DAY FOUR PRACTICE NOTES/QUOTES---- Indianapolis, Indiana,
May 15, 2012
Fast Facts:
Oriol Servia
- Oriol clocked the 15th fastest speed today (219.948 mph) in day
four of practice, completing a total of 48 laps.
- On day one of practice Servia was 11th fastest (217.20 mph), on
day two he was 19th fastest (217.656 mph) and on day three of
practice he was 8th fastest (220.304mph).
- With all four practice days combined, Servia has completed a
total of 176 laps.
- Teammate JR Hildebrand posted a top lap speed of 220.198 mph,
finishing 13th in the final standings in his No. 4 National
Guard/Panther Racing entry.
- Oriol Servia will be vying for his fourth start for the
greatest spectacle in racing. Practice for the 96th Running of the
Indianapolis 500 begins on Saturday.
- Last year, Oriol qualified on the front row for Newman/Haas
Racing. He started 3rd, finished 6th and led for 18 laps. In 2009,
Servia ran for Rahal Letterman Racing and he started 25th and
finished 26th as his day was ended early due to a mechanical issue.
In 2008, he qualified 25th for KV Racing Technology and finished
11th. In 2002, Servia practiced for the month of May and attempted
to qualify for Walker Racing, but did not make the show.
- In the last four races combined, Servia has gained a total of
39 positions (7 positions in St. Pete to finish 16th, 13 positions
in Barber to finish 13th, 7 positions in Long Beach to finish 16th,
and 12 positions in Brazil to finish 11th).
- Last year Oriol Finished fourth in IZOD IndyCar Series
standings....Recorded 11 top-10 finishes, with a best of second at
New Hampshire and Baltimore....Among three drivers to be running at
the finish in all 17 races..... Led all drivers in laps completed
(2,103 of 2,011)....Oriol was the only driver to finish in the top
10 in first five races of the season.
Panther DRR
- DRR has competed in the Indy 500 for the last 12 years.
Last season the team ran four cars: Davey Hamilton (SP: 15th
/ FP: 24th), Justin Wilson (SP: 19th/ FP: 16th), Ana Beatriz (SP:
32nd/ FP: 21st), Paul Tracy (SP: 24th/ FP:
25th)...2010: Justin Wilson, Tomas Scheckter and Mike
Conway all led laps for the 500-first time in DRR history for three
of the four entries entered to lead the Indy 500. Wilson (SP: 11th
/FP: 7th), Scheckter (SP: 20th / FP: 15th), Ana Beatriz (SP: 21st /
FP: 21st). Both Bia and Mike had contact on the last lap of the
race....2009: For the first time in the team's
history, DRR entered four cars for the 500 with one of the entries
being with Richard Petty (making it his first Indy 500 entry). Mike
Conway (SP: 27th/ FP: 18th), John Andretti (SP: 28th / FP: 19th),
Milka Duno (SP: 30th / FP: 20th), Davey Hamilton made contact (SP:
22nd / 29th).....2008: Buddy Rice (SP: 17th/ FP: 8th),
Milka Duno (SP: 27th/ FP: 19th), Townsend Bell (SP: 12th/ FP:
10th).....2007: Sarah Fisher (SP: 21st/ FP: 18th),
Buddy Rice (SP: 16th/ FP: 25th), Roger Yasukawa (SP: 23rd/ FP:
21st)....2006: Al Unser Jr (SP: 27th/ FP: 24th
---accident), Buddy Lazier (SP: 25th/ FP:
12th)....2005: Roger Yasukawa (SP: 17th/ FP: 18th
-mechanical), Jeff Buknum (SP: 21st/ FP: 22nd
-accident)....2004: Felipe Giaffone (SP: 25th/ FP:
15th), Buddy Lazier (SP: 28th/ FP: 23rd ---fuel
system)...2003: Robbie Buhl (SP: 18th/FP:
22nd-engine), Sarah Fisher (SP: 24th/ 31st-engine/accident)...2002:
Sarah Fisher (SP: 9th/ FP: 23rd)....2001: Robbie Buhl
(SP: 9th/ FP: 15th)...2000: Robbie Buhl (SP: 9th/ FP:
26th), Steve Knapp (SP: 27th/ FP: 19th)
- Lotus and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing reached an amicable
resolution to end their agreement. The two entities had entered
into a contract back in November for Lotus to be the team's engine
supplier in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Lotus remains completely
committed to IndyCar and has worked diligently to rise to the
challenge. Given the circumstances of the regulatory requirement to
supply multiple teams, the late timing of Lotus' entry and the
unanticipated difficulties caused by the change of ownership, Lotus
made the decision to reduce the number of cars it runs. As a
result, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing ran the Lotus engine for the
final time in Brazil.
- Last week it was announced that the Indianapolis-based squad
has united with two-time IndyCar Series champion Panther Racing to
form a strategic alliance on Oriol Servia's entry for the remainder
of the 2012 season. The No. 22 Panther/DRR team will utilize
Panther's second Chevrolet engine lease and work in conjunction
with the No. 4 National Guard team and driver JR Hildebrand
beginning with this month's 96th Running of the Indianapolis
500.
Oriol Servia, No. 22 Panther DRR, on the fourth day of
practice for the 96th Running of the Indianapolis 500: "It
was an interesting day. I wasn't super happy with how my car felt
this morning. We made a couple of big changes in the afternoon and
the car felt the best that it has felt so far to me, so I'm very
pleased again with how we finished the day. Yesterday
was similar. We tried some things in the morning that we didn't
like and then we went back in the afternoon to a car I really like.
I think we are at a point now that we need to start running in
traffic and see how the car behaves in race conditions and in dirty
air. I feel now that we are at the point and that's a good point to
be, especially on a Wednesday where we still have a few days ahead
to fine tune that."
Back on Track: Panther DRR will be back on track
tomorrow for the fifth day of practice for the 96th Running of the
Indianapolis 500. Qualifying will be telecast live on the NBC
Sports Network. Please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com
for more updates.