26 March 2010

KV Racing Technology places two cars in top-seven after first day of practice for Honda Grand Prix of Sr. Petersburg

KV Racing Technology placed two cars in the top-seven following the first day of practice for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida.

E. J. Viso, #8 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, was sixth on the combined practice report recording the team’s fastest lap with a time of 63.0890 seconds (102.712 mph), on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn St. Petersburg temporary street circuit. Takuma Sato, who made his debut in the green and yellow #5 Lotus – KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone car, was just a tick slower with a lap of 63.0930 (102.706 mph) putting him seventh on the speed charts. Mario Moraes, #32 KV Racing Technology Honda/Dallara/Firestone, sat out the second practice following an opening lap incident and wound up 23rd based on his time from the morning session.

Viso is competing in his 34th career IndyCar event, 15th on a road/street circuit, third at St. Petersburg and second with KVRT. In 2008, driving in just his second IndyCar race, the 25-year-old Venezuelan earned a career high fourth place finish here in St. Petersburg, leading his first IndyCar laps in the process.

“The PDVSA – KV Racing Technology had a good recovery after this morning’s practice session,” Viso said. “The team did a great job and if it wasn’t for getting caught up in traffic on my last lap I would have had a good chance of finishing second. I am very happy with how the car felt and I think tomorrow’s qualifying will hopefully prove that.”

Sato, the 33-year-old from Japan and veteran of seven Formula 1 seasons, is contesting his second IZOD IndyCar race and second with KVRT.

“It was great to debut the new Lotus – KV Racing Technology car here in St. Petersburg,” Sato said. “The circuit was very interesting, still a little bumpy but not nearly as much as Brazil with some high speed sections which is great fun. We are always improving our setup to have a good car, but overall it was a very productive day and I look forward to tomorrow.”

Moraes, making his 34th career IndyCar race, 14th on a road/street circuit, third at St. Petersburg and 18th with KVRT, has a best showing of 16th at St. Petersburg in 2008. The 21-year-old Brazilian, is the youngest full-time driver in the series,

In the first practice, a 60-minute morning session, Sato was 10th of the 24 drivers with a lap of 64.6610, (100.216 mph). Viso, who ran only seven laps in the first session due to a mechanical problem, posted a time of 65.1938 (99.396 mph) good for 19th on the practice report while Moraes was 23rd with a lap of 65.5911 (98.794 mph). Both Viso and Sato, like most drivers, ran their fastest lap in the second session.

KVRT will be contesting its third race in St. Petersburg. 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 2008.

Tomorrow will feature a practice session beginning at 9:55 a.m. followed by qualifying starting at 1:20 p.m.

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be broadcast live, March 28, on ABC beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST. For more information about KV Racing Technology visit: www.kvracingtechnology.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kvracing and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kvracingtechnology