KV RACING TECHNOLOGY HAS CHALLENGING EDMONTON INDY

KV Racing Technology Press Release

EDMONTON, Canada – July 22, 2012 – KV Racing Technology drivers Tony Kanaan, Rubens Barrichello and E. J. Viso had a challenging Edmonton Indy, which For the first time since its inception in 2005 was completed without a single caution flag, today in Edmonton, Canada. 

Barrichello, No. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone machine, making his first appearance on the 2.224-mile, 13-turn City Centre Airport temporary street circuit, qualified 10th, but started seventh after a 10 grid position penalty was accessed to three drivers for an unauthorized engine change.  Because of the race length, it was predetermined from the outset that this would be a two pit stop contest, which required drivers to save fuel.  Barrichello drove a solid race, had flawless pit stops and saved the required fuel, completing the contest in two stops.  However, the lack of attrition and cautions eliminated any meaningful opportunities to move up and in the end he dropped to 13th. 

“I enjoyed my first time in Edmonton,” Barrichello said.  “The track is much smoother, which is what I am used to.  Unfortunately, in order to make the two stop strategy work we had to save fuel and we didn't have the car to do that today.”

Barrichello, who made just his second IndyCar start in Canada (first was two weeks ago at Toronto), had previously competed in 18 Canadian Grand Prix events during his 19-year Formula One career.  The 40-year-old Brazilian, who has finished nine of the 11 races this year (both DNFs came as a result of non-team related issues), has had five top-10 performances this season with a season-high seventh on the oval at Iowa (street/road course high eighth at Barber).  He has finished 11th twice, Toronto and Indy where he won the Chase Rookie of the Year Award.  Barrichello picked up 17 points today and now is 17th in the championship standings with 200 points, just 37 points out of 10th.

Viso, in the No. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone entry, qualified 18th, but started 16th after the penalties were accessed (only two of which affected Viso’s starting position).  He worked diligently to save the requisite fuel while trying to maintain the pace.  However, a couple of unfortunate incidents, as well as the lack of cautions, kept him from advancing and he finished where he started, 16th.

“As a team, we were off the pace and in a race like this without yellow flags that cost us a lot of time on track,” Viso said.  “Also, during the first stint there was an incident where another driver dived into turn two and put me into the grass and I lost a couple of positions.  Finally, we had an issue refueling during my second pit stop that cost us another couple of spots.   Taking into account all of those things I feel we could have finished near the top-10, but that is racing.”

Viso, who made his fifth start at Edmonton and has a best finish of eighth in 2010.  The 27-year-old Venezuelan has been running at the finish of nine of the 11 races this year and neither of his DNF’s were his, or the team’s fault (component failure in Texas and victim of an incident in Iowa).  He has scored three top-10 finishes so far this season including a season-high fifth at Milwaukee (street/road course high eighth at St. Petersburg).  However, he has been in contention in several other events before circumstances beyond his control intervened.  Viso scored 14 points today and is 20th in the standings with 186 points. 

Kanaan, No. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone car, qualified 22nd, but started 21st following the penalties (only one affected Kanaan’s starting position).  However, in an effort to try and pick up track position, the team went with a three-stop strategy.  Kanaan pitting early, on lap 11 of the 75 lap contest, but again the lack of yellow flags all but negated the strategy and he finished 18th.  

“It was just a bad weekend,” Kanaan said.  “We didn’t qualify well.  Then in the race we tried a strategy that didn’t work because they were no yellow flags.  It’s just a very tough situation.  We have to do better at Mid-Ohio.”

Kanaan also made his fifth start at City Centre Airport today and earned his two top-10 finishes with a best showing of fourth last year (ninth in 2008).  The 37-year-old Brazilian has finished 10 of the 11 races this year (only DNF came at St. Petersburg due to a non-team related component failure) and now has sixtop-six finishes this season with three top-three showings (season-high second at Milwaukee and thirds at Iowa and Indy). Three of his top-six finishes have come in the seven street/road circuits events (all three on temporary circuits, fourths at Toronto and Long Beach plus a sixth at Detroit).  The perennial championship contender earned 12 points today and remains sixth in the championship with 279 points, 83 points out of first, 60 out of second and seven out of fifth. 

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY NOTES:

  • Kanaan made the 192nd consecutive start of his career today putting him in a tie with Al Unser Jr. for second on the all-time consecutive starts list.  The all-time leader is KVRT co-owner Jimmy Vasser with 211.  Kanaan he holds the IndyCar consecutive start record, with159.
  • Today’s race is the first time since Texas No. 2 in 2011 that an IndyCar event has gone caution free.
  • In 20 total starts  KVRT has now finished in the top-10 nine times with three top-five showings and a best finish of fourth last year by Tony Kanaan.  In the team’s last 10 starts at Edmonton they have finished in the top-10 five times including placing four cars in the top-10 (Paul Tracy, sixth; Mario Moraes, seventh; Viso, eighth and Sato, ninth in 2010). 
  • Next up for KVRT is the Honda Indy 200, August 3-5, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.  The race will be broadcast live at 1:00 p.m. on ABC.

ABOUT KV RACING TECHNOLOGY:
KV Racing Technology was founded in January 2003 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2008.  The Indianapolis based team is owned by successful venture capitalist Kevin Kalkhoven and 1996 IndyCar Champion Jimmy Vasser.  Veteran Motorsports manager, Mark Johnson, is the team’s General Manager.  Johnson is assisted by Team Manager Tom Wurtz, Technical Director Eric Cowdin and Operations Manager Steve Moore.

For more information about KV Racing Technology visit: www.kvracingtechnology.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kvracing and Facebook:www.facebook.com/kvracingtechnology