Newman/Haas Racing
Honda Indy Toronto
QUALIFYING NOTES/QUOTES – Saturday, July 17, 2010

QUICK TRIM DRIVER RAHAL TO START 14TH IN THE HONDA INDY TORONTO; FORMULA DREAM/PANASONIC DRIVER MUTOH TO START 22ND

POLE: Justin Wilson 1:00.2710 / 104.827 mph (Round 3)
14th: Graham Rahal 1:01.7024 / 102.395 mph (7th fast in Round 1, Group 2; top 6 advance)
22nd: Hideki Mutoh 1:02.1453 / 101.665 mph (11th fast in Round 1, Group 2)

Graham Rahal, No. 02 Quick Trim Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “We don’t have enough to put the car up front in qualifying. We can’t maximize new tires. We put them on and didn’t go quicker. It’s frustrating. We’ll see how the car is in race trim in the morning warmup. We’re dancing around a bigger issue and I’m not sure what it is. I can’t push the car any harder and go quicker and, unfortunately in race trim, that’s a very important thing. We will keep working hard to figure it out.”

FAST FACTS: Will be his FOURTH race here. Started from pole in the 2006 Atlantic race but was hit by Raphael Matos on the first lap. Repaired the damaged suspension and returned to the track a few laps down, set the fastest race lap but later retired in 15th place. Started 15th in the 2007 Champ Car race as a rookie for NHR but an evasive move to avoid a pile up on Lap 1 led to him hitting the wall and a subsequent stop for a new front wing. Had to pit again for another front wing later in the race after running as high as second. Retired in 11th place after he made contact for the third time due to a broken steering rack. Last year, he started third but was hit by second place starter Will Power, who squeezed him to the wall on the opening lap before T1. A forced stop to replace his front wing dropped him to the back but he charged through the field into seventh place. He held his position behind Patrick but flat-spotted his tires which led to losing three positions before his next stop. He tried to pass the lapped car of Ed Carpenter on the inside on a right-handed turn but the contact ended his race in 20th place after 57/85 laps…Is making his SIXTH start of the season here in Round 10.

Hideki Mutoh, No. 06 Formula Dream/Panasonic Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “We are struggling with the car under braking. It is very easy to upset the car on the bumps. We flat-spotted a tire early in the qualifying session so that didn’t help me at all. Graham and I both are missing something and we need to find out what it is. The race car is always different so it will be better but today it wasn’t good for qualifying. Since we are starting in the back we can gamble on the strategy and move to the front if it works out for us.”

FAST FACTS: Will be his second IICS event here. He drove to an 11th place finish after qualifying 22nd with AGR in 2009…His highest IZOD IndyCar Series start on a road/street course is FIFTH at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma in 2009 and best series road/street course finish is FIFTH at Mid-Ohio and Infineon…His highest overall series start is THIRD at Nashville Speedway (oval) and best overall series finish is SECOND (Iowa 2008).

NEWMAN/HAAS RACING’S 23 PREVIOUS TORONTO EVENTS: NHR has won SEVEN races at this track (Bourdais 2004; da Matta 2002; Michael Andretti 2000, 1995, 1992, 1991, 1989) and FIVE poles (Bourdais 2004, 2005, 2007; da Matta 2002; Mi. Andretti 1991). They have earned a total of 16 podium finishes (2nd – Servia 2005, Mi. Andretti 1998, Ma. Andretti 1991, Mi. Andretti 1990; 3rd – Bourdais 2006, Junqueira 2003, Fittipaldi 2002 & 1999, Ma. Andretti 1986).

Tune In… The race will be broadcast live on ABC Sunday, July 18th from at 12:30 p.m. EDT. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com. As always, fans can follow the action from every on-track session via the official website of the IZOD IndyCar Series, www.indycar.com.