Sunday Notebook from Indy

KV Racing Technology has added FORDAHL-FOQ Group as an associate sponsor for the 2009 Indianapolis 500. FORDAHL-FOQ Group, one of the leading global players in the industry of time components for telecommunications systems, will be an associate sponsor on the No. 15 GEICO-KV Racing Technology machine driven by Paul Tracy.

KEVIN KALKHOVEN (Co-owner, KV Racing Technology): "We are pleased to welcome back FORDAHL-FOQ Group as a sponsor of KV Racing Technology for this year's Indy 500. "FORDAHL-FOQ Group is an outstanding company and a leader in the industry. This is a particularly welcome announcement since FORDAHL-FOQ previously was a sponsor of KVRT in 2007, so it is like teaming up with an old friend."

NILS ENGDAHL (President, FORDAHL-FOQ Group): "We are proud to support KV Racing Technology and Paul Tracy in this year's effort for the Indianapolis 500. As Kevin (Kalkhoven) said, we are old friends teaming up again. This is a great opportunity for our group to re-assess our presence on the North American market, and we are also very happy to see a great driver like Paul back on the track."

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HVM Racing is officially fit to be in the pit. The pit crew members dropped 107 pounds in a two-month weight-loss challenge – seven pounds beyond their goal of 100.

The HVM team kicked off the "Gotta Be Fit to Be in the Pit" challenge at the IndyCar Series season opener in St. Petersburg on April 5. Driver E.J. Viso and Dr. Luigi Gratton of Herbalife, a sponsor of HVM and Viso, encouraged the crew members to lose weight for their own well-being and to ensure strong performance in the pit.

Gratton offered medical guidance and Herbalife nutritional products throughout the challenge to help the team meet its goal. Herbalife is rewarding the trimmed-down crew members this week with new race uniforms.

KEITH WIGGINS: (Owner, HVM Racing): "Herbalife has been a great partner to work with, and this weight-loss challenge has been a good thing for everyone involved. How many team sponsors do you know that actually help improve the fitness of the team members?"

MICHAEL O. JOHNSON (Chairman and CEO, Herbalife): "We're proud of the team for meeting their goal and look forward to seeing them in their new uniforms. We'll continue to support the team to live a healthy, active lifestyle."

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The 2010 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is scheduled for Sunday, May 30, 2010. Ticket information can be found in a foldout page between pages 32-33 of the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Official Program. Ticket information also can be obtained by calling the Speedway's ticket office, (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY, or by logging on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.

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Brian Barnhart, an Indianapolis native, is the president of the competition and operation division of the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series. He is the chief official of the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

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Of the 33 cars starting this year's Indianapolis 500, 13 have car numbers that have never won the race. Car numbers 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 21, 41, 43, 44, 67, 00, 02 and 06 have never been on a winning car in the Indianapolis 500. Car number 3 leads with the most wins at 10.

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NASCAR legend Richard Petty is at the Speedway today to watch his Richard Petty Motorsports/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 43 Window World car driven by John Andretti. It's Petty's first year of ownership at the Indianapolis 500.

RICHARD PETTY: "We want to run all day and not have any trouble, and we'll do pretty good. I don't think he's going to run up there and pass everybody, but if everything follows the way we want, he can run in the top 10 with no trouble. We had a struggle last weekend to get John involved in the race. We finally made it on a last deal, and we were all excited about that. He's had all week now to settle down and get ready for the race. We talked about it getting the car in after the first day of qualifying. We knew he wasn't fast enough then and went out to try to get better and crashed the car. So the crew spent all that time getting back to where he was at. They had a tough time doing it, but they got it in, and now we're ready to go. We're all excited and ready for the big deal."

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Actor Josh Duhamel will drive the Chevrolet Camaro Official Pace Car leading the field to the start of the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. During caution periods in the race, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, from Fort Worth, Texas, will be the driver. Jim Haynes, from Phoenix, will serve as observer from the Pace Car. Under the caution, cars will close up behind the Pace Car.

JOSH DUHAMEL: (On driving the Pace Car so far): "I feel better. I feel better than the first day, just getting used to that speed coming around that fourth turn. But after working with Johnny Rutherford, I call him Coach Rutherford now because he's been my mentor the last few days, I feel good. I feel like I trust the car. It holds in that corner, which took me a little bit getting used to. I think it's a natural sort of instinct to want to slow down when going into a turn, but not here, not at Indy. You've got to press the accelerator going into the fourth turn here." (On what he said and how he felt when he was asked to drive the car): "Yes. Absolutely. Sign me up. When do you want me there?" (On enjoying racing): "Oh yeah, especially the Indy stuff. I was a big dirt track fan growing up. We have what they call the Nodak Speedway (in his native North Dakota). My Dad would take me out pretty much every weekend in the summer. So ever since then I followed it."

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In the 13 Indianapolis 500 Mile Races since the inception of the IndyCar Series, only two drivers who led at Lap 100 have won the race (15.4 percent), and only six drivers who led at Lap 190 in the races that have gone the distance have won the race (54.5 percent). In the last five seasons, when the same basic car and formula have been used, there has been at least one lead change in the final 10 laps three times.

Year	Leader Lap 100	Leader Lap 190	Winner
2008	Tony Kanaan	Scott Dixon	Scott Dixon
2007	Tony Kanaan	— Rain shortened race to 166 laps	Dario Franchitti
2006	Dan Wheldon	Tony Kanaan	Sam Hornish Jr.
2005	Tony Kanaan	Danica Patrick	Dan Wheldon
2004	Dan Wheldon	— Rain shortened race to 180 laps	Buddy Rice
2003	Jimmy Vasser	Gil de Ferran	Gil de Ferran
2002	Tomas Scheckter	Helio Castroneves	Helio Castroneves
2001	Greg Ray	Helio Castroneves	Helio Castroneves
2000	Juan Pablo Montoya	Juan Pablo Montoya	Juan Pablo Montoya
1999	Arie Luyendyk	Robby Gordon	Kenny Brack
1998	John Paul Jr.	Eddie Cheever Jr.	Eddie Cheever Jr.
1997	Arie Luyendyk	Jeff Ward	Arie Luyendyk
1996	Davy Jones	Davy Jones	Buddy Lazier