Yasukawa to start 16th in Kentucky as team sets its sights on Pay Day

Roger Yasukawa has qualified the #55 Panasonic ARTA
Dallara/Honda/Firestone in 16th position for Sunday's Belterra Casino
300 -- only four-tenths of a second off of the pole winning time -- after
a day of focusing on race setup. The Super Aguri Fernandez Racing team
has set its sights on race day, with valuable points on the table in
tomorrow's 200-lap/300-mile run. Yasukawa, who currently leads the
Bombardier Rookie of the Year standings and is 40 points shy of the top
10 rankings, will be looking to move up the championship charts tomorrow.

Round 12 of IRL IndyCar Series competition will be broadcast live on ABC
beginning at 2:00 pm ET.


Roger Yasukawa, Driver - #55 Panasonic ARTA Dallara/Honda/Firestone:

"Obviously it was a little bit of a disappointing day with how we placed
on the time charts. We wanted to be up front but we concentrated on race
setup today and we should have a better day tomorrow. I am confident with
the car for the race and I don't think we have much to lose by starting
16th. We'll just keep looking forward and do our best in the race."

FAST FACTS:  

Will be making his 12th IRL IndyCar Series start-- currently
leads the Bombardier Rookie of the Year standings by 28 points-- sits
12th in the championship with 189 points-- best IRL career start was
ninth at Gateway International Raceway-- best IRL finish to date was
seventh in Kansas City-- twenty-five years old from Los Angeles-- began
his career at the age of 12 in karts, competing in both the U.S. and
Italy before moving up the racing ladder through Formula Vauxhall Junior
and Formula Palmer Audi in England, and Formula Dodge competition in the
United States-- entered the Barber Dodge Pro Series at the age of 21,
earning Co-Rookie of the Year honors-- competed in the Atlantic series
last year, claiming a win at Milwaukee and two additional podium finishes
in a partial season of competition-- resides in West Hollywood,
California.

Tom Anderson, Managing Director:

"Today was similar to what happened in Kansas City and a very similar
type of race track. [Yasukawa started 14th in Kansas City and went on to
score his best IRL IndyCar series finish of seventh.] We didn't qualify
very well that day, and John [Dick, race engineer] and Roger were
confident about the race. I am a little bit disappointed about our
qualifying today, but I am going with them. They had a good, competitive
car on race day in Kansas City and I expect the same for tomorrow's
race. We are never happy to qualify 16th, but the important thing is to
gain the points tomorrow."

-safr-


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