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Disappointing End of Day for FAZZT at Edmonton Indy

Driver: ALEX TAGLIANI

Entry:   No 77 Bowers & Wilkins Hot Wheels FAZZT Race Team Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Event: 3rd IRL sanctioned Honda Indy Edmonton – 95 laps/ 299.659 kilometers

6th Indy Edmonton since its launch in 2005 (with Champ Car)

Track: Edmonton City Center Airport circuit, Alberta – 3.154 km temporary street course

Race:   11 of 17

TAGLIANI HONDA INDY EDMONTON RACE RESULTS

TAGLIANI STARTING POSITION: 19th

TAGLIANI POSITION AT FINISH: 23rd, contact

TAGLIANI LAPS COMPLETED: 52/95      

HONDA INDY EDMONTON PODIUM

1st Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi, 95 laps

2nd, Will Power, Team Penske 95 laps; 2.6688-second gap

3rd, Dario Franchitti, Target Chip Ganassi; 95 laps; 3.2831-second gap

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (July 25, 2010) – It was disappointing end to the 2010 edition of the Honda Indy Edmonton for the FAZZT Race Team driver Alex Tagliani who started the race from a 19th grid position on home soil and had made up six positions by the halfway point of the race. Following a caution period, Tagliani saw an opening on the lap 52 restart to make a pass on Andretti Autosport’s Tony Kanaan in Turn 1 of the 3.154 -kilometer temporary airport circuit. Contact between the two competitors following the overtaking maneuver quickly brought the race to an end for the no.77 Bowers & Wilkins Hot Wheels machine when secondary contact with Mario Romancini caused damage the Fazzt car’s front left suspension.

“It was an unfortunate incident for the no.77 Bowers & Wilkins Hot Wheels car,” said Tagliani who was credited with a 23rd place finish. “Our first stint was a good one. We went long saving fuel and doing the best thing with what we had. I think we could have finished in the top ten but it was just an unfortunate incident in Turn 1 that ended progress. We made up six positions and the Fazzt guys did a really good job. Our strategy was good, our car was better than it had been so I think a top-ten finish was in our reach.”

“I think Turn 1 was the best place to pass. I got an opportunity and I took it,” added Tagliani about the on track incident that ended his day. “I think Tony (Kanaan) braked on the inside of Turn 1 and left the rubber line wide open. When I exited Turn 1, I felt like I left him a lot of room and stayed close to the wall. Then I felt a touch from behind on the right rear, got spun around, and then got hit on the left side. I’m disappointed. The whole Fazzt team is disappointed. This isn’t the way we wanted things to go here in Canada. We had a realistic expectation coming in but didn’t leave with the results we had hoped for. This teams works hard and we’ll regroup and look to do better at the next few races.”

In a controversial end of race, Scott Dixon won Round 11 of the IZOD IndyCar race held Sunday at the Edmonton City Center Airport circuit. The win by the Chip Ganassi Racing driver ended a Will Power two-race win streak. The Team Penske driver, who won back-to-back races at Watkins Glen and Toronto last week, was the Edmonton Indy race-defending champion. Starting from the pole, Power dominated the race for the first 77 of the 95-lap event before being overtaken by his teammate Helio Castroneves on lap 78. With two laps to go following a full course yellow, race officials penalized Castroneves on the restart for blocking his teammate Power. Even though the Brazilian driver crossed the finish line first, he was pushed back to 10th place with the penalty assessed. Dario Franchitti finished third ahead of Ryan Briscoe and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Paul Tracy of Toronto finished sixth after starting 15th on the grid.

The 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series will be back in action in two weeks when the FAZZT race team heads to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 6-8 for the Honda Indy 200 presented by Westfield Insurance in Lexington, OH, for round 12 of the 2010 schedule.

© RIF | FAZZT – Max d’Orsonnens