St. Petersburg GP Sunday Notebook
The IZOD IndyCar Series race will be televised live on ESPN2.
Pole sitter Will Power will lead the field to the green flag on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile circuit on the streets of St. Petersburg. Power is the series points leader after winning the season-opening Sao Paulo Indy 300 on March 14 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
This is the first IZOD IndyCar Series to be postponed by weather since the Indy Japan 300 in April 2008 at Twin Ring Motegi, won by Danica Patrick.
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Sage Karam of Andretti Autosport swept both races for the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda at this event.
The USF2000 series is the entry level of the Road to Indy ladder system to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series. The middle level is the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear; the top level is Firestone Indy Lights.
The victories were the 49th and 50th for Michael Andretti as a team owner and the first two wins since his team was rebranded Andretti Autosport in late 2009.
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| Jamie Little broke a lot of men’s hearts with her engagement |
ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little and boyfriend Cody Selman are engaged to be married. Selman proposed to Little in a waterfront park not far from the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Street Circuit on Saturday, March 27.
JAMIE LITTLE: "He said he wanted to go by the water, and I said, 'OK.' He got on one knee and did the whole thing. It's ironic it comes on an IndyCar weekend because his (Cody's) dad and brother are here (working for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing)." (About her engagement ring): "I'm left-handed, so it's not going to be easy to hide!"
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The FAZZT Race Team announced Saturday that development driver Maryeve Dufault will compete in three Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear for the team in 2010.
Dufault, from Sorel, Quebec, will race May 29 at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, June 20 at Iowa Speedway and Aug. 15 at Trois-Rivières in her native Quebec.
Dufault has an extensive racing background in karting, Formula Jim Russell, Skip Barber, Formula BMW and Star Mazda, and has tested in Formula 3 in England.
The Star Mazda series is the middle level of the Road to Indy ladder system to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series. The entry level is the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda; the top level is Firestone Indy Lights.
MARYEVE DUFAULT: "I am really excited to get back in the race car again, and I am so grateful for the support of the FAZZT Race Team in putting this program together. I've had experience in the Star Mazda Series, and with sponsor support I am looking forward to having a competitive ride and a good opportunity to hone my racing skills. I got the chance to watch the team in action today, and they look very professional and they seem to have an experienced group supporting the drivers."
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Conor Daly won the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear race from the pole today. Daly, 18, from Noblesville, Ind., is the son of Indianapolis 500 and Formula One veteran Derek Daly.
The Star Mazda series is the middle level of the Road to Indy ladder system to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series. The entry level is the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda; the top level is Firestone Indy Lights.
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Brendon Cleave will change the outside front tire for #77 Alex Tagliani today in the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, replacing crew chief Don Oldenburg.
Oldenburg suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during an incident in the first pit stop at the Sao Paulo Indy 300 on March 14 and will have surgery in late April.