Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Ready to Turn Their Luck Around in Kentucky
Sparta, KY (July 31, 2009) - Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is ready to turn their luck around this weekend in Kentucky. The DRR team has regrouped and is prepared for the eleventh round of the IndyCar Series this weekend in Sparta, Kentucky. Piloting the DRR machines for the Meijer Indy 300 will be Brit Mike Conway in the No. 24 Dad’s Root Beer entry, South African Tomas Scheckter, who will be driving the No. 43 MonaVie car, and Milka Duno in the No. 23 CITGO machine.
The Rexall Edmonton Indy was filled with ups and downs for Scheckter and Conway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The duo finished 18th and 20th respectively. Unfortunately, trouble set in early for both drivers. Conway made contact early on and had to come into replace his steering rack. Scheckter had to come in prematurely as well. He had an issue with his shocks and all four had to be replaced during the race. Luckily, both were able to go back out, but it was a bittersweet ending. On lap 39, Conway clocked the fastest lap of the race at 1:02.6691 seconds. Firestone nominated his performance for the Firestone “Tire-ific” Move of the Race. Unfortunately for Scheckter his day was ended early when he spun and made contact with the retaining wall in Turn 10 on lap 94.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is ready to put all of that behind them. The team has made huge strides and have prepared for the upcoming oval event. DRR has started at least one car in every race at the track since 2000. In 2001, Sarah Fisher gave the team their first and only pole in 2001 and their best finish was with 7th position with Robbie Buhl in 2003. This will mark Conway’s first appearance to the track. Scheckter will be making his seventh start and has a best finish of fifth in six starts and has led 14 laps at the track and has three top-10 finishes in six starts. Last year was Duno’s first time to compete at the Kentucky track where she started 18th and finished 21st .
Returning to the No. 23 car this weekend will be Venezuelan Milka Duno. After a three week break, Duno is ready to get back to racing. This will be her third time to compete at Kentucky Speedway. She feels fully prepared as she had the opportunity to have a break, relax and go back home to Venezuela for a week.
Dreyer & Reinbold will be on track this weekend for the Meijer Indy 300. The race will take place on August 1st and will be live on Versus.
What they have to say…
Mike Conway, No. 24 Dad’s Root Beer: “I’m looking forward to getting back on an oval, Kentucky should be good for us. I have not been there before, but we seem to pick up the circuits pretty quick. Hopefully it will be a good weekend for us. The guys have been working hard in between the last oval we did by upgrading the car with some bits and some development work. We will be pushing hard to get some good results.”
Tomas Scheckter, No. 43 MonaVie: “Kentucky is a good track. I have led quite a few laps there and with the new rules should hopefully help the racing a little bit. I’m looking forward to getting back on ovals and hopefully we will have a good showing the for MonaVie Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car.”
Milka Duno, No. 23 CITGO: “I was very busy. The first thing I wanted to do was race, but I kept myself busy doing activities with my sponsors and visiting schools and signing my book. I went back to Venezuela and did some things for my sponsors. I was also watching the races cheering for my team and hoping they did well. I’m happy, because after one month I’m going to be racing again. I really like this track. We had a good car here last year and if we put everything together we will have another good one this race.”
About Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing enters its 10th season of full-time competition in 2009, making it one of the longest-tenured teams in Indy Racing League competition. Current co-owners, Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, first teamed in full-time competition at the Walt Disney World Speedway in January of 2000. With Buhl behind the wheel, the two owners tasted victory in their debut race. The 2009 IndyCar Series season-opener on the streets of St. Petersburg marked Dreyer & Reinbold Racing\"s 200th series start. In its history, the team has boasted a championship list of alumni drivers. Besides Buhl, the team has run Indianapolis 500 winners, Al Unser Jr., Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Rice, along with IndyCar Series race winner, Ryan Briscoe. The team has one of the longest lines of heritage in American open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 as Dennis Reinbold\"s grandfather, "Pop" Dreyer, built leading roadsters that raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 30s, 40s, and 50s.
More information on the team can be found at www.dreyerreinboldracing.com.
More information on the IndyCar Series can be found at www.indycar.com.
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