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Grand Prix of Edmonton Preview

Jul 22, 2008 - 6:56 PM

July 26, 2008

Streets of Edmonton

Edmonton, Alberta

Race 13 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season

TV: ESPN, 5:00 p.m. EDT

Length: 250 laps

Race length: 200 miles

Track length: 1.96-mile street course

DRIVERS TO WATCH

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Marco Andretti

Team: Andretti Green Racing

2008 Points: 263 (8th)

Finished 25th at Mid-Ohio a week after running last at Nashville
and sits eighth 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.

Ryan Briscoe

Team: Team Penske

2008 Points: 296 (5th)

The Australian captured his second career win at Mid-Ohio and 
jumped up to fifth in the standings; first career win came 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.

Helio Castroneves

Team: Team Penske

2008 Points: 397 (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 and 
Mid-Ohio; sits second in the standings, 58 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 103 career IRL starts, has 12 wins, 80 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.

Scott Dixon

Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing

2008 Points: 455 (1st)

Became the first driver from New Zealand to win the Indy 500; 
also won at Texas and Nashville; spun under caution at Watkins 
Glen and finished 11th; holds a 58-point lead in the standings 
over Helio Castroneves after running third at Mid-Ohio; 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 Ryan 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; won at Nashville last season after 
starting on the pole to became the first repeat winner there.

Tony Kanaan

Team: Andretti Green Racing

2008 Points: 365 (3rd)

Picked up first win on the season at Richmond; followed with a 
third at Watkins Glen, fourth at Nashville and seventh at 
Mid-Ohio; 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 Dario 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.

Danica Patrick

Team: Andretti Green Racing

2008 Points: 284 (6th)

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; made headlines when pit-road argument 
with Milka Duno at Mid-Ohio was videotaped and plastered over 
the internet; 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.

Dan Wheldon

Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing

2008 Points: 364 (4th)

Dropped to fourth in the standings, one point behind Tony Kanaan
after running 17th at Mid-Ohio; 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 88 career starts has 14 
wins, 67 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.