Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Ready to Kick-Off 2010 Izod Indycar Series Season in Brazil

12 Mar 2010

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is ready to roll and get back on track for the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series opener in São Paulo, Brazil this weekend.  After a long and productive off-season the team is set to hit the South American streets with veteran Mike Conway (No. 24 Dad's Root Beer), and newcomers to DRR, Justin Wilson (No. 22 Z-Line Designs) and Ana Beatriz (No. 23 Ipiranga).
 
As the Indianapolis-based squad embarks on their 11th year of open-wheel competition, they have taken every opportunity to capitalize on making the most of the 2010 season.  As a result the team had a very successful test at Barber to prove they were ready for the job at hand.  This weekend will mark the first time ever for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing to compete in Brazil and they are ready for the task.
 
Brazil has brought quite a bit of luck to DRR newcomer Justin Wilson, who is ready to conquer the 2.6-mile, 11-turn São Paulo circuit.  The 2010 season will mark his seventh year competing in the U.S. and will also be his fourth time to race in Brazil.  The Brit has competed at circuits in São Paulo and Curitiba in the Formula 3000, Formula One, and Nissan World Series, taking home a win in the Formula 3000 and Nissan World Series categories.   Wilson quickly proved that he had gelled with his team at the Barber Motorsports Park open test a couple of weeks ago.  He clocked the third quickest time on the first day and the fifth fastest time on the second day and he is prepared to do the same this weekend.
 
It's a different story for Mike Conway who will be making his first visit to Brazil.  Although he has a number of years of European racing to tuck under his belt, having successfully competed in the British Formula 3 (where he won the title), Formula UK Championship and GP2 to name a few, he has never competed in the South American country.  The Briton also impressed and proved his versatility during the off-season where he completed two days of Formula One testing for the now named Mercedes Benz GP team.  He then came back to the U.S. and showed again he has the speed as he was the seventh quickest at the Barber open test.
 
 
Making her IZOD IndyCar Series and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing debut is Brazilian, Ana Beatriz, who will be driving the No. 23 Ipiranga machine.  It was announced in Alabama just two weeks ago that she would pilot a third DRR machine for the São Paulo Indy 300 event, making her the first Brazilian female driver to ever compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
 
The São Paulo native has stepped up to the IZOD IndyCar Series after competing in the Firestone Indy Lights category for the last two seasons. Her accomplishments include finishing third in 2008 in the Firestone Indy Lights point standings for Sam Schmidt Motorsports with one win, nine top-five finishes and 11 top-10 finishes.  Beatriz also became the first female driver to win in Firestone Indy Lights when she won at Nashville in July.  As a result she was named winner of the Firestone Indy Lights Rising Star Award. For 2007 she tested for A1 Team Brazil in A1GP at China.  In 2006, Beatriz finished fifth in South American Formula 3 with five podium finishes and one pole.  She was named winner of the São Paulo Citizen Driver.  In 2005, Beatriz became the first female to ever win a Formula Renault race and she went on to finish third in Formula Renault Brazil with three wins (Campo Grande, Vitória and Tarumã) and four pole positions (Campo Grande, Vitória, Interlagos (twice).  Beatriz won a Gold Helmet Award and in 2004 finished fifth in Brazilian Formula Renault.
 
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will be on track for the São Paulo Indy 300 in São Paulo, Brazil on March 14th. Qualifying will be telecast live on Saturday, March 13th at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on VERSUS.  The race telecast will air live on Sunday, March 14th at 11:30 am (EDT) on VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145, and Sirius channel 211.   For more updates on the team please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.
 
What they have to say about the São Paulo Indy 300...

Justin Wilson, Z-Line Designs No. 22 DRR: "I'm looking forward to the new season and can't wait to get started.  I've had a lot of good results in Brazil.  I came to São Paulo and Curitiba when I competed in Formula 3000, Formula One and the Nissan World Series and it's always a great atmosphere.  I won my first race in Formula 3000 in São Paulo and a Nissan World Series race as well and hopefully I can do the same here in the IZOD IndyCar Series.  We showed in testing that the Z-Line Designs car is fast, so hopefully we can keep that going and get some good results. We just have to keep our heads down and keep working hard.  I'd like to start the season off strong and get my first win of the season in the IZOD IndyCar Series and I think that is definitely a possibility."

Ana Beatriz, No. 23 Ipiranga:  "It is very special for me to have my IZOD IndyCar debut at home.  I was born in São Paulo and I'm very excited about driving an IndyCar at 190m/h, where I am used to driving at 40m/h when I am at home.  Also, having a big Brazilian crowd, my friends and family close by rooting for me will be very motivating.  All the days before the race have been about giving interviews, appearances and getting ready for the race and I'm so excited to finally get in the car and give my home crowd a great show."
 
Mike Conway, No. 24 Dad's Root Beer:   "I'm excited about racing in Brazil. This will be the first time I have ever been there, so we really need to hit the ground running and just try to build on that each weekend.  I'm looking forward to the task ahead. I know it will be a tough weekend as always and we just need to keep our heads down and we will be good.  We don't get much track time so we really need to maximize the time that we have and learn as much as we can.  We just need to stay on track and keep out of trouble."