Firestone Infineon Raceway IndyCar preview
Television/Radio Broadcast: Live – Sunday, August 22, at 5 p.m. ET on VERSUS, IMS Radio Network, XM Radio 145 and SIRIUS Radio 211.
Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied:
* Primary (black-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 756, each entry gets six sets (24 total tires);
* Alternate (red-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 366, each entry gets three sets (12 total tires);
* Wet-condition (rain) tires with grooved tread pattern: 468, each entry has five sets available as needed.
Per series regulations, all cars must use at least one primary set of tires and one new alternate set during the race, each for a minimum of two green-flag laps, unless rain tires are used – then teams are free to use their tire allotment as they see fit. The primary tire specification for Infineon was used as the alternate tire at the 2010 Barber and Edmonton events. The alternates are new for this race. The primary spec is the "softest" primary Firestone will use all season. The alternate tires are identical in construction to the primaries but contain an even softer tread compound which will provide more grip and faster lap times, yet will trade off some compound durability in exchange for those shorter-term advantages.
From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "Even though Will Power has already clinched the road course championship and the Mario Andretti Trophy, I expect that there is still a lot of excitement in store for the final road course race of the season. The overall championship points battle is tightening up as we head to the home stretch. Firestone Racing is bringing primary and alternate tire specifications that are new to Infineon Raceway. This track is an interesting challenge with its elevation changes and big braking zones, so a tire with plenty of grip is going to be very important here. That is why our engineers selected a primary tire that has actually been used previously this season as an alternate tire at two different tracks. With an alternate specification a step softer than that, tire grip should not be an issue."
INDY WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 20: Historic Grand Prix practice; 1 to 1:45 p.m.; Formula Car Challenge practice, 2 to 2:45 p.m.; IZOD IndyCar Series practice, 3 to 4 p.m.; Historic Grand Prix practice, 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.; Formula Car Challenge practice, 5 to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 21: Fluid Film Pole Day: Firestone Indy Lights practice, 8 to 8:45 a.m.; Formula Car Challenge qualifying, 9 to 9:30 a.m.; Historic Grand Prix practice, 9:45 to 10:15 a.m.; Indy Lights practice, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.; IZOD IndyCar Series Practice, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Formula Car Challenge race 1, 12:45 to 1:15 p.m.; Indy Lights qualifying, 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.; IZOD IndyCar Series qualifying, 2:30 to 4 p.m.; Historic Grand Prix qualifying, 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 22: Indy Lights warm-up, 8:40 to 9 a.m.; IZOD IndyCar Series warm-up, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.; Historic Grand Prix race 11 to 11:30 a.m.; Firestone Indy Lights race, noon to 1:15 p.m.; Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma race, 2:45 p.m., followed by Formula Car Challenge race 2.