Kv Racing Technology Seeks Strong Showing At St. Petersburg

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 24, 2010 – KV Racing Technology will be seeking a strong showing this weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 26-28, on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.

KVRT is coming off a disappointing, but hard fought, season opener in Saõ Paulo, Brazil where E. J. Viso, #8 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, finished 12th while teammates Takuma Sato, #5 Lotus – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, and Mario Moraes, #32 KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, were victims of separate opening lap incidents and placed 22nd and 24th respectively.

Viso will be making his 34th career IndyCar start, 15th on a road/street circuit, third at St. Petersburg and second with KVRT this weekend. In 2008, competing in just his second IndyCar race, the determined Venezuelan, who celebrated his 25th birthday on March 19th, earned a career high fourth place finish at St. Petersburg, leading his first IndyCar laps in the process.

"It's always exciting going back to St. Petersburg," Viso said. "I had my career best finish there two years ago when it was just my second time in an IndyCar and first on a road/street course. Last year I was running in third until I had mechanical failure, so I am excited to go back. I think we have a good chance this weekend and I look forward to getting back out on track."

Sato, who made his IndyCar and KVRT debut in Saõ Paulo, is a veteran of seven Formula 1 seasons. The 33-year-old from Japan has been the fastest of the KVRT drivers heading into St. Petersburg. He was sixth on the combined speed charts at the pre-season test at Barber Motorsports Park and qualified a team-high 10th in Brazil,

"This will be my first time racing in Florida and although I have never seen the St Petersburg track, it looks like it has always been an exciting race over there in the past," Taku said. "I was reasonably happy to qualify in top 10 at my first race in Brazil two weeks ago and with my knowledge and confidence in the car and team growing all the time, am aiming to improve on that result"

Moraes will be making his 34th career IndyCar start, 14th on a road/street circuit, third at St. Petersburg and 18th with KVRT. The 21-year-old Brazilian, the youngest full-time driver in the series, has a best showing of 16th at St. Petersburg in 2008, but last year, after qualifying 20th he was positioned for a top-10 finish based on solid driving, a tactically sound race strategy and outstanding pit work, when he was hit from behind damaging his car and ending his day.

"I am looking forward to getting back in the car and racing at St. Petersburg," Moraes said. "The race in Brazil obviously didn't go the way I want, but I am looking for a better result this weekend."

KVRT will be contesting its third race on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn St. Petersburg temporary street circuit. In two previous events, three starts, they have a best qualifying position of second by Will Power in 2008 and a best finish of seventh by Oriol Servia also in 2008 (Power eighth).

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST.