Daily Trackside Report - Thursday, May 27
May 27, 2010 | By
DAY 10 – THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010
TODAY’S SCHEDULE (all times local):
7 a.m. Garage Opens
9-9:45 a.m. Firestone Indy Lights Practice
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Firestone Indy Lights Practice
3-4 p.m. Firestone Indy Lights Qualifications
6 p.m. Track Closes
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The Indy Racing League will provide a Video News Feed during each day of practice in preparation for qualifying for the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
The Video News Feed will include b-roll of on-track activity and sound from various drivers following the day’s activity. Today’s feed:
Time: 8-8:30 p.m. (ET)
Coordinates: AMC 9, K 18 (Slot CD)
Bandwidth: 18 MHz
Symbol Rate: 13.235 MS
FEC: 3/4
Aspect Radio: 16:9
Digital: 4:2:0
Downlink Frequency: 12069 MHz Vertical
Position: 83 degrees West
Uplink trouble number: (317) 492-8657 or (317) 492-8750
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One of the longest-running relationships between a sporting event and a network will continue on Sunday, May 30, when the Indianapolis 500 airs on ABC for the 46th consecutive year. ESPN on ABC’s live, high-definition telecast from Indianapolis Motor Speedway is presented by GoDaddy.com and begins with a one-hour pre-race show at noon (ET) and the green flag at 1 p.m.
Brent Musberger hosts the telecast, while Marty Reid will call the race with analysis by former IZOD IndyCar Series star Scott Goodyear and 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever. Reporting from the pits will be Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
ESPN will use 59 cameras to televise the race fully in high definition, including a 360-degree rotating onboard camera mounted behind the driver on multiple cars. Unique views will be provided by Track Cam, a high definition camera running on a cable over pit road and the frontstretch that can move at more than 80 mph. All 33 cars will carry GPS boxes for the Sportvision RaceFX system to provide telemetry and pointers to help identify the cars for viewers. And ESPN will use a radio replay system that can record, playback and edit radios from any of the 33 drivers.
ESPN International’s networks and syndication of the Indy 500 will reach more than 252 million households. In addition, U.S. troops serving overseas and on Navy vessels around the world will watch via a broadcast agreement between ESPN and the American Forces Network, bringing the total to 213 countries and territories.
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Sebastian Saavedra will become the third driver to perform the “double” of racing in the Firestone Freedom 100 and Indianapolis 500. Saavedra will start 32nd in the Indianapolis 500 in the No. 29 William Rast/Bryan Herta Autosport car and will drive the No. 29 William Rast/Bryan Herta Autosport car in the Firestone Freedom 100.
Jeff Simmons and Marty Roth were the first to perform the “double,” in 2004. Roth also completed the feat in 2005, with Simmons repeating the feat in 2008.
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IZOD will be the primary sponsor of the No. 5 car driven by Arie Luyendyk Jr. and fielded by Andersen Racing for the Firestone Freedom 100.
Luyendyk and team co-owner Dan Andersen made the announcement Wednesday afternoon at a press conference at the Speedway.
Luyendyk, 28, also announced that Mo'sGold Advantage car wax will be an associate sponsor of the effort. Luyendyk is the son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk. He is a three-time starter in the Firestone Freedom 100, with a best finish of third in 2004.
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: “IZOD has been a great supporter of the IndyCar Series, and now they continue into Firestone Indy Lights. The Firestone Freedom 100 should be a fantastic race to watch.” (On his previous involvement with IZOD: “I drive the Indy Racing Experience two-seater, and IZOD is a sponsor on one of those cars. I’ve done a lot of appearances with IZOD, and I got to know them really well. It’s a good relationship, and hopefully it will grow into the future and into bigger and better things.” (On returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway): “This is the race that everyone wants to win; especially with Indy Lights, because it gets so much attention from the Indy car owners. My experience in Indy Lights has been great and after not driving last season, I really wanted to get back in the car. I was very impressed with Andersen Racing’s run here last year with Mario Romancini, and I thought, ‘Man, if I’m going to drive in Indy Lights next year, then I need to be in one of their cars.’” (On the Road to Indy ladder program): “I grew up racing in the United States without a clear path to Indy car. When I was finished driving in USF2000; I went to Europe for a little while and then came back and got into Indy Lights. So it’s great now to have a clearly defined path to the IndyCar Series. I think that now, if you’re an aspiring driver in the United States or even Europe, it makes it a lot easier to come here and prove yourself. It’s all one series and it’s not spread out so you end up with the best drivers competing together to get to the next level.”
MIKE KELLY (Executive vice president of marketing, Phillips-Van Heusen): “We are proud to support Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Andersen Racing's Firestone Indy Lights team. This is a unique opportunity to align the IZOD brand with a talented young gun who comes from one of the most famous racing families in history."
BRIAN MARKS (President, TopSpeed Management, which represents Luyendyk): “Arie is an easy fit into the IZOD lifestyle. He is tied into the fashion scene with his own clothing line called Anti-Celeb, which will also be represented on the car. This is an exceptional week for the IZOD IndyCar Series, and with IZOD extending its brand presence into the Firestone Freedom 100, it's a great addition to the weekend.”
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Dillon Welch, son of ABC IZOD IndyCar Series pit reporter Vince Welch, won the USAC Regional Midget Series feature Wednesday night during “John Andretti Night” at the Indianapolis Speedrome. Welch led the last 45 laps of the 50-lap feature.
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 PRACTICE:
At 8:45 a.m., the ambient temperature was 76 degrees with a relative humidity of 69 percent and north-northeast winds at 6 mph. Skies were sunny. The track temperature was 84 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
9 a.m. – GREEN. #22 Campos, #2 Hinchcliffe nearly collide on pit lane heading to track. #77 Cunningham first on track.
9:03 a.m. – Daniel Herrington is shaking down #40 car to be driven by Dan Clarke.
9:20 a.m. – Arie Luyendyk Jr. is shaking down #4 car to be driven by Carmen Jorda.
9:21 a.m. -- #17 Simmons fastest at 190.674.
9:45 a.m. – CHECKERED. #17 Jeff Simmons fastest at 190.674. #5 Luyendyk did not turn laps in his car in this session but turned laps in #4 car of Jorda, who did not turn any laps in this session.
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FASTEST TIMES/SPEEDS OF FIRST PRACTICE:
Pos. Car Name Time Speed
1. 17 Jeff Simmons 47.2010 190.674
2. 10 Gustavo Yacaman 47.2581 190.444
3. 26 Charlie Kimball 47.3409 190.110
4. 40 Dan Clarke 47.4976 189.483
5. 11 Pippa Mann 47.5428 189.303
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 SECOND PRACTICE:
At 11:45 a.m., the ambient temperature was 89 degrees with a relative humidity of 58 percent and north-northwest winds at 5 mph. Skies were sunny. The track temperature was 114 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
•Fastest lap, first practice: #17 Jeff Simmons, 190.674
11:45 a.m. – GREEN.
12:07 p.m. -- #27 Plowman fastest at 187.973.
12:14 p.m