New Qualifying Format In Effect at Chicagoland Speedway

With a season-high (outside of the Indianapolis 500) 29 cars entered for Saturday night’s PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joilet, Illinois, the Indy Racing League has altered its qualifications format in order to qualify cars efficiently.

After amending Rule 8.2(F)(1), a qualification attempt is now “the total of two consecutively timed laps.”  Drivers will be allotted two warm-up laps before making a qualifying attempt.  Since 2008, qualifying has consisted of the average speed of four timed laps.

Indy Racing League president of competition and racing operations Brian Barnhart explained:  “By going to an average of two timed laps instead of four, it reduces our qualifying time by 33 percent.  We’re [sic] rather make sure the drivers are getting ample track time in practice conditions with all cars on track at the same time to be better-prepared for the race.”

The new qualifying format will be in effect for the remainder of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season.  Races at Kentucky Speedway (September 4), Twin Ring Motegi (September 19) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (October 2) follow.

The PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway gets underway on Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 7 p.m. (EST).  It airs live on VERSUS.  Last year’s polesitter and winner is Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe.

Two American drivers, Ed Carpenter and Davey Hamilton, will be returning to the IZOD IndyCar Series this weekend.  Carpenter will drive the No. 20 car for Panther Racing while Hamilton will be in the No. 21 car for HP de Ferran Dragon Racing.

The 29-car field also features five female drivers:  Sarah Fisher (Sarah Fisher Racing), Ana Beatriz (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing), Simona de Silvestro (Team Stargate Worlds/HVM Racing), Danica Patrick (Andretti Autosport) and Milka Duno (Dale Coyne Racing).

Robyn Lynne Schechter