Pantano ready for IndyCar return

Giorgio Pantano

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is rested and ready to race. The team is eager to turn their luck around and make the most out of this weekend at the famous Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. This will mark the team's seventh time to compete at the 12-turn 2.303 mile circuit and who better to do it with than with racing pros, Giorgio Pantano, who will pilot the No. 22 TranSystems machine, and Ana Beatriz, who will get behind the wheel of the No. 24 Ipiranga car.

The team feels additionally prepared this weekend because they had the opportunity to test at Infineon Raceway last week with Beatriz and Pantano. Last year DRR finished 6th with Wilson and 24th with Hildebrand, 3rd with Mike Conway in 2009, 11th in 2005 with Roger Yasukawa, and 11th in 2008 with Buddy Rice.

Newcomer to the team, Giorgio Pantano, is ready to get back to his racing roots and show everyone what he's got. The Italian had an extremely productive test. Twenty cars participated for one full day of testing at Infineon Raceway. Pantano clocked the fifth quickest time of 79.79 seconds

Although the Padua, Italy native is new to DRR, he is not new to the IZOD IndyCar Series. Pantano, who is filling in for the injured Justin Wilson this weekend, will make his return to the IZOD IndyCar Series after competing in the Auto GP Series last year and Superleague Formula in 2009. The Italian brings numerous experience to the table after winning the GP2 title in 2008, competing in F3000, Formula One and IndyCar for two road course events with Chip Ganassi Racing. In 2005, Pantano competed at Infineon Raceway with Chip Ganassi Racing, where he qualified 13th and finished 14th.

This will not only be Pantano's first time to compete with DRR, but he will also be running the No. 22 TranSystems primary livery this weekend as well. TranSystems is a global engineering �rm focused on delivering solutions across the entire transportation world. To achieve this, TranSystems' consulting services span all modes, including architectural, engineering and planning, management and supply chain, transportation security and transportation real estate consulting services.

After a tough weekend in Loudon, New Hampshire two weeks ago, Ana Beatriz is ready to put that behind her and get back to a road course. Last week marked the first time that the Brazilian turned laps in an IndyCar at Infineon Raceway. Beatriz had the opportunity to test a number of things during the day session and as a result, she recorded the 17th fastest time of 80.57 seconds

This weekend the Brazilian will be making her third appearance to Infineon Raceway, but her first in the top level of the sport. In 2008, she made her first start there in the Firestone Indy Lights Series where she started 5th and finished 6th. In 2009, she started 2nd and finished 5th. The Brazilian, secured her best IZOD IndyCar career qualifying result in Milwaukee with an 11th place starting spot. In July of this year, she earned her best qualifying result on a road course, with a 23rd place starting position, and her second best career finish in the IZOD IndyCar Series in Edmonton finishing 13th. Bia earned her best IZOD IndyCar result in Toronto, Canada when she brought the car home in 11th place.