRT will have three cars starting the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing".
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Post by mlittle » Thu May 21, 2009 7:21 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY TO FIELD CAR FOR PAUL TRACY AT CANADIAN RACES

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - - MAY 20, 2009 - - KV Racing Technology will field a car for open-wheel superstar Paul Tracy at the two Canadian races on the 2009 IndyCar Series schedule.

Tracy, the 2003 Champ Car World Series champion, is one of the most successful and exciting drivers in the history of open-wheel racing. The a native of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, will compete at the Honda Indy Toronto on July 12 and the Rexall Edmonton Indy on July 26.

"I am pleased to announce that Paul Tracy will be joining KV Racing Technology for the two Canadian races," said KVRT co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "Paul is one of the greatest and most exciting drivers in the history of the sport and has shown here at Indianapolis that he still has what it takes to be competitive. We look forward to having him drive for KVRT in front of his countrymen."

Tracy will contest this weekend's Indianapolis 500 with KV Racing Technology. He qualified the #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine 13th and will start on the inside of Row #5. Tracy will team with Mario Moraes, #5 KV Racing Technology -- Votorantim Honda/Dallara/Firestone, in a two-car effort for KVRT at the two Canadian events.

"I want to thank Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser for the opportunity to continue my career and race in my home country," Tracy said. "I feel very fortunate to be able to race in front of my hometown fans with a very competitive team. KVRT has shown that it can compete with the top teams in the series and I am confident that we will have strong performances at both the Canadian races."

Tracy, who's talent and determination have made him a fan favorite, will be contesting his 17th race in Toronto and fifth in Edmonton. In 16 previous starts on the streets of Toronto he has finished in the top-10 a total of 11 times with eight top-five showings, five podium performances, two wins (1993 and 2003) and one pole. He has made four starts on the airport runway street circuit in Edmonton, three times in Champ Car and once, last year, in an IndyCar, finishing in the top-five all four times with a best showing of third in 2005 at the inaugural Edmonton race. Tracy will be making his fourth and fifth IndyCar starts. His previous IndyCar events were the 2002 Indy 500, placed second, the 2008 Edmonton race, placed fourth, and this year's Indy 500.

During a span of 18 seasons, Tracy has crafted a career that has established him as one of the top drivers ever to step into the cockpit of an open-wheel car. The resident of Las Vegas, Nevada is among the top-10 in almost every Champ Car career statistical category including wins, 31 (tied for seventh all-time), poles, 25 (ninth all-time), and laps led, 4,238 (sixth all-time). He has 75 career podium performances, 102 top-five finishes and 141 top-10 showings in 264 starts (262 in Champ Car and two in IndyCar -- tied for seventh all-time). In the 15 seasons in which Tracy has competed in over 80% of the races, he has finished in the top-10 in the championship standings 10 times including eight times in the top-five, four in the top-three and captured the championship in 2003.

KV Racing Technology co-owner Jimmy Vasser said, "I am very excited that KVRT is going to be able to give Paul the opportunity to continue his career especially at the Canadian races. Paul is a tremendous talent and he has shown us here at Indy that he still have the competitive fire to be successful on the race track. I just think it is fantastic that his fans, especially those in Canada, will get the opportunity to see "The Thrill from Westhill" again."
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Post by mlittle » Sun May 24, 2009 2:52 pm

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY READY TO CONTEST 2009 INDIANAPOLIS 500

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - - MAY 22, 2009 - - The drivers are ready, the cars are ready, the crews are ready...KV Racing Technology is ready to contest the 2009 Indianapolis 500, May 24, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

For the first time in just two appearances on the 2.5-mile superspeedway oval, KVRT has qualified three cars for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500.

Mario Moraes qualified seventh with a four-lap average speed of 223.331 mph and will start on the inside of Row #3. The talented Brazilian, in the #5 Azul -- Votorantim -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry, will be contesting his second Indy 500 and 12th race on an oval. Moraes made his IMS debut last year qualifying 28th and finishing 18th. In 11 previous oval events, Moraes has a best starting spot of sixth (career high) last month in Kansas (finished 11th). His best oval finish is 10th last year in Nashville (career best finish seventh at Watkins Glen in 2008). Moraes is currently 19th in the championship standings with 43 points.

I think the KV Racing Technology team has done a great job the

whole month," Moraes said. "We have a really good, solid

car for the race and I think we have a good chance of finishing in the

top-10 and even being able to fight for the win. I need to be focused

and patient for the whole race, we cannot win the race on the first

lap".

Paul Tracy qualified the #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine 13th with a speed of 223.111 mph and will start on the inside of Row #5. The native of Canada and 2003 Champ Car Series champion will be making his sixth appearance at IMS and first since his controversial runner-up finish in 2002. In five previous Indy 500's, Tracy has a best qualifying position of seventh in 1993 (13th is his second best). Tracy, in his 19th open-wheel season, is in the top-10 in just about every open-wheel career statistical category. The resident of Las Vegas, who will be making his 265th career open-wheel start (seventh all-time) on Sunday, has 31 career victories (tied for seventh all-time), but has never won the Indy 500.

Tracy said, "I am ready to go; I think the GEICO - KV Racing Technology team is ready to go. We have great sponsors, great teammates and we are positioned well, so I feel we have a great opportunity to get a really good finish or win here and that's what we are going to try and do".

Townsend Bell, #8 Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, qualified 24th with a speed of 221.195 and will lineup on the outside of Row #8. The California native will be making his third appearance at the Speedway. He made his debut here in 2006 starting 15th and finishing 22nd and returned in 2008 qualifying 12th and finishing 10th. Bell has made 30 career open-wheel starts over six seasons, 19 of them coming in the IndyCar Series. His best finish is fourth at Portland in 2002 driving in the Champ Car World Series. Bell's best IndyCar finish, and oval performance, is fifth at Nashville in 2004.

"I think the Herbalife -- KV Racing Technology team just needs to keep their heads down, put one foot in front of the other," commented Bell. "We will need to be reasonably aggressive at the start to make sure we don't go a lap down early. If we can pick off a few spots and settle comfortably in the middle of the pack that would be a nice start. The key is to just make smart decisions all day, be there at the end and get ready to race the last 20 laps".
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Post by mlittle » Tue May 26, 2009 10:31 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S TOWNSEND BELL FINISHES FOURTH IN 2009 INDIANAPOLIS 500; KVRT PLACES TWO CARS IN TOP-10 - PAUL TRACY FINISHES NINTH

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - - MAY 24, 2009 - - KV Racing Technology placed two cars in the top-10, led by a fourth place performance by Townsend Bell in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. Teammate Paul Tracy finished ninth, while the team's third driver, Mario Moraes was the victim of an incident on the first lap and placed 33rd.

Townsend Bell, #8 Herbalife -- Niteworks -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, started 24th, but was on the gas at the drop of the green flag up seven positions after the first lap. He was in 12th place after 12 laps, but dropped back to 21st after the first round of pit stops on lap 24. For the next 176 laps Bell and his Herbalife -- KVRT crew dug in and battled to the end. Bell drove a smart race when he had to and an aggressive race when he needed. He also benefitted from a solid race strategy and got outstanding pit work from his crew which gained him places on each stop except the first.

"This was just an unbelievable day for me and the Herbalife -- Niteworks -- KV Racing Technology team," Bell said. "We had a few problems early on, fought back and made some good passes on the re-start. We were smart when we had to be, aggressive when we needed to be. My Herbalife - KVRT pit crew did a fantastic job. I gained places on every stop except the first one and that's how I got from 24th to fourth."

Bell, 34, earned his best finish and second top-10 showing in three appearances at the Speedway today. He made his debut here in 2006 finishing 22nd and place 10th in 2008. The fourth place showing also ties Bell's career best finish (placed fourth in Portland in 2002 driving in the CART series) and is his best showing on an oval surpassing a fifth place performance at Nashville in 2004.

Paul Tracy, #15 GEICO -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, started 13th, but quickly moved into the top-10 where he remained for most of the race. Tracy got as high as fourth following his fifth pit stop when his crew picked up five positions, but could not hold on to a top-five finish.

"I want to thank the GEICO -- KV Racing Technology team and all my sponsors that made this Indy 500 happen," said Tracy. "It's not the finish I wanted. I would have liked to of been in the top-five. The KVRT pit crew did a fantastic job of getting me up there. Unfortunately, I ran over some debris from Tony's (Kanaan) accident and damaged the underside of the #15 car so I was not able to stay there. I hope I will be back, I think I certainly showed I am capable of being competitive and I look forward to having another chance at the two Canadian races."

Tracy, a native of Canada and 2003 Champ Car Series champion, made his sixth appearance at IMS and first since his controversial runner-up finish in 2002. This was his second best performance at the Speedway.

Mario Moraes, who started seventh and on the inside of Row #3, had a very difficult day. On the opening lap he moved to the outside only to find Marco Andretti coming on a high line. Andretti hit Moraes knocking him out of the race.

Commenting on the incident Moraes, who made his second start at Indy today (finished 18th last year), said, "The Azul -- Votorantim -- KV Racing Technology team did a fantastic job the whole month. Unfortunately we didn't have luck on the first lap of the race. I think that Andretti did a really unnecessary move when he was on the outside, but I also hadn't heard anything from my spotter to know he was there. It was not a nice way to finish this month when we had such a good car and a really good chance of at least finishing in a top-five."

This is the first time in just two appearances on the 2.5-mile superspeedway oval that KVRT has qualified three cars for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," placed two cars in the top-ten and at least one in the top-four. Last year in their first appearance at the Speedway KV Racing Technology qualified two cars. Oriol Servia started 25th and finished 11th while Will Power started 23rd and placed 13th.
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Post by mlittle » Sun May 31, 2009 11:43 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES LOOKING TO STEP FORWARD IN MILWAUKEE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - - MAY 29, 2009 - - KV Racing Technology's Mario Moraes will be looking to take a step forward with another strong oval performance this weekend at the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225, May 30-31, at the historic Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Moraes will be making his third oval start of the season and the 13th of his career. The talented Brazilian, in the #5 Azul -- Votorantim -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine, has already competed on the 1.5-mile tri-oval in Kansas and the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. This will be his first short oval event of the year.

Coming into this season, his second in the IndyCar series, Moraes had never qualified higher than 20th on an oval and had a career best oval finish of 10th (Nashville in 2008). However, beginning with the Kansas race the 20-year-old resident of Miami, Florida has shown he is now competitive on oval tracks. Moraes qualified an IndyCar career high sixth in Kansas and finished 11th his second best showing ever on an oval. He followed up at Indianapolis by running in, or near, the top-five in practice all month and qualifying seventh. Unfortunately, forces beyond his control conspired to end his Indy 500 on the opening lap.

"I am more confident on ovals this year," Moraes said. "I had never raced on an oval before last year, so having a year's experience and running on the same tracks makes a big difference. Also, KV Racing Technology has developed a very good car
which gives a driver confidence."

Moraes went on to say, "We had a good, not great, performance at Kansas and were among the fastest until we had the problem at Indy, so I am looking forward to racing in Milwaukee. I like the track. It is challenging and you have to stay focused, but I think we will have a good car."

Moraes will be making his 21st IndyCar start, fifth with KVRT and second in Milwaukee this weekend. Last year he qualified 23rd and finished 23rd driving for Dale Coyne Racing. Moraes is currently 19th in the championship race with 53 points, but with a little luck would be considerably higher in the standings. In St. Petersburg he qualified 20th, but was in line for a top-six finish when he was knocked out of the race. At Long Beach, Moraes started 13th and was running in ninth when he was hit from behind and went down a lap early in the contest. Moraes had his best race of the season in Kansas completing all 200 laps and finishing on the lead lap for the first time in his IndyCar career. Then he had the incident in Indy where two factors, another competitor being in the wrong place and a malfunctioning radio, conspired to end a promising day.

The ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 is Round #5 of the 2009 IndyCar Series season. It will be broadcast live on ABC.

KV Racing Technology Notes:

KVRT will be making its sixth appearance at Milwaukee, but just its second in the IndyCar Series. In nine previous starts (eight in Champ Car and two in IndyCar) the team has qualified in the top-10 seven times with one pole (Jimmy Vasser in 2005). They have finished in the top-10 five times with three top-five showings and a best performance of fourth by Vasser in 2004. Last year, in their first IndyCar appearance on the Milwaukee Mile, KVRT was very competitive. Oriol Servia qualified ninth and despite a first lap incident that put him in the back of the field was still able to finish sixth while teammate Will Power started fourth and finished 14th.
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Post by mlittle » Sun May 31, 2009 11:43 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES QUALIFIES INDYCAR CAREER HIGH FIFTH FOR THE ABC SUPPLY/AJ FOYT INDY 225

MILWAUKEE, WI -- MAY 30, 2009 -- Round #5, 2009 IndyCar Series season -- KV Racing Technology driver Mario Moraes qualified an IndyCar career high fifth today for tomorrow's ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 at The Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Moraes, making his second appearance on the historic Milwaukee one mile short oval, posted a four-lap average of 166.791 mph. He will grid the #5 Azul -- Votorantim - KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine on the inside of Row #3.

"I am very happy with our qualifying position," Moraes said. "The KV Racing Technology team has been working really hard since last weekend's Indy 500 and I spent a lot of time at the shop talking to the engineers. This is just my second time at Milwaukee, so I haven't got that much experience on short ovals, but after our performance today I am confident that we have a good car for the race tomorrow."

Today's fifth place qualifying effort is Moraes' best in 21 career IndyCar events, just 13 on ovals, surpassing a sixth place starting position earned earlier this season at Kansas. In his last three races, all ovals, Moraes has qualified sixth at Kansas, seventh at Indianapolis and fifth here in Milwaukee. Moraes, in his second IndyCar season and first with KVRT, had never qualified higher than 20th on an oval prior to this season. His best qualifying position on any circuit before joining KVRT was 10th on the airport street circuit in Edmonton last year.

Moraes was eighth on the speed charts after morning practice with a speed of 162.973 mph. In the afternoon session, which was split into two groups, he ran with the first group and posted the fourth quickest lap in his group, 165.283 mph, placing him seventh on the combined practice report. For qualifying Moraes went out 10th of the 19 cars that made an attempt and ran four consistent laps each one faster than his quickest practice lap.

In 12 oval starts to date, Moraes, the second youngest driver in the series, has a best finish of 10th in Nashville last year. His IndyCar career high showing is seventh on the Watkins Glen road course also in 2008. Last year in his Milwaukee debut he started 23rd and finished 23rd. His best finish so far this season is 11th at Kansas.
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Post by mlittle » Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:23 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES FINISHES CAREER OVAL HIGH NINTH IN ABC SUPPLY/A. J. FOYT INDY 225

MILWAUKEE, WI -- MAY 31, 2009 -- Round #5, 2009 IndyCar Series season -- KV Racing Technology driver Mario Moraes finished a career oval track high ninth today in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt Indy 225 at The Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Moraes, making his second appearance on the historic Milwaukee one-mile short oval, started an IndyCar career high fifth. Driving a consistent, smart and patient race he settled the #5 Azul -- Votorantim - KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine just inside the top-10 early in the contest and remained there throughout the race. Moraes earned 22 points for his effort today and moved up two places in the championship standings to 17th with 75 points.

"My first two stints of the race, the KV Racing Technology car went loose and I found it hard to run behind the other cars," Moraes said. "The KVRT pit crew did a great job making changes during the pit stops, but I still had some trouble running in traffic. Overall the race went pretty well. This is my best finish on an oval and I want to thank the entire crew for all their hard work."

Moraes, the second youngest driver in the IndyCar series, is in his second season and first with KVRT. This was Moraes' best performance in five races this year, second best in 21 career IndyCar starts and highest finish at Milwaukee.

Prior to joining KVRT, Moraes had never qualified higher than 10th on any circuit and never higher than 20th on an oval. His best IndyCar finish is seventh at Watkins Glen last year and his previous high on an oval was 10th at Nashville also in 2008. In his last three events, Moraes has qualified in the top-seven three times earning an 11th place finish at Kansas to go with the ninth place showing today.

Next up for KV Racing Technology is the Bombardier Learjet 550K, Round #6 of the 2009 IndyCar Series season, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The race will be broadcast live on Versus at 9:00 p.m. ET.
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Post by mlittle » Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:06 pm

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES LOOKING TO CONTINUE STRONG OVAL PERFOMRANCES THIS WEEKEND IN TEXAS

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - - JUNE 3, 2009 - - KV Racing Technology's Mario Moraes will be looking to continue his string of strong performances on ovals this weekend in the Bombardier Learjet 550K at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.

Moraes, in his second IndyCar season and first with KVRT, will be making his fourth consecutive oval start and the 14th of his career. The talented Brazilian, in the #5 Azul -- Votorantim -- KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine, has shown remarkable growth and consistency on ovals this year.

In his last three races, all on ovals, Moraes has qualified sixth at Kansas and finished 11th, seventh at Indianapolis, where a first lap incident ended his race, and then qualified a career high fifth in Milwaukee where he finished a oval career high, and season high, ninth. Prior to joining KVRT, Moraes had never qualified higher than 10th on any circuit and never higher than 20th on an oval. His best IndyCar finish is seventh on the road course in Watkins Glen last year.

"Texas is different than the other 1.5-mile ovals because it seems like you are always turning," Moraes said. "The important thing is to have a good car and KVRT has shown we have one. Also, I have more experience and confidence on ovals so that helps. We still need to keep working hard and a little luck wouldn't hurt, but I am looking forward to a good race in Texas."

Moraes, the second youngest driver in the series, will be making his 22nd IndyCar start, sixth with KVRT and second at Texas this weekend. Last year in his TMS debut he started 22nd and finished 18th. Moraes, who has been the victim of some bad luck this year, is currently 17th in the championship standings with 75 points.

The Bombardier Learjet 550K is Round #6 of the 2009 IndyCar Series season. The race will be broadcast live on Versus at 9:00 p.m. ET.
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Post by mlittle » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:02 am

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY'S MARIO MORAES 19th ON SPEED CHARTS AFTER PRACTICE FOR BOMBARDIER LEARJET 550K

FT. WORTH, TX - - JUNE 4, 2009 - - Round #6 2009 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology driver Mario Moraes was 19th on the practice report with a speed of 211.989 mph following the first day of practice for the Bombardier Learjet 550K on the 1.5-mile D-shaped Texas Motor Speedway oval in Fort Worth, TX.

Moraes, 17th in the championship standings with 75 points, was eighth fastest during a 45 minute session for rookies and drivers outside the top-10 in the points with a speed of 211.892 mph. In the 45 minute full practice, which featured 23 cars, he ran his fastest speed in the #5 Azul -- Votorantim - KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry on the 64th of the 70 laps he ran. Both sessions this evening were dedicated to working on the race setup. .

"KV Racing Technology spent tonight's practice working on the race setup," Moraes said. "We weren't as concerned with going fast as we were about getting the car to handle well in traffic. We still need to do some work on our qualifying setup, but we have a practice session tomorrow to do that. I think we learned a lot tonight, which will help us in the race on Saturday."

Moraes, in his second IndyCar season and first with KVRT, will be making his 22nd IndyCar start, 14th on an oval, sixth with KVRT and second at Texas this weekend. In his last three races, all on ovals, Moraes has qualified in the top-seven all three times including an IndyCar career high fifth at Milwaukee. He has finished 11th at Kansas and an oval career and season high ninth in Milwaukee. Prior to joining KVRT, Moraes had never qualified higher than 10th on any circuit and never higher than 20th on an oval. His best IndyCar finish is seventh, last year on the Watkins Glen road course. His previous oval best finish was 10th last year in Nashville.

Tomorrow will feature a split practice with the first group going out at 2:00 p.m. and the second at 2:30 p.m. Qualifying will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be broadcast tape delay on Versus. The Bombardier Learjet 550K will be broadcast live on Versus at 9:00 p.m. ET.
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