IPS: Indy 100: Inaugural race notes and schedule

Inaugural Freedom 100, third race in 12-race 2003 IRL Infiniti Pro Series season.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2.5-mile asphalt oval
2 p.m. (EST), Saturday, May 17
40 laps/100 miles

CARS: Dallara chassis; Infiniti Q45 engines; Firestone tires

TV: Race - ESPN2 (live), 3 p.m. (EDT), May 17

RADIO: Race - WIBC-AM 1070 (live), 2:45 p.m. (EDT) May 17

Note: Also live on www.indyracing.com

INFINITI PRO SERIES SCHEDULE (All times local; subject to change):

Thursday, May 15 - $5 admission; 5 and under free
9 a.m. - Indianapolis Motor Speedway public gates open
9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. - Infiniti Pro Series practice

Friday, May 16 - $5 admission; 5 and under free
9 a.m. - Indianapolis Motor Speedway public gates open
9-10 a.m. - Infiniti Pro Series practice
11:45-1 p.m. - Infiniti Pro Series qualifications
5:30-6 p.m. - Infiniti Pro Series final practice

Saturday, May 17 - $5 admission; 5 and under free
8 a.m. - Indianapolis Motor Speedway public gates open
2 p.m. - Inaugural Freedom 100 Infiniti Pro Series race (40 laps/100 miles)

THE TRACK:
2.5-mile paved oval
Frontstretch and backstretch: 5/8-mile
Turns and short chutes: 1/4-mile
Width: 50 feet on the straightaways; 60 feet in the turns.
Banking: Turns are banked at 9 degrees, 12 minutes.
-- The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in 1909 and is the international leader in motorsports entertainment. Home since 1911 to the Indianapolis 500, the world's largest single day sporting event, the Speedway also plays host to the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race and the United States Grand Prix Formula One race, two of the largest single-day sporting events in the world. In addition to more than 250,000 permanent seats, the Speedway property includes the Hall of Fame Museum, the Brickyard Crossing 18-hole championship golf course and the Brickyard Crossing Inn.

RACE NOTES:
Inaugural Freedom 100:

-- The Freedom 100 Infiniti Pro Series race marks the first time in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history that another automobile race will share the 2.5-mile oval with the Indianapolis 500 in month of May.

-- Arie Luyendyk Jr., son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, will participate in the Freedom 100. Luyendyk Jr. will attempt to compete in his first race at the Speedway, while the elder Luyendyk will attempt to qualify for his 18th Indianapolis 500 start.

-- USAC standout Ed Carpenter will participate in the Freedom 100. On April 3, 2002, Carpenter drove the very first Infiniti Pro Series car ever built in a systems test at the Speedway. Carpenter recorded the first laps ever for an Infiniti Pro Series car.

-- Rookie Marco Cioci turned the fastest lap April 18 at the Infiniti Pro Series Open Test at IMS. Cioci, who drives for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, turned a lap of 47.8385 seconds, 188.133 mph.

-- Cory Witherill, who won the Infiniti Pro Series race in 2002 at Nashville, will participate in the Freedom 100. He is the only Infiniti Pro Series driver to have competed in the Indianapolis 500. He started 31st and finished 19th in 2001.

SERIES NOTES:
Infiniti Pro Series:

-- Mark Taylor has won both Infiniti Pro Series races in 2003, winning March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and March 22 at Phoenix International Raceway. He became the second driver to win two consecutive Infiniti Pro Series races. A.J. Foyt IV won consecutive races in 2002 at Michigan and Kentucky.

-- Mark Taylor led all 100 laps of the Phoenix 100 on March 23 at Phoenix International Raceway. He became only the second driver to lead every lap in an Indy Racing League-sanctioned event. Ryan Hampton led all 80 laps of the Infiniti Pro Series race in August 2002 at Gateway International Raceway.

-- Infiniti Pro Series rookies occupy three of the top five spots in the series standings heading into the Freedom 100. Mark Taylor leads with 104 points, Thiago Medeiros is second with 80, and Jonathan Urlin is fourth with 56.

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