Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 Teams Ready for Second Oval Track Race of 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series Season
(June 4, 2014) – This weekend the Chevrolet IndyCar V6 contingent of teams and drivers head to Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) for the 248-lap/372-mile Firestone 600, the second oval track race of the 2014 season.
Six of the first seven races of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series 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 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 last Saturday.
The first oval race was the Indianapolis 500 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Last year’s Texas Motor Speedway winner, Helio Castroneves, came within just six one-hundredths of a second from claiming his fourth Indy 500 victory.
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.
“Texas Motor Speedway presents some unique challenges for the drivers and engineers given the combined vertical and lateral loading the car and driver must sustain due to the speeds achieved on this banked oval,” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager for the Verizon IndyCar Series. “In the last month, the Verizon IndyCar Series drivers have competed on a new permanent road course, the iconic superspeedway at Indianapolis, a street course double header on Belle Isle and now the high banks of Texas Motor Speedway. It is evidence of the diversity in talent required to compete in, and is unique to this Series. Chevrolet and our technical partners are proud to provide the power and support to Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Ed Carpenter Racing and KV Racing Technology.”
Five current Team Chevy drivers have TMS victories on their resumes. Castroneves has hoisted the trophy at TMS four-times (2004, 2006, 2009 & 2013). Will Power wore the Texas-sized cowboy hat in 2011. Ryan Briscoe was the winner in 2010. Scott Dixon went to Victory Lane in 2008 and Tony Kanaan won the Texas race in 2004. In addition, Sebastien Bourdais won the IROC race at TMS in 2005.
