Kentucky: Panther Racing Friday notes

Kentucky Qualifications Cancelled; Wheldon to Start 7th Sunday

Persistent Weeper on Kentucky's 1.5-mile Oval Postpones IndyCar, Indy Lights Activities

SPARTA, Kentucky - (July 31, 2009) -- A persistent weeper on Kentucky Speedway's 1.5-mile oval forced the cancellation of all on-track activities for both the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights on Friday, which will put Panther driver Dan Wheldon in the seventh starting position for tomorrow night's Meijer Indy 300.

Firestone Indy Lights driver Martin Plowman will start 14th. Teammate Pippa Mann was transported to St. Elizabeth South Hospital after experiencing abdominal pain Friday afternoon. After an evaluation, Pippa was released and returned to the racetrack. She will be re-evaluated in the morning to determine if she will drive in tomorrow's Kentucky 100. If she is unable to race, Indy Lights race winner Arie Luyendyk Jr. will drive the No. 16 car in the race.

The starting positions for both races were determined by entrant points.

Dan Wheldon, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda

"We're basing everything for tomorrow off Vitor Meira's performance here last year, and obviously he was very strong -- so that's good. Honestly, it's unfortunate for all the fans who came out there today. There was a lot of National Guard folks out here today and a large group from the Youth ChalleNGe program that I enjoyed spending time with that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. But, for tomorrow, I'm just excited about getting into the National Guard Panther Racing car and seeing what we've got."

-credit: pr