Will Power and his Aussie Vineyards - Team Australia crew are ready for their first Indianapolis 500 despite only getting two laps of practice on Miller Lite Carb Day due to rain at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana today.

Power barely got up to speed in the #8 Aussie Vineyards - Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone before rain fell in Speedway, Indiana, bringing out the yellow caution flags and cutting the hour-long Carb Day session, the final track time before Sunday’s 92nd Indianapolis 500, after just 12 minutes.

Despite the shortened day Power, who hails from Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia, is confident that he is ready for his Indy 500 debut, starting from 23rd position for the race known as ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’.

POWER THROWS OPENING PITCH AT DETROIT TIGERS GAME

Aussie Vineyards - Team Australia driver Will Power had the honour of throwing the first pitch at the Detroit Tigers baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday night.

As part of the IndyCar Series Media Tour, which saw drivers conducting promotional activities in New York, Detroit and Indianapolis, Power took the honour seriously, admitting to practicing his pitching behind the Team Australia garage against a wall at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It was a little bit high, but I got it there,” said Power of his opening pitch.

“I used to watch cricket back in Australia and baseball is a little like cricket to Australia.”

The event was a promotion for the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, which will host a round of the 2008 IndyCar Series on August 29-31 on the 2.1-mile Belle Isle street circuit.

Power, who took a dominant victory in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach earlier this year, will be one of the favourites for the event, the 27-year-old quickly earning a reputation as one of the finest street circuit drivers in the IndyCar Series.

“The circuit looks really technical and really nice," said Power, who will make his first start at Detroit.

“I think I'll be looking forward to this track more than any other circuit other than Surfer's Paradise this year. It just looks like a good street circuit where you have to drive really well to get a quick lap. As soon as I saw it, I had a smile on my face.”

RESULTS: Miller Lite Carb Day
1. #10 Dan Wheldon 223.934mph (single lap average speed)
2. #9 Scott Dixon 223.028
3. #4 Vitor Meira 222.326
4. #11 Tony Kanaan 222.130
5. #24 John Andretti 221.699
6. #3 Helio Castroneves 221.546
7. #7 Danica Patrick 221.330
8. #15 Buddy Rice 221.207
9. #26 Marco Andretti 220.163
10. #22 Davey Hamilton 220.166
29. #8 Will Power 87.126

RESULTS: Starting Order – 2008 Indianapolis 500
1. #9 Scott Dixon 226.366mph (four-lap average speed)
2. #10 Dan Wheldon 226.110 w
3. #6 Ryan Briscoe 226.080
4. #3 Helio Castroneves 225.733 w
5. #7 Danica Patrick 225.197
6. #11 Tony Kanaan 224.794
7. #26 Marco Andretti 224.417
8. #4T Vitor Meira 224.346
9. #27 Hideki Mutoh 223.887 r
10. #20 Ed Carpenter 223.835
11. #12 Tomas Scheckter 223.496
12. #99 Townsend Bell 222.539
13. #06 Graham Rahal 222.531 r
14. #14 Darren Manning 222.430
15. #18 Bruno Junqueira 222.330
16. #02 Justin Wilson 222.267 r
17. #15 Buddy Rice 222.101 w
18. #22 Davey Hamilton 222.017
19. #16 Alex Lloyd 221.788 r
20. #17T Ryan Hunter-Reay 221.579 r
21. #24 John Andretti 221.550
22. #67 Sarah Fisher 221.246
23. #8 Will Power 221.136 r
24. #41 Jeff Simmons 221.103 r
25. #5 Oriol Servia 220.767 r
26. #33 EJ Viso 220.356 r
27. #23 Milka Duno 220.305
28. #19 Mario Moraes 219.716 r
29. #36 Enrique Bernoldi 219.422 r
30. #34 Jaime Camara 219.345 r
31. #2 AJ Foyt IV 219.184
32. #91 Buddy Lazier 219.015 w
33. #25 Marty Roth 218.965
r = 2008 Indy 500 rookie driver
w = former Indy 500 winner

2008 IndyCar Series Points Standings - After Race 4
1. #3 Helio Castroneves 144
2. #9 Scott Dixon 138
3. #10 Dan Wheldon 135
4. #11 Tony Kanaan 129
5. #7 Danica Patrick 110
6. #8 Will Power 97
7. #26 Marco Andretti 95
8. #5 Oriol Servia 93
9. #20 Ed Carpenter 90
10. #06 Graham Rahal 88

2008 Bombardier Rookie of the Year Standings - After Race 4
1. #8 Will Power 97
2. #06 Graham Rahal 88
3. #27 Hideki Mutoh 87
4. #36 Enrique Bernoldi 84
5. #33 EJ Viso 83
6. #02 Justin Wilson 71
7. #24 Jay Howard 62
8. #34 Franck Perera 56
9. #19 Mario Moraes 53
10. #96 Mario Dominguez 35

92nd INDIANAPOLIS 500 ‘Month of May’ SCHEDULE
All Times US Eastern
92nd Indianapolis 500
Sunday 25 May 2008
1:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
All Times are US Eastern
Festival Parade & Pre-Race Programming:
Saturday 24 May 2008
5:00pm – 7:00pm (ESPN2)

92nd Indianapolis 500
Sunday 25 May 2008
ABC
12:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV REPLAY
Saturday 14 June 2008
ESPN2
7:00pm US Eastern

AUSTRALIAN TV SCHEDULE
Monday 26 May 2008
ESPN
2:50am AEST

AUSTRALIAN TV REPLAY
Monday 26 May 2008
ESPN
7:30pm AEST

ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
92nd Indianapolis 500
Venue: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Type: 2.5 mile oval – 9 degree banking
Distance: 200 laps – 500 miles/804.67km

INDYCAR SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Race Winner: Dario Franchitti
Defending Polesitter: Helio Castroneves
Will Power: Indianapolis Motor Speedway debut

VIDEO NEWS FEED INFORMATION

IndyCar Series Video News Feeds From
92nd Indianapolis 500

The IndyCar Series will provide four Video News Feeds this weekend, featuring material from the 92nd Running of the Indianapolis 500.

Saturday May 24
The Video News feed will contain b-roll and sound from the Public Driver’s Meeting as well as sound from numerous drivers previewing the Indianapolis 500.

Time: 8:00pm - 8:15pm US Eastern (10:00am - 10:30am Aust. EST on Sunday)
Coordinates: AMC 16 K22 (Note: AMC 16 was formerly AMC 2)
Downlink Frequency: 12140 MHz Horizontal
Position: 85 Degrees West
Audio: 6.2/6.8
Uplink phone: (404) 638-2000

Sunday, May 25 (Celebrity Feed)
The Video News Feed will contain b-roll and sound from celebrities attending the Indianapolis 500.

Time: 4:00-4:30pm US Eastern (6:00am - 6:30am Aust. EST on Monday)
Coordinates: AMC 16 K23 (Note: AMC 16 was formerly AMC 2)
Downlink Frequency: 12160 MHz Vertical
Position: 85 Degrees West
Audio: 6.2/6.8
Uplink phone: (404) 638-2000

Sunday, May 25 (Race highlights)
The Video News Feed will contain b-roll and sound from the 92nd Running of the Indianapolis 500.

Time: 8:00 - 8:30pm US Eastern (10:00am - 10:30am Aust. EST on Monday)
Coordinates: AMC 16 K23 (Note: AMC 16 was formerly AMC 2)
Downlink Frequency: 12160 MHz Vertical
Position: 85 Degrees West
Audio: 6.2/6.8
Uplink phone: (404) 638-2000

**NB: Footage is also available for download from an FTP server. Please reply to this email for login details.