2009 IRL Team Reports: Conquest Racing

IRL Team reports for the 2009 IRL season

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2009 IRL Team Reports: Conquest Racing

Post by mlittle » Sat Apr 04, 2009 12:52 pm

St. Petersburg, Fla. (April 3, 2009) - The following is a series of stats, notes and quotes from Conquest Racing for this weekend's Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Streets of St. Petersburg, 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course
April 3 - 6, 2009, Race #1 of 17
Race Distance: 100 laps
Live Broadcast: Versus 2:00 p.m. ET

ST.PETERSBURG PRE-RACE NOTES

The Start of a New Beginning
The Conquest Racing team is pumped up and excited to be in St. Petersburg this week. After a long winter, the team is ready to show their worth this week with driver Alex Tagliani behind the wheel. Tag demonstrated the team's potential when he joined them for the final three races of 2008 and Conquest are looking to build on what they accomplished in Australia with a fourth place finish.

Welcome aboard
Conquest is welcoming a new primary sponsor for this weekend's race. Northlands and their signature event the Rexall Edmonton Indy will be featured predominantly on the #34 Conquest car of Alex Tagliani. The team is thrilled to be able to promote such a great event while at another one of the IndyCar Series' major events, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Third Time a Charm?
This weekend will mark Conquest Racing's third appearance at St. Petersburg. In each of their previous participations at the 14-turn street course, Conquest Racing has finished with one car in the top five. In 2003, they finished fourth and last season in their return to St. Petersburg they placed fifth in only their second start in what was then the newly unified IndyCar Series. Conquest looks to continue the trend this weekend.

Tag's return to St. Pete
Alex Tagliani will be returning to the streets of St. Petersburg. The Canadian last competed here in the CART series in 2003. After what Tagliani describes as a long off-season, he is more than ready to get back in the cockpit despite not having sat in a car since last October in Surfers Paradise, Australia where he gave Conquest their best result of the season. He knows it won't be easy but he's up to the challenge.

QUOTEBOARD

#34 Alex Tagliani Rexall Edmonton Indy Dallara/Honda/Firestone
IndyCar Series starts: 3 (2008)
Best start: 7th (Australia) Best Finish: 4th (Australia)
"I really can't wait to get back in the car this weekend. I know it won't be easy coming in like this, not having put in any testing miles this winter. But I am in a more comfortable position than I was when I first came in at Detroit last year on the Friday night. At least now I know what to expect of the car. I also know that I have a very competent and professional team behind me that is very motivated to do well here. It has been a long off-season for everyone and I'd really like to give the crew members a good finish here to reward them."

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Team Owner
"The team and I are very excited to be here this weekend. We're also happy to have Alex back with us here in St. Petersburg. He did a great job for us at the end of last season and we hope to continue what we started. Finally we're also glad to be welcoming on board Northlands and the Rexall Edmonton Indy for the weekend and to be able to help them promote their event."

CONQUEST RACING AT A GLANCE

2008 SEASON
IndyCar Series Races: 17
Best Start: 8th (Milwaukee)
Best Finish: *5th (St. Petersburg)
* The team finished 4th at the non-championship race in Australia

Champ Car Races: 1 (Long Beach)
Best Start: 3rd
Best Finish: 4th

IndyCar Series Overall
IndyCar Series Races: 34
Best Start: 4th (Dallas, Richmond, Kansas City, 2002 - Laurent Redon)
Best Finish: 2nd (Fontana, 2002 - Laurent Redon)

Champ Car World Series Overall
Champ Car World Series Races: 74
Best Start: 2nd (Cleveland, 2004 - Justin Wilson)
Best Finish: 2nd (Twice - Monterrey, Mexico, 2005 - Andrew Ranger / Assen, Holland, 2007 - Jan Heylen)
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Post by mlittle » Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:56 am

Conquest Racing
Qualifying Report


~~~~Tagliani Qualifies Impressive Seventh Aboard Rexall Edmonton Indy car at St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Fla. (April 4, 2009) - Conquest Racing's Alex Tagliani was one of the stories of the day today with his performance aboard the Rexall Edmonton Indy car during qualifying for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The Series' lone Canadian, who found out on Monday that he would be racing in St. Petersburg, placed seventh ahead of Series Champion Scott Dixon, with only three practice sessions under his belt since his last race in October of 2008. Tagliani also just missed out on making the Firestone Fast Six by 0.0251 seconds.

Tagliani was part of the first group to head out on track during Round 1 of the IndyCar Series' three rounds of qualifying. With 11 drivers vying for a spot in the top-six, the competition was fierce. During his first stint Tagliani placed himself sixth in his group, but there was more to come by the passionate driver. Tag then went out on Firestone's Red alternate tires and put in a blistering lap of 1 minute 02.3726 seconds, which placed him second behind Penske Racing's Will Power.

Tag's performance in Round 1 meant he was going to move on to Round 2 which featured the top six drivers of both groups who once again were gunning for a place in the top six. Tagliani used the same strategy as during Round 1, by keeping his Firestone Reds for his second stint of the 15-minute session. Unfortunately, the driver of the #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy car was unable to better his previous time and registered a lap of 1 minute 02.6952 seconds. His lap was only 0.0251 seconds short of sending him into the Firestone Fast Six, which would have given him a shot at the pole position.

#34 Alex Tagliani Rexall Edmonton Indy Dallara/Honda/Firestone
"I'm very happy with today. It felt more like our real first day on track, since yesterday was more of a testing session, just getting back into the groove of things. We almost made it into the Firestone Fast Six, we missed it by just over a couple of thousandths of a second. However, we made it in front of the Ganassi car of Dixon and three AGR cars, I think that's pretty good. I think the team deserves a lot of credit. We came here at the last minute and we know that there's more in the car that we need to learn, but we're just limited with time right now. I'm very pleased that we put in a good performance like this with the Rexall Edmonton Indy car in our first showing of the year and I hope that we have more to come."

Eric Bachelart, Team Owner
"Alex put in a very good performance in qualifying today. We used yesterday mostly to get up to speed since we didn't get a chance to test before coming here. Then we didn't have a very good practice this morning but we regrouped between sessions and Alex, the engineers and the whole team did a great job and we were able to show what we can do. It's very satisfying to see that without any testing we are able to fight with the top teams in the Series. We were hoping to make it into the Firestone Fast Six and we were so close to making it. We'll take seventh for now but we'll keep on pushing and hopefully we can have a great race tomorrow."
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Post by mlittle » Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:45 pm

--------Tagliani Fast but Unlucky on the Streets of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Fla. (April 5, 2009) - The first race of the season didn't go quite the way Conquest Racing had planned. After qualifying seventh for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Alex Tagliani, who has been impressive aboard the Conquest car, fell victim to bad luck today. However, it wasn't all that bad, as the fast Canadian still managed to salvage a tenth place finish and register the second fastest race lap with his #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy car, thus proving his and the team's competitiveness.

Things got exciting right from the start when Tagliani, who had a good start, had to cut through the inside of the track to avoid hitting Graham Rahal, who was spinning in front of him. That first incident cost Tag a few positions, but after some early pit stops by other competitors he was up to eighth. He remained in that position, posting competitive lap times, up until his first pit stop on lap 29. Two laps later, bad luck struck again when Vitor Meira hit him from behind. The punt caused a puncture on the Conquest car and forced Tagliani to limp back into the pits, it also caused him to go one lap down.

From that point on, the Conquest crew was hoping that luck would come back to them in order to turn their race around. Unfortunately the much desired caution period came one lap too late and they were unable to get their lap back. The action started heating up near the end of the race with incidents taking out competitors ahead of Tagliani. The IndyCar Series' lone Canadian was able to stay out of trouble and bring his car home in tenth place all while registering the second fastest lap of the race.

Conquest Racing now heads back to Indianapolis and hopes to be at the next race in Long Beach, a venue where the team knows they can run competitive and get a good result.

Conquest Quote Board

#34 Alex Tagliani Rexall Edmonton Indy Dallara/Honda/Firestone
"We had bad luck today. It was unfortunate at the start. I tried to avoid a free for all. I had to get on the inside of the track to avoid not wrecking with Graham (Rahal) who was spinning in front of everyone. That cost us a couple of positions and then I got a puncture because (Vitor) Meira punted me from behind on the back straightaway. I don't know what he was thinking. That cost us our race right there. I went a lap down because of that. We were just unlucky because the Rexall Edmonton Indy car was really quick. We put in the second fastest lap of the race at the end. I think if we would have been in the mix, we would have had a good run. I just wasn't at the right place at the right time. I want to thank the team for doing a fantastic job this weekend. I wanted to give them, as well as Northlands and the Rexall Edmonton Indy, a better result than this but at least we showed that Conquest Racing is a very competitive team and that we can fight with the best of them."

Eric Bachelart, Team Owner
"I am very pleased and proud with what we achieved this weekend. Alex once again proved how valuable he is to a race team. We were competitive in qualifying and in the race. I think scoring the second fastest race lap is evidence of that. There were many contacts during the race and at some stage we unfortunately were on the receiving end. We suffered a puncture after contact with (Vitor) Meira that cost us the race and a very likely top five finish. We will now go back to shop and try to find some solutions so that we can make it to Long Beach. I know that, that is a track where we will be very competitive and we certainly don't want to miss out on that race."
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Post by mlittle » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:02 pm

Conquest Racing to Partner with Rubicon Sports Agency

INDIANAPOLIS (April 14, 2009) - After a competitive weekend of racing in St. Petersburg last week, Conquest Racing continues to move forward with their 2009 plans. In another step towards achieving their immediate and future goals, the team today announced that it has called upon the services of the newly formed Rubicon Sports Agency to oversee the team's commercial department.

Recently created by Rubicon Race Team owners Jim Freudenberg and Jason Priestley, the Rubicon Sports Agency focuses on the commercial elements of racing such as sales, marketing, sponsor activation and driver management. Conquest's relationship with the agency's sales and activation division will see Jim Freudenberg become the Commercial Director for Conquest Racing.

A well-respected and resourceful individual in the racing industry, Jim will work closely and on a daily basis with Conquest Racing's Marketing Manager, Carlos Gutierrez as well as Conquest owner Eric Bachelart to develop the team's commercial platform in order to attract and maintain new and existing commercial partners.

"We all know how vital it is in the racing industry to build a strong and successful commercial platform and partnering with the Rubicon Sports Agency will help us build on what we have," stated Bachelart. "We look forward to working with Jim and Jason. The relationship with the Rubicon Sports Agency is a welcome addition to our sales and marketing department. They will not only help us with our immediate marketing efforts but also work on building our program for 2010 and beyond."

With the Indianapolis 500 quickly approaching, stay tuned for more announcements from Conquest Racing in the coming weeks.
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Post by mlittle » Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:30 am

Conquest Racing
Long Beach Preview


----Conquest Racing Welcomes New Partners as They Look Ahead to Long Beach

Long Beach, CA (April 16, 2009) - The following is a series of news items including sponsor announcements, stats, notes and quotes from Conquest Racing for this weekend's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

LONG BEACH PRE-RACE NEWS & NOTES

Conquest Welcomes New Partners
Conquest Racing's participation in the 2009 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach wouldn't be possible without the support of a couple of new partners. Joining the team for this weekend's race are ODW Logistics and TorcUP of Canada. The two company logos will be visible on both the Conquest car and driver firesuit.

"We are very grateful to ODW Logistics and TorcUP of Canada to be supporting us this weekend in Long Beach. Hopefully we can thank them with a good result on Sunday," said team owner Eric Bachelart regarding the new partnership deals.

ODW Logistics is a privately owned multi-regional 3rd Party Logistics Provider. While there primary focus is in Columbus, Ohio the company has several distribution points located throughout the country in Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee and Los Angeles. For further details on ODW Logistics please go to www.odwlogistics.com.

TorcUP of Canada, based in Edmonton, AB is the Canadian factory office for TorcUP Inc., which is headquartered in Easton, PA. TorcUP specializes in the supply of industrial torque tools and accessories covering a range from 100 - 60,000 LBF/FT (foot pounds) and nut sizes in excess of 10". For more information on TorcUp of Canada please visit www.torcup.ca.

Long Beach Here We Come
After a strong performance at St. Petersburg two weeks ago, the Conquest Racing team and driver Alex Tagliani are psyched about racing in Long Beach this weekend. The team would like to return home with a top finish in the books. It was on this track last season, at the Champ Car finale, that Conquest scored their best combined team finish. Then drivers Enrique Bernoldi and Franck Perera had respectively placed fourth and sixth with Perera also placing third on the grid.

IndyCar Series 1, Conquest Racing 7
This weekend will mark the first time that the IndyCar Series competes on the streets of Long Beach, but that doesn't mean that it's the case for everyone. Sunday's start will be Conquest Racing's seventh appearance on the 1.968-mile course as part of a major open-wheel championship. The team counts 10 Champ Car
starts, four Atlantic starts and eight in the Indy Lights Championship.

Most starts
Las Vegas resident Alex Tagliani will be making his 10th start in Long Beach this weekend, the most of any driver in the current IndyCar Series lineup. The Canadian has always performed well on the 11-turn street course. In addition to a front row start at last year's Champ Car finale, Tag has three top fives including a podium finish.

Eric the honoree
Firestone has named team owner Eric Bachelart the honorary starter for Saturday's Firestone Indy Lights race. Eric will wave the initial green flag and be honored before the start of the race. The Belgian-born driver turned owner won the first-ever Firestone Indy Lights race, which was held at Long Beach in 1991. Eric also went on to win the championship that year.

Charitable donation
Conquest Racing in collaboration with ODW Logistics will be making a donation to the Orange County affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The check presentation will take place Friday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. pacific time.

QUOTEBOARD

#34 Alex Tagliani Conquest Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone
"I really enjoy the Long Beach track. It's a very challenging track but also a lot of fun to drive on. It's one of my favorite tracks on the schedule not just to compete on but also to go to. I've always performed quite well there and I can't wait to get back in the Conquest car on Friday for practice. We're carrying our momentum from St. Petersburg and we're really hoping to leave with a good result come Sunday."

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Team Owner
"I'd like to start by saying that I am touched to be honored by Firestone this weekend. I can't believe that it's already been 18 years since I won my first Firestone Indy Lights race. Long Beach has always been a special place to go to not just because of the memories I have but because there is always such a great atmosphere. We had a good result last season there in the Champ cars and we've done really well in our last IndyCar Series street course races so I feel pretty confident heading into the weekend."
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Post by mlittle » Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:43 am

~~~Conquest Racing Makes Donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Long Beach, CA (April 17, 2009) - Conquest Racing has joined in the battle to end breast cancer. The IndyCar Series team in collaboration with ODW Logistics presented a $10,000 check to the Orange County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In addition to the donation, Conquest will be raising breast cancer awareness by placing a Susan G. Komen for the Cure decal on the front wing of their #34 Conquest car. The foundation's logo will also be present on all the Conquest press material.

The giant check was presented in the Conquest paddock area to Lisa Wolter, Executive Director of the Komen Orange County Affiliate by Conquest Team Owner Eric Bachelart, driver Alex Tagliani, ODW Logistics representative Sonja Ness Stockton and Jason Priestley, Co-Owner Rubicon Sports Agency.

"We are incredibly excited about this contribution and are thrilled to have Komen's presence on the #34 car raising awareness that everyone can help end breast cancer," said Lisa Wolter. "When generous and unexpected donors like Conquest Racing step forward, they provide much needed funds to help local women who are battling breast cancer. Race car driving is typically a man's sport and here they are showing how much they care!"

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the premier nonprofit organization fighting to end breast cancer forever. The Komen Orange County Affiliate is one of the largest affiliates, and its programs work to ensure as many women and men in the community as possible have access to life-saving breast health care. Seventy five percent of all the money raised by the Affiliate through donations and events is invested in local breast cancer awareness and education initiatives, breast self-examination classes, and medical and diagnostic services for underinsured women in the community. The remaining 25 percent is dedicated to the Komen Award and Research Grant Program to fund groundbreaking breast cancer research.

"I think everyone knows at least one person that has been affected directly or indirectly by breast cancer or any other type of cancer," added Eric Bachelart. "We wanted to do something to give back and we feel that it's important to play a part, big or small, in the fight to end breast cancer. We want to raise awareness and thanks to the collaboration with ODW Logistics we were also able to present them with this donation. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has done such an amazing job at helping in this fight and we're proud to be associated with them."

While the Conquest team prepares for their race on Sunday, Orange County locals can start preparing for a race of their own. The next Komen Orange County Race for the Cure is Sunday, Sept. 27 at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

ABOUT SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE®
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Through events like the Komen Race for the Cure, nearly $1 billion has been invested to fulfill that promise, making Komen for the Cure the world's largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to fighting breast cancer.

For more information on the Orange County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, please visit www.komenoc.org or call 714-957-9157.
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Post by mlittle » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:31 pm

Conquest Racing to Start Ninth in Long Beach

Long Beach, CA (April 18, 2009) - Conquest Racing continued its string of qualifying in the top nine for a third consecutive race today. Canadian Alex Tagliani placed his #34 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino / The Joint car in ninth on tomorrow's grid for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Tagliani went on track as part of Group 2 in Round 1 of qualifying and spent the first part of the session hovering around the eighth position. It was on Tag's second to last lap on his Firestone red side-walled tires that he jumped up to sixth with a fast lap of 1:10.4676, assuring him a spot in the next round.

In Round 2, Tagliani was once again up against a very tight field. The driver of the #34 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino car was tenth on his first few laps but after putting on a new set of Reds he jumped up to eighth with a time of 1:10.1278, before falling back to ninth when the checkered flag fell on qualifying, placing himself just ahead of St. Petersburg winner Ryan Briscoe.

This is also Tagliani's third straight top-nine qualifying position. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach goes green tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. eastern time with the race broadcast live on Versus (USA) and TSN (Canada) starting at 3:30 p.m. eastern time.

#34 Alex Tagliani Hard Rock Hotel & Casino / The Joint

ENGLISH: "The Conquest team did a great job today. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino / The Joint car was good. Unfortunately we had a small electrical problem this morning that cost us some track time. Before qualifying we made some changes and we made a few more adjustments during the first round, which allowed us to make it to Round 2. We'll be starting ninth tomorrow and considering the small problem we had it's pretty good. I'm happy with how qualifying went but we'll keep working tonight on the car and hopefully we can have a good race tomorrow and fight for a podium."

Eric Bachelart, Team Owner

"We have not had quite the weekend we were expecting so far. We had a small problem this morning that didn't help, but once again we were able to regain our form in qualifying. Alex did a good job today. All in all with the way things have gone yesterday and this morning, I think ninth is a good start for what will be a long race tomorrow. We have some new commercial partners with us here this weekend with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, ODW Logistics and TorcUP and we hope to put on a good show for them tomorrow."
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Post by mlittle » Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:14 am

Conquest Racing Scores Second Consecutive Top Ten Finish

Long Beach, CA (April 19, 2009) - Conquest Racing was looking strong today at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The team ran with the front-runners for most of the race but an untimely yellow hampered the team's chances of finishing up front. However, Alex Tagliani still gave the team their second consecutive top-ten finish of the season.

After a hectic start at the season-opening race two weeks ago, the start of the Grand Prix of Long Beach went much more smoothly for the IndyCar Series field and Conquest's Alex Tagliani. Starting ninth, Tag remained in that position up until lap 16 when he gained a position after a pit stop by Dario Franchitti. On the following lap a yellow flag came out and once the pits opened on lap 19, the driver of the #34 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino car followed the leaders for fuel and tires.

With some of the other drivers choosing not to stop under yellow, Tagliani came out in 15th place. By the time the entire field had completed their initial stop the Canadian had moved up to seventh. During the second stint, the team decided to save fuel in order to pit later than their competitors. Unfortunately, a full course caution came out just before Tagliani had to pit, thus erasing the advantage he would have had. He fell from fourth to 14th.

Despite the set back, Tagliani kept on fighting and made his way up into tenth with a last lap pass on Ryan Hunter-Reay, giving the team and himself their second top ten finish of the season.

Conquest Racing will now head back to Indianapolis where they will sit out next weekend's race in Kansas as they prepare for the upcoming Indianapolis 500.

10th - #34 Alex Tagliani Hard Rock Hotel & Casino / The Joint

"We were doing really well and on our way to a good result. Unfortunately, the yellow flag came out at the wrong time and that cost us some positions. It's really too bad because I had a very good car. At the end I had a good fight with (Graham) Rahal and then I was able to make it into the top ten for a second race in a row by passing Vitor (Meira) and then (Ryan) Hunter-Reay on the last lap. Once again, I want to thank the team for their hard work this weekend and apologize to the guys for the misunderstanding in the pits, it was my mistake."

Eric Bachelart, Team Owner

"The race strategy was key today and it did not come our way. Alex did a very good job saving fuel and that allowed us to make an extra lap on our competitors for the second pit stop. Unfortunately, we got a yellow at the time we were going to stop with the consequence of sending us to the back of the field. We had a fast car and we could have definitely finished in the top 5. Everybody on the team has done a fantastic job and we have been competing with the best organizations for two races in a row. We just need a break! Finally I want to thank our partners ODW Logistics, TorcUP and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for their support this weekend."
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Post by mlittle » Tue May 05, 2009 11:31 am

Alex Tagliani Excited to Take on First Indianapolis 500 Challenge
- Canadian confirmed by Conquest Racing as driver of #34 car -

INDIANAPOLIS (May 4, 2009) - As a kid at the age of 10, when his grandfather bought him his first go-kart, Alex Tagliani never thought that he would one day sit in an indy car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Now, 26 years later, when he straps himself into his Conquest Racing Dallara on May 5 for rookie orientation, that long time dream will become a reality.

The Canadian driver, who was confirmed today by Conquest Racing as the driver of its #34 entry for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, will be turning his first laps around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval as he begins preparations for this year's race.

"It's every drivers dream to be at the Indianapolis 500. As a kid I never thought I would make it here and even later on in my career because of the split, so it has always remained a dream of mine. It's the one race that has always sat atop my list.

"Finally, more than nine years after my first start in a major open-wheel series race, I will get to experience all that surrounds the famous ‘Month of May', and get to experience it during the kick off of the Centennial Era Celebrations, which makes it even more memorable," expressed Tagliani. "I know that the first few laps around the track tomorrow will be quite special and I'm super excited and really looking forward to it."

While Tagliani has plenty of open-wheel experience under his belt, he will be returning to rookie status this month, as is the rule for any driver competing in his first Indianapolis 500.

"I'll be sporting my rookie status with pride this month," added Tagliani. "No matter how much experience you have behind the wheel, when you race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time I think it's easy to feel like a rookie. It's such a unique track, there's nothing else like it."

One of two Canadians at this year's race, Tagliani will only be the fourth rookie driver to hail from Quebec, Canada since Jacques Villeneuve took part in his first Indy 500 in 1994.

The talented veteran open-wheel driver will look to continue his strong form during May. The Las Vegas resident put in impressive runs at St. Petersburg and Long Beach in the first two races of the season before different incidents cost him top-five finishes. Despite the setbacks in both races, the Canadian demonstrated his perseverance and fought back to give the team two top-ten finishes.

Conquest Racing and Tagliani will be on track Tuesday May 5 at 2 p.m. eastern time for the IndyCar Series' Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program. Sponsorship for the #34 Conquest car will be announced shortly with the unveiling of its new livery on Tuesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Post by mlittle » Tue May 05, 2009 11:35 am

King Tut Joining Conquest Racing at the Indianapolis 500
- The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Signs as Associate Sponsor

-

INDIANAPOLIS (May 4, 2009) - Conquest Racing and Rubicon Sports Agency announce the signing of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis as a major associate sponsor for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 with the upcoming King Tut exhibition "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" as the focal point of the partnership.

The #34 Conquest Racing entry, driven by Alex Tagliani, will wear King Tut exhibition branding on the engine cover, nose cone and front wings of the car for the month of May. The car will be unveiled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tuesday at noon. Additionally, a 25-foot statue of the ancient Egyptian god Anubis will be on display in the outside lot at the Speedway Museum during race week, paving the way for the blockbuster exhibition coming to Indianapolis in June.

"I have been working with exhibition organizers for several months to help spread awareness about the King Tut exhibition locally, and I am thrilled that they will be joining our team for the month of May," stated Jim Freudenberg of Rubicon Sports Agency. "This is an incredible opportunity to expand the reach of IndyCar Series racing into realms that reach far outside sports media and showcase an incredible exhibit that Indianapolis is honored to be hosting."

"Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" will complete its U.S. debut run in Atlanta in mid-May and will be on display at the Indianapolis Children's Museum from June 27 to October 25. The exhibition is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The partnership with Conquest includes a showcar that will travel to Indiana schools to promote the exhibition and educate the children on this historic collection of 130 artifacts from King Tut's tomb and other ancient Egyptian sites.

Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis said, "We are excited about the partnership between AEI and Rubicon to help promote the King Tut exhibit at The Children's Museum. This exhibit will be a great opportunity for students to learn about the historic collection of 130 artifacts from King Tut's tomb and ancient Egyptian sites. A grant from the Lilly Endowment, Incorporated will also provide 98,000 free tickets for teachers and their students to see the exhibit at The Children's Museum while it is in the city."

"We've already seen a huge demand for tickets, and expect this exhibition to be a blockbuster for Indianapolis," said Bryan Harris, vice president of marketing and sales, Arts and Exhibitions International. "This is the first time the exhibition has partnered with a racing team, and this is an exciting opportunity to bring the excitement of King Tut to life in a whole new way."

Conquest Racing team owner Eric Bachelart added, "The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a must-see for everyone, be it residents of Indiana or visitors to the area, much like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and we couldn't be happier to be associated with them and the King Tut exhibition for the Indianapolis 500. We're excited and honored to be promoting such an extraordinary exhibit."

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
On display from June 27 through October 25, 2009 at the Indianapolis Children's Museum, "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" features striking objects from some of the most important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, from the 4th Dynasty into the Late Period (about 2600 B.C. - 660 B.C.). Derived from a variety of contexts, including temples and royal and private tombs, most of these artifacts had never visited the United States prior to this tour.

Information and tickets to the exhibition at the Indianapolis Children's Museum can be found at www.kingtut.org or Ticketmaster (www.Ticketmaster.com or 1-877-TUT-TKTS (877-888-8587)). Single tickets are sold for a specific time and date. Tickets for groups of 10 or more are available at www.kingtut.org or 1-866-LA-GROUP (866-524-7687).

ABOUT CONQUEST RACING
Conquest Racing is amongst the longest-running, well-established open-wheel race teams in the IndyCar Series. The organization is recognized for its simple and efficient ways of doing business as well as its approach to achieving excellence in motor sports. Entering its 13th year of competition in 2009, Conquest Racing has amassed pole positions, podium finishes and race wins through its years in different racing series. The team first participated in Indy Lights from 1997 to 2001, before doing a single season in the IndyCar Series in 2002, where they claimed Rookie of the Year honors. Conquest then competed in the Champ Car World Series from 2003 up until the beginning of 2008 when the team made the transition to the newly unified IndyCar Series.
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Post by mlittle » Thu May 07, 2009 11:33 am

Conquest Racing Announces Title Partnership with Rexall Edmonton Indy for 2009 Indianapolis 500
- AmazingMail and LifeLock also on board as associate sponsors of the #34 car -

INDIANAPOLIS (May 5, 2009) - In addition to unveiling the new King Tut livery of its #34 Dallara Tuesday, Conquest Racing announced the return of Northlands and its premier event, the Rexall Edmonton Indy as title sponsor for the 2009 Indianapolis 500. The team also revealed the signing of AmazingMail and LifeLock for the 2009 Indianapolis 500.

After joining Conquest Racing at the season opening race in St. Petersburg, Edmonton-based Northlands, which promotes the Rexall Edmonton Indy that takes place July 24 - 26 at City Centre Airport in Edmonton, will once again have the logo of their signature event outfit the sidepods of Canadian Alex Tagliani's #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy car.

"Northlands is extremely pleased to play our part in bringing Alex Tagliani to the starting grid for the 2009 Indy 500 through our sponsorship of the #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy car," said Ken Knowles, Northlands President. "Our sponsorship provides an incredible opportunity to further profile Edmonton and the Rexall Edmonton Indy to the world - reaching unprecedented international audiences through one of the biggest sporting events in the world."

"We're very excited to be announcing new and returning sponsors to the team," said team owner Eric Bachelart. "We couldn't be happier to continue our partnership with Northlands and the Rexall Edmonton Indy and we're thrilled to be welcoming new partners AmazingMail and LifeLock. We're thankful for everyone's support this month and we look forward to making them proud over the next few weeks."

Conquest Racing and Rubicon Sports agency are also welcoming a couple of new partners in AmazingMail and LifeLock, which will both be associate sponsors on the #34 Conquest entry. AmazingMail, a company from Scottsdale, Arizona, is a leading provider of personalized digital direct marketing solutions. Much like in racing, AmazingMail is a company that is continuously innovating in order to maintain a competitive advantage for their clients. The AmazingMail logo will be visible on the rear wing of the black, white and gold Conquest car.

"It's great to be able to bring LifeLock back with me to join Eric and the Conquest team this year and to welcome our new partner AmazingMail as well. The combination of these two companies make a great B2B partnership and I am excited to expand on what I have already built with LifeLock in the last 15 months. AmazingMail is an incredible concept as well and can integrate very well with our existing partners on the B2C side as well," stated Jim Freudenberg of Rubicon Sports Agency.

Lifelock, a privately owned company located in Tempe, Arizona, is a leader in proactive identity theft protection, focused on educating consumers about the increasing threats of identity theft. Lifelock's logo will be featured on the top of the sidepods of the Conquest machine.

Conquest Racing and Tagliani will be on track today for Rookie Orientation, which gets underway at 2 p.m. eastern time. The 2009 Indianapolis 500 takes place Sunday, May 24 and will be broadcast live on ABC starting at noon eastern time.

About Northlands:
Northlands rocks Edmonton and Alberta with 2,500 events each year that attract over 4 million visitors to Alberta's Capital City. Think Rexall Edmonton Indy, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Farmfair International, Capital EX, the best of horse racing, headliner concerts, international events and all the trade shows you can handle. Visit northlands.com to find out more.

About Amazing Mail:
For over a decade, AmazingMail has continually led the direct mail marketing industry with technological innovation, cutting edge products, and world-class service and performance. Currently providing three 'solution tiers' from web-to-print, to dedicated account management, to integrated/automated platforms, AmazingMail is unequalled in the digital direct mail marketing space. Leveraging its U.S. Patent No. 6,732,152, AmazingMail can produce a superior mail piece in record time, efficient in quantities as few as one, making true the promise of one-to-one marketing.

About Lifelock:
Founded in 2005, LifeLock is the industry leader in proactive identity theft protection. The organization has a strong focus on educating consumers and working with law enforcement and elected officials to better understand the increasing threats of identity theft. A multiple award-winning organization, LifeLock has most recently been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Phoenix Business Journal. LifeLock (www.lifelock.com) is a private company backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Goldman Sachs and Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers.
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Post by mlittle » Sun May 10, 2009 2:15 am

INDIANAPOLIS (May 8, 2009) - Conquest Racing completed their first week of practice today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during Fast Friday. The team has progressed well over the course of the week in preparation for this weekend's first and second day's of qualifying for the 2009 Indianapolis 500. Driver Alex Tagliani, aboard the #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy car, posted a fastest lap of 221.5385 mph on his 47th of 75 laps.

Alex Tagliani, #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy
"The team did a great job today. I'm very happy with the progress we made throughout the day. We finished with a good lap and we improved the car tremendously on the grip level so we could run a different aero package. The car is really consistent. My engineers Brandon (Fry) and Mike (Colliver) did a great job. It wasn't just a good preparation for qualifying but a lot of what we did will also serve us for the race."

Eric Bachelart, Team Owner
"We had a good day today. We've made very good progress over the last few days and Alex is quite happy with the car. We still have to find a little bit more speed in order to qualify this weekend but we are getting there. The team has done an excellent job and we'll continue to work on it until we go out for our qualifying attempt this weekend."
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Post by mlittle » Fri May 15, 2009 3:19 pm

TDS partners with Conquest Racing at Indy 500; High-speed racing meets high-speed Internet on the track in the #34 car

INDIANAPOLIS (May 14, 2009) - Conquest Racing announced today that TDS Telecommunications Corp. (TDS™) has moved up to become associate sponsor on its #34 car at the 2009 Indianapolis 500.

TDS, whose logo is visible on the front wing of the car driven by Alex Tagliani, is a telecommunications company providing voice, Internet and entertainment services to rural and suburban communities nationwide, as well as leading-edge business technology. The company is present in over 30 states and is the eighth largest telephone company in the U.S.

"Performance, reliability and speed are what we strive for at TDS. We believe our teams have a lot in common. We look forward to a great performance by Conquest Racing at the Indy 500," comments Nick Ruskowski, TDS regional market manager.

"TDS first joined us last season, here at the Indianapolis 500, and we're extremely pleased that they have chosen to pursue their journey with us as an associate partner for the biggest race of the season," said Conquest team owner Eric Bachelart. "We started together last season and we look to continue building this relationship in the future."
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Post by mlittle » Sat May 16, 2009 10:31 am

INDIANAPOLIS (May 14, 2009) - Conquest Racing and Alex Tagliani were back on track today preparing for this weekend's qualifying session. Tagliani, who was back in his car for a full day of practice since his crash last weekend, ended the session on a high leaving him wanting more. Tag ended the day 21st overall, and fourth fastest of the non-qualified drivers.

Practice resumes, Friday, May 15 at noon, weather permitting.

Alex Tagliani #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy
Pos. 21st overall, 4th of non-quaified drivers

"We made a really good change at the end of the session that moved us into 21st place. Prior to that we were struggling a little bit, there was a lot of wind all day and at one point you start underestimating yourself and second guessing yourself, thinking that it may just be a question of confidence. But the change that we made at the end suddenly gave me a car that felt good to me and I got my confidence back in the car at that point. Too bad that it was late in the session but hopefully the weather will be nice tomorrow and we can get back out there and continue on what we started today."
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Post by mlittle » Sat May 16, 2009 10:43 am

Indy 500: Conquest Racing Friday practice report


INDIANAPOLIS (May 15, 2009) - Conquest Racing and Alex Tagliani took part in their last full day of practice today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the final weekend of qualifying for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 getting underway tomorrow. Tagliani continued to progress following yesterday's session and found himself 11th overall at the end of the day and fourth among the non-qualified drivers.

Tagliani and the other non-qualified drivers will get an hour practice session starting at 10:15 a.m. before battling for qualifying positions 23 to 33 from noon to six p.m. eastern time.

Alex Tagliani #34 Rexall Edmonton Indy
Pos. 11th overall, 4th of non-qualified drivers
Fast lap average: 220.804 mph

"It was a very good day. The team once again did a fantastic job. The Rexall Edmonton Indy / King Tut car was very similar to where we left it last night and we were able to continue where we left off. Unfortunately later on in the afternoon I started feeling some sort of vibration in the car. We came back to the garage to fix the problem and then when we were ready to go back out to see if everything was OK, the session was cut short. We'll be back out in the morning practice and then we'll be ready to qualify. Obviously nothing is easy here and you can never take anything for granted at Indy. But we believe we have a good car and that we can put it in the show."
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