The following is a series of stats, notes and quotes from Conquest Racing for this weekend’s PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.
 
 
PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300
Chicagoland Speedway, 1.5-mile, D-shaped tri-oval
September 6 -7, 2008, Race #17
Race Distance:  200 laps (300 miles)
Broadcast: ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET
 
JOLIET PRE-RACE NOTES
 
Driver Change
Alex Tagliani will be back behind the wheel of the Conquest car at Chicagoland Speedway. The Canadian made a good impression on the team with his feedback and enthusiasm when he came in at the last minute to replace an injured Enrique Bernoldi last weekend in Detroit. Even if this weekend will be “Tag’s” first oval race since 2005, the team is hoping to count on his many years of experience to help continue its progression on the 1.5-mile ovals.
 
Return to Where it Began
Conquest Racing will be returning to the site of its first start in the IndyCar Series this weekend. The team’s first appearance in the series took place in Joliet in 2001 with driver Laurent Redon. This will be Conquest’s third start in Joliet. The team previously recorded a highest starting position of eighth (2002, Laurent Redon) and a best finish of seventh (2001, Laurent Redon). With this being the last oval race of the season, the team is extra motivated to obtain its best oval result this year.
 
Jaime’s Joliet Experience
Conquest’s rookie Jaime Camara has three starts at Chicagoland Speedway in Firestone Indy Lights. The Brazilian has a best start of fifth, registered in 2007 while driving for Andretti Green / AFS Racing, and a best finish of sixth, scored in 2005 with Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
 
Alex’s Open-Wheel Background
Alex Tagliani competed in the Champ Car World Series from 2000 to 2007 and also participated in the Champ Car Finale at Long Beach earlier this season. During his time in Champ Car/CART, the Canadian registered five pole positions, and 14 podiums including one win at Road America. Of his 132 starts, 29 have been on oval tracks. His best performances on ovals include three pole positions (Milwaukee 2003, Fontana 2001 and Rio de Janeiro 2000), one second place finish in Japan in 2002 and a third place at Fontana in 2001.
 
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: 13
Best 2008 Start: 19th (Kansas City)
Best 2008 Finish: 14th (Richmond, Mid-Ohio)
“Rookie of the Year” Standings: 8th
Point Standings: 23rd (162 points)
 
“I can’t believe it’s already the last oval race of the season. It has really gone by quickly. We’ve definitely progressed over the season and I think with Alex coming on board for the final two races, it will be a big help to the team to end the season strongly because of his experience. For my last oval race, I would like nothing more than to score my best result this season. The Conquest guys really deserve it. They have done a great job all year and I would like to be able to pay them back for their hard work with a good result.”
 
#36 Alex Tagliani Conquest Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone
IndyCar Series Starts: 1
Best 2008 Start: 21st (Detroit)
Best 2008 Finish: 22nd (Detroit)
 
“It’s been a while since I’ve raced on an oval but I don’t think I will have any problems getting back into it. We are all aware of the difference between the transition teams and the established IndyCar Series teams on the superspeedways so my goal this weekend is to do what I did in Detroit which is to give as much feedback and information as possible about the car to the engineers in order to help the team progress on this type of track and improve the car as much as we can throughout the weekend.”