2008 Dallara KV Racing Technology Indycar

ORIOL SERVIA

After eight seasons in the Champ Car World Series, Oriol Servia will contest his first IndyCar Series season in 2008 driving the KV Racing Technology #5 Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry. Servia, who previously drove for the team during the 2006 season and for two races in 2007, has placed in the top-10 in the championship standings in four of the past five seasons with a career high second place showing in 2005. The 33-year-old native of Pals, Catalonia, Spain, who resides in Miami, Florida, has earned 70 top-10 finishes including 34 top-five showings with 16 podium performances, one victory (Montreal 2005) and the pole (Surfers Paradise 2005) in 125 career starts.

A graduate of the Úniversitat Politecnica de Catalunya with a degree in mechanical engineering, Servia began racing in 1988 driving go-karts. From 1992-1997, he competed as a member of the Elf 'la filiere' driver development program. During that period he finished fourth in the 1996 French Formula 3

Championship, sixth in the 1997 Macao Formula 3 World Championship and competed in one British Formula 3 race finishing fifth.

Servia moved to the Únited States in 1998 and competed in his first Dayton Indy Lights Championship season. He finished seventh in the championship that season on the strength of six top-ten finishes. In 1999, Servia captured the Indy Lights Championship for Dorricott Racing. Although he did not win a race he scored five runner-up finishes and achieved a series high three pole positions.

Servia made his Champ Car debut in 2000 with PPI Motorsports. He scored championship points in 11 of the 20 events that year led by his first career podium finish, a third place showing at Detroit. Servia finished 15th in the point standings in 2000 and was the runner-up to Kenny Brack for the Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year Award. Moving to Sigma Autosports in 2001, Servia finished 19th in the championship standings earning consecutive fifth place showings at Vancouver and Germany. He also earned his first career start in the first two rows qualifying third at Texas and demonstrated his consistency by finishing 15 of the 20 events placing second in laps completed and third in miles completed.

In 2002, Servia ran the first three races of the season with PacWest Racing scoring points all three times. When PWR ceased operations he sat out the next six contests before signing with Patrick Racing for a five race trial beginning in Vancouver. After impressing the team with both his driving talent and knowledge his contract was extended for the remainder of the season. Servia finished in the points in eight of the 13 races he contested in 2002. He had six top-10 showings including two top-five finishes, a fifth place performance at Fontana and a season high fourth place showing at the Rockingham 500 in Corby, England. Servia placed 16th in the championship standings with 44 points.

In 2003, Servia ran the full season for Patrick Racing. Driving for a top-level team for a full season for the first time, Servia had a solid season scoring nine top-10 finishes including seven top five showings with three podiums (second place in Milwaukee and Montreal, third in Denver). He finished in the top-10 in the championship for the first time in his career placing seventh. Servia also notched the first two front-row starts of his career in 2003, qualifying second on consecutive weekends in Montreal and Denver.

At the conclusion of the 2003 season Patrick Racing closed their shop. Moving to Dale Coyne Racing in 2004, Servia led the team to the best season in its 19-year history. He scored eight top-10 finishes capped by a third place showing at Laguna Seca. The podium finish at Laguna was the fifth of his career and the first for Dale Coyne Racing since 1996. Servia finished the season tied for ninth in the points, placing 10th in the championship standings (second consecutive season in top-10).

Servia had his best Champ Car season, and the best by a Spanish driver, in 2005 placing second in the championship standings. He started the year with Dale Coyne Racing, but replaced the injured Bruno Junqueira at Newman/Haas Racing after the first two events. Servia made 11 starts for Newman/Haas, earning seven podiums including a win in Montreal, his first career Champ Car victory (first by a Spanish driver). He started on the front-row a career high four times and scored his first career pole (first by a Spanish driver).

Driving for PKV Racing in 2006, Servia finished in the top-10 eight times in 14 races including four top-five showings with one podium performance. He placed 11th in the standings just three points out of 10th and 22 out of fifth. In the six races Servia did not place in the top-10, he DNF'ed (did not finish) each time, only once due to pilot error. All six times he was running in the top-five when he went out of the race. Servia qualified in the top-10 in 12 of the 14 races with five top-five starting spots. His qualifying record earned him the team record for consecutive top-five starting positions (four) and tied him with Jimmy Vasser and Cristiano da Matta for the most top-10 starting spots in a season.

Source - KV Racing Technology

Will Power

Will Power is entering his fourth year of Ú. S. based open-wheel competition, first in the IndyCar Series and first with KV Racing Technology in 2008. He will drive the KV Racing Technology #8 Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone car. The 27-year-old native of Toowoomba, Australia spent his first two seasons, plus two races, in Champ Car with Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia. He has finished in the top-six in the championship in each of his two full seasons placing sixth in 2006 and a career high fourth in 2007. The resident of Indianapolis, Indiana, was Rookie of the Year and won the Bridgestone Passion for Excellence Award in 2006. He has finished in the top-10 a total of 19 times including 11 top-five showings with six podium performances, two victories and six poles in 30 career starts.

Power began his racing career in go-karts at the age of six then made the jump to cars at 16 competing on dirt tracks in his native Australia.

In 2000, he moved up to the Formula Ford State Series in Australia and his talent immediately became apparent. Power won the Queensland State Champion, qualifying on the front row for every race then going on to score 18 podiums in 18 starts including seven wins, nine seconds and two thirds. He also competed in the Formula Ford National Series in Australia in 2000 finishing seventh overall with five podiums. At the Formula Ford Gold Coast Indy support races at Surfers Paradise, he captured the pole in both qualifying sessions then went on to win the first race and finish fourth (gearbox) in the second.

In 2001, Power again competed in Formula Ford National Series in Australia finishing second in the championship with five wins and 10 podiums in 16 starts. To cap the year he was invited to participate in the Honda Indy Young Guns event at Surfers Paradise where he took pole, won the first race and finished second in second race.

Power competed in both the Formula Holden Championship in Australia (Australian Gold Star Drivers Championship) and the Australia F3 Series in 2002, winning the former with seven wins in 12 races and earning Rookie of the Year honors, and finishing second in the latter, despite missing four races, with 10 podiums including six wins in 12 starts (took the pole and won both races at Surfers Paradise). He also ran two V8 Supercar events qualifying 11th and finishing 11th out of 32 cars in the Queensland 500 and qualifying 16th and finishing 18th out of 38 cars in his first Bathurst 1000

Moving to England in 2003, Power competed in three rounds of British F3 Championship with Diamond/Ralt – Honda Mugen Racing. He then moved to the Fortec Motorsport/Dallara-Renault Series where he had a season high second at Thruxton. Power concluded the 2003 season driving the Bathurst 24-hour race with three co-drivers.

In 2004, he ran the full season of British F3 with Alan Docking Racing placing ninth in championship with five podium finishes including two seconds at Knockhill. As a result of his performance in F3 Power earned tests with Minardi Formula 1, European F3000 and World Series Powered by Renault teams.

Power competed in World Series Powered by Renault in 2005. Driving for Carlin Motorsport he earned two wins, Le Mans and Bilbao and finished seventh in the Championship despite missing the last two events to accept a ride in the Champ Car World Series. The Australian open-wheel prodigy ran two Champ Car events for Team Australia in 2005 making his debut in Surfers Paradise, Australia, starting 11th and was running in the top-10 before being victimized in an accident. He finished 15th. In his second start, at Mexico City, Power qualified 13th, but then went on to earn his first Champ Car top-10 finish placing 10th. His 22 points in two starts placed him 22nd in the championship standings that year.

Moving to the Únited States in 2006, Power had a breakout year in his first full Champ Car season. Competing again for Team Australia he finished sixth in the championship standings with 213 points scoring nine top-10 finishes including three top-five showings and his first career podium (third – Mexico City). Power qualified in the top-10 in 12 of 14 races, twice in the first two rows including his first career pole, which he earned in front of his countrymen on the streets of Surfers Paradise. He also led the Series in laps (1191 out of 1251) and miles (2350.748 out of 2432.645) completed. For his efforts Power was named the Roshfrans Rookie of the Year and won the Bridgestone Passion for Excellence Award.

In just his second full Champ Car season, again with Team Australia, Power showed that he is a force to be reckoned with. He was in the hunt for the championship until the final two races of the 2007 season and eventually finished fourth with 262 points (highest finish by an Australian). Power recorded nine top-10 finishes including eight top-five showings with five podiums and the first two wins of his Champ Car career (first by an Australian). He qualified in top-10 in 13 of 14 races, 10 times in top-5 all 10 in first two rows with five poles and was second in laps led with 153.

Source - KV Racing Technology

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY PLACES BOTH CARS IN TOP-FIVE FOR FIRST TIME SINCE JOINING INDYCAR SERIES

POWER FINISHES FOÚRTH, SERVIA FIFTH AT HONDA INDY 200

Round #12 2008 IndyCar Series season – KV Racing Technical completed a remarkable turnaround by placing both cars in the top-five for the first time since joining IndyCar Series yesterday at the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

KVRT, which was 18th and 20th on the speed charts following the first day of practice on Friday, began the turning things around yesterday when they quailed eighth and 12th. The process was completed today when the team finished fourth and fifth earning their highest showing of the season in an IndyCar race and tying their second highest finish, all in one race. Only at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Grand, which was the Champ Car World Series final event, and did not include IndyCar Series teams, has KVRT had a better performance this season.

KV Racing Technology General Manger Mark Johnson, 'I am very proud that this team. We have made a lot of progress and to have a result like we did today…to be competitive with championship caliber teams like Penske and Ganassi, builds moral and give us a big boost as we work to improve our team.'

Power, KV Racing Technology #8 Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who made his first appearance on the challenging 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio permanent road course, was 18th on the speed charts after practice on Friday. He qualified 12th on Saturday, then during this morning's warm-up he was third on the practice report showing he could run up front. Following the morning warm-up two thunderstorms inundated the track forcing teams to start the race, despite sunny skies, on rain tires. On lap two, the KVRT Aussie Vineyards team implemented a prearranged strategy and pitted for dry tires. The plan worked to perfection when the majority of the field pitted two laps later for tires, and Power moved into third place. From then on, a solid race strategy, outstanding pit work and flawless driving enabled Power to not only challenge for a podium finish, but actually lead his first IndyCar race. Únfortunately, as the race played out slower cars and lapped traffic prevented him from building the gap he needed to make the strategy work and prevented him from finishing on the podium.

'I am really happy for the KVRT Aussie Vineyards team,' Power §äid. 'This was a track I had never been to and we started well behind the eight-ball. The team made the car better and better all weekend, made the right choice on tires early on in the race and had a good race strategy. We had the pace to ride at the front and we did. I am just really happy that we got good Championship points here and hopefully we can do that again next weekend in Edmonton.'

Servia, KV Racing Technology #5 Honda/Dallara/Firestone, who made his fifth start at Mid-Ohio, qualified eighth. He used a similar early tire strategy as his teammate, but waited two laps more before making the switch to dry tires. As a result he dropped behind the cars that pitted before him. From then on Servia drove a smart, patient race, passing slower cars, benefitting from the team's race strategy and getting solid pit work from his crew to battle his way into the top-five.

'I am just really happy for the KV Racing Technology team,' Servia §äid. 'You saw where we started and how we progressed through the weekend from 20th to eighth yesterday. We had a car that could win today. We could have chosen a crazy strategy and maybe been a hero, but having a car that could contend at the front was a smarter thing to do, was more logical, maybe more conservative, but definitely the right thing to do as we need those Championship points.'

The fourth place showing is the best Power, 27, has had so far during his inaugural IndyCar season (he won at the Champ Car event in Long Beach) and first top-five showing in an IndyCar race. He earned 32 points for his effort and jumped two places in standings to 11th with 245 points. Power is seven points out of 10th place, 51 out of fifth and second in the Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year race 31 points behind Hideki Mutoh. Power, in his fourth Ú.S. based open-wheel season, made his 42nd career start and 33rd on a road/street circuit yesterday. He has now finished in the top-10 in four of the 12 races this year and scored 22 of his 23 career top-10 finishes, all 13 of his top-five showings, all seven podium performances, all three of his career victories (Las Vegas and Toronto, 2007 and Long Beach, 2008) and all six of his career poles on road/street circuits. His only top-10 oval finish occurred this year at Iowa where he placed ninth.

Servia, 34, who is in his first IndyCar season, but is not considered a rookie, equaled his best showing of the season having finished fifth on at Richmond and Long Beach. He scored 30 points yesterday and moved up one place in the standings to 10th with 250 points. Servia is two points out of ninth place and 46 out of fifth. The native of Spain is the highest ranked of the drivers transitioning from Champ Car to the IndyCar Series this year. Servia, who earned his fifth top-10 finish and third top-five showing in 12 races this year, also had his best performance in five races at Mid-Ohio topping a ninth place finish in 2001. Servia, who is in his ninth season, made his 137th career and 102nd road/street course start today. He has earned 58 of his 75 career top-10 finishes, 27 of his 37 top-five showings and 13 of his 16 podiums on road or street circuits. Servia's only career victory came on the road course in Montreal, Canada, 2005, and his only pole on the streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia, 2005.



The Honda Indy 200 is the first of four out of the final seven points paying races remaining on the 2008 calendar that will be contested on road or street circuits. KVRT is looking at this portion of the season, with its emphasis on road/street races, as their best opportunity to earn a spot in the top-10 in the final standings. The team has shown that they can be competitive on the road/street circuits this year. In addition to yesterday's performance Servia finished seventh and Power eighth at St. Petersburg and while mechanical and electrical problems ended their races in Watkins Glen, both drivers were among the fastest. KVRT has also been extremely consistent on ovals this year. Servia has the best finish of any transition driver on a oval placing fifth at Richmond and the team has had the best finish of the transition teams at five (Servia: Homestead, Indy, Milwaukee, Richmond; Power: Iowa) of the eight oval events contested this year and the best or second best finish in all eight (Servia second best at Kansas; Power second best at Texas and Nashville).

Source - KV Racing Technology

KV RACING TECHNOLOGY FINISHES 11th AND 16th IN RAIN SHORTENED FIRESTONE INDY 200

Round #11 2008 IndyCar Series season - - KV Racing Technology drivers Will Power and Oriol Servia finished 11th and 16th respectively in last night's rain shortened Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Nashville, Tennessee.

Power, KV Racing Technology #8 Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone, making his first appearance on the 1.3 mile Nashville oval, started 14th and drove a cautious, patient race accomplishing his goal of finishing the contest with the car intact and scoring valuable championship points. Power made his 41st career start, but just ninth on an oval last night. He earned 19 points for his effort and is now 13th in the championship standings with 213 points. The 27-year-old Australian is nine points out of 10th place, 53 out of fifth and sits second in the 2008 Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year race 41 points behind Hideki Mutoh.

'This was a race where my main goal was to finish,' Power §äid. 'The Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia car felt reasonable. I was being cautious, but it was very tough because we were being lapped and then as a lapped car we were letting people go by. Because it's just one line, and we had to get out of the way, we ended up losing a lot of time and track position.'

Servia, KV Racing Technology #5 Honda/Dallara/Firestone, also making his Nashville debut, started 17th. The native of Spain, who turns 34 today, pitted during the first caution, on lap six, for extra fuel and as a result led the race when he stayed out longer than the rest of the field. Únfortunately, a wheel gun problem on his second pit stop negated the track position he gained by staying out longer. Later in the race the team gambled leaving Servia out during a caution in the hope that the anticipated rain would come sooner rather than later. But, it was not to be and Servia was forced to pit for fuel dropping him from 10th to 18th. Servia, who made his 136th career start and 35th on an oval, earned 14 points and is now 11th in the championship race with 220 points, just two points out of 10th and 46 out of fifth.

'It was not really a great finish for the #5 KV Racing Technology car,' Servia §äid. 'Placing 16th is not what we were hoping for, but we definitely wanted to bring the car home. We had a little misfortune with our first pit stop, a gun failure and lost any chance we had to do anything. I am looking forward to the next round of road courses where, hopefully, we will be up front again.'

Power, in his fourth Ú.S. open-wheel and first IndyCar season, started the year with just one oval race on his resume, an 11th place finish at Milwaukee in 2006. He has now finished five of the eight oval events this year earning an oval career high ninth at Iowa in the process. Last night's race was the second time Power has had the best finish of the drivers transitioning from Champ Car to the IndyCar Series on an oval (the ninth in Iowa was the first time, second best at Texas).

Servia, is in his ninth Ú.S. based open wheel and first IndyCar season, but is not considered a rookie because of his extensive oval experience. He is the highest ranked transition driver and trails only Ed Carpenter and Ryan Hunter-Reay among drivers not a member of one of the 'big three' teams (Ganassi, Penske, Andretti Green). Servia has also earned the highest finish of any transition driver on an oval, fifth at Richmond, and has had the best finish of the transition drivers on four of the eight ovals contested this year (second best at Kansas).

KVRT now has had the best finish of the transition teams transitioning at six of the eight oval events contested this year and the best or second best finish in all eight.

Source - KV Racing Technology