Firestone Indy Lights Driver Quotes Carneros 100 Infineon

J.R. HILDEBRAND (No. 26 ARPRO, Carneros 100 race winner): "I think our strongest competition was going to be my teammate Sebastian (Saavedra). He showed that by picking up as many spots as he at the end, after starting at the back with the engine change. It was a nice, clean race. I was able to just tick off the laps. We ran most of our laps within a couple of tenths within the fastest lap I ran during the race. That's really what we were trying to do. That's been our strong point all year and it proved to be strong again here.

FELIPE GUIMARES (No. 29 Bryan Herta Autosport, finished second): "It's been good. We've run three races and have had two podium results, so that's great. My team did a very good job this weekend. I'm very proud of them."

JAMES DAVISON (No. 21 People*s Liberation/Vision Racing, finished third): "I made the most of the passing opportunities today, which were done on the restarts. I got into fourth and then I got into third. Knowing my teammate (Felipe Guimares) had underneath him what I had, I think it was a day to drive a safe race and bring it home. We have to continue to bring home these top ten finishes. It would be great to get a win on an oval as well as a road course this year, so we'll go to Chicago and try to better it."

RICHARD PHILIPPE (No. 37 Palm Beach International Raceway, finished fourth):"The race was pretty uneventful actually until I guess ten laps from the end. I was able to make some moves and some of my peers made some mistakes, so I was able to capitalize on them. It's been a very emotional weekend for me as you know. My brother is still in the hospital so this race is for him. All of his sponsors are on my car. It's been a tough weekend, but I have a job to do. Hopefully he'll be back soon and running with me."

ANA BEATRIZ (No. 20 Healthy Choice/Sam Schmidt Motorsports, finished fifth): "It was a difficult race for the Healthy Choice/Sam Schmidt team. I couldn't be as aggressive as I wanted to in driving the car. Throughout the race, I kept experience the rear brakes locking up, and it made it difficult to be in close battles. On the one hand, I'm happy for the team to get another top-five, but I know we could have been fighting for the podium so it's a bit frustrating. We'll get the car ready for Chicago and hope to have a good race there."

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FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS GRAND PRIX OF EDMONTON POST-RACE QUOTES:

J.R. HILDEBRAND (No. 26 ARPRO, winner Firestone Indy Lights Grand Prix of Edmonton): "We were running our own pace and I think the other guys started to fall off a little bit. I was just trying to run the same lap time from start to end and the car came to me a little bit as the tires went off, so I didn't have to take too many risks to accomplish that. We were able to bring home another win. It's a great circuit. It keeps you on your toes from top to bottom and front to back. I'm happy for the guys. We had a frustrating weekend at Toronto, but everyone did a great job this weekend."

RICHARD PHILIPPE (No. 37 Palm Beach International Raceway, finished second): "I'm as happy as I can be with finishing second. We've come a long way with the Palm Beach International Raceway car. I need to thank the team because they brought their "A" game. I've been trying to push them a lot to get to the front and here we are splitting two AGR cars, so we're doing something right."

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 27 Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc., finished third): For sure it wasn't easy. It was a really tough race, a long race and a physical race. I think we did a nice strategy of saving tires in the beginning. I just put pressure on the guys in front of me. Every time they made a mistake I was able to take advantage of that. I'm happy. Being 1-3 for AFS/Andretti Green is what we need for the championship and the rookie championship.

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 7 Hinchtown/Sam Schmidt Motorsports, finished fourth): "It was a tough day at the office. We got a decent start, but sort of got hung out to dry on the outside. I thought I would be able to get around (James) Davison but he got back around, so I settled into fourth. I was following Davison, but then my engine started to overheat, I tried to run off line on the straightaways, but there was so much marbles and dust offline. I got some marbles on my tires and locked up going into Turn 10 and that allowed Saavedra to get by. It's too bad. Early in the race we were being hung up by Davison and I think we could have run with Philippe. It's still a decent result and good for points and Sam Schmidt Motorsports, so thanks to them."

Firestone Indy Lights drivers Henry Surtees Tribute

Several Firestone Indy Lights competitors are paying tribute to Formula 2 driver Henry Surtees with a memorial decal on their cars.

The idea was sparked by British drivers Martin Plowman and Pippa Mann, who knew the driver, the son of former Formula 1 champion John Surtees. The younger Surtees was fatally injured in a racing accident in England on July 19.

"Although we never raced against each other, we met in several occasions when I was doing the Porsche Cup races back in England last year," Mann said. "Henry and his dad bought a bunch of my karting gear when I moved up to open-wheel (racing). We knew each other, and I can say that he was a genuine nice person and it was just a really bad weekend for motorsports around the world, not only when you lose someone as talented as Henry, but also such a nice person".

Plowman's family will take a shirt and poster - carrying the same memorial decal - and signed by the Grand Prix of Edmonton field back to England and deliver it to the Surtees family.

"The first time I met Henry was actually the first time that he sat in a go-kart," Plowman said. "I was at an opening of a brand new track in England and they invited one driver from every class to do some demonstration laps, and I was there demonstrating the 60cc class. He was there taking his first laps on a go-kart. After that he was like a familiar face on the paddock. He was truly a nice guy. When I got the news I was devastated… It was a very bad day for the sport. It's just a tragedy and this weekend we'll race for him and I wish his family all the best".

Guthrie Meyer Race Team on the Auction Block

http://www.keyauctioneers.com/auction_detail.php?id=115837

Matt Lee and JOJO Energy Drink Join Conquest Racing for Atlantic Championship Race at Lime Rock Park

INDIANAPOLIS (July 15, 2009) – Conquest Racing is returning to the Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda this week. Joining the team for the race at Lime Rock Park is former Conquest Atlantic driver Matt Lee along with sponsorship from JOJO Energy Drink.

“It will be nice to return to Atlantic racing for a second time this year,” said Conquest team owner Eric Bachelart. “We’ve worked with Matt in the past and we’re happy to be working with him again for this race.”

Lee previously drove for the Conquest Racing Atlantic team in 2007 alongside Giacomo Ricci. More recently, he competed at the 2009 Atlantic Championship season-opener in Sebring with Jensen Motorsports and took part in a couple of Firestone Indy Lights races at Watkins Glen in 2008. Prior to joining Conquest in 2007, the Syosset, NY-native finished second in the Formula BMW USA championship in 2006. This will be Lee’s third start at Lime Rock Park. In two races at the 10-turn, 1.51-mile permanent road course in the Formula BMW USA series in 2006, he started one race in 23rd and moved up to finish seventh while he started on pole and went on to finish runner-up in the second event.

“I’m really excited to be back with Conquest Racing this weekend,” expressed 19-year-old Lee. “I enjoyed driving for them in 2007 and we had a good test together yesterday at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Things are very encouraging heading into the weekend. It feels good to be back in the car in the Atlantic Series and to be racing at Lime Rock Park. It’s like my home race because it’s so close to where I live. I’m also happy to be partnered with JOJO Energy Drinks and to be part of their motor sports program. They’re a great company to be associated with.”

Scott Ferrari, President of JOJO Energy Drinks added: “We are excited to have Matt Lee as a part of our JOJO Energy Motor sport program. Like our beverage, Matt Lee is exciting, dynamic, and exudes good energy, which is our motto here at JOJO and part of our brand’s personality. We want the fans of JOJO energy drink to understand that we are not only just a sponsor, but that we share the same passion and excitement that they do about auto racing and the motor sport world.”

Unlike most other energy drinks, JOJO has zero sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. It also has no taurine, which compounds the undesirable effects of caffeine. JOJO’s unique formulation means, most importantly, that JOJO has no “crash”, just good sustained energy. JOJO’s “Good Energy” is comprised of ingredients like superfruit antioxidants green tea extracts, amino acid blends, 100% B vitamins, cognizin (for mental focus), Huperzine A (for mood lift) and 100% natural spring water. It comes in six great flavors: Mixed Berry, Black Cherry, Orange Sickle and three targeted at the Latino market, Citrus Guava, Passion Fruit Mango, and Mohito.

Conquest’s Lee will hit the track aboard his #12 JOJO Energy Drink Swift 016.a on Friday, July 17 for the first practice session at 1:30 p.m. ET, which will be followed by the 25-minute qualifying session at 5:30 p.m. ET. The 45-minute race will go green at 11:20 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 18.

Firestone Indy Lights Grand Prix of Toronto Post Race Notes & Driver Quotes

FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS GRAND PRIX OF TORONTO POST-RACE NOTES:

• This is Sebastian Saavedra's second win of the season and the second of his Firestone Indy Lights career. He previously won on the oval at Kansas Speedway in April.
• This is AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing's fourth win of the season and the eighth win for the team since they joined forces in 2007.
• J.R. Hildebrand finished second, his sixth podium finish in nine starts this season.
• James Hinchcliffe finished third for the fourth time this season, which ties his season-best finish.
• Stefan Wilson finished a career-best fourth place. His previous best was 12^th at Watkins Glen last weekend.
• James Davison finished fifth, his third top-five in four races.
• Richard Philippe led one lap, his first lap led in the Firestone Indy Lights.

FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS GRAND PRIX OF TORONTO POST-RACE QUOTES:

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 27 Automatic Fire Sprinklers, race winner): "It wasn't easy, I'm telling you. This is one of the hardest tracks I've been to in wet conditions and dry conditions. We made a pit stop, things we're not use to. The 27 crew did an awesome job. I'm very happy for AFS/Andretti Green Racing. Points are points. We're thinking about the championship and that's what is important.

J.R. HILDEBRAND (No. 26 ARPRO, finished second): "We definitely salvaged a good finish out of that. I really owe it to the boys in the pits. They really did an awesome job with the pit stop. I hit the wall early and bent the rear suspension pretty badly, like five or six laps into the race, so I was just hanging on for most of the race. I thought maybe I could stick with Sebastian (Saavedra) because I was sort of keeping up with him for most of the middle segment, and the thing just started going haywire on me through the fast stuff, so after I almost wrecked the car a couple of times. I just backed off and I thought we'd get it to the finish. It was good for the boys, and we'll see what we've got in a couple of weeks in Edmonton."

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 7 Hinchtown/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): "Man, what a tough race. With the conditions changing like that and having to do live pit stops for the first time in my career in Firestone Indy Lights was a bit exciting. The car was really good. The SSM (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) guys gave us a great car all weekend. Qualifying on the front row and bringing it home on the podium was great. I think we lost a little time on the pit stop but we were running consistent race laps after that, so I've got to be happy with a hometown podium. I've got to thank all of my friends and family. It was a great weekend, and like I said, it was tough in those changing positions but we had good Firestone Firehawks in the rain and good Firestone Firehawks in the dry, so it was a great weekend."

STEFAN WILSON: (No. 19 Walker Racing, finished fourth): "It was good, I was quick in the wet and soon as it started to dry out, we pitted for slicks at just the right time, and it was the right choice. We were really quick straight away when we exited the pits and were probably the fastest car on the track. Towards the end, the car started to go off and I had a few problems inside the cockpit so by the last 10 laps there was no way I was going to catch Hinch (Hinchcliffe), so I just preserved and kept my fourth place which is my best finish all year.

JAMES DAVISON (No. 21 People*s Liberation, finished fifth): "We were running second and the track dried out to the point where everyone had to pit and get off the rain tires because we just couldn't turn anymore. And then there was a very big miscue with my pit stop I'm not quite sure what happened but we lost like 30 seconds and I went all the way back probably nearly to last. I've never driven so hard in my life to get through the field and secure a top five so I've gotta be happy with my drive. A bit disappointed with the result considering we had the speed to win today but people know we're quick and our time will come."