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Firestone Indy 200 Preview

July 12, 2008 
Nashville Superspeedway 
Nashville, Tennessee 
Race 11 of 17 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season

TV: ESPN2, 8 p.m. EDT

Length: 200 laps 
Race length: 266 miles 
Track length: 1.33-mile oval

Qualifying record: Scott Dixon, 204.414 mph, 2007
Race record: Scott Dixon, 164.030 mph, 2007


DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Marco Andretti
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 241 (5th)

Finished fifth at Watkins Glen and moved up two spots in the 
standings; was involved in a late-race crash with Ed Carpenter 
and finished 21st at Milwaukee; finished third in the 92nd 
Indianapolis 500; was involved in an accident in last year's 
Indy race and wound up 24th; finished 11th in last year's 
IndyCar Series standings; recorded career-best six top-five 
finishes, with best result of second at Iowa and Michigan; 
opened the season by running second at Homestead; was 25th at 
St. Petersburg and 18th at Japan before bouncing back with a 
fifth at Kansas; finished fifth here last year.


Ryan Briscoe
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 231 (8th)

The Australian captured his first career win at Milwaukee, a 
week after being in the spotlight for wrecking Danica Patrick on 
pit road in the Indianapolis 500; won the pole at Watkins Glen 
and led the most laps before being wrecked by Scott Dixon under
caution and wound up 12th;started seventh and finished fifth in 
last year's Indianapolis 500 for Luczo Dragon Racing; followed 
up first win by running third at Texas; took over at Penske this 
season for Sam Hornish Jr., who left the IRL for NASCAR; 
finished 21st in 2006 IndyCar standings while driving a limited 
schedule with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; made four starts that 
season, finishing third at Watkins Glen in debut with team; 
also recorded a ninth-place finish at Nashville; finished 19th 
in 2005 IndyCar standings for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, with a 
best finish of eighth at Nashville; ran 10th at the 2005 Indy 
500; did not run this race last year.


Helio Castroneves
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 322 (2nd)

Opened the year by finishing fourth at Homestead and second in 
St. Petersburg and Japan; took fourth at Kansas; finished fourth
in the Indy 500, fifth at Milwaukee and second at Texas; sits 
second in the standings, 48 points behind Scott Dixon; finished 
sixth in the standings last year, 191 points behind champion 
Dario Franchitti; captured a series-record seven poles last 
season, but managed to win just once - at St. Petersburg; 
recorded six top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes last season; in 
102 career IRL starts, has 12 wins, 78 top-10s and 24 poles; 
became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 two years in 
a row (2001-02) since Al Unser won in 1970 and 1971; is only the 
fifth driver in Indianapolis 500 history to win in consecutive 
appearances; finished sixth in this race last year.


Scott Dixon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 370 (1st)

Became the first driver from New Zealand to win the Indy 500; 
also won at Texas, but spun under caution at Watkins Glen and 
finished 11th; still holds a 43-point lead atop the standings;
opened the season with with a solid win at Homestead, but had 
mechanical issues at St. Petersburg and finished 22nd; bounced 
back with thirds in Japan and Kansas; ran second to Briscoe at
Milwaukee; finished as an unlucky runner-up in the 2007 season, 
13 points behind Dario Franchitti, after running out of fuel on 
the final lap of the final race; failed to win an unprecedented 
fourth straight race at Michigan when he was involved in a 
spectacular six-car accident that sent Franchitti's car airborne; 
had four wins last season and was a runner-up five times; bounced 
back from the DNF at Michigan by finishing second to Tony Kanaan 
at Kentucky; enjoyed a stretch of three straight wins early in 
the season; took the checkered flag at Mid-Ohio; also won at at 
Nashville after starting on the pole to became the first repeat 
winner there; started his winning streak on July 8 at Watkins 
Glen.


Tony Kanaan
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 304 (4th)

Picked up first win on the season at Richmond; followed with a 
third at Watkins Glen; wrecked during the Indy 500 and finished 
29th, then bounced back to run third at Milwaukee and fifth at 
Texas; ran eighth at Homestead to open the season, but rebounded 
to claim third place at St. Petersburg, fifth at Japan and 
second at Kansas; finished 2007 season strong and wound up third 
in the standings, 61 points behind Franchitti; had a series-best 
five wins last year - at Motegi, Milwaukee, Michigan, Kentucky 
and Belle Isle; started second at the Indianapolis 500, but 
finished a disappointing 12th; finished fourth three times - at 
Watkins Glen, Richmond and Mid-Ohio; captured pole at Kansas, 
yet finished 15th last season; won the 2004 IndyCar Series 
championship; finished second in the 2004 Indy 500 to Buddy 
Rice; finished last in this race last season.


Danica Patrick
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 236 (7th)

Has become one of the most recognizable female athletes in the 
United States - especially after winning her first race at 
Japan in her 50th start; became the first woman to win a race in 
a major auto racing series; followed by finishing 19th at Kansas 
with mechanical problems; started the season by running sixth 
at Homestead and 10th at St. Petersburg; finished 22nd in the 
Indy 500 after a pit road incident with Ryan Briscoe; posted a 
second-place finish at Detroit last year; finished seventh in 
the final standings with four top-fives and 11 top-10s; started 
second at Sonoma but finished sixth; was involved in an accident 
and finished 16th at Kentucky; struggled to a disappointing 
seventh-place finish at Michigan; posted her second consecutive 
top-five finish with a fifth place showing at Mid-Ohio; took 
third at Nashville prior to that; ran third here last year.


Dan Wheldon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 299 (3rd)

Finished fourth at Texas and Milwaukee after running 12th in the 
Indianapolis 500; kicked off the season by running third at 
Homestead, 12th at St. Petersburg and fourth in Japan; entered 
the Indy 500 having won at Kansas; finished fourth in the final 
standings last year with two wins and a pole at Homestead-Miami; 
recorded six top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes; won the 2005 
championship with a series-record six victories; last year 
finished out of the top five for a six-race stretch prior to 
Detroit; in 86 career starts has 14 wins, 66 top-10s and five 
poles; finished second in the final standings in 2004 and 2006; 
won the 89th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 from 16th 
starting position; ran eighth in this race last season.


2007 Top 10
-----------
 1. Scott Dixon (9)
 2. Dario Franchitti (27) 
 3. Danica Patrick (7)
 4. Sam Hornish Jr. (6)
 5. Marco Andretti (26) 
 6. Helio Castroneves (3)
 7. Scott Sharp (8)
 8. Dan Wheldon (10) 
 9. Darren Manning (14)
10. Vitor Meira (4)

Past Winners
------------
2007  Scott Dixon
2006  Scott Dixon
2005  Dario Franchitti