INDYCAR: Conquest Racing Sponsor News and Pre-Race Notes and Quotes

Edmonton, AB (July 24, 2009) – The following is a series of sponsor announcements, news items, stats, notes and quotes from Conquest Racing for this weekend’s Rexall Edmonton Indy.

Rexall Edmonton Indy
Rexall Speedway at Edmonton City Centre Airport, 1.96-mile, 14-turn temporary street course
July 24 - 26, 2009, Race #11 of 17
Race Distance:  95 laps
Live Broadcast: (US) VERSUS 5:00 p.m. ET, (Canada) TSN2 5:00 p.m. ET

REXALL EDMONTON INDY PRE-RACE NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES

Continued Partnerships
Conquest Racing’s #34 Dallara will once again be sporting the logo of Northlands’ premier event, the Rexall Edmonton Indy, on its sidepods at the event of the same name. Also continuing to partner with the team, after first appearing on the car driven by Alex Tagliani at the Honda Indy Toronto two weeks ago, is Canada’s number-one steakhouse, The Keg Steakhouse and Bar as well as Canada’s most trusted retailer, Sears Canada and its CRAFTSMAN brand.

Local industrial torque tool company, TorcUp of Canada has returned as a partner of Conquest Racing’s after making its first appearance with the team in Long Beach earlier this season. Additionally, OOMPH! Events, an Edmonton-based full-service company that provides strategy, program, marketing sponsorship, technology and production solutions, the Westin Edmonton hotel and Driving Force, one of Canada’s largest vehicle suppliers have all joined the team’s family of partners for this weekend’s event.

Continued Momentum ‘at Home’
After showing their strength on the streets of Toronto two weeks ago, the team and driver Tagliani will be looking to continue what they started at the Honda Indy Toronto at what can be called the team’s ‘home race’ due to their partnership with Northlands, the event organizers. The team is coming off an outstanding performance, which saw Tagliani lead 21 laps before being caught out by a costly yellow flag. In three street course races this season, the team has collected three top-ten finishes with a best finish of ninth and best start of fifth.

Fifth Anniversary
While the City Centre Airport will be hosting a major open-wheel racing series for the fifth year, Conquest Racing will be making its eighth start at the 1.96-mile temporary street course. The team has a best start of eighth and finish of seventh, which were both scored in 2006 by Canadian driver Andrew Ranger. Since the first race in 2005, Conquest has four top ten finishes at the Canadian circuit.

One-Year Anniversary
Do you know where Alex Tagliani was one year ago at this time? He was in Edmonton of course, on the highest step of the podium. After finding himself without a ride following the unification of open-wheel racing, Tag made a venture into the NASCAR Canada series and scored his first victory in the stock car series at the Rexall Edmonton Indy in 2008.

The personable Canadian will try to add to those unforgettable memories this year. In his past three starts in an open-wheel car at Rexall Speedway, Tag has collected a best start of sixth and a best finish of seventh in 2005.

Here, There and Everywhere
It’s not because the on-track activities only start on Friday in Edmonton that it means Tagliani has had a week to rest and prepare for the upcoming race. Tag has been hard at work since he arrived in Edmonton on Saturday. Last Sunday, Alex spent a few hours with the folks at Carefree RV before meeting with media members at Rexall Place on Monday. Tuesday, he gave out pointers to some lucky people at a drive day with Sun Media before attending the Chairman’s Reception at City Hall. Wednesday was filled with a stop at the Driving Force offices and a visit to the Konica Minolta house.

That’s just the beginning, he then took part in an autograph session at the Sears store at the Garden Mall on Kingsway on Thursday before heading to TorcUp of Canada’s charity karting event at Stratotech Park to help raise funds for the Kids With Cancer Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

On Friday at 2:15 p.m. local time, Alex, the Conquest team, Northlands and OOMPH! Events will be hosting a group of 25 to 30 children from the Kids Up Front Foundation at the team transporter.

QUOTEBOARD

#34 Alex Tagliani Rexall Edmonton Indy Dallara/Honda/Firestone
2009 IndyCar Series starts: 5
Best start: 5th (Toronto)       
Best Finish: 9th (Toronto)
Points Standings: 21st (97 points)
Overall IndyCar Series starts: 8
Best start: 5th (Toronto - 2009)   
Best Finish: 4th (Australia, 2008 – non-championship event)
“This weekend is a very important weekend for us at the Rexall Edmonton Indy. It’s our home event and I’ve been looking forward to it. We’ve become part of the Northlands family and really want to do well at their event. It’s been a busy week for me with sponsor and media appearances and now I look forward to getting back in the car and continuing what we started two weeks ago in Toronto, however this time with a better outcome. The track at Rexall Speedway is one of my favorites and I have very good memories from this event, especially last season when I won in the NASCAR Canada Series. I wouldn’t mind adding to those memories.”

Eric Bachelart, Conquest Team Owner
“We have been really looking forward to this weekend at the Rexall Edmonton Indy. Not just because we’ve been working closely with the people at Northlands, the event organizers, since the beginning of the season, but because it is one of the best events on the IndyCar Series schedule. We’re coming off a strong performance at Toronto two weeks ago and are carrying very good momentum heading into this weekend. We’re confident we can continue that performance in Edmonton. We’re also very pleased to be welcoming new and returning partners, Northlands and the Rexall Edmonton, Sears, CRAFTSMAN, The Keg, TorcUp of Canada, OOMPH! Events, the Westin Edmonton and Driving Force and I would like to thank them for their support this weekend.”

CONQUEST RACING AT A GLANCE

2009 SEASON   
IndyCar Series Races: 5
Best Start: 5th (Toronto)
Best Finish: 9th (Toronto)

IndyCar Series Overall
IndyCar Series Races: 38
Best Start: 4th (Dallas, Richmond, Kansas City, 2002 – Laurent Redon)
Best Finish: 2nd (Fontana, 2002 – Laurent Redon)

Champ Car World Series Overall
Champ Car World Series Races: 74
Best Start: 2nd (Cleveland, 2004 – Justin Wilson)
Best Finish: 2nd  (Twice – Monterrey, Mexico, 2005 - Andrew Ranger / Assen, Holland, 2007 - Jan Heylen)