Andretti Autosport

May 16th, 2013

5.15.13 (via MotorSportsTalk) – James Hinchcliffe has put aside any notion that he’s just a quirky personality with two wins from the first four races this year in the No. 27 GoDaddy Chevrolet for Andretti Autosport.

Still, that doesn’t mean the colorful Canadian isn’t quick to illuminate a press room with humor describing one of his sponsors.

Before the formal press conference started on Tuesday – Hinchcliffe led the day’s Indianapolis 500 practice thanks to a tow – he had a Dr Pepper in hand to quench the day’s thirst.

What happened next doubled as an impromptu comedic tour de force and devout dedication to this product, one of the team sponsors.

“I just generally love Dr Pepper. No seriously, I actually love this stuff,” said Hinchcliffe. “It’s like the best liquid on the planet. I mean, water’s good and all, but Dr Pepper is like, 23 flavors. You can’t beat that. It’s a fact.

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Trackside Update – Practice at IMS

May 14th, 2013

5.14.13 – Day four of open practice for the 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500 showed well for Andretti Autosport, which saw all five of its drivers set a lap in the top eight. James Hinchcliffe was fastest, followed by Marco Andretti third, Ryan Hunter-Reay fifth, E.J. Viso sixth and Carlos Muñoz eighth.

During the afternoon, James and Marco switched rides where the mayor of Hinchtown ran a lap at 224.210mph, and Marco set a fast lap of 221.972 — good for 11th quick. "It's good to be up there," said Hinchcliffe, whose best lap in the No. 27 GoDaddy car was at 221. 781mph, "but at the end of the day, those numbers don't mean a lot right now." Hinch noted that the team still has work to do to make sure the GoDaddy car is strong in race trim.

Just slightly behind the Mayor of Hinchtown on the speed charts was Marco Andretti, who brought his No. 25 RC Cola Chevy up to third fastest on the day with a lap of 223.570mph. “I think today went well," said Andretti after getting out of the car. "I’m quite pleased with how things are going for us so far. Working with the car in the heat of the day can be challenging, but we made a lot of progress to get where we are." Keeping an eye on the weekend, it was evident that a front row starting spot is on his mind. "Everyone is getting faster out there, so I have to stay on my toes to stay ahead of the curve. Everyday I’m excited to get in the car and get to work — Pole Day is coming up and we need to be ready.” During yesterday’s practice, the third-generation driver managed to post the fastest speed of the month thus far after zipping around the 2.5-mile course at 225.100mph.

Rounding out the top five on Tuesday was 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, who set a fast time of 223.332mph in his No. 1 DHL machine. "It’s certainly getting interesting now with the heat and the wind. Conditions are changing every day so it’s keeping the team on our toes, and we’re just trying a lot of different settings now." The wind picked up on Tuesday to compliment a 15-degree increase in temperature. RHR was pleased with a strong result today, but looks to improve upon that as the week progresses. "We have five cars so we have a lot of options and, I think, as we work through the week we’ll work ourselves into a good car. But it’s a work in progress."

E.J. Viso ran the most laps out of anyone today, making 134 trips around the circuit in his No. 5 Team Venezuela PDVSA CITGO Chevy, and wound up eighth overall with a speed of 223.138mph. "It was a very good, productive day. We went through some tests…in which we found some good answers. Today was a little bit hotter than the other days, and the weather predictions say that race day is going to be even a bit hotter than today. So I think the running that we did today was pretty productive to gather some data." This will be E.J.'s sixth 500, his first with Andretti Autosport. The Venezuelan's best finish at Indianapolis was 18th in last year's event.

Carlos Muñoz continued to show well today for Andretti, posting a fast lap of 223.110mph, eighth fastest overall, and fastest among rookies. "It was another good day of practicing a few different race simulations," said Carlos, "I'm feeling more and more comfortable with the No. 26 Unistraw Chevy, and I think our team is doing a good job, but we need to take it day-by-day. Each time I go out on-track I'm gaining more confidence, especially on the race runs with my teammates and other drivers." Carlos finished second in last year's Firestone Indy Lights Freedom 100, and has won the last two events at Barber Motorsports Park and on the streets of Long Beach.

Team owner Michael Andretti had nothing but good things to say about the Colombian. "He’s been doing a great job; he’s on pace and one of our quickest cars every day. He’s put in a lot of good miles, and it’s been a lot of good experience." He also is pleased with the team's overall performance after four days, but knows everyone needs to keep looking to improve, "I think they’re going pretty good, but we still have a lot of work to do. I don’t think any of them are exactly where we want them to be, but I’m not sure a lot of people can say that yet, so overall we’re pretty happy."

Pole Day is Saturday, May 18, and the first car will go on track at 11 a.m. NBC Sports Network will broadcast all the action from 11a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET, and will pick back up from 4:30-6:30p.m. ET. Of course, the 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will be Sunday, May 26th, with coverage from ABC starting at 11 a.m. Eastern. As always, you can follow our Twitter feed (@FollowAndretti) for everything Andretti Autosport - from track speeds to behind the scenes stories and photos.

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Andretti pops 225mph lap, leads third day on track

May 13th, 2013

5.13.13 (via IndyCar.com) – Conor Daly passed the three-phase Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program. Pippa Mann passed a refresher program. Marco Andretti and Helio Castroneves surpassed 225 mph.

On the busiest day of practice yet for the 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500, 32 driver/car combinations co-mingled on the 2.5-mile oval during the six-hour session under sun and temperatures hovering in the low 60s.

It was a grand day to get down to business for some teams and drivers, and for others to get started on their race preparations. The latter included the Dale Coyne Racing entries for Mann, Justin Wilson and Ana Beatriz, Townsend Bell in the second Panther Racing car and Daly in the second A.J. Foyt Racing entry.

Andretti, driving the No. 25 RCA Cola car for Andretti Autosport, posted the quickest lap of the month at 225.100 mph (39.9823 seconds). Castroneves was .0043 of a second behind in the No. 3 Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske car.

Eight cars had lap speeds in excess of 223 mph (quick lap of May 12), and the top 26 were separated by a second. In total, 1,733 laps were turned without incident.

Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay (224.386 mph) was third, 2012 championship runner-up Will Power (223.784) was fourth and JR Hildebrand (223.624) was fifth. Series points leader Takuma Sato was sixth (223.363).

The warmest day of the month is forecast or May 14, which will entice another busy day of on-track activity (noon-6 p.m. ET).

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Munoz Hits 223 MPH On Windy Day 2 At Indy

May 13th, 2013

5.12.13 (via SPEEDtv.com) – Winds and cool temperatures dominated Sunday's running at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, limiting most teams from completing anything of substance on their long work lists.

After six hours of open practice, which included all five of the Andretti Autosport cars running in a concentrated draft of their own during the final two hours, rookie Carlos Munoz used a monster tow behind four team cars to set the best lap of the day at 223.023 mph.

"It's nice to be at the top," said the 21-year-old Colombian who's leading the Firestone Indy Lights championship. "We have to be realistic; it was in a tow. Maybe I had a little bit better tow than my teammates. I still have to learn a lot. My teammates help me a lot and tell me what [I'm] doing right and what I'm doing wrong."

Munoz also had a scare in the five-car Andretti draft pack when he believed teammate Marco Andretti opened the door entering Turn 1. Munoz's avoiding action, which involved putting his left side tires on the grass, both impressed and scared those who witnessed it.

"I think it was a little bit of misunderstanding," he said with a grin as he recounted his 220 mph off-road trip. "[Andretti] lifted a little bit; the inside was open so I went there. I was a little bit lucky because I was two tires on the grass… I was lucky to continue. Each lap I was feeling more and more comfortable behind the guys."

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Venezuela’s E.J. Viso seeks first IndyCar win

May 12th, 2013

5.10.13 (via Motorsport.com) – There’s focus, and then there’s EJ Viso’s focus. The Venezuelan, who qualified on the front row in second place at the Sao Paulo Indy 300 last week, plans to build his momentum and prepare himself for the Indianapolis 500 after finishing the demanding street track in sixth place. The key to this is focus. And to build momentum.

"My performance this past race in Sao Paulo was superb", the confident driver told Motorsport.com.

The Brazilian race, the closest IndyCar race to his home country, was one of his turning points this season. He started the season at St. Petersburg by advancing 15 positions from the start to finish seventh in the opener.

Making him even more focused on getting his first victory in the series, Viso's teammates James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay have each won a race this season. And, teammate Marco Andretti is second in the IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings going into the 500, indicating great performance consistency on his part.

"So far our performances have been amazing, and making it to the front row for the race was great. Finishing sixth was a good result. I just don’t think it was the result we had the potential to achieve", said the Venezuelan.

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Fan of the Week – Stephanie Van Tieghem

May 11th, 2013

Congratulations to Stephanie Van Tieghem who is this week’s Andretti Autosport Fan of the Week! Stephanie lists IZOD IndyCar Series driver Marco Andretti as her favorite Andretti Autosport driver.

Stephanie grew up around racing in Charlotte, N.C., and took several class field trips to Charlotte Motor Speedway as a kid. She became an IndyCar fan in 2008, when watching her first race on TV. “I was immediately hooked. I fell in love with IndyCar then and haven't looked back,” said Tieghem. “I go to at least one IndyCar race a year.”

Her favorite racing memory was when she made her first appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Carb Day in 2011. The memory of “being in the track and hearing an Indy car for the first time ever in-person still gives me chills.”

This May, Stephanie predicts Marco to bring home the coveted Borg-Warner Trophy at the Indianapolis 500, and like all of us here at Andretti Autosport, she is cheering for one of our drivers to bring home the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship at the end of the season!

The 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 starts today, Saturday May 11^th. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, @FollowAndretti for all things Andretti Autosport during the month of May!

Thank you to everyone who submitted a form to become the Andretti Autosport Fan of the Week. Please check back next week as we select another winner!

As always, thanks for your amazing support.

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Brabham Keeps the Family Tradition Running

May 10th, 2013

5.9.13 (via INDYCAR Nation) – Matthew Brabham, or, as he’s often referred to, “Matty Brabs”, has a pretty interesting racing family tree. His father, Geoff Brabham, is a Le Mans and International Race of Champions winner who also made 10 Indy 500 starts. His uncle David has likewise won Le Mans, and his uncle Gary also raced extensively in open wheel and sports cars. His grandfather, Sir Jack Brabham, is a three-time Formula One champion, a key catalyst in the rear-engine revolution at Indianapolis, and an all-around racing legend.

That might sound like a pretty big legacy to live up to, but so far, Matthew is doing plenty to keep that excellent racing tradition alive. He won the USF2000 Championship as a rookie in 2012, and signed with Andretti Autosport for the 2013 Pro Mazda Series season. He’s won three of four races so far this year, and seems poised to continue his speedy climb up the Mazda Road to Indy.

Brabham called into INDYCAR Nation from Mid-Ohio Sports Car course, where he’s currently testing as part of his Pro Mazda season. For our Q&A, the 19 year-old racing scion covered his development on Mazda Road to Indy, life in the Andretti Autosport organization, and coming from a famous racing background.

Thanks for making time for INDYCAR Nation, Matt. Congrats on the great start to your Pro Mazda season. Obviously, it’s started off really well, but how’s that transition working from USF2000 to Pro Mazda?

Matthew Brabham: It’s been a quite reasonable transition—the biggest thing is just the change in power, and getting used to it. It’s definitely tough when you first get into it, and the power makes it more fun, but I guess it makes it more challenging as well. I’m sure it’s different for everybody as they transition between different cars, but for me it’s just power. I've been able to get over that hurdle, and obviously it’s been going great so far. I couldn't ask for more—it’s been a fantastic start to the season.

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Kurt Busch hits 218 mph in Andretti IndyCar test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

May 9th, 2013

5.9.13 (via SBNation.com) – Wheeling one of Michael Andretti’s Indy cars, NASCAR driver Kurt Busch posted a top speed of 218 MPH and passed his rookie test to gain eligibility to compete in the Indianapolis 500.

In his first laps driving an Indy car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kurt Busch posted a top speed of 218 MPH Thursday.

In a car owned by Michael Andretti and normally occupied by reigning Izod IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, Busch ran a total of 83 laps and completed all three phrases of the rookie orientation program.

If he so chooses, Busch is now eligible to compete in this year's Indianapolis 500.

However, never having competed in an IndyCar race and wanting more experience, he instead is eying a start in the 2014 edition of the Indy 500. The 2004 Sprint Cup champion would like to run the Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 doubleheader and admitted that he needs to improve his stamina to accomplish such a feat.

"I wouldn't be able to do it this year because of stamina," Busch said. "Today, I was white knuckled and tense, and that was only after 10 laps. To crawl and then walk and the then walk and run, I think the next step is to go to another oval and another race and see how the car runs in traffic."

Busch's performance left Andretti, who has led more laps at Indy than any other driver without winning the 500, impressed.

"Kurt did everything I thought he would do," Andretti said. "He was on pace immediately and he worked his way through the day. It was a good day."

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Mayor of Hinchtown becomes Indy’s Director of Public Safety

May 9th, 2013

The Mayor of Hinchtown became the Director of Public Safety of Indianapolis on Tuesday. Kicking off the month of May celebrations surrounding the Indianapolis 500, James Hinchcliffe, who now resides in Indianapolis, got an inside glimpse of what current Director Troy Riggs experiences on a daily basis and the steps he goes through to prepare for the 500-mile event at the end of each May.

"We get to do a lot of cool things as IndyCar drivers, but today was one of the coolest things I've been able to do," the two-time IZOD IndyCar Series race winner said. "Getting an inside look at how the city keeps the public safe, all the assets they have at their disposal, the cooperation between all the different agencies, it really was eye opening. You could really see the passion that each person had for their job, and that's a good thing when we are talking about keeping a city safe! A huge thanks to Director Riggs and everyone who contributed to our day. I'll definitely sleep better knowing who is watching our backs!"

Hinchcliffe had the opportunity to visit city center where he sat in on a short meeting to kick off the day. The Toronto native received his very own nameplate (his first one!) and got to sit in Director Riggs’ chair. From there he traveled to Survive Alive – a firehouse built in 1871 that has since been converted into a building to bring school children and families to learn about fire safety. The program sees 12,000 to 15,000 children a year and has helped lower the rate of child deaths due to fire from four children to less than one child a year; the Survive Alive on Massachusetts Avenue in downtown Indy has been open since 1995.

Following the visit to Survive Alive, Hinch made his way to Firehouse 7 where he was able to meet some of Indy’s finest firefighters and EMS. The Police Academy came next where James was able to tour bomb squad trucks, meet with animal control and their K-9 unit, as well as engage in a shooting simulator and driving simulator (where the Sao Paulo Indy 300 race winner drove into a house while in pursuit of a suspect – oops!). A meeting with the directors of many of Indianapolis’ agencies (Homeland Security, EMS, Firefighter, Police, Animal Control amongst others) concluded the day. The 26-year-old learned much about how Indy is run – 300 firefighters are on duty at any point, response time for IFD is three minutes and two seconds, Indy’s EMS teaches CPR to approximately 1,200 children a year and Homeland Security is present at the Indy 500 each year although you may not see them.

Although James enjoyed his day learning about the ins and outs of how the city of Indy is run and protected on a daily basis, the IZOD IndyCar Series driver plans to stick to his day job and leave the protecting to the professionals while appreciating all the efforts they put in to keeping the great city of Indy safe.

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INDIANA UNIVERSITY HEALTH REACHES SPORTS MEDICINE DEAL WITH RACING CHAMPIONS

May 8th, 2013

IU Health and PitFit Training join Andretti Autosport to enhance on and off track performance

INDIANAPOLIS (May 8, 2013) - Indiana University Health is now the official sports medicine and sports performance provider for Indianapolis-based Andretti Autosport®, based on a newly formed partnership between the two organizations.

Through the multi-year agreement, IU Health will provide Andretti Autosport with sports performance coaches to train staff and pit crew on a weekly basis, in coordination with performance race partner PitFit Training, sports medicine specialists to perform in-season injury evaluations and certified athletic trainers who will travel with the championship racing team for select IZOD IndyCar Series events taking place throughout North America, including major racing events in Detroit, Houston and Toronto. IU Health will also provide on-site sports medicine services for Andretti Autosport drivers, including Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, E.J. Viso and reigning IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the month of May.

In addition, IU Health will provide Andretti Autosport's executives, employees and their spouses with access and discounts to all adult fitness programs hosted at its Carmel-based IU Health Sports Performance facility.

"This agreement brings our nationally ranked health system together with a nationally renowned champion racing organization to enhance performance, prevent and treat injuries, and improve safety," said Scott Handlon, business director of IU Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. "Now, Andretti Autosport athletes and staff have access to our Olympic-level training facility, expert training staff and our comprehensive, medically integrated training program here at IU Health Sports Performance."

At IU Health Sports Performance, nationally certified specialists customize sport-specific strength and conditioning programs that combine medically integrated sports performance training and sports science to help athletes and active individuals maximize their speed, agility and power while reducing their risk of injury.

"We are really excited about this partnership with IU Health Sports Performance," said said Doug Bresnahan, Vice President of Marketing Partnerships for Andretti Autosport. "So much effort goes into preparing our race cars for optimum on-track performance and we now have a partner that can bring that same level of focus and attention into maximizing our team's overall fitness level, health and wellbeing. As an organization, it's in our DNA to seek continual self-improvement and IU Health Sports Performance will help us accomplish this across every facet of our company."

For more information about IU Health Sports Performance or PitFit Training, please call: 317.848.JUMP (5867) or visit: www.iuhealth.org/sportsperformance.

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