19-cars slated for Homestead test
The test will include up-and-coming drivers in the IndyPro™ Series as well as IndyCar® Series favorites Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Dan Wheldon, and South Florida residents Helio Castroneves, Scott Sharp, and Tony Kanaan.
The IndyPro Series will test on February 20 from 1pm to 5pm. The IndyCar® Series will be on track from 4pm to 10pm on February 21 and 22. Race fans are welcome to watch all the action, free of charge, from the Speedway Club, located on the 4th floor of Homestead-Miami Speedway’s Administration building. Upon arrival, please come to the first-floor lobby, sign in and then take the elevator up to the Speedway Club.
Most of the testing will take place at night and under Homestead-Miami Speedway’s bright lights as the drivers prepare for the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300, the IndyCar® Series season opener, which will be held under the lights for the first time. This adds an extra element of excitement for both fans and drivers.
“I couldn't be more excited," said Scott Sharp, driver of the No. 8 Patron Dallara/ Honda/Firestone. “Homestead [Miami Speedway] is one of my favorite tracks. It's always a great race – three-wide, three or four rows deep. The draft is a huge game at Homestead [Miami Speedway], and to be able to do it under the lights is even that much more special."
Tony Kanaan, driver of the #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone agrees with Sharp.
“It's always very exciting to race at home but to do it under the lights will be even more fun. Everybody that I spoke with loved the idea of a night race. I think its going to be a great show."
No PJ Chesson or Cahill Racing with Milka Duno and Jeff Mitrisin as previously rumored.
Car Driver Hometown Entrant
2 Tomas Scheckter Cape Town, South Africa Vision Racing
3 Helio Castroneves Sao Paulo, Brazil Team Penske
4 Vitor Meira Brasilia, Brazil Delphi Panther Racing
5 Sarah Fisher Commercial Point, Ohio Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
6 Sam Hornish Jr. Defiance, Ohio Team Penske
7 Danica Patrick Roscoe, Ill. Andretti Green Racing
8 Scott Sharp Norwalk, Conn. Rahal Letterman Racing
9 Scott Dixon Auckland, New Zealand Target Chip Ganassi Racing
10 Dan Wheldon Emberton, England Target Chip Ganassi Racing
11 Tony Kanaan Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Andretti Green Racing
14 Darren Manning North Yorkshire, England A.J. Foyt Enterprises
15 Buddy Rice Phoenix Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
17 Jeff Simmons Hartford, Conn. Rahal Letterman Racing
20 Ed Carpenter Indianapolis Vision Racing
22 A.J. Foyt IV Hockley, Texas Vision Racing
25 Marty Roth Roth Racing Roth Racing
26 Marco Andretti Nazareth, Pa. Andretti Green Racing
27 Dario Franchitti Edinburgh, Scotland Andretti Green Racing
55 Kosuke Matsuura Aichi, Japan Super Aguri Panther Racing