The Toyota Indy 400 at the California Speedway could decide the 2004 IRL IndyCar Series Championship if Tony Kanaan can continue his remarkable finishing streak although for the other drivers, all attention is on what should be yet another nail biting drafting encounter.
SAM HORNISH JR. (No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara-Toyota):
"California Speedway is special to me because I am the only Indy Racing League (IndyCar Series) driver to have won there. I'm looking forward to next weekend's race and going for a 'three-peat.' Toyota has been working really hard, and hopefully, we can run up front and get Marlboro Team Penske back to victory circle. The race is all about making the right move at the right time, getting through the first 380 miles and then fighting it out over the last 10 laps."
TONY KANAAN (No. 11 Andretti-Green Racing Team 7-Eleven Dallara-Honda):
"California Speedway is the first oval I ever raced at; it's fast, wide and is where I won my first major championship, so I have good memories about Fontana and I want to win there really bad. Championship-wise, I want to keep my string of top-five finishes alive and make it 15 straight. I know that if I can get another top-five finish then I'll clinch the championship. But I'd like to win the race."
DARREN MANNING (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G Force-Toyota):
"We've had a nice little break heading to Fontana, and I feel rested and ready for the final stretch of the season. It's been up and down all year, but I've had some really good runs in the No.10 Toyota-Panoz G Force. I have gotten caught up in some bad luck near the end of races a lot it seems. I'm looking forward to Fontana because I think we can do well. The key is going to be to stay with the lead pack. Toyota has been working very hard at getting us a bit more, and we expect that to pay dividends in the last two races."
KOSUKE MATSUURA (No. 55 Super Aguri Fernandez Racing Panasonic/ARTA Panoz G Force-Honda):
"Obviously, I am disappointed that we have had problems in the last two races and have not been able to finish. Hopefully, that kind of luck is behind us now. There have been many times this year when we had a chance for a good finish and it didn't happen, but I think we showed our potential. I am very confident for this weekend. We had a very good car in Michigan, the last big oval race, and I am working for a top-three finish this weekend. My focus is on good results in these last two races."
VITOR MEIRA (No. 17 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Centrix Panoz G
Force-Honda):
"I like the California Speedway a lot. It is fast, and it is different than Michigan or some of the banked tracks. It isn't as banked as Michigan, and the surface is a little rougher, so the cars tend to slide around more, and you won't see the bunched-up packs like that Chicagoland or Texas or even Michigan. Drafting is still important there because you are going so fast. I think our Centrix car will be very good at California.
“We have had some really tough luck in some of the Superspeedway tracks. We were in position to race for the win at Chicagoland, and we got a puncture in the right rear. I feel good about coming to California. I think we'll be in contention to win. I'd really like to win this one for our sponsor, Centrix, since we have been close a few times this year."
BUDDY RICE (No. 15 Rahal Letterman Racing Pioneer/Argent Mortgage Panoz G Force-Honda):
"It's funny about California Speedway. I have run a lot of laps around that place, but actually, this will be my first IRL race at the track. I did my first IRL test at Fontana, and I have run many test laps there. A lot of people think that California Speedway is like Michigan. Yes, it is a 2-mile oval, but there are many different aspects to California. The banking isn't as high as MIS, so you can't run three- and four-wide like at MIS.
“The wind makes a difference at California as the cars move around, and the wind also brings some sand or dust on the racing surface, so the cars seem to slide around much more than at MIS.
