Opening Segment Features Fierce Fight Between Corvette, Aston Martin, and Ferrari LE MANS, France, June 16, 2012 – Corvette Racing led the GTE Pro class at the six-hour mark in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Oliv

LE MANS, France, June 16, 2012 – Corvette Racing led the GTE Pro class at the six-hour mark in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Richard Westbrook was in the middle of a three-way battle, trading the lead repeatedly with the No. 97 Aston Martin and the No. 51 Ferrari. The No. 73 Compuware Corvette of Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, and Jordan Taylor fell back initially, and then rebounded to run fourth as the first quarter of the race ended.

Despite predictions of rain, the only precipitation was a light sprinkle at the start. The racing was interrupted at the five-hour mark by an extended safety car period following a huge crash involving the No. 8 Toyota and No. 81 Ferrari at the Mulsanne corner. The field continued to circulate behind three safety cars at the six-hour mark while the damaged cars were removed and the tire wall repaired.

Starting third on the GTE grid, Gavin quickly moved to challenge the class-leading Aston Martin on the first lap. He took the lead shortly after the first hour, and then traded places with his rival throughout his second stint. Tommy Milner took over at 1:49 mark and the battle resumed – with the addition of the No. 51 Ferrari that had started at the rear of the field after missing qualifying due to an accident. Milner also did a double stint, handing off to Richard Westbrook at the 3:43 into the race.

Jan Magnussen started the No. 73 Corvette C6.R fifth on the GTE grid, but handling problems caused him to drop back to seventh. Antonio Garcia went in on the first pit stop, and an adjustment changed the character of the car as the Spaniard moved up to fifth. Jordan Taylor began his first stint as a Le Mans racer at 2:44 into the race, followed by Magnussen at 3:34.

Jan Magnussen, No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R: “I had some serious understeer throughout my first stint coming out of the corners. Since we had some other issues in practice and qualifying we’re maybe a bit behind in the development of the best race setup. They’ve now adjusted the rear of the car a bit to see if that can cure the problem for Antonio. Personally I don’t feel too well as I woke up with a cold and some fever. I can more or less drive around it as the adrenaline sort of takes over as soon as you’re in the car, but I don’t feel good enough yet to do double stints.”

Antonio Garcia, No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R: “That was quite all right, I think. I knew from Jan’s feedback that I would have to work the car a bit harder than usual. I had some understeer which I tried to compensate for, but maybe I tried a bit too hard because the lap times were quite good. We then adjusted the pressure in the rear tires for my second stint on the same set, and that brought the car back into the comfort zone.”

Jordan Taylor, No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R: “I had a good stint, feeling more and more comfortable each lap. A slow puncture in the right-front tire messed with my head a bit, giving me understeer in the left-hand corners and snap oversteer in the right-hand corners. Other than that, no real issues, apart from two guys who held me up through Porsche Curves.”

Oliver Gavin, No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R: “As usual it was a bit chaotic at the start. I was side-by-side with the Aston Martin coming out of the last corner. The 59 Ferrari was a bit tentative, and the Aston Martin was just gone on the straight. I knew I had to get past the Ferrari before his tires came up to temperature. I followed the Aston for the next 11 laps or so; my Corvette was very good on the brakes and in low-speed parts, but he was fast on the straight and the high-speed sections. On the second stint he was having a problem getting his tires up to temperature and I got inside of him going into the second chicane, but then I started sliding around and he went back by me. The sun had come out and the track temp was going up, our tires were coming in, and the circuit was rubbering up, so I think we’ll be pretty good as the race continues.”

Tommy Milner, No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R: “It was a lot of fun out there! You could see that Darren and I were being very polite to each other, which is how it should be at this stage of the race. It’s more entertaining when you’re racing someone close, either chasing or being chased. Our Corvette felt really good, quite consistent, even though the track was a little greasy. As the temperature cooled off the car felt better. The Aston Martin was very quick on the straights but I could see that their setup is not quite right. The Ferrari was quite a way behind, so for them to get back to the front shows they are quick as well.”

24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro at Six Hours:

Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps

• 1. 74 Gavin/Milner/Westbrook, Corvette C6.R, 81
• 2. 51 Fisichella/Bruni/Vilander, Ferrari 458 Italia, 81
• 3. 77 Lietz/Lieb/Henzler, Porsche 911 RSR, 80
• 4. 73 Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor, Corvette C6.R, 80
• 5. 59 Makowiecki/Melo/Farnbacher, Ferrari 458 Italia, 80
• 6. 97 Mucke/Turner/Fernandez, Aston Martin Vantage V8, 80
• 7. 66 Cocker/Walker/Wills, Ferrari 458 Italia, 79
• 8. 71 Bertolini/Beretta/Cioci, Ferrari 458 Italia, 77
• 9. 80 Bergmeister/Long/Holzer, Porsche 911 RSR, 71

Online Video Streams from Two Corvette C6.Rs and Corvette Racing Garage to Enhance Live Coverage of 24 Hours of Le Mans

LE MANS, France, June 12, 2012 – Race fans in the U.S. will be able to ride along with Corvette Racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second consecutive year. SPEED’s coverage of the classic endurance race will include live video streams from the two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs as they navigate the immense 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe on June 16-17. A third camera in the Corvette Racing garage will take viewers inside the world’s most prestigious sports car race.

This online coverage can be viewed exclusively by at www.speed.com/corvette. This website will also be the only place for fans in the U.S. to watch live coverage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans while SPEED broadcasts other programming from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET and 7:00-7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 16.

Race fans can also follow the team with real-time updates on Twitter @CorvetteRacing.

One year ago the No. 73 Compuware Corvette took SPEED viewers from the green flag to the checkered flag and a victory in the GTE Pro category. With cameras mounted in both Corvettes this year, viewers will be able to watch the action from two perspectives.

“Last year Corvette Racing gave fans the ride of a lifetime,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President for Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “They were in the cockpit through twilight and darkness, the early-morning rain showers that made the track so difficult, Tommy Milner’s thrilling pass for the lead, and Antonio Garcia bringing home Corvette Racing’s seventh win at Le Mans. Now we are very proud to provide fans with even more opportunities to experience the magic of Le Mans and to see Corvette take on a field of world-class competitors in the most demanding sports car race on the planet.”

SPEED and SPEED.com will provide 25 total hours of continuous broadcast coverage starting on Saturday, June 15, at 8:30 a.m. ET, including pre- and post-race activities.

24 Hours of Le Mans Live Coverage Schedule

(All times Eastern; schedule subject to change)

Saturday, June 16

Le Mans 24 Hours (The Start) 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Live)

Le Mans 24 Hours 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Live; SPEED.com)

Le Mans 24 Hours 2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Live)

Le Mans 24 Hours 7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Live; SPEED.com)

Le Mans 24 Hours 7:30 p.m. – Midnight (Live)

Sunday, June 17

Le Mans 24 Hours (The Finish) Midnight – 9:30 a.m. (Live)

Chevrolet Team Aims for Eighth Victory in 24 Hours of Le Mans

LE MANS, France, June 11, 2012 – Corvette Racing comes into the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the defending champion in the GTE Pro category. Last year the No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Tommy Milner, Antonio Garcia, and Olivier Beretta scored a come-from-behind victory to capture Corvette Racing’s seventh class title in the world’s biggest sports car race.

Ranked by National Geographic as the world’s top sporting event (http://on.natgeo.com/Mn2hyg), the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a contest of skill, speed, and stamina that overshadows the Olympic Games, World Cup Soccer, and the Super Bowl according to this prestigious publication. Now Corvette Racing, the most successful team in the history of the American Le Mans Series, is ready to take on the challenge of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the 13th consecutive year. With updated Corvette C6.R race cars and a revised driver roster, Corvette Racing is primed for the long-running battle at the Circuit de la Sarthe. The competition will again be formidable in the GTE Pro category with factory-supported teams representing Ferrari, Porsche, and Aston Martin.

The twin Corvette C6.Rs have been updated in accordance with the ACO rulebook since the team’s last appearance at Le Mans. They are two inches wider than the preceding version, with corresponding changes in bodywork and suspension to complement the increased track width. The rear wing is mounted 75mm higher than last year and the Michelin tires have been optimized for the Corvette chassis. The 5.5-liter Chevrolet small-block V-8s are equipped with intake air restrictors that are .4mm larger than in 2011.

“The engineering team ran extensive computer simulations to evaluate the effects of a wider body,” said Corvette Racing team manager Gary Pratt. “There is a fine balance between the aerodynamic drag produced by a larger frontal area and the handling improvements that come with a wider track. We expected that the wider body would be better at many of the circuits in the U.S., and the simulations indicated that it would be an improvement at Le Mans as well.

“Although Le Mans is a big, high-speed track, a significant percentage of the lap is spent cornering and braking,” Pratt explained. “With the chicanes on the Mulsanne Straight and fast corners like the Porsche Curves, the wide-body design is beneficial.”

The driver lineup has been shuffled as well. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen are teamed with third driver Jordan Taylor in the No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Tommy Milner has moved to the No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R alongside Oliver Gavin and Richard Westbrook. These six drivers have a combined total of 12 class victories at Le Mans.

“I’m really looking forward to this year’s Le Mans with all of the new developments on the car,” said Magnussen, a four-time Le Mans winner. “I think we have a better understanding and feel for the car than last year, and it seems to be more stable. Le Mans is about a lot of things – top speed is only one of them. I’m confident that we will be able to go to the front again.”

“I think we are in a really good position,” said Garcia, who notched his third Le Mans win last year. “I’m happy to be back with Jan because we won together in 2009, and it will be good to have Jordan in the car. From what we have seen in testing, the car is more predictable and that should give us the opportunity to be a touch more relaxed – although at Le Mans, ‘relaxed’ is not the word!”

The race is not always to the swift, as was proven again last year. The No. 73 Corvette was one lap down when an accident sidelined the class-leading No. 74 Corvette in the early morning hours, but endurance and an error-free run carried the day for Chevrolet. Milner made the pass for the lead with two hours to go, and Garcia brought the Corvette home in first place.

“Being consistent and not making mistakes are crucial at Le Mans,” said Milner, who scored his breakthrough first victory with Corvette Racing at Le Mans. “Last year we didn’t have the fastest car in the class, but it was consistent. The team didn’t make any errors, and when our competition had just one small issue, it put them on the back foot. If the speed is there, that’s great – but the way to win it is to stop only for fuel, tires and driver changes. That will put you in the best position at the end of the race.”

Oliver Gavin has competed 11 times at Le Mans, winning four times. After a streak of three straight wins with Magnussen and Beretta in 2004-06, he’s been denied another victory by accidents and mechanical problems that were beyond his control. The Englishman’s experience has given him perspective on the race.

“This race is like no other,” Gavin said. “It’s exceptionally long, exceptionally tough, and high pressure for everybody in the team. It’s a highly charged atmosphere in that pit box for the entire 24 hours. You just cannot let up, take your eye off the ball for a single moment, or the 24 Hours of Le Mans will bite you. You must be smart, be consistent, and use your head.”

As the 24 Hours of Le Mans celebrates its milestone 80th running and Chevrolet celebrates 60 years of Corvette production, the stage is set for another classic race in the French countryside.

Corvette Racing’s next event is the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France, on June 16-17. The race will start Saturday at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET). SPEED and SPEED.com will provide 25 hours of continuous coverage starting at 8:30 a.m. ET on June 16.

Gavin Sets the Pace in GTE Pro in No. 74 Corvette C6.R; Taylor Walks Away from Encounter with Tire Wall in No. 73 Corvette C6.R

LE MANS, France, June 3, 2012 – Corvette Racing ended the Le Mans Test Day first and fourth in the GTE Pro category. Oliver Gavin ran the quickest lap in the two four-hour sessions at 3:58.971 in the No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R, more than half a second quicker than the car’s qualifying pace last year. The No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R covered the 8.5-mile circuit in 4:00.062, the fourth fastest time in the production-based class, before being sidelined by an encounter with a tire wall.

“We made some changes to the suspension and gearbox, and the track was coming in,” said Gavin after his fast lap. “The balance of the car was good. We didn’t get a run on new tires because of rain and yellow flags, but the tires were reasonably fresh and I wanted to see what we could do. I think the chassis is very close and the engine department is making big steps forward. I’m with the best team in the pit lane and the crew has done a stellar job of preparing the cars.”

At the top of the team’s to-do list was qualifying rookie Jordan Taylor to drive the No. 73 Corvette at Le Mans. After co-driving the GT class-winning Camaro GT.R in the Chevrolet Grand-Am Detroit 200 on Saturday, the 21-year-old racer took an overnight flight to Paris and then hopped on a helicopter to Le Mans. He arrived at the circuit just before the start of the afternoon session at 2 p.m., and promptly completed his required 10 laps.

Taylor’s Le Mans debut then ended abruptly in the tire wall at the entrance to the Porsche Curves. Taylor was uninjured, but the No. 73 Corvette had right-side body damage and did not return for the remainder of the afternoon session.

“Racing takes you from the highest highs to the lowest lows,” Taylor said. “I was living the dream, driving at Le Mans, and the dream just ends when you lose it like that. I know the crew can put the car back together, but it shouldn’t have happened.

“I was only supposed to get my 10 laps in and I guess I got a bit greedy trying to learn the track and get up to speed quicker,” he explained. “My times were coming down every lap, but I went for it in the Porsche Curves and it caught me out. The hit felt bigger than it was, so I’m glad about that, but I feel terrible for everyone.”

Before the accident, Taylor’s co-drivers Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia put the No. 73 Corvette close to the 4-minute mark on a day that saw a mix of rain, sun, clouds and blue sky.

“All’s good,” Garcia said. “We have been trying different things today, getting the 2012-spec car dialed in to this track. At Le Mans, every lap always counts, even if it rains for a while. You never know what the weather and track conditions will be in qualifying and the race, so you try to get as much information today to work with next week when it matters. Compared to last year, the new car is a major improvement.”

Magnussen agreed: “Overall we’re in much better shape than last year at the same time thanks to the development the team did over winter,” he said. “The balance is very good and the car is user-friendly which is important in a long race. The starting point is the best I’ve had in a long time, and I’m really happy.”

Richard Westbrook, third driver in the No. 74 Corvette, was unable to attend the Test Day, but Gavin and Tommy Milner are confident that the car will suit all of its drivers. “It’s always good when your car number is on the top of the timing screen,” Milner said. “Compared to last year, the driveability of the car is better and the speed is there. This team is working very well together – the engineers, the crew, and the drivers are all in tune and have the same mindset. When race week arrives, we can focus on getting into a rhythm, getting Richard comfortable in the car, and go on from there.”

Team manager Gary Pratt, a veteran of 12 Le Mans campaigns with Corvette Racing, knows what to expect at this race. “This place will jump up and bite you in a hurry,” Pratt said. “That’s the first mistake I’ve seen Jordan make. Tire walls look like they do a lot of damage, but it’s mostly exterior panels so it’s not a big deal. We’ll have the No. 73 Corvette fixed and be ready to go again.

“All of the drivers are really comfortable with the cars,” Pratt noted. “They feel they can be aggressive and attack the course. That’s a great way to have a car to start the race. We may sacrifice a little on the straightaway to have the cars good in the corners, and I think that’s better for the race.”

Corvette Racing’s next event is the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France, on June 16-17. The 80th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours will begin with technical scrutineering on Sunday and Monday, June 10-11, followed by practice and qualifying on Wednesday, June 13, and Thursday, June 14. The race will start Saturday at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET). SPEED and SPEED.com will provide continuous coverage starting at 8:30 a.m. ET on June 16; see local listings for program times.

24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day GTE-Pro Results

Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car

• 1. 74 Gavin/Milner/Westbrook, Corvette C6.R, 3:58.971
• 2. 59 Makowiecki/Melo/Farnbacher, Ferrari 458 Italia, 3:59.050
• 3. 51 Fisichella/Bruni/Vilander, Ferrari 458 Italia, 3:59.392
• 4. 73 Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor, Corvette C6.R, 4:00.062
• 5. 80 Bergmeister/Long/Holzer, Porsche 911 RSR, 4:00.287
• 6. 77 Lietz/Lieb/Henzler, Porsche 911 RSR, 4:00.356
• 7. 71 Bertolini/Beretta/Cioci, Ferrari 458 Italia, 4:00.690
• 8. 97 Mucke/Turner/Fernandez, Aston Martin Vantage V8, 4:00.892

CHEVROLET DETROIT BELLE ISLE GRAND PRIX

THE RACEWAY AT BELLE ISLE PARK

TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES

JUNE 2, 2012

Chevrolet Corvette DP and Camaro GT.R Score Hometown Wins in GRAND-AM Rolex Series

DETROIT (June 2, 2012) — Chevrolet swept both classes in the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle GRAND-AM 200 on The Raceway at Belle Isle Park on Saturday: Darren Law and Joao Barbosa drove the No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype to victory in the DP class, and Jordan Taylor and Paul Edwards won in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Camaro GT.R in the GT category.

Law and Barbosa started fourth and finished 0.440 seconds ahead of their Action Express Racing teammates Terry Borcheller and David Donohue for their first victory of the season, and the fourth in five races this year for the Corvette DP.

“Sweeping both the Daytona Prototype and Grand Touring races at Belle Isle, in the shadow of its world headquarters, makes this a very special day for Chevrolet Racing,” said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet Grand-Am Program Manager. “Joao Barbosa and Darren Law both drove extremely well on a course that is not very forgiving, and they needed that effort in order to outpace their Action Express teammates, Terry Borcheller and David Donohue.”

The No. 9 Action Express Corvette DP led a race-high 21 of the 72 laps of the two-hour race.

“Winning at Detroit with the Corvette — it can’t be better than this,” Barbosa said. “Being part of the Action Express crew, I have no words.”

“You know what? If I bit my nails I would have no nails left,” Law, who started, said about being a spectator at the end of the race. “I was going crazy, but Joao did a stellar job. I have to thank all the crew and Action Express and also to win this in Detroit in front of Chevy’s headquarters, this is unbelievable. I’m just super happy.”

Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney started on the pole and led the first 19 laps, but a wreck while leaving pit road on lap 36 caused damage and left the No. 10 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP with a 10th-place-in-class finish.

The No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP, driven by Michael Valiente and Richard Westbrook, briefly led before it, too, was involved in a wreck that caused damage, leaving it with a ninth-in-class finish.

In GT, Taylor and Edwards started fourth in class en route to their first win of 2012.

“How cool is it do be driving that Chevrolet Camaro right in Detroit in the hometown of Chevrolet and General Motors?” Edwards said. “You can actual see the world headquarters right from the race track. It’s an awesome win.”

The No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Camaro GT.R led a class-best 35 laps.

“What a tremendous win for Autohaus Motorsports, too, with Jordan Taylor and Paul Edwards in the No. 88 Camaro GT.R.,” Lutz said. “This Belle Isle course is very tight, and Taylor and Edwards had to race their way to the front under very competitive conditions. What an impressive effort.”

Taylor, who left to compete at Le Mans right after the race, said this was a great way to start a very busy month.

“The month of June will be packed for me, but it’s great to start off with a win for Camaro and Autohaus Motorsports,” Taylor said. “The guys have been doing a great job all year. It’s just been little things that have been biting us and this is great to finally get that win.”

John Edwards and Robin Liddell started first in class en route to a third-place finish in the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R.

In the Manufacturers’ Standings, Chevrolet leads DP by 17 points, and moved from fourth to second in GT, just six points off the pace.

Next on the schedule for Team Chevy will be EMCO Gears 200, June 8-9 at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course.

DRIVER QUOTES:

JOAO BARBOSA, NO. 9 ACTION EXPRESS CORVETTE DP – RACE WINNER – DP AND OVERALL – YOU TALK ABOUT A STREET FIGHT NOT ONLY WAS IT DIFFICULT WITH THE TRAFFIC, YOU HAD TO OVERCOME A LITTLE BIT OF EMOTION I KNOW YOU GOT A LITTLE HOT IN THE CAR THERE ON PIT LANE, THE RAIN WAS COMING, THIS ONE WAS SPECIAL I ASSUME?

“It was special. I don’t know what kind of controversy you are talking about (laughter). Everything was normal we were first, and then we start in the back just to make our life more difficult (laughs). I cannot say enough. Winning at Detroit with the Corvette it can’t be better than this. Being part of the Action Express crew, I have no words.”

TELL US HOW THE RACE WENT FOR YOU: “This was a very interesting race. We definitely had a great car. Action Express did a great job. We have been very close to be here some of the previous races. For one reason or the other that just didn’t happen. Everything seems to work out really perfect around here. The car was good. We were pretty fast and I was able to go to the lead at one point without really realizing it I was at the back of the field. After that restart I told my guys this is going to be a rough ride up because Detroit is definitely not an easy place to over think. The car was so good and we were really motivated to give a good result to Chevy here in Detroit. Everything from that point on, everything seemed to fall our way. I was able to make the move during traffic around David (Donohue) going into turn one. Otherwise that would be really difficult to overtake. I think our cars at that point were really close. I was just able to read the traffic a little bit ahead and I was able to make the move for the win with a few minutes to go. I’m really proud to just be part of this organization the Action Express guys did just a fantastic job through the whole week.”

DARREN LAW, NO. 9 ACTION EXPRESS CORVETTE DP – RACE WINNER – DP AND OVERALL: YOU STARTED THE CAR WE TALKED ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS IN TRAFFIC WAS IT MORE DIFFICULT IN THE CAR OR STANDING WATCHING THAT LAST HALF HOUR?

“You know what if I bit my nails I would have no nails left. I was going crazy, but Joao (Barbosa) did a stellar job. I have to thank all the crew and Action Express and also to win this in Detroit in front of Chevy’s headquarters this is unbelievable. I’m just super happy.”

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RUN: “We are really very proud. We knew we had a good car coming into the race. Actually both cars, so it’s great for Action Express to finally get a win and actually put both cars on the podium together one-two that is really cool for us. It is great to do it here at Chevrolet’s headquarters in the Corvette. As far as the race goes for me I did not have the best of starts. I had a good opening stint once we got rolling. The car was good and really we did the same as everybody kind of came in on that first yellow and Joao (Barbosa, co-driver) got in and had a great run. He did a stellar job and drove it all the way to the front. In the middle of the race there we did have a little mix up with officiating which I was pretty upset about, but we pulled it out and had a great run. I’m happy for everybody.”

DAVID DONOHUE, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS CORVETTE DP – 2ND PLACE FINISHER – DP AND OVERALL: YOU ARE NOT THAT HAPPY, TELL US ABOUT YOUR DAY: “Well I mean we were giving it a hard run at it. Going up into turn one, Joao (Barbosa) did not give me much room it was a little bit of a hairy move I thought, but it’s great for Action Express. Coming in one-two I’m really happy for the team. This is long overdue, I’ve been saying this team is ready to break out and hopefully this is the time. To do it in the 60th anniversary colors of Corvette at a Chevy sponsored race here in Detroit it’s fantastic.”

TERRY BORCHELLER, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS CORVETTE DP – 2ND PLACE FINISHER – DP AND OVERALL: “Well the start was good for us in the No. 5 car. It was a great race. Our cars were good. The No. 5 car was really strong. David did a fantastic job at the end. The No. 9 car was just a little stronger today, but it was a good race.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 88 AUTOHAUS CAMARO GT.R – RACE WINNER – GT CLASS: ON THE RACE:”It was a good race. Everyone came into the race a little bit blind. We only got limited time running in the blind. I think whoever off-loaded from the truck the best was going to have a good shot at it and we definitely had that. Thanks to Autohaus and Pratt and Miller.

“For the race itself, I’d only done about three laps in the dry conditions and four in the wet, so, that first restart was a bit wild. I just kinda saw someone brake and tried go a little bit deeper to get around them, and kind of judge it off that. Once I got in the lead, I was kind of lost for the first few. It was really great for the Autohaus guys because that first pit stop got us that track position. I think we were running third for fourth for the first stint. And then we jumped to the lead of the guys that made that first stop; two guys stayed out, so we were really third. But, we were able to get around a few guys and keep that track position through the end of the race.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS GOING FROM DETROIT TO (LE MANS) FRANCE (TO QUALIFY AND RUN THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS): “My only concern is making the flight. Once I get there I will be ok. I have a flight tonight to Paris and helicopter to the track. I’ll make it for only about three hours of practice at Le Mans. Then I fly back on Tuesday for Mid Ohio. Then we play a game of golf we’ve arranged in Mid Ohio, and race Mid Ohio. Fly back to France the day after Mid Ohio and the fly back the day after France for Road America. So, it is a good way to start June with this win.”

PAUL EDWARDS, NO. 88 AUTOHAUS CAMARO GT.R, RACE WINNER – GT CLASS: ON THE RACE: “I am just really happy for the team today. Being right here in the backyard of General Motors and Chevrolet, it is our first win of the year Camaro, so obviously a big day. Just overall, just a great weekend. Everyone did a great job. It is good for the team going into Mid Ohio, we really needed a win after some of the results that got taken away from us the last couple of races. Hopefully this will get us back in the groove.”

YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO WIN HERE IN DETROIT HOW IMPORTANT THAT BOWTIE VICTORY HERE IS AT DETROIT: “Yeah it means everything. How cool is it do be driving that Chevrolet Camaro right in Detroit in the hometown of Chevrolet and General Motors, you can actual see the world headquarters right from the race track. Really big day for us, really big day for the team, the momentum is there for Mid-Ohio it’s an awesome win.”

JOHN EDWARDS, NO. 57 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO GT.R, FINISHED 3RD (GT): ON QUALIFYING: ON THE RACE: “I quite enjoyed this track. My stint was far less eventful than Robin’s, although when we caught a slower DP when I was behind the Ferrari, that was the only chance I knew I had to get by him because the Ferrari was obviously very quick. Tried to take advantage of it and kind of cut down on a corner when Guy (Cosmo) got held up. Got along side of him a couple of times, but couldn’t make it happen. Then we just watched him drive away. Fortunately we were ahead of all the people that mattered as far as the championship is concerned. So, felt like we were in a pretty good spot. On the first pit stop, we lost a couple of spots, and Robin drove hard and made up a little bit of that. Once he got close to the No. 70 car and Jordan (Taylor), being so similar on times, it was going to be pretty hard to make a move on the tight streets.”

ROBIN LIDDELL, NO. 57 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO GT.R, FINISHED 3RD (GT): “Pretty much what John said really. We knew track position was going to be pretty critical, so we were bit annoyed with ourselves. I think we dropped the positions in the first stop. John had a good opening stint. We knew he really wouldn’t have anything for the Ferrari. The No. 03 just checked out, took a massive lead and then just backed up. To be honest, had they executed a good race, I think they would have run away with it. But, fortunately for the rest of us, the racing was very close and competitive. A lot of came down to the pit stops and keeping the track position. The guys ahead of use certainly were running really hard. There were a lot of incidents out there as well. There was a lot of damage and carnage all over the place. Some of those restarts and opening laps following restarts were pretty hectic. But, fortunately we all managed to keep it in one piece. We are happy enough to be on the podium so it is a good result for points for the championship.”

DETROIT (May 30, 2012) – For the first time since 2008, the sound of IndyCar racing engines will add to the normal hustle and bustle of downtown Detroit. On tap this weekend is the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, round six of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule.

While every race on the schedule is important and demands dedicated attention to every detail, for the Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers racing in the shadows of Chevrolet headquarters adds the element of hometown pride.

With a perfect record this season on street and road courses, four poles and four wins, the Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 teams and drivers head to 2.1-mile/14-turn The Raceway at Belle Isle Park Street Circuit with momentum and confidence.

“The return to Belle Isle is exciting for everyone involved with the Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 program,” said Mark Kent, Director of Chevrolet Racing. “This race is an important event to showcase our IndyCar program as well as an opportunity to showcase the city of Detroit. With the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix being held right in our hometown, this race offers all of the Chevrolet and Powertrain employees as well as our partners in the Detroit area that have contributed to this program the ability to see first-hand the results of their hard work.

“The Chevy IndyCar V-6 is undefeated on street courses this year. We are looking forward to carrying that momentum to Belle Isle and having a great weekend at the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.”

For two of the Team Chevy IndyCar drivers, returning to The Raceway at Belle Isle Park Street Circuit has special meaning. Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves won his career-first race on the challenging course in 2000, and backed it up with another victory in 2001.

KV Racing Technology’s Tony Kanaan took the trip to Victory Lane in 2007.

While 2012 marks the debut of the all-new Chevy V-6 direct injected twin turbo charged purpose built engine fueled by renewable E85, the Bowtie brand competed previously in Indy-style competition as an engine manufacturer in 1986-93 and 2002-05 with V-8 engines. During that period, Chevrolet drivers notched two wins at Belle Isle – 1992 and 1993.

For this event Chevrolet will roll out the Corvette 427 Convertible to take center stage. Each of the 13 Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers in the field for Sunday’s race will follow the 2013 model of the iconic nameplate to the green flag.

The Corvette 427 Convertible is the fastest and most-capable convertible in Corvette’s history. For fans that desire a closer look at the car, it will be showcased in the Team Chevy Display in the heart of Belle Isle to give race fans the opportunity to closely inspect the newest offering in the Corvette line-up. The Team Chevy Racing Display will be open 8 a.m.-6 .m. on Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, and 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is set to start on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. ET with live television coverage on ABC.

Live radio coverage will be on XM Radio Channel 94 and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 212. In addition, IndyCar live timing and scoring with the radio broadcast can be found at www.indy.car.com.

Fans can follow Team Chevy on Team Chevy Facebook, @TeamChevy on Twitter and on Google+.

CHEVROLET INDYCAR V-6

FAST FACTS

CHEVROLET DETROIT BELLE ISLE GRAND PRIX

RACEWAY AT BELLE ISLE PARK STREET CIRCUIT

JUNE 1-3, 2012

Chevrolet has won two previous IndyCar races at Belle Isle

§ Bobby Rahal, 1992

§ Danny Sullivan, 1993

Two current Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers have victories at Belle Isle

§ Helio Castroneves, Two (2) wins – 2000, 2001

§ Tony Kanaan, 2007

After five races, seven (7) Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers are in the top-10 in the standings:

§ 1. Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet, 200

§ 2. Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Chevrolet, 164

§ 3. James Hinchcliffe, No. 27 Team Go.Daddy.com Chevrolet, 164

§ 5. Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Chevrolet, 143

§ 8. Ryan Briscoe, No. 2 IZOD Chevrolet, 128

§ 9. Tony Kanaan, No. 11 GEICO/MOUSER Electronics Chevrolet, 113

§ 10. JR Hildebrand, No. 4 National Guard Chevrolet, 10

The all-new Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 has won four of the five races in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Season

§ Streets of St. Petersburg – Helio Castroneves

§ Barber Motorsports Park – Will Power

§ Streets of Long Beach – Will Power

§ Streets of Sao Paulo – Will Power

CHEVROLET IN THE IZOD INDYCAR SERIES – FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT:

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, POINTS LEADER: “I really like the track at Belle Isle, I love to race there and I enjoy the track a lot. I think it’s going to be a really good event, especially for Chevy being in Detroit. Hopefully we can get the No. 12 Verizon car back in victory lane this weekend.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 SHELL V-POWER/PENNZOIL ULTRA TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, TIED FOR 2ND IN STANDINGS: “I’m looking forward to returning to Detroit with the support of Shell V Power Pennzoil Ultra, the track at Belle Isle is always great. In my career I’ve had three wins at St Pete, 3 wins at Indy and hopefully we can win our third at Belle Isle for a sort of triple crown. The Chevy engines have done a great job for us so far and that should continue this weekend.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, NO. 27 TEAM GODADDY.COM ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, TIED FOR 2ND IN STANDINGS: “The first four races went very well for us; the Go Daddy car has been very competitive on road and street courses. Coming off the ‘500’ where we had the pace as a team but no the (race) results we wanted we are very anxious to get back on track and get the Andretti Autosport cars back up front. This is my first time racing at Belle Isle so I’m looking forward to learning a new track – being a hometown race for Team Chevy it will be very important race for us and we’ll all work hard to get a Bow Tie back in victory lane.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO. 28 TEAM DHL/SUN DROP CITRUS SODA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, 5TH IN STANDINGS: “I really enjoyed racing at Belle Isle, and we had a real good run there in 2008 (when he finished sixth), so I’m glad we’re going back there again. The team has been really strong on the street circuits – not just the DHL/Sun Drop team, but Andretti Autosport as a whole. So, you go into a race like this one expecting to be good and to run well. It’s a home race for Chevy, so we want to really rebound strongly from Indy. It really is time for us to start winning races.”

RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 2 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, 8TH IN STANDINGS: “I’m excited to be heading back to Belle Isle in the No. 2 Hitachi car. Especially now having Chevy as a partner there will be an added measure of importance that we perform well this weekend. It should make for great racing.”

TONY KANAAN, NO. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET, 9TH IN STANDINGS:

JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 4 NATIONAL GUARD PANTHER RACING CHEVROLET, 10TH IN STANDINGS:

RUBENS BARRICHELLO, NO. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET, 11TH IN STANDINGS:

ORIOL SERVIA, NO. 22 PANTHER/DREYER & REINBOLD RACING CHEVROLET, 13TH IN STANDINGS: “This couldn’t be better timing for us going into Detroit with the momentum we have from Indy. It’s a busy schedule. We have a lot of races back to back, which is usually tough, but in our case, we just got the great Chevy power behind us and it’s very refreshing. I think the entire team is looking forward to this weekend. Especially after just having done Indy, which was our first race with Chevrolet. It was such a great one by finishing fourth, coming through the back and the way we did it. It was a lot of fun. I’m really excited to go to Detroit which is Chevrolet’s home race. It’s also the place where I got my first podium as a rookie and in 2008 was the last time that I raced there. We were running up front and challenging for the win until the last pit stop and I think I finished 4th or 6th. Detroit is a place that has treated me very well and I’m excited to go back there this weekend with Chevy power.”

E.J. VISO, NO. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET, 16th IN STANDINGS:

MARCO ANDRETTI, NO. 26 TEAM RC COLA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, 18TH IN STANDINGS: “I love it there (the Belle Isle street circuit). I think it’s great that we’re going back there to race, and we never should have left there in the first place. It’s home for Chevrolet, so we want to win it for them as much as we want to win it for ourselves. It’s a bumpy and challenging track, but I like it because it builds character. You have to really wrestle the car, but that suits me fine. We have shown we have the pace to win, so that’s what we’re going there to do.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 7 MCAFEE DRAGON RACING CHEVROLET, 21ST IN STANDINGS: “Here we are, Detroit, the real start of my season. Now that Dragon Racing and I have joined the Chevy family, I am excited about the future prospects and particularly this coming weekend. I know how important this event is for Chevrolet, and I will do my very best to offer them a great result. I don’t know this track but I have faith in the potential of our new package !”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET, 23RD IN STANDINGS: “At Indy, we were able to race from 28th starting position into contention for the lead late in the race, so I’m going to carry the knowledge of that – and the confidence it gives me and the Fuzzy’s crew – into this weekend’s race at Detroit. I’m convinced that this team is capable of winning races this year, and I think we proved that Sunday at Indy. Detroit is one of my favorite street courses, and I’m pleased that it’s back on the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule this season. I’m looking forward to going back. It’s a cool venue, and it should be a good race for Chevy and the Detroit auto industry. Chevy has had a tremendous turnaround lately, and the strength of its IndyCar engine is proof of that.”

Chevrolet Racing V-6 IndyCar

IZOD IndyCar Series

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

96th Running of the Indianapolis 500

Thursday Media Day Driver Quotes

May 24, 2012

Below are selected quotes from Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 drivers gathered during Media Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

DRIVER QUOTES:

RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 2 IZOD TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: HOW DO YOU FEEL STARTING FROM THE POLE AT THE INDY 500 FOR THE FIRST TIME? “I feel good. I feel prepared for it. I’ll pick Helio’s (Castroneves) brain a little bit. He’s done it from the pole very often. He will probably just tell me to accelerate in turn four, but I’ll pick his brain. I think it will be fine.”

WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS YOUR GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY AS THE POLE SITTER AND LEADING THE FIELD? ”I think not to do anything too fancy. Just do a nice, clean start and get the start out of the way and get the race going.”

YOU’VE BEEN THE POLE SITTER ALL WEEK LONG; TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES.

“It’s been fun. It’s amazing the recognition you get here for getting the pole. I’ve been close before, I think second before and I got lots of congratulations but nothing like getting the pole. It really is amazing. I think it’s just awesome. People appreciate the effort that goes into Pole Day here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s nothing like qualifying for any other race. We practice for two days straight, preparing a car for four good laps. So, I think it’s nice to be able to sit on that for a week after winning the pole and talk about it. As far as going into the race in concerned, it doesn’t make a difference. It’s a long race and you can win it from anywhere. It’s nice though to be congratulated like you do for getting the pole here.”

YOU’VE GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF GOOD COMPETITORS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK AS WELL AS IN THE FRONT. “Yeah, definitely. I’m gonna try to take it to them. It will be an exciting race.”

HOW AGGRESSIVE WILL YOU BE OUT OF THE BOX? “I think the first thing is to get the race started, and feel what you’ve got, and getting into a rhythm. I’m going to be as aggressive as I need to be without being aggressive when it’s not necessary.”

TALK ABOUT THE ADVANTAGE OF STARTING ON THE POLE. “I think it’s small, the advantage. I think that the biggest thing is going into turn one; I’ll be controlling my own destiny. If you start row three, row four, row five you’re always waiting for someone to touch wheels in front of you, spin out and you’re just going to get collected. Being on the pole I don’t have to worry about that. Just be watching the guys on my outside and whether they get a better jump or I’m in front going into (turn) one it’s a lot easier to control.”

IN YOUR WORDS WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN SUNDAY’S RACE? “Well, there’s a list you can go through of things that you’ve got to do to keep yourself from not winning it. You need to keep your nose clean all day long. It’s hard if you have a problem and you need to come back into the pits and get off strategy, it often ruins your race. I did that in ’09, with a bad restart, leading the race, and felt like that was a huge opportunity for me and we missed that one. You need good pit stops. We’re looking at between eight or nine pit stops on race day, so that’s a lot of work for the guys on pit road, the pit crew. It’s also a busy place, a narrow lane there. I’m the fifth pit stall, so I could have cars coming across my front, coming out behind me and that’s always a place where you really need to be heads up. Then, at the end of the race strategy, fuel, so many times this race becomes a fuel deal at the very end. Just talking about that I feel like we’re in a good position with Chevrolet if it would happen to come down to a fuel race.”

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE, NO. 27 TEAM GODADDY.COM ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET: THE CHANGE IN THIS TEAM FROM LAST YEAR IS UNBELIEVABLE: “Yeah, it’s a complete 180. I think it says a lot about this team. They take this race more seriously than anything else. My chief mechanic openly says in front of his wife, that when he won the 500 with Dario (Franchitti) back in ’07 it was the greatest day of his life including his marriage. She’s cool with it and she gets it. That’s how important this race is to these guys. After what happened last year, man they lost a lot of sleep over it and it stung them and it still does. They were really, really focused on not letting that happen again. You show up now, 12 months later and you put three cars in the top-four. That’s a testament of a lot of hard work by a lot of people.”

WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS GOING INTO THE MONTH, AND WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS ON SUNDAY? “You know what in both cases it’s kind of the same answer. Very reserved because there are so many unknowns. When we got here I had never driven this car on an oval, the team hadn’t done a tone of testing here yet, there were still so many things to learn about this new car. We had almost a decade worth of data with the old car, so we had a lot to go off of no matter what the conditions were, hot, cold, high track temp, low air temp, whatever it was we had some experience with it. This month we didn’t, so we had to do all of that learning each and every day. So, the expectations were really wait and see what we got. Now we’re heading into the race, obviously we qualified well, but nobody has done a race distance on this car, nobody has been on track with 32 other drivers. Nobody knows exactly how this race is going to unfold. I really think this race is going to come down to the driver and team that is the most flexible with their set-up, with their strategy, just staying on top of the changing conditions out there.”

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO GET OVER THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF POLE DAY? “I’m not sure I’m totally over it. At the end of the day you are still starting in the front row for the Indy 500. It’s tough to lose it when you know you had a legitimate shot. It’s tough to lose it by the closest margin in history, that’s another stat I love hearing. Again, you look at one guy that spoiled the Andretti Autosport show because we were one car away from being a front-row sweep which is just unheard of in a series that is this competitive and at this race in particular. I get over it quick when I think about not what we lost, what we missed out on, but what we actually achieved. Not only on just the Go Daddy car, but as a team and that’s when it puts things back in perspective.”

AT THAT POINT WERE YOU THINKING I COULD WIN THIS RACE? “No, I don’t think it’s right to start thinking like that before the race even starts. I don’t think it’s even right to think about that 100 laps in. This race as it proves time and time again, and you know last year was the best example of any; it’s not over until it’s over. It’s just such a long race, and you’ve got to be so patient and you never know what can happen. So, for us its really is just trying to take this thing one lap at a time, because there are going to be curve balls thrown at you, there’s going to be wrenches thrown in the plans. Like I’ve been saying, it’s going to be the most flexible and most sort of team that can adapt the most to what’s thrown at them, I think that going to come out on top.”

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THE START OF THE RACE? “You go kick (Ryan) Briscoe in the shin, and you slip something into Hunter Ray’s cornflakes … no. The biggest thing is you’ve got to appreciate it’s a long race. So, it’s not all about leading into turn one. It’s not all about leading the first lap. It’s about leading the 200th lap. There’s not a whole lot of a plan to the start other than just get through it and go racing.”

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO. 28 TEAM DHL/SUN DROP CITRUS SODA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET: EVERYONE AT ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT SEEMS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE RACE ON SUNDAY YOU GUYS SEEM LIKE YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE: “Absolutely, I think this is the best chance for sure I have ever had here. With that said I think the new car kind of equalizes the field though. I think there are going to be a lot of surprises on Sunday. You can draft from a long ways back. Even cars that might be right there in the beginning of the race can tune it through the race and be able to draft and pass. I don’t know. I think it’s going to be tougher than most expect competition wise. I don’t think this is any Penske, Andretti run away.”

ARE YOU THINKING AT ALL ABOUT THE HEAT ON SUNDAY? “The heat on Sunday is going to be for sure the biggest factor. It’s going to be one that changes the balance of the race cars through the race. It will either, I think, make or break your race. We have to make sure that we run 500 miles with no errors, good pit stops and be there in the end to fight it out. I’m just really interested in seeing how the balance goes. We are going to lose some grip and that could fall into your hands or it could work against you. We have to make it work for us.”

YOU GUYS AS A TEAM WERE CERTAINLY VERY STRONG DURING THE RUN UP TO THE POLE YOU ARE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT YOU’VE GOT TO FEEL THAT YOU HAVE AS GOOD A SHOT TO WIN IT AS ANYBODY? “You would like to think so, yeah, I don’t like getting ahead of myself though. I don’t want a false sense of confidence. More I want to be expecting a hard fight because I’m ready for it. That is what I want to be ready for. I want our team to be ready for that. I don’t want to feel like we are just going to go run around up front all day long because you have to be ready for a real fight from guys that may not have been there all day. All of a sudden they find the balance and boom, they are a contender. You are going to have those, Indy always does. There is always a car that comes up from fifteenth, sixteenth somewhere in there hasn’t been around much all month and then boom they are a contender at the end of the race. I’m expecting a long fought hard race.”

MARCO ANDRETTI, NO. 26 TEAM RC COLA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET: TALK ABOUT THE TALK ABOUT THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THIS RACE: “Yeah, we have run strong her in the past for sure. I mean every time I finish this thing I have been in the top-ten and that is a good thing so you know, I think obviously we will be open-minded and this is 500 miles and we know how hard it is to get ourselves in position to win or to even have a shot at winning. I think we have a great shot and I think this is our best shot at it. We have a great car underneath us and the RC Cola guys are ready for a win. They deserve one as well, so we will try to deliver.”

DO YOU FEEL THE SPIRIT OF DAN THIS MONTH? “Yeah, I feel him all the time but Dan’s love for this place…I mean we share that same passion for the sport but this place in particular. He had such a good feel at this place and for this place and I would just be honored to be next to him on the trophy. That would mean so much to me.”

WILL YOU DO ANY KIND OF TRIBUTE? “I would like to visualize myself winning the race but I don’t let myself think about what I am going to do. You know what I mean? If that makes any sense. I don’t want to get way ahead of myself. I think we can win it, I really do. These guys are going to have to beat me if they want to win it. I honestly think that so I don’t know. We’ll just have to see and I am sure that will be the easiest part of it all.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A POSITION TO GET THIS RACE? “This is one of my best shots at it, yes. We’ve been close before. The last time I felt this confident, actually, I am more confident now, but the last time I felt super confident was ’08. I think we controlled the better half of that race. We threw it away in the pits making a little trim adjustment and we didn’t pull it off right. I think this is our race to lose, I really do.”

IF YOU WERE WIN THE RACE SUNDAY? “For myself, it would be phenomenal. You can’t luck into an Indy 500 win. That’s my goal. I think it would be a little bit of closure as far as, OK, now I can just go to work on my career, and momentum is huge. I believe I can do it. But, I want everybody to believe I can do it. I think that would be the turning point as far as closure. Closure doesn’t mean me being done. It would make me hungrier and it would just be the start.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN SHAKE OFF THE START OF THE SEASON? “I just think, number one, Indy is a championship in itself. No. two, it has been a bust, an absolute bust. But it hasn’t been because I am getting my butt kicked. It has just been a lot of circumstantial things. As a driver at this level, you can’t let affect your next event. You just can’t. You have to believe in the talent you have. You have to believe in your team, which, obviously the team is doing great. I look at this race as a potential turning point of the season, but it is a game changer for my life.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY RELIABILITY CONCERNS? “No, no. Our last engine that we just took out ran since Long Beach. In the high 700s in miles. We are going to line it up. I am so blessed to be with Chevy. It is pretty obvious they have been the ones to beat so far. They have five poles and four wins so far.”

ON GOING BACK TO BELLE ISLE TO RACE: “I don’t think we should have left there. That’s always been a key part of IndyCar and the Series. So much history there, you hate to leave any of the places like that. I was proud to see Penske and Chevy step up.”

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES FOR THE TEAM: “It has been fantastic. It is all credit to the team, a lot of that has to do from last year. I think it was a wakeup call. If that wasn’t a wakeup call, then we’re in trouble. Me barely qualifying for the race (Indianapolis 500) was a wakeup call. They just started paying huge attention to small details that ad up. When we’re able to roll off with pace, all those little details are what put us ahead and make us the ones to beat. My engineer and I did a great job so far in setting the race car. The speed is all credit to the team, because I am going to go out and go flat so the car is going to go as fast as the race car can go. As far as the race car, to know you have the speed, this is the first year in a while. I have always been confident in my race car and the mechanical balance and the grip. But, as far as the speed, to be able to have both is going to make us tough to beat.”

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: THIS COULD BE A PIVOTAL YEAR IN INDY HISTORY AND THE NEXT GROUP OF DRIVERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE STARS AT THIS TRACK COULD BREAK THROUGH WITH A VICTORY: “When you look at the first two rows you have Helio (Castroneves) in there obviously a veteran and three-time winner but then there are a lot of guys, I think everybody else in there hasn’t won. I just think it’s going to be a really interesting race all around. Like you say there are some new guys at the front. There are some new young American’s who are very strong also this year. With (Josef) Newgarden and JR Hildebrand, I think that is what the series needs. Just based on practice I don’t think anyone will lead for more than two or three laps unless someone decides in second to sit behind because of the draft affect.”

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN FOR THIS RACE? “My biggest unknown is where do you be on the last lap if you are in the top two. Do you lead or do you not? That is my biggest question. Like where do you be? That is something that I think everyone is thinking about. Where do you want to be? Do you want to be leading or do you want to be second because of the draft affect? That is going to be it.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE OUT THERE AS FAR AS THE HEAT AND THE NEW CAR? “I just don’t know what it’s going to be like. Usually you do. Last year you know that the race would start the first 10 laps would be close then as people’s cars went off because you had to lift because they had horsepower it so spread out and the best cars would move to the front. If you were struggling you would go backwards. But, here I just can’t see that. It just seems as though no one will ever get away it will just be a tight one line the whole time. We will see.”

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE NEW CAR? “Well, it’s fast and I like the Chevy engine in it. Verizon on the side looks good and it’s creating some interesting racing around here.”

TELL US ABOUT HOW IT HAS BEEN, THE CHEVROLET: “I think it’s been so far very successful. They have done a great job of building this engine up and probably in a shorter time than Honda had. Here at the speedway especially you can see their dominance having eight of the cars in the top-nine. I feel very happy to be with them and have helped in the development in the off-season as well.”

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT HAVE YOU SEEN THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE DEVELOPMENT? HAVE YOU GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND INPUT? “It’s been a complete collaboration we have all worked together to get the engine the way it is. That includes all the Chevy teams. The whole lot of them just constantly giving Chevy feedback about the drive ability and everything that we need from the engine and they have been the same. It’s obviously paying off.”

LAST YEAR HERE WHEN YOU TALK TO ROGER PENSKE AND HE SAID IT’S SO GREAT THAT CHEVROLET IS COMING BACK BUT WE ARE NOT BACK YET BECAUSE IT IS NOT BACK UNTIL WE WIN. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE WINNING HERE? “I think it looks pretty good for Chevy to win this race no question. With all the quick cars they have up there, the Andretti guys obviously the three Penske cars and the KV cars. Yeah, I think that they will be back at the end of this weekend.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 SHELL V-POWER/PENNZOIL ULTRA TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY IN THE RACE? “Here you are pushing the engine to the max because you are under high revs all the time and you are pushing the engine to the max so that is another factor. And because the speeds are a little bit lower than in previous years you are able to stay a little closer to the other guy. And whoever is leading….I am sure you have heard already a lot of people saying……whoever is leading the pack, is going to be a sitting duck. With that, the strategy might change a little bit. You have to wait for the right opportunity to make a change and I think you will be able to pass, but not all the way around so it’s always paid off to be patient in the beginning and not try to win on the first laps.”

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT IS GOING TO TRANSITION FOR THE FANS WATCHING? “I think the fans are going to be really happy because whoever has a chance to lead is going to lead, and you are going to see that changing quite a lot and I believe you will see ten cars in a pack and then a space, five cars in a pack and space, then an eight car pack. You know, it’s kind of going to be like where the first three guys are going to be able to take off and that is what I believe is going to happen. Again, fuel consumption is something that might play again, in this game, like the last few years. And I am not sure but I think about eight pit stops is a pretty good average. But in the end, I feel really good because I don’t think my car is the fastest car but from the beginning to the end, I know what to do. So I know when it’s a full tank, I know when it’s a half tank and I will know when it’s empty. This feels pretty much like when I won here in 2001 in that I know exactly what I need to do, the adjustments that I need to make to be right on top of it and I like that very much.”

ANOTHER CHANCE TO BECOME A FOUR TIME WINNER, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS GOING INTO THIS? “Well, it’s certainly a unique opportunity and for me right now, it’s a dream come true. But I am not thinking about the result, I am thinking about what I need to do to get the results. That is why right now I am very relieved with John Erickson, Ron Ruzewski, and my guys. What can we do to make sure the strategy works in different areas and what kind of plan should we follow. And according to that, if it’s meant to be, we will get the result that we want.”

HELIO, YOU HAVE BEEN COMING HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND HOW HAS YOUR VIEW OF THE INDY 500 CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? “It’s changed for the better to be honest. I don’t know the numbers as far as TV, or the spectators; but as far as Qualifying Day, Bump Day….certainly IndyCar is changing a lot of the format. Especially with the two qualifying formats. Maybe we didn’t have too many cars to create the excitement, but for the top-9 there is still a lot of excitement. People still enjoy it and you hear a lot about it, but for us it’s the most stressful day even compared to the past. In the past, you do one run and if you are comfortable and know you are in the race, then you are fine. Now, it’s a little bit different.”

YOU MENTION THE GANASSI TEAMS. WHERE CHEVY IS RIGHT NOW AND WHERE HONDA IS RIGHT NOW, CAN THEY BEAT YOU GUYS? “Well, you have to remember that we went from 1.4 and now we are down to 1.3 (turbo boost) again. And if you saw the beginning of the week when we were testing, Honda was pretty much up there. Unless you get a draft. So, the way I see it, Honda is a little bit ahead of Chevy at this point.

“Well if you look at the teams right now, most of the very good teams are Chevys. So sometimes we overcome that power. And I am not saying it’s a lot, but there is a difference. So we are able to overcome that with a good handling car and things like that. So now I would say Honda is still in pretty good shape at this point. I don’t know the rest of it at this point, but I know that Chevrolet has been working extremely hard at this point and all the way until Friday through the last practice to try some things so that we make sure that we don’t stay behind.”

THERE ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS GOING INTO THIS RACE. WHAT IS THE ONE THAT CONCERNS YOU THE MOST? “Right now it’s the first oval with this new car. So far, it has been great on the road courses but on the ovals we don’t know what the reaction we are going to have. Especially running in the pack we don’t know what the correct risk is about the car. Even though we have practiced, it’s not the whole 3.5 hours that we run.

“I also think engines. Engines are going to be pushed to the limit. Even on the road course, you think it’s going to be more stressful on the engine but here, because you are always in the high RPM, you abuse the engine a lot more. And this engine is supposed to go 1800 miles, but again, this is the first time that we are going 3.5 hours straight and pushing to the limit.

“Plus the rookies. We have a lot of new guys and they have to remember that it’s not two (pit) stops, it’s like six, seven, eight stops. So people might forget you don’t want to try to win the race right away. And after one hour they might think they have been racing a long time already and they should realize that when you feel you are about to finish the race, we are just getting to the halfway point of the race so those are the things, but I am not worried because they are outside of my control. But certainly, you have to be aware of it.”

TONY KANAAN, NO. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET: WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST TRIBUTE THAT COULD BE MADE FOR DAN (WHELDON) FOR THIS RACE BY THE DRIVERS? “I think we are already doing it. There is not something special I think we need to put on a spectacular race and I would say be selfish it would be nice if I win (laughs). I think we are already doing it. We are doing everything we can to honor him. I think anyone who will win this race will think about something special to do. I think you guys will notice I will have on different sunglasses on Sunday. Hopefully you guys will understand why. I’m going to look ugly anyways (laughs).”

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO DIFFERENT WITH THE HEAT? “Physically I just have to hydrate a lot more. Set-up wise just have to go back to your notebooks. I think we ran that day that it was that hot. Whatever you think was a good enough down force for your car you are going to have to add a little more. That is up to the engineers but I don’t think you can predict what is going to happen. It’s going to be hot and slick that is for sure.”

DOES THIS RACE FEEL MORE WIDE OPEN IN THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT? “Oh for sure, I mean I think nobody knows. We are going on reliability of the cars on the engines. It is a whole different ball game. It is a new car we have only done four races, none of them are in the ovals. So preparation is going to be the key. Like I said I felt on my own skin for the past 10 years that I have been here being the favorite and not winning. I don’t think you can pick a favorite.”

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS PLACE? “I always said that the track will pick the winner. I guess she hasn’t picked me yet. I’m being nice to her lately so hopefully she will pick me.”

WHAT IS THE STRATEGY THE NIGHT BEFORE THE 500? “I’m so busy that I have no routine. I have three dinners on Saturday night to attend. I will probably be back to the motorhome around 11 p.m. and watch a little bit of TV until I fall asleep. Over the years I’ve tried different things. The biggest thing you can do is just really relax and try not to think too much and have a good night’s sleep.”

WHAT DOES A WIN HERE DO FOR A DRIVER? “You put your face on the trophy you get millions and millions of dollars you become part of the museum and it is a race that every driver wants to win.”

THE RETURN OF RACING TO BELLE ISLE AND DETROIT AS A RACE CAR DRIVER WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? “You talk about the American cars and the American history of cars and you can’t not talk about Detroit, growing up I was always a big Corvette fan. GM is there and being back there is awesome. It’s a track obviously Belle Isle I won three races there it’s a track that I’ve had a lot of success you always happy to be back at a track that you have done so well at. I’m extremely excited that we are coming back. I heard it is a multi-year deal so now we don’t have to worry about it going away anymore thanks to Roger Penske, the city of Detroit, General Motors and everybody. I can’t wait.”

E .J. VISO, NO. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET: TALK ABOUT DRIVING THE CHEVROLET INDYCAR V-6: “So far things have been going very smooth. I think Chevy definitely has a big advantage over the other engines. The development that they have done so far has been great. I feel proud in having this Bowtie logo on my chest.”

CHEVROLET IS AN INTERNATIONAL BRAND, IS THERE A STRONG PRESENCE IN VENEZUELA? “My first car was a Chevy. A Lido Course is the one that we have in South America. I have known the brand. It is pretty big in other countries. I am very pleased and happy to be driving on in the IZOD IndyCar Series right now.”

DID YOU EVER THINK THAT A CHEVY COULD GO THIS FAST? “(LAUGHS) I am thinking back to my Cours of which I didn’t go that fast. I think I never expected to be at these speeds, but I need to also say I had a Corvette ZR1. That one told me a little bit of what could be coming later.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO, NO. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CHEVROLET: WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR SUNDAY? “I’m always a positive thinker. I think anything can happen in 3 ½ hours, I think it has to be there or there abouts. It’s the final that counts. I hope to be there right at the end. I think there is a lot of emotion. There are a lot of people that are desperate to win this race. I can see from TK (Tony Kanaan), my best buddy, I honestly think that he would rather win Indianapolis than win the championship itself. He already did, but if he had a chance to win the championship this year, or Indy, I think he would choose Indy. So, I have no idea how the turbulence on that straight down to turn one when you have all of the cars. I’m giving myself some room to think about it and then experience with a practical more than a theoretical way.”

ARE YOU CONFIDENT ABOUT THE HEAT? SUNDAY IS SUPPOSED TO BE 95 DEGREES? “That’s the same for everyone. Something we are going to have to work on. I will rely on my team a little bit more on that. We had hot days but maybe 95 is quite high.”

WILL IT AFFECT THE TIRES? “I’m going to find out.”

WHAT IS THE REPUTATION OF THIS TRACK COMPARED TO THE ONE IN MONACO? “We race in Monaco, and then you get on the plane. By the time you get home the race was over. So, I don’t think many people saw the race. I taped it and I watched it through because I’ve always been a fan. But I don’t know how many people do that.”

ANA BEATRIZ, NO. 25 TEAM IPIRANGA ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT / CONQUEST RACING CHEVROLET: WHAT DOES YOUR SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD? “Our focus right now, I haven’t thought much about it, I know there are somethings going on especially for 2013. Our focus right now is on 2013. If we have a chance to do more races I will want to. That would be great. We know that to really set-up a team you need time. The best of the news is we will get to do more races at the end of the year, but that is all that I can tell you right now.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE ON RACE DAY? “It’s going to be the heat. It’s a new experience with this car too. Nobody knows really how it is to race on an oval with this car. It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be new for everybody; you have some good knowledge from all the practice we had on Tuesday.”

WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HAVE WITH THIS NEW CAR WITH THE CHANGES THEY MADE?

“You know he acts a little bit different from the other car but I haven’t been in really heavy traffic like the race is to really understand how it does. It’s going to be different. It’s already different so it’s going to be a new experience in this heavy traffic.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT RACE DAY AND THE EMOTIONS YOU ARE GOING TO BE FEELING? “Usually I’m very calm, but when it gets closer to the time to go inside the car it’s much more emotional. As soon as I go through the front strait and see that crowd, it is an amazing feeling. It is my third year my second year was the same feeling. I’m sure this year is going to be the same. By the time I get into the car I try to disconnect from everything. Just try to get in race mode. “

JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 4 NATIONAL GUARD PANTHER RACING CHEVROLET: HAVE YOU LEARNED ENOUGH HEADED INTO RACE DAY TO BE COMFORTABLE IN THE PACK OF CARS? “We think so. It has been a little bit tough to do just because we are a one car team. We have been lucky that the other Chevy teams both Penske Racing and Andretti Autosport have kind of let us tag along when they are going to go out and do race runs. We feel like we’ve gotten about as much time in a big draft of cars as anybody has. Particularly this last Sunday felt pretty good about where we stood. It kind of remains to be seen what it is really going to be like to have 33 cars all on track at the same time, we feel pretty good about where we are.”

WHAT MAKES THE NEW DW-12 CHASSIS A SAFER CHASSIS FOR YOU GUYS COME RACE DAY?

“I think the biggest things are that it is up to all of the current FIA specs in terms of the cock pit and the tub and all that kind of stuff and then some as compared to the previous chassis. We are much better protected just in any kind of accident. The DW-12 with the wheel guards and all that kind of stuff is intended to be much less susceptible to wheel to wheel contact. Those are sort of two of the primary issues of open wheel cars in general. They have certainly done quite a bit to try to address those things with this new car.”

TALK ABOUT THE RACE ON SUNDAY: “The race is going to be tough. It’s almost kind of a mixture of maybe what last year’s race was with the old car and sort of the Indy lights race. I think it is going to be tough for guys to really pull away. You might see some separation throughout the field maybe the top five, six, seven cars being able to kind of break from the rest of the pack as always happens. No matter how fast you are no matter how good your car is being able to actually get away from people is going to be really difficult. I think that puts maybe a higher priority than ever on having a really strong race car to be able to run in traffic. In years past you could sort of get away with running a car that was just fast. Inevitably at some point you could manage to work your way up into the top-10. You could sort of keep people behind you just by virtue of the fact that your car was good. Whereas this year you are going to have to be able to pass guys and run side-by-side here and there, be able to last through a stint without going off. There are a lot of question marks that I think we all still kind of remain going into the race.”

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA, NO. 17 TEAM AFS ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM EACH OF YOUR TEAMMATES? “You pick up something from every one of them. Let’s say Marco (Andretti), Marco is a very aggressive driver he is a driver that you have to understand what his capabilities of driving are like. Then comes Hunter-Reay and Hinchcliffe which were pretty much on the same level same style of driving as well. Bea (Ana Beatriz) knowing that we are both like the rookies let’s say on the team. I have learned so much out of these guys. They really know around the place there are so many secrets around Indianapolis you never know until they start telling you.”

WHEN YOU STEP INTO THE INDY LIGHTS CAR DO YOU HAVE TO SORT OF READJUST YOUR BRAIN?

“Big time, just sitting position already resets everything that is around you. I will say the timing is key to everything around this place. Everything goes slower in the Indy Lights but the timing is pretty much the same. You just have to keep an open mind to understanding the speed. Yes, a lot of difference but when you are out there it is the same for everybody. It’s hard. It was tough to get used to it but I guess it is something that work has shown to be strong.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 7 DRAGON RACING CHEVROLET: WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD HELP THIS SPORT GROW, GET BETTER? “I think the continuity is the key thing. The TV package I think is pretty strong and getting stronger. I think that is the one thing you have to work around just make sure that people get to know the drivers and get familiar with the series and schedule and once you get that consistency with people not having to look for the races on TV and knowing where it is happening then it really starts to build up. I think the fan days we have it in terms of pure hard core race fans. After that if you want to really take off you have to reach the general audience which is much harder. That is when the competition is out. I think the series is doing a good job but it takes time. It doesn’t take much time to destroy it but it takes a lot of time to put it back together. I think we have seen a lot of good things happening in the last few years. As long as it keeps on going up then I think everybody has got to be pretty happy.”

ARE YOU FINDING IT VERY SIMILAR HERE WHERE YOU ARE PLAYING A MOMENTUM GAME? WITH A HIGH DOWNFORCE, LOW POWER CONFIGURATION? “Yeah, I think there are very different ways of looking at this. I personally think that it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have more power and less downforce on the car. It would be less of a momentum racing, less of a pack race. We are not going to hit that kind of problem here because at the end of the day you can only go one by one into every corner and that stops pack racing right there. Yeah, for sure going to Texas and all these places we know it is going to be a problem again. I was one of the first ones to say ‘how do you expect to eliminate pack racing by going less power and equal or more downforce?’ I’m not so sure I’m getting the point.”

ORIOL SERVIA, NO. 22 PANTHER/DREYER & REINBOLD RACING CHEVROLET: THOUGHTS ON SUNDAY’S RACE: “First thing – last year I started on the front and didn’t win it, so understood that is how you finish that counts. Not that we did it on purpose to crash on Saturday and start 27th (this year). But, it is going to be the closest kind of race we ever have at this track. So, if we have a good race car and good pit stops, which I think are going to be even more key than ever before. We definitely have a chance at winning this thing that I really really really…I must be the only one, I think, that really wants to win it (SMILES).”

IS THE RACING ON SUNDAY GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT WITH NEW CAR, NEW ENGINES ETC.: “I truly think so because even if a car is setup that can be like two miles faster than others, I think everybody else will stay in the draft, and nobody is able to escape like last year, or any other year. My car that was faster, if it could get its way to the front, it would leave. I don’t think it is going to happen. Again, it is going to be just about being smart. Staying out of trouble until the very end, and trying to have good restarts and good pit stops in the last part of the race. Plus it is going to be really, really hot. We’ve never run this car on an oval yet, and especially all those cars together. So, we’re going to lose a lot of downforce because of the heat and because of the traffic. You are going to need very well setup race car to be able to be at the front and win.”

MENTALLY, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THAT? IN PREVIOUS YEARS, IN THE MID PART OF THE RACE, NOT THAT ANYONE CRUISES AT 220 MPH, BUT DRIVERS WOULD SETTLE IN ON SOMEWHAT AUTO PILOT FOR AWHILE TO LET THE LAPS WIND DOWN: “That is a good point. When you say middle of the race cruising, that is what’s I did last year. In the middle of the race, exactly I like for 20 laps, it seemed like it was awesome great and then the race finished and I wasn’t there, at the front anymore. We finished sixth. I just think we just know what we don’t know. You are going to have to have an open mind to be ready for whatever comes. There’s no way we can prepare too much about it. You just have to have a good day, and as I said, be kind of open minded to see what the car is going to feel like. Even if it doesn’t feel great, because I don’t’ think any car is going to feel great with the heat, try to think that the others are feeling the same, or worse. You have to take advantage of that.”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S PREMIUM ULTRA VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET: ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500: “The 500 is reason I wanted to be a race car driver. It means everything to me. This is my ninth start and my first as a team owner, so this year’s race is very special. I think we have a very good race car after Sunday’s practice. I know I am starting back in the field, but this event will be so wide open due to the new cars and engines. I think you will see a lot of different contenders this year. Our Fuzzy’s team has a solid base of crew members and, if we can execute our plan, I truly believe we can race at the front. It would be so amazing if I can win this race.”

THINKING ABOUT WINNING THE RACE THIS YEAR: “You always think about winning the Indy 500 and what it would be like to do it. I feel like I have been in position to win the race before and I think that is the case this year too. It’s hard to imagine how you would feel if you win the race. I know it will be emotional for me. I know it is emotional and devastating when things don’t go your way at Indy. When I finished fifth in 2008, I was happy but I felt like I had a better car than fifth that day. There is only one result that you feel great at Indy and, anything less, you just think about what might have been. You see Marco nearly win in his rookie and you think he would be happy. But as a driver, you know what he is going through. It’s tough because when you are that close, nothing else feels good to you. So I feel like we can be a contender this year, and that means if we don’t win the race, we’ll think about where things didn’t go our way.”

HOW MUCH MORE CONFIDENT ARE YOU NOW THAT YOU HAVE CHEVY POWER? “I’m really proud to be a part of Team Chevy. We’ve had a great year as a group. We’ve won every pole and won every race up to this point. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep our streak alive for the brand. There’s probably 31 cars capable of winning this race. Hopefully the winner has a Bowtie on it.”

KATHERINE LEGGE, NO. 6 TRUECAR DRAGON RACING CHEVROLET: WHAT IS YOUR RACE STRATEGY? “For us, we are so grateful to Chevrolet. We’re going to give it all that we can. We’re going to do everything we can to be up to speed as quickly as we can, but be smart about it. We want to now show what we’re made of. The team has been doing a wonderful job. Had a lot of catching up to do. We haven’t done any testing this year, and we’re not likely to at this stage. We don’t have any time to do it. It is just race after race after this. We are aware that we are behind, but we will push it as hard as we can to catch up.”

ON BEING IN THE INDY 500: “Of course I am excited to be part of the Indy 500. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. But, I’m not allowing myself to get emotional about it until after the race. You have to be focused. Keep your blinkers on, otherwise you get distracted. You need to think about all the things you need to think about. Especially coming in as far behind as we were with the amount of track time. Yes, it is special and I’m sure I will have lots to say about it. But at the moment, I’m just trying to narrow everything going on outside of my peripheral vision and try to focus on the race at hand.”