Takuma Sato To Unveil Special Indy 500 Helmet At Media Day At 3 P.m.

The new and the old will be celebrated Thursday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In a special commemorative presentation at 4 p.m., two Lotus cars will circle the famed 2.5-mile oval to celebrate the return of one of racing's greatest marques. KV Racing Technology driver Takuma Sato will drive the No. 5 Lotus – KVRT Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry alongside the Lotus 38 driven to seventh place by Bobby Johns in the 1965 Indianapolis 500. KVRT co-team owner Jimmy Vasser will pilot the famed Lotus in the two-car, two-lap demonstration lap.

This year's Indy 500 marks the return of Lotus to Indianapolis for the first time since 1969 when Art Pollard qualified 12th. Mario Andretti crashed his Lotus car in practice that year and won the race in a year-old Hawk.

Following the two-lap demonstration, the No. 5 Lotus will be wheeled to the Pagoda Pavilion for a special photo with Jim Clark's rookie car, 1963 Lotus that placed second to Parnelli Jones. Sato's rookie car and Clark's rookie car will make for a great photo opportunity.

At 3 p.m. during the drivers' media availability at the Brickyard Pavilion, Sato will unveil a special edition helmet he will wear during this year's Indy 500. The helmet features the beautiful Lotus logo and photos of the No. 5 2010 Lotus and the No.82 1965 Jim Clark Indy-winning Lotus. The helmet will be auctioned off for charity.

For more information, please contact Tom Blattler at 317-525-5692.

WHAT: Lotus Commemorative Laps and Photos

WHO: Takuma Sato driving the No. 5 Lotus-KVRT IndyCar;

Jimmy Vasser driving the No. 38 Lotus driven by Bobby Johns

WHEN:Thursday, May 27, 2010

WHERE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and Pagoda Pavilion