RAHAL MAKES HISTORY AT HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

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IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal has made history by winning on debut at a wet Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg today, becoming the youngest driver to win a major open-wheel race at the age of 19 years, 93 days old.

Rahal, the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time podium getter at Australia's Gold Coast Indy 300 (2nd in 1991 and 1995, 3rd in 1992) Bobby Rahal, becomes just the fourth driver in history to win in his first IndyCar Series start and the fourth rookie to win in their first IndyCar Series season.

The second round of the IndyCar Series started in wet conditions after rain soaked the street course minutes before the green flag dropped, with the scheduled 100-lap distance shortened to 83 laps.

Two-time defending race winner Helio Castroneves of Target Chip Ganassi Racing finished second and Andretti Green Racing's Tony Kanaan finished third. HVM Racing's E.J. Viso and Conquest Racing's Enrique Bernoldi, both rookies, rounded out the top-five.

The race was the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing driver's first in the IndyCar Series, after withdrawing from last weekend's season-opening race due to damage sustained during a track test session. Starting in ninth, Rahal overcame a lap 37 setback, when he made contact with Australian Will Power, to win the first temporary street course race of the season.

Toowoomba-born driver Power also recovered from that contact as well as a costly pit stop strategy to take his first top 10 IndyCar finish by placing eighth after starting from second on the grid and spending much of the first half of the race dicing with the front runners.

Brisbane-born Kiwi Scott Dixon was unable to repeat his round one winning success, instead succumbing to left rear suspension problems on lap 75 of the 83 lap hit-out, to be classified 22nd in the final standings, while Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe led 11 laps in the #6 Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone before a crash on the 57th lap saw the Sydney-born racer left at 23rd in the final results.

The 2008 IndyCar Series season continues with the Indy Japan 300 on April 19 at Twin Ring Motegi for the ‏continuing' IndyCar teams, while the transitioning drivers will say a final farewell to the Champ Car World Series and their 2007 Champ Car DPO1 chassis with the Grand Prix of Long Beach in California on the same weekend, with that event counting for IndyCar Series championship points.

The 2008 schedule will take the teams and drivers to short ovals, superspeedways, and road and street courses including the Gold Coast Indy 300 which is regarded as a ‏crown jewel' in international motorsport.

The future of the Gold Coast Indy 300 was recently secured for at least another six years with a deal being reached with the new-look IndyCar Series and V8 Supercars Australia.

Now regarded as one of the world's iconic motorsport events, the Gold Coast Indy 300 will now continue until and including 2013 with major plans already underway for a massive 20th anniversary celebration in 2010.

With 96 hours of non-stop excitement over October 23-26 as the Gold Coast comes alive to the sound of the IndyCars burning up the track and Australia's own V8 Supercars scorching around one of the most famous beach-side cities in the world, the event is the hottest ticket in town.

Tickets are now on sale for the Gold Coast Indy 300 with ticket options to suit everyone's needs. Four day Grandstand passes are available for those who prefer to watch the racing from the comfort of their own reserved seat or for those who prefer to wander around and soak up the atmosphere then a four day, weekend or single day General Admission pass might be more their style. For more information on ticket options go to indy.com.au. For information on Corporate Hospitality packages please call our Sales Team on (07) 5588 6800.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY…
Graham Rahal - #06 Hole in the Wall Camps Honda/Dallara/Firestone
‘It was tough,’ Rahal said.

‘After getting hit by Will (Power) in the rain and everything, it was going to be a tough start. It doesn't get any sweeter than this; to expect a win in our first race.

‘We had the pace and we pulled away from them, so it wasn't like we lucked into it. This is just awesome.’

On whether or not the transitioning drivers thought they could wind up winning on the back of the Champ Car World Series road/street course experience:

‘Absolutely. I mean, I didn't know who it was going to be. I actually did think that one of us would win. We're getting back to the old us and them, right?’ said Rahal.

‘But I think you look at the line-up coming from Champ Car, the transitioning teams, and you've got drivers that are just they're so like Will Power has got to be one of the fastest drivers out there. I mean, the guy is insane on a single lap. I think you saw that in qualifying.

‘I knew that there was going to be a way that we could all do well here, and I expect the same when we go to mid Ohio and Watkins Glen and especially when we get to Edmonton and places that we're more familiar with.

’I think for everybody that was transitioning, this gives them a lot of hope, because we know that we can be competitive here, and I think that's the biggest thing.’

Bobby Rahal ˜ father of Graham Rahal, Motor Racing Legend and Team Owner of Rahal Letterman Racing
‘Do you think he'll ever listen to any advice from me again?’ said Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time podium getter at Australia's Gold Coast Indy 300.

‘He really thinks he knows everything now. Slowly he will take advice from me.

‘He drove a phenomenal race and the crew did a great job. The engineer gave him a great car. He was fast at the end. That's the best conditions, a lot of people banging each other, and he kept it together.’

Will Power - #8 Aussie Vineyards ˜ Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone
‘It was a pretty wild race obviously because of the weather,’ said Power.

‘To come back and finish eighth was very good considering where we were at one point.

‘I am very happy for the whole KV Racing Technology team and the Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia crew.

‘At least we bought the car back in one piece for the second race in a row.’

Ryan Briscoe - #6 Team Penske Racing Honda/Dallara/Firestone
‘We had made all the right calls on tires and pitting, but unfortunately I cost us a chance at a win,’ Briscoe said.

‘I was trying to set up the No. 24 car, but I clipped the inside wall, which took us out of the race.

It's a frustrating start to the season because we've had great cars with a chance to contend for the win in both races.’

Scott Dixon - #9 Target Chip Ganassi Honda/Dallara/Firestone
‘It was fun overall. I think everyone was having fun out there,’ said Dixon.

‘I can tell you it was tough figuring out who was on what strategy out there though.

‘With the start in the wet and everything, there was a lot of jumbling around and different strategies playing out. In the end, the left rear suspension gave way and we had to come to pit lane. That was it.’

RESULTS: IndyCar Series Round Two - Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Results for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg IndyCar Series event at the 1.8-mile Streets of St. Petersburg, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (9) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
2. (4) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
3. (1) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
4. (15) Ernesto Viso, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
5. (18) Enrique Bernoldi, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
6. (14) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
7. (7) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
8. (2) Will Power, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
9. (3) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
10. (19) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
11. (24) A.J. Foyt IV, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
12. (8) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
13. (11) Darren Manning, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
14. (20) Jay Howard, Dallara-Honda, 82, Running
15. (16) Buddy Rice, Dallara-Honda, 82, Running
16. (22) Mario Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 82, Running
17. (6) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 81, Running
18. (21) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Honda, 80, Contact
19. (17) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 75, Contact
20. (10) Franck Perera, Dallara-Honda, 75, Contact
21. (23) Townsend Bell, Dallara-Honda, 75, Contact
22. (13) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 74, Mechanical
23. (5) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 56, Contact
24. (25) Bruno Junqueira, Dallara-Honda, 44, Mechanical
25. (12) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 41, Mechanical
26. (26) Marty Roth, Dallara-Honda, 0, Did not start

RACE STATISTICS
Winner's average speed: 74.251 mph
Time of race: 2:00:43.5562
Margin of victory: 3.5192 seconds
Cautions: 6 caution flags for 29 laps
Lead changes: 7 among 8 drivers
Lap leaders: Kanaan 1-15; Wilson 16-33; Briscoe 34-44; Bernoldi 45-47; Viso 48-59; Meira 60; Hunter-Reay 61-64; Rahal 65-83.

HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG POST-RACE NOTES
- Graham Rahal wins his first IndyCar Series start. He joins Buzz Calkins (Walt Disney World, 1996), Juan Montoya (Indianapolis, 2000) and Scott Dixon (Homestead-Miami, 2003) as drivers to win in their first IndyCar Series start.
- Rahal is the youngest driver to win a major open-wheel event at age 19 years, 93 days. Marco Andretti was the previous youngest winner at 19 years, 167 days when he won at Infineon in 2006.
- Rahal is the 12th IndyCar Series driver to win in his first season.
- Helio Castroneves finished in the top two for the third consecutive season at St. Petersburg. He won the previous two races.
- Tony Kanaan finished third for the third consecutive year at St. Petersburg. He has not finished lower than third in any of the four races at the track.
- Hideki Mutoh finished a career-best sixth. His previous best was eighth at Chicagoland last season.

2008 INDYCAR SERIES POINTS STANDINGS ˜ POST ROUND TWO
1. Helio Castroneves ˜ 72 points
2. Scott Dixon ˜ 62
3. Tony Kanaan ˜ 59
4. Graham Rahal ˜ 53
5. Marco Andretti ˜ 53
6. Dan Wheldon ˜ 53
7. Danica Patrick ˜ 48
8. Ernesto Viso ˜ 45
9. Oriel Servia ˜ 44
10. Enrique Bernoldi ˜ 42
16. Will Power ˜ 34
23. Ryan Briscoe ˜ 24

2008 BOMBARDIER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS - POST ROUND TWO
1. #06 Graham Rahal - 50 points
2. #33 Ernesto Viso - 45
3. #36 Enrique Bernoldi - 42
4. #27 Hideki Mutoh - 40
5. #02 Justin Wilson - 37
6. #8 Will Power - 34
7. #34 Franck Perera - 28
8. #24 Jay Howard - 28
9. #19 Mario Moraes - 28


For further information please call:
Amanda Cobb - BAM Media: +61 421 378 789
Media Manager - Gold Coast Indy 300
Brett Murray - BAM Media: +1 704 315 0080
Communications Manager - Gold Coast Indy 300

About the Gold Coast Indy 300

The annual Gold Coast Indy 300 is a partnership between the Queensland Government and IMG. The Gold Coast Indy 300 will be held from October 23 to 26 in 2008.

IMG is the world's premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. IMG is a diversified global business with two major business segments: IMG Sports & Entertainment, and IMG Media. IMG employs over 2,300 people in 30 countries. Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.

IMG Sports & Entertainment includes: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, European football, rugby, cricket, motorsports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports. In addition, IMG Academies are the world's largest and most advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport training and educational facility, delivering world-class sports training experiences to over 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult and professional athletes each year.

IMG Media, which includes our content production subsidiaries TWI, Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) and Tiger Aspect Productions (TAP), is recognized as a global leader in the delivery of traditional and new media content and services, with Internet, broadband and mobile expertise, transforming how audiences access and interact with content.

IMG Media produces and distributes over 10,000 hours of sports, documentary, drama, comedy, entertainment, popular factual and children's content annually, over multiple platforms across 200 countries, including award-winning television and radio programming. It also represents the broadcast rights to many of the world's premier sporting events and has the world's biggest sports archive with more than 200,000 hours of footage.