For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Cell: 317-201-0729
RLR/Andersen Racing Drivers Second and Third
In Firestone Indy Lights Testing
Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
INDIANAPOLIS, April 11 - RLR/Andersen Racing's J.R. Hildebrand and Andrew
Prendeville recorded the second- and third-fastest time, respectively, of the
Firestone Indy Lights drivers who participated in an open test Friday at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).
The Palmetto, Fla.-based team worked on its oval track set-up in preparation
for the Kansas Lottery 100 on April 27 at Kansas Speedway; the Firestone
Freedom 100 at IMS May 23; and the June 1 race at the Milwaukee Mile.
Hildebrand, of Indianapolis, had never driven at IMS before Friday's test,
but that didn't stop him from recording a lap at 47.6683 (188.805 miles per
hour) in the afternoon to secure the second-fastest time of the day with his
Allied Building Products Corp. No. 25. He also finished second in the Firestone
Indy Lights race in St. Petersburg, Fla. last Sunday.
Prendeville, of Las Vegas, who finished fourth in the 2007 Freedom 100, was
fast right off the transporter on Friday, as he ran a 47.7233 in the morning to
post the third-fastest time of the day at an average of 188.587 mph with his
Best Friends Animal Society No. 5.
Raphael Matos was fastest overall with a 47.6587 (188.843 mph). James
Davison was fourth with a 47.8526 (188.078 mph) and Cyndie Allemann rounded out the
top five with a 47.9163 (187.828 mph). A total of 23 drivers participated.
Ken Losch won the pole for last year's Freedom 100 with an average speed of
188.231 mph. The fastest lap in qualifying ever for the Freedom 100 was Jaime
Camara's 47.3349 (190.135 mph) in 2005.
Friday's practice was both delayed and interrupted by rain. RLR/Andersen
Racing's chief engineer, Dominic Cape, said both of his drivers still completed
about 85 laps.
Prendeville will now drive to Cincinnati where he'll make Racing Laps for
Best Friends appearances Saturday and Sunday at the Everything Pets show at the
Duke Energy Center. The appearance is in conjunction with a display by
Kentucky Speedway, which will hold a Firestone Indy Lights race on Aug. 9. For more
information about the Everything Pets show, which is open to the public, see
everythingpets.org. For more information about Prendeville's Racing Laps for
Best Friends program, see racinglapsforbestfriends.com.
Prendeville will also represent the team, the series and Firestone at the
inaugural Drive for Our Kids event on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Nashville
Superspeedway. Chaired by Liz Allison, the widow of Davey Allison, the event
will also feature NASCAR's Sterling Marlin, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Kenny Wallace,
Jimmy Spencer and Mike Skinner. The event raises funds in order to provide
expert care to children who have been victims of sexual abuse. The Firestone Indy
Lights race at Nashville is July 12.
RLR/Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. It is the
development team of Rahal Letterman Racing. Its Web sites are at
andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com.
Post-test quotes follow:
J.R. Hildebrand: "Just walking into this place, the history hits you like a
ton of bricks. It's like no other racetrack. It's not like anything else I've
ever experienced. With my road-course background, it feels like a big road
course with four corners, but it requires you to really drive around the place.
It's not all set-up.
"We had a couple little issues we had to work out in the morning, but Andrew
did his fastest time in the morning. Raphael did his fastest lap in the
morning as well.
"We were able to put in quite a few laps, and my fastest lap came in the
afternoon.
"I came in once because I thought there might be something wrong with a tire
when it was really just the wind. I had a couple of big moments today due to
gusts of wind.
"It's pretty hard to say now how what we did today will equate to race
weekend, but Andrew and I worked well together.
"I only have one real oval under my belt [Homestead], so I had mixed feelings
going into today's test. I always try to come in with an open mind, and I
was pleased with how things went, how good the car was, and how exciting it was
to be here.
"I came here the first time when I was 10 or so. I've sat in the grandstands
on both sides of the frontstretch. But when I was 10, never in a million
years would I have imagined that someday I would drive a race car here; I was so
young."
Andrew Prendeville: "The test went well. I set my fastest time right out of
the box. It was a good test. We had a couple sprinkles in the morning, and
the wind is always a factor here. I had a couple of moments because of it, but
that's part of Indy.
"The team did a great job. It was good preparation for the race here."
About Allied Building Products Corp.:
Allied Building Products Corp., headquartered in East Rutherford, N.J., is
one of the largest roofing and siding distributors in the United States. Founded
in 1950 with five employees and two trucks, today it is a $1.8 billion
building material distribution company with over 3,500 employees, more than 200
branches in 30 states, well over one million square feet of office and warehouse
space, and an inventory of approximately 85,000 products, from residential
roofing and siding to doors, windows, waterproofing, manufactured stone, interior
products and commercial roofing systems. For more information see
alliedbuilding.com.
About Andersen Racing:
Andersen Racing strives to provide the best and most comprehensive training
possible for future open-wheel superstars while giving its marketing partners
media exposure and hospitality opportunities at some of the most prestigious
events in North America. It provides a unique, three-step program utilizing
multiple entries in three different series: the F2000 Championship (webcast), Star
Mazda (televised on SPEED) and Firestone Indy Lights (televised on ESPN2).
In 2008 it will field multiple entries in 42 races in 19 states and provinces
at some of the best facilities on the continent, including the famed
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Andersen Racing's principals, brother Dan and John Andersen, have extensive
experience in series administration as well as team management. They've worked
with many of today's top open-wheel stars, including several Indy 500 winners.
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. It is the
official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in the IndyCar
Series and the American Le Mans Series. In addition, its F2000 team is also
the official factory team of Van Diemen. The team is headquartered at Andersen
RacePark, an 18-acre facility in Palmetto, Fla. that includes a 1-mile test
track. For more information see andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com.