Chevy Racing–Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Teams Ready for Second Doubleheader

Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Teams Ready for Second Doubleheader Weekend on Verizon IndyCar Series Schedule
Team Chevy’s Will Power and Scott Dixon Looking to Make Return
Trip to Shell Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston Victory Lane
·         Chevrolet  Leads Series Manufacturer Standings heading into 9th race of 18 race schedule

·         Chevrolet IndyCar V6 has won 5 of 8 races held to-date in 2014

·         Will Power Continues to Lead Driver Point Standings at Season Half-way Point

DETROIT (June 25, 2014) – This weekend the Chevrolet IndyCar V6 contingent of teams and drivers head to the MD Anderson Cancer Center Speedway at NRG Park, in Houston Texas for the second doubleheader weekend of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season. The Shell Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston is on deck with two full points-paying races, one Saturday and one Sunday, around the 10-turn/1.683-mile temporary street circuit.
“Last year, the Houston circuit was pivotal in the ultimate outcome of the 2013 Driver’s Championship,” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager, Verizon IndyCar Series. “This year the event takes place earlier on the schedule and being a double header again, coupled with the new Manufacturer’s points system in place for 2014, carries a serious impact to the championships.  The continued refinement of standing starts will be shown on Saturday and the allowed use of optional radiators for the first time will keep the engineers busy this weekend.  The added challenge of racing in Houston during the mid-afternoon in late June will definitely test the thermal vigor of the engines, drivers and crews.  Team Chevy is up for the challenge.”
Six of the first eight races of the 2014 season have been contested on either a road or street course.  Team Chevy driver Will Power scored the first victory in 2014, bringing the Chevrolet 2.2 liter direct injected twin turbocharged powered No. 12 Verizon Team Penske to Victory Lane at the Streets of St. Petersburg.  His second victory of the year that propelled him to the lead in the point standings was race one of the Chevrolet Dual at Detroit.  Power heads to Houston with a 39 point lead in the driver standings.

The first oval was the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Three time Indy 500 winner, Helio Castroneves, came within just six one-hundredths of a second from claiming his fourth victory in the iconic track.

However, Castroneves took the momentum to Detroit and scored a top-five finish in race one in the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit, and a dominating victory in Sunday’s race two of Chevrolet sponsored weekend.  He is second in the standings behind his Team Penske Chevrolet teammate, Power.

Despite having nearly three weeks away from competition none of the Chevrolet powered teams have sat on their laurels and rested on recent success.  Teams have been hard at work testing and preparing themselves for the final stretch to finish out the season.

As the teams resume competition at Houston, two Chevrolet powered drivers are looking to repeat last year’s success. Power was victorious in the second race at the track last season.  Scott Dixon, new to Team Chevy this season, is also looking to capture a repeat win at Houston and turn his 2014 season around and place his No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Chevrolet in Victory Lane for the first time carrying the Chevrolet banner.

While these two drivers look to repeat as winners, Castroneves is looking for redemption.  Last season the driver of the No. 3 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Team Penske Chevrolet watched his championship hopes fade away at Houston as two mechanical issues ended his pursuit of victory early.  He hopes this season he can ride the momentum from his win at Detroit and conquer Houston to add to his championship quest in 2014,

The most recent Team Chevy winner, Ed Carpenter – Texas Motor Speedway – will return to the role as owner at the GP of Houston.  Long Beach winner Mike Conway returns to the cockpit of the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet.

Race number one of The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston is set to start on Saturday, June 28th at 3:00 p.m. ET with live television coverage on NBC Sports Network. Race number two is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 29th with live television coverage on NBC Sports Network.