Newman/Haas Racing
Honda Indy Edmonton
QUALIFYING NOTES/QUOTES – Saturday, July 24, 2010

FORMULA DREAM/PANASONIC DRIVER MUTOH TO START 11TH IN THE HONDA INDY EDMONTON; MATCHED HIS BEST ROAD/STREET COURSE QUALIFYING POSITION OF THE SEASON

POLE: Will Power 1:00.7126 / 116.991 mph (Round 3 time; fastest in Round 2 at 1:01.0731)
11th: Hideki Mutoh 1:02.1935 / 114.205 mph (Round 2 time; fifth fast in Round 1)

Hideki Mutoh, No. 06 Formula Dream/Panasonic Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “We improved a lot overnight; it was a significant improvement. Then we had a good practice session and ended fourth fastest and I was quite happy, balance-wise so we kept the same balance in qualifying but the temperature went a lot warmer and the balance changed. We tried many things during the qualifying session to try to find a better balance but we just didn’t find it in the limited time. It was good to get back in Round 2 after not making it the past two events. It was good news for me and I was trying to get into the next round for the top-six but it was difficult because the balance changed a lot. In Toronto we found a good race setup and although it’s not the same layout here at all but I think we can apply it here. It’s going to be a tough race. My arms are already banged up a little.”

FAST FACTS: Will be his third IICS event here. Matched his best road/street course start of the season of 11th at Long Beach today and earned his best starting post here to date…He started 12th and finished 14th after an off-course excursion in 2009 and started 21st and finished 27th in 2008 – both with Andretti Green Racing…His highest IZOD IndyCar Series start on a road/street course is FIFTH at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma in 2009 and best series road/street course finish is FIFTH at Mid-Ohio and Infineon…His highest overall series start is THIRD at Nashville Speedway (oval) and best overall series finish is SECOND (Iowa 2008).

2 WINS, 1 POLE, 6 PODIUMS IN 5 EDMONTON EVENTS FROM 2005-2009 FOR TEAM: NHR won the inaugural race here in 2005 when Bourdais drove to victory from a 10th place start. Bourdais won again in 2007 from a second place start and set the fastest race lap. In total, the team has earned TWO wins (Bourdais 2007, 2005), ONE pole (Bourdais 2006) and SIX podium finishes (2nd – Bourdais 2006, Servia 2005; 3rd – Wilson 2008, Rahal 2007)….PREVIOUS RACE HERE: Rahal started fifth and finished seventh in 2009. Robert Doornbos started 10th and finished ninth.

15 WINS & 34 PODIUMS IN CANADA FOR TEAM: The team has earned 15 wins in Canada (Bourdais – Edmonton ’07, Montreal ’06, Edmonton ’05, Toronto ‘04; Servia – Montreal ’05; Junqueira – Montreal ’04; Da Matta – Toronto ’02; Mi. Andretti – Toronto ’00, Vancouver ’96, Toronto ’95, Vancouver ’92, Toronto ’92, Vancouver ’91, Toronto ’91, Toronto ’89) and 34 PODIUMS (2nd ten times: Bourdais – Mont Tremblant ’07, Edmonton ’06; Servia – Toronto ’05, Edmonton ’05; Junqueira – Vancouver ’03; Da Matta – Montreal ’02; Mi. Andretti – Vancouver ’98, Toronto ’98; Ma. Andretti – Toronto ’91; Mi. Andretti – Toronto ’90) (3rd nine times: Wilson – Edmonton ’08; Rahal – Edmonton ’07; Bourdais – Toronto ‘06; Bourdais – Vancouver ’03; Junqueira – Toronto ’03; Fittipaldi – Toronto ’02; Fittipaldi – Toronto ’99; Ma. Andretti – Vancouver ’90; Ma. Andretti – Toronto ’86.

Tune In… The race will be broadcast live on Versus on Sunday, July 25th from at 5 p.m. EDT. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com. As always, fans can follow the action from every on-track session via the official website of the IZOD IndyCar Series, www.indycar.com.