The following is a series of stats, notes and quotes from Conquest Racing for this weekend’s Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
 
Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix
The Raceway at Belle Isle Park , 2.906-mile, 14-turn street circuit
August 29 - 31, 2008, Race #16
Race Distance:  90 laps (184.5 miles)
Broadcast: ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET
 
DETROIT PRE-RACE NOTES
 
Repeat Success
Even if this will be the first time that the Conquest Racing team competes at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park in the IndyCar Series, the team is looking to repeat the success it has had on street courses this season. In Round Two on the schedule in St. Petersburg, Enrique Bernoldi finished fifth after leading his first laps of the season. Then in April at the Champ Car finale in Long Beach the team placed both drivers in the top six, with Bernoldi in fourth and Frenchman Franck Perera in sixth.
 
Been There
As previously mentioned, it will be Conquest’s first IndyCar Series race in Detroit but it will be their fifth appearance at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park . The Conquest Racing team participated in four Firestone Indy Lights events at Belle Isle Park from 1997 to 2000. The team scored a best start of third and a best finish of second in 2000 with driver Felipe Giaffone.
 
Injury Report
Enrique Bernoldi’s injured thumb is doing better. Although it’s still a bit sore the Brazilian will be behind the wheel of his Conquest Racing machine this weekend.
 
There’s a First Time for Everything
Both Jaime Camara and Enrique Bernoldi will be making their first appearance at the Belle Isle street circuit. It will also be the first time Camara races on the tight confines of a street course aboard an indy car.
 
Best of Conquest 2008
Conquest scored its best oval starting position of the season with Enrique Bernoldi with an eighth spot on the grid in Milwaukee and achieved its best combined effort when the team placed both drivers in the top six in Long Beach in April at the Champ Car World Series finale. The team also completed their first Indianapolis 500 this year when Bernoldi took the checkered flag on the lead lap in 15th place. It was the Brazilian’s first oval finish of the season. Bernoldi led the team’s first laps of the season in St. Petersburg (3) while Jaime Camara led the team’s first oval laps (44) of the season in Richmond.
 
QUOTEBOARD
#34 Jaime Camara Sangari Dallara/Honda/Firestone
IndyCar Series Starts: 12
Best 2008 Start: 19th (Kansas City)
Best 2008 Finish: 14th (Richmond, Mid-Ohio)
“Rookie of the Year” Standings: 8th
Point Standings: 23rd (152 points)
 
“Once again this weekend will be a learning experience for me. It will be the first time I race in this type of car in between the walls of a street course. I’m looking forward to it. Conquest has loads of experience on this type of track and that will definitely help us this weekend. I think we can hope for a good result.”
 
#36 Enrique Bernoldi Sangari Dallara/Honda/Firestone
IndyCar Series Starts: 14
Best 2008 Start: 8th (Long Beach, Milwaukee)
Best 2008 Finish: 4th (Long Beach)
“Rookie of the Year” Standings: 6th
Point Standings: 20th (220 points)
 
“I’m really excited about this race. We’ve had success on the street circuits that we did at the start of the season and that gives me an extra boost of confidence heading into the weekend. I like racing on these types of tracks and Conquest has so much knowledge about street circuits from their time in Champ Car that even if they never raced in Detroit I think we can look forward to a really good result this weekend. (About his injured thumb) The thumb is doing better, it’s still a bit sore but I should be good for the weekend.”