KV RACING TECHNOLOGY HEADS TO LONG BEACH WITH HIGH HOPES FOR SUCCESSFUL RACE

KV Racing Technology Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – April 12, 2012 – KV Racing Technology heads to Long Beach, California for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 13-15 on the challenging 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit with high hopes for a successful race.

Rubens Barrichello, No. 8 BMC | EMBRASE – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone, is coming off his first IndyCar top-10 finish, in just his second IndyCar event, having placed eighth two weeks ago at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama.  The 39-year-old Brazilian, a veteran of 19 Formula One seasons, will be contesting just his second IndyCar street race having made his debut on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida (finished 17th) in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season opener.  Barrichello, who will receive an additional set of tires and an extra half hour of practice time base on a ruling last week that gives him rookie status, but not eligibility for the Rookie of the Year award, on all tracks that where he has not tested, is currently 10th in the championship race with 37 points.

“Well Long Beach is brand new to me,” said Barrichello.  “I have seen the race on the DVD and it looks fantastic from the driver perspective and from the outside.  I am happy to be going there and hopefully I will have the maximum time on the track so I can learn it quickly in order to have a good and competitive weekend.”

E. J. Viso, No. 5 CITGO | PDVSA – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone, opened the season with the best start in his five-year IndyCar career (third with KVRT) placing a team-high eighth at St. Petersburg.  In round two he qualified seventh (at Barber) then struggled with a car that simple did not have the pace and finished 21st.  The 27-year-old Venezuelan will be making his fifth stat at Long Beach with a best qualifying position of fourth in 2009 and a best finish of ninth in the Champ Car World Series finale in 2008.  Viso is 12th in the championship standings with 36 points.

 “I am looking forward to going to Long Beach,” Viso said.  “I like the track and the atmosphere and energy around the race makes it a special event.  We had a good race on the last street circuit at St. Petersburg, so I think we are in a good position to have a good result in Long Beach.  We just have to keep working hard as a team.”

Kanaan, who will drive the No. 11 MOUSER ELECTRONICS | GEICO – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone car at Long Beach, has qualified well and driven skillfully in the first two races of the season, however bad luck has plagued him in both events.  Kanaan, a perennial championship contender who, finished fifth in the standings last year, his first with KVRT, currently sits 26th in the standings with 22 points.  The 37-year-old Brazilian, in his 15th U. S. based open-wheel season and 11th in the IZOD IndyCar Series, will be making his ninth start at Long Beach.  He has qualified in the top-10 five times including one pole, the first of his career in 1999.  Kanaan has finished in the top-10 five times with a best showing of third in 2009 (fifths in 2010 and 1998). 

“It's nice to be going back to Long Beach.  It has to be one of the most beautiful places that we go.  I had my first pole there in 1999, so I have good memories of the track and I always liked the atmosphere around the place.  We have had a rough start to the season, so I am looking forward to changing my luck in Long Beach.”

The 2012 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 3:30 p.m. (ET).

KV Racing Technology was founded in January 2003 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2008.  The Indianapolis based team is owned by successful venture capitalist Kevin Kalkhoven and 1996 IndyCar Champion Jimmy Vasser.  Veteran Motorsports manager, Mark Johnson is the team’s General Manager.  Johnson is assisted by Team Manager Tom Wurtz, Technical Director Eric Cowdin and Operations Manager Steve Moore.

For more information about KV Racing Technology visit: www.kvracingtechnology.com or follow us on Twitter:www.twitter.com/kvracing and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kvracingtechnology