IndyCar

Firestone Racing preview

Sao Paulo

Edited: Jun 1, 2018, 12:55 PM

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Mike Conway, Andretti Autosport

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK FAST FACTS
IZOD IndyCar Series - Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300
Streets of Sao Paulo - Sco Paulo, Brazil
April 30-May 1, 2011 - Round 4 of 17

Race Distance: 195 mi./313.82 km (75 laps on the 2.6-mi./4.184-km temporary street course).

It was an electric weekend of racing in Sco Paulo last year and we expect more of the same this time around.

Al Speyer

Television/Radio Broadcast: Live - Sunday, May 1, at noon ET on VERSUS, IMS Radio Network, XM and SIRIUS Channel 94.

Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied:
. Primary (black-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 748, each entry gets six sets (24 total tires);
. Alternate (red-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 336, each entry gets three sets (12 total tires);
. Wet-condition (rain) tires with grooved tread pattern: 436, each entry has five sets of the street-course rain tire available this weekend.

Firestone's alternate tire program, part of the IZOD IndyCar Series since 2009, calls for a second tire specification at a road- or street-course race weekend using the same body construction as the primary specification, but with a softer tread compound to provide more grip and faster lap times while trading off compound durability in exchange for those shorter-term advantages. Firestone's alternate tires are easily identified by their bright red sidewalls.

The Firehawk dry-condition tire specifications for Brazil will be familiar to the teams competing. The black-sidewall primary tire is the identical spec as has been used in the first two street-course events this season at St. Petersburg and Long Beach. The red-sidewall alternate tire is the same spec as was run at St. Petersburg.

Per series regulations, all cars must use at least one set of primary tires and one new alternate set during the race, each for a minimum of two green-flag laps. Otherwise, teams are free to use their tire allotment as they see fit, though a new rule for 2011 limits cars to one set of tires (team choice of primary or alternate) for each qualifying segment.

Mike Conway, Andretti Autosport

Photo by: Bob Heathcote

From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "The IndyCar Series received an enthusiastic welcome to Sao Paulo a year ago, so we're excited to return again. The course is well designed with great viewing locations and opportunities to pass, the fans are fervent and we're sure it's a thrill for the Brazilian drivers to be racing in their homeland. The Firestone tires should bring no surprises since both dry specs have been used already this season. But as we saw last year in Brazil, Mother Nature can conjure some surprises of her own and conditions can change rapidly. Just in case, we've also brought along the reliable Firehawk rain tires. It was an electric weekend of racing in Sco Paulo last year and we expect more of the same this time around."

Firestone "Tire-ific" Move of the Race: After each race in 2011, Firestone Racing nominates three drivers who best used their Firestone tires to make a bold, dramatic move during the event. Fans can go to www.indycar.com following the race and vote for the nominee they believe made the most "Tire-ific" move. Mike Conway, whose brilliant passes of Dario Franchitti and Ryan Briscoe at Long Beach propelled him to the lead and win, was the leading vote-getter in the April 17 race and will be presented the $10,000 check in pre-race ceremonies Sunday.

-source: firestone

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