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| In the run up to the 2006 race Marco said:
"AGR
had the opportunity to test at Michigan Speedway
last week and I'm sure we'll put that data to good
use this weekend. The NYSE team has been on a pretty
good run recently and I'm looking forward to another
strong run at Michigan."
"Being a big, banked 2-mile oval, Michigan is
a very fast track. However it’s a bit of a compromise
track. You need minimum drag for good top speed but
it isn't a high-grip track, so you need good mechanical
grip. Even though we haven't tested there with Marco
we feel that we have a good starting setup and a good
package for the race. With the momentum that Marco
has built with his recent performances, I expect the
NYSE team to have a very successful race."
Eddie Jones, Race Engineer,
#26 NYSE Dallara/Honda/Firestone |
 |
#Race
#13 :
The Firestone Indy 400
Sunday
August 5th
Brooklyn, Michigan
12626 U.S. 12
Brooklyn, MI 49230
2006
winner Helio Castroneves
Distance:
200 laps/400 miles
TV:
Noon on ESPN2.
Ticket
Info
Race
Track Website
The
Race :
The
Firestone Indy 400 is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn,
Michigan.
Michigan International Speedway has hosted at least one
open-wheel race in every season since 1970. As of 2006, MIS
has hosted 55 open-wheel races over 38 years.
In 1968, American open wheel racing debuted at the circuit
with a 200-mile USAC Champ Car event. In 1970, USAC returned
with what would become a traditional July race date. In 1973,
a second USAC race was added to the Champ Car schedule, a
fall race usually held in September.
Starting for the
2002 season, the race became an Indy Racing League Indycar
series event. In addition, the race distance was changed
from 500 miles to 400 miles. In a very memorable race, Tomas
Scheckter overcame bickering with team owner Eddie Cheever
to beat team mate Buddy Rice. The race featured wheel-to-wheel
racing, albeit at much slower speeds than the CART-sanctioned
events. In addition, Sarah Fisher became the first female
driver to pass for the lead under green flag conditions in
an Indy-style race.
The IRL continues to sanction the event, but attendance
continues to be a problem, as the attendance for supporting
stock car events was sometimes as great, if not greater,
than the IRL race itself.
For the 2007, the race had to move dates. The Allstate 400
at the Brickyard was moved by ESPN up one week, and created
a conflict. Originally the race at Michigan was to move to
July 22, but after the Indy Racing League added a new event
at Mid-Ohio for that date, the race was moved to the first
weekend in August for at least one season. The IRL is faced
with the task of selling tickets for 3 events (Mid Ohio,
Michigan, and Detroit) within 6 weeks of each other, at venues
that are within easy driving distance of one other.
Backstory:
Michigan International Speedway boasts a proud 39-year
history of hosting America's best racing action on its
1,400-plus acres in the scenic Irish Hills. With 18 degree
banking and 73-foot wide sweeping turns, Michigan International
Speedway provides drivers with three and four grooves to
run around the two-mile speedway.
When Michigan International Speedway opened in 1968, the
12,000-seat center grandstand stood overlooking the new two-mile
oval, a symbol of a new era for the Irish Hills area. With
smaller grandstands on each side, the track proudly boasted
25,000 seats.
No one at the time suspected it was the start of something
much, much bigger.
Since its opening, the success of the speedway and the growth
of motorsports has made Michigan International Speedway the
largest sports arena in Michigan. The center grandstand was
extended in 1985, in 1989, and again in 1990 to seat over
27,000. In 1999, a 28,000-seat, 10-1/2-story high structure
was added to the center grandstand, increasing the number
of seats to 55,000-more than four times its original size.
In 1990, the first of two of the seven grandstands in turn
one were erected, and in 1992, the first North Concourse
grandstands (turn four) were built. By 1997, the eighth North
Concourse grandstand was built in turn three.
Over the last decade, Michigan International Speedway has
increased its reserved seating capacity by 80,000, and since
1985, the Speedway has increased its seating by nearly five
times.
In 2004, the track added the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction
(SAFER) walls to the track to make it safer for all drivers
competing at MIS.
In 2005, MIS took on the largest renovation in its storied
history by adding 870 additional seats with a new Club Level
seating area called the Champions Club.
The
renovation project included a reconfiguration of the frontstretch
area, which added new ticket gates, vendor and display
areas, several new concession stands, and a new skylounge
structure high above the main grandstand near the start/finish
line. The skylounge area holds 16 suites, press box, timing & scoring
area, television and radio broadcast area, and race control
for use by the sanctioning bodies.
After more than 38 years of improvements and updates, Michigan
International Speedway is still considered one of the country's
premier racing facilities.
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