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IZOD INDYCAR SERIES NOTES AND QUOTES, POST-PRACTICE HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

 

 

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES NOTES AND QUOTES, POST-PRACTICE HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

 

MARCO ANDRETTI, #26 TEAM VENOM ENERGY DRINK  Ended the practice session in P7          "The second practice session wasn't as productive as we had hoped for the Venom car. We had a good start this morning and made some good changes from the first session to the second session but didn't find the positive changes we needed during the second session. We'll think over things tonight and get back at it tomorrow." MIKE CONWAY, #27 TEAM  GoDaddy.com Finished practice in P3          "I'm fairly happy with that. We were just trying to get through a lot of things, but it was difficult with the yellow flags and so on. But, the GoDaddy.com car has worked well since we got here. It's just a case of chipping away at it every day to get some more speed out of it. I think we've got some good things to try tomorrow morning. We'll try to do our homework tonight and come out a bit stronger tomorrow."  RYAN HUNTER-REAY, #28 TEAM  DHL/SUN DROP CITRUS SODA  Finished the session in P17          "We had a lap good enough for P5 with the DHL/Sun Drop car and then I clipped the right rear tow link, and bent it. With these street circuits, it only takes a mistake of a couple inches and that was enough to sideline us for the rest of the session. We had a good car this morning and we just need to go back to that. Everything looks good."   DANICA PATRICK, #7 TEAM GoDaddy.com   Ended the practice session in P10          "The GoDaddy.com car is off to a good start today. I think we still have some work to do, but I think tomorrow's qualifying session will be solid. It's great to be back in my IndyCar and in St. Pete."

 

ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT SIGNS MIKE CONWAY
TO A FULLTIME INDYCAR DRIVE IN 2011

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 1, 2011) - Andretti Autosport announced today that it is has signed Englishman Mike Conway to a full-season drive in one of the team's IZOD IndyCar Series entries for 2011.  

Conway, who launched his IZOD IndyCar Series career in 2009, is returning to competition after sustaining serious and season-ending injuries in last year's Indianapolis 500.  

Specific details on the entry and the sponsorship package in support of Conway's effort will be announced at a later date.  

The 27-year old Conway is a veteran of 23 IZOD IndyCar Series events - all with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing -- including the full 2009 schedule and the first six races of 2010. Conway scored a career-best third-place finish at Infineon Raceway as a rookie in 2009 and then posted three top-10s in 2010 before being sidelined at Indianapolis.  

Conway's final race of 2010 stands as one of his most-impressive IndyCar efforts thus far. After qualifying 15th, Conway led 15 laps and was running ninth with two laps to go when he was involved in an incident with Ryan Hunter-Reay, who he will now team with at Andretti Autosport.  

Conway's career began at the age of eight at Rye House in Hertfordshire. Since then, he has gone on to be the Formula A British Karting Champion, the Formula Renault Champion (2004) and the top British driver in the British Formula 3 Series, finishing third in the 2005 standings.  

In 2006, Conway raced in and dominated the British F3 International Series, winning the championship with three races still remaining. 2006 also saw Conway prevail at the Macau Grand Prix, making him the first British driver to do so since 1999.  

Conway moved to the GP2 Series in 2007 and spent the season competing for Super Nova Racing. That same year, he was also signed as a test driver for Honda F1 Racing. In total, Conway logged seven days of F1 testing for Honda and Mercedes-Benz.  

2008 saw Conway remain in GP2, but this time he was racing with Trident Racing. At Monaco, he had his first 2008 podium when he took first place in the sprint race - a race which he led from start to finish.  

Conway is represented by 2mb Sports Management, a boutique talent management agency owned by former driver Mark Blundell.    

MIKE CONWAY:

"This is a really exciting moment in my career to be racing for Andretti Autosport. It's going to be an honor working with some great people and great teammates, and I can't wait to get started. Everyone is fired up, especially me, and I'm ready for the challenge ahead. I can't wait to hit the track and start achieving some great results."

MICHAEL ANDRETTI, CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT:

"Mike is a great addition to our team, for sure. He is talented, has a lot of potential and should really fit in well with our team here. He was off to a good start last year and had started to show what he is really capable of in the IndyCar Series.

"He's got great credentials, has raced in some very competitive formulas and is a proven winner. We're really excited to be able to bring him to Andretti Autosport."   

About Andretti Autosport

Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Andretti Autosport competes in Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship and in the USF2000 National Championship. The company boasts three IZOD IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005 and 2007), two Firestone Indy Lights titles (2008 and 2009), one USF2000 championship (2010) and has won the Indianapolis 500 twice (2005 and 2007). For more information, please visit www.AndrettiAutosport.com.