News:

5-26-2006
Front-Row Start for Howard at Indianapolis
Camara and Klein start Third and Ninth

Front-Row Start for Howard at Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 25, 2006) Jay Howard will start Friday’s Indy Pro Series Freedom 100, his first race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, from the outside of the front row after qualifying second today at the famed “Brickyard”.

Howard’s two-lap average of 185.372 mph around the historic 2.5-mile oval bettered all but defending series champion Wade Cunningham, and will be his second front-row start in four races this season. The 25-year-old Briton has finished third or better in all three races this year, and currently is second in the points standings to Jeff Simmons, who recently graduated to IndyCar competition.

Jay Howard, #7 Lucas Oil/Isilon Dallara:

“To be honest, I’m just a little bit disappointed. Qualifying on the front row is good, obviously, but the pole is always our goal. We know there’s still some time left in the car and I have 100% confidence that my guys will find what we need for the race. I’m really enjoying my first visit to Indianapolis. There’s a real buzz about this place that you just don’t get anywhere else. When I first went out onto the circuit, I really appreciated the speed you run here, and I love it.”

Camara and Klein start Third and Ninth

Defending race winner Jamie Camara will start third in Friday’s Freedom 100 Indy Pro Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, after posting a two-lap average speed of 184.681 mph in single-car qualifying today in his CELG/Andretti Green Racing Dallara/Firestone.

Camara qualified on the pole here in 2005, as well as at Nashville and Milwaukee, and won twice last year (here at Indianapolis and Nashville) en route to fifth in the series championship as an Indy Pro Series rookie.

Jamie Camara, #11 CELG Dallara/Firestone

“The qualifying run was okay, but not what we wanted, the front row was our goal. Wade [Cunningham, pole qualifier] is doing what I did last year. He’s figured our something to get a little more speed from the car and we need to work hard to find that as well. But the car is working very well in race trim, and we’ll be there for the race tomorrow, and that’s what matters. It will be a tough and very competitive 100-mile race, but that’s our job and I’m looking forward to it.”

Indy Pro Series rookie Jonathan Klein will start ninth Friday in the Freedom 100, his first race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Klein posted an average speed of 182.691 mph in qualifying action today at the famed “Brickyard”, his fourth-consecutive top-10 qualifying run in as many events this year.

A graduate of the Star-Mazda racing series, Klein is currently eighth in the IPS standings after qualifying on the front row in two of the season’s first three races and scoring fifth-place finishes in both St. Petersburg events.

Jonathan Klein, #27 Klein Tools/Turn Key Forging Dallara/Firestone

“It’s not quite the qualifying position we would like, there just wasn’t any more speed in the car today. The good news is that the balance is excellent, and we’re still starting from the top 10. I think the key to the race tomorrow will be to stay out of trouble. This is a bigger than normal field for the Pro Series and it is full of young, hungry guys. Our goal will be for a clean race, and to steadily pick up positions and the laps count off.”