Taku Excited About Reuniting Lotus With Long Beach

Long-time Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach enthusiasts will get a glimpse of the past this weekend when the KV Racing Technology team hits the famed streets of the seaside city with its Lotus-liveried IndyCar.

The squad brings some history of Long Beach as Formula One veteran and IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Takuma Sato drives the #5 Dallara-Honda in the 36th edition of the 'Long Beach Street Party', as Lotus has a rich history on the famed circuit.

Despite Sato's green-and-yellow livery not appearing in Long Beach, the British marque was victorious there with IndyCar legend Mario Andretti in 1977, a year before the American drove the #5 John Player-backed Lotus to the F1 world championship with six race wins, although he only managed second in Long Beach during his 1978 title run.

Although he comes to the Beach for the first time, Sato - a podium finisher in the 2004 US Grand Prix - has shown blistering speed with his new mount, including qualifying for the Firestone Fast Six last weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. A mechanical problem halted the Japanese driver's charge in a spirited on-track battle with Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan at the Alabama road course, but he heads for California in good spirits.

"Long Beach is such a historical place for motor racing that, even though I've never been there, I know the race is always an exciting one with a great atmosphere," he noted, "I am getting a more comfortable feeling every time I jump in the car, and I am getting used to the whole environment, so I am pleased about this coming back to back race weekend - especially after Barber where I collected many positives."