From: Michael Powell 
 
INDY RACING LEAGUE NOTEBOOK # March 26, 2004
 
Today#s IRL headlines
 
Meira Lands Third Seat With Team Rahal 
 
Codemasters brings Wheel-to-Wheel Excitement Online
 
Meira Lands Third Seat With Team Rahal: Team Rahal named Vitor Meira as the
driver of its No. 17 Team Rahal Panoz G Force for the Indy Japan 300 on April
17 at Twin Ring Motegi
 
Meira, who turns 27 on March 27, will join drivers Buddy Rice and Roger
Yasukawa in the first three-car entry for Team Rahal in the IRL IndyCar#
Series.         
 
#I#m very excited to drive for Team Rahal,# said Meira, who#ll make his first
start at the 1.5-mile oval north of Tokyo next month. #This team has been one
of the best in open-wheel racing for many years, and I#m looking forward to
working with the organization. Driving with Honda power is a big plus for me,
too. I#m eager to get to Motegi.#
 
Meira, a Brasilia, Brazil native, started 14 races for Team Menard in the IRL
IndyCar Series# in 2002 and 2003. He won the pole position at Texas Motor
Speedway in September of 2002 and finished a career-best third in that event.
 
#We are pleased to bring Vitor into our Team Rahal driver lineup,# said Bobby
Rahal, Team Rahal co-owner with partner Dave Letterman.  #Vitor is a talented
young driver who was impressive in his performances previously in the IndyCar
Series.  I believe he will work well with Buddy and Roger at Motegi as we look
to collect our first victory in the league.#
 
Team Rahal will announce plans for the Indy 500 and other upcoming IRL events
in the future. 
 
***
 
Codemasters brings Wheel-to-Wheel Excitement online: XBOX and Sony Playstation
2 owners will have the chance to race against their favorite IndyCar Series
drivers this summer when IndyCar Series 2005 is released.
 
The game, published by Codemasters, is officially licensed by the Indy Racing
League# and is loaded with new features, including head-to-head online play,
improved graphics and more.
 
#Now racing fans everywhere can compete online against their friends and real
drivers from their own living rooms,# said Steven Lux, senior vice president of
U.S. marketing for Codemasters. #Imagine meeting up online with Dan Wheldon or
Sam Hornish Jr. and racing against them at the Indianapolis 500#. We#ve made
that all possible in IndyCar Series 2005.#
 
The game features the full IndyCar Series season including the Indianapolis
500, allowing drivers to compete from Pole Day to Bump Day to race day as one
of the 33 drivers in #The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.# Racing action is
realistic, accessible and authentic down to the very last detail, including
TV-style presentation with race introductions by ABC Sports broadcasters. 
 
Other game features include:
 
#       Head-to-head online play with up to 12 players simultaneously.
 
#       15 IndyCar Series tracks, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway#,
Texas
Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Pikes Peak International Raceway and Twin
Ring Motegi Speedway in Japan.
 
#       All-new steering wheel support for third-party peripherals with
in-game
calibration.
 
#       Realistically functioning rear-view mirrors.
 
#       Official drivers, tracks, rules and sponsors of the IndyCar Series.
 
#       Ability to re-create a full season competing as a favorite driver,
including
Sam Hornish Jr., Gil de Ferran, Al Unser Jr., Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves
and Sarah Fisher.
 
#       Up to 33 cars on the track simultaneously.
 
#       Updated Master Class training mode narrated by Bombardier Rookie of
the Year
Dan Wheldon.
 
The game will again feature an advanced and updated genetic #AI# system that
renders each race as a unique experience. The #AI# drivers actually race and
make dynamic strategic decisions, defend their position, draft to pass other
drivers and even make mistakes.
 
***
 
The 2004 IRL IndyCar Series season continues with the Indy Japan 300 at 11:30
p.m. (EDT) on April 17 at Twin Ring Motegi. The race will be broadcast live on
ESPN2 and the IMS Radio Network. The Menards Infiniti Pro Series Freedom 100
will take place May 22 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be
broadcast live by ESPN2.
 
___ Internet Rex 2.29
 


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