Indy Racing
Bryant Racing and Tony Kanaan Ready for a Successful 2010
Bryant Racing, the longest-term, non-automotive sponsor at the Indianapolis 500, returns with former IZOD IndyCar® Series champion Tony Kanaan for the 2010 season. Kanaan had won races in six consecutive seasons before going winless in his 2009 IndyCar campaign. He and his team are working hard to turn in a better result in 2010 with the newly renamed Andretti Autosport operation.
Team Owner Michael Andretti took sole control of the race team in November 2009 and wasted no time in making his first big move, tapping Tom Anderson as the head of the racing operations group for Andretti Autosport. Anderson helped build the wildly successful Chip Ganassi Racing juggernaut in the 1990s. Since Kanaan has been acknowledged by both his owner and teammates as the team leader for Andretti’s squad, these changes bode well for Bryant Racing’s prospects this year.
The 17-event 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series began March 14 in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The series premier event, the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 30.
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June 21, 2010—It was a thrilling race on Father’s Day at Iowa Speedway®. Lots of lead changes and wheel-to-wheel action culminated with a two-car battle for the lead between Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves. With 10 laps to go, Tony pushed his Bryant® machine ahead of Castroneves and pulled away for his first win in two years. With the win, Andretti Autosport was able to break the stranglehold that Team Penske™ and Chip Ganassi Racing™ have had on the IZOD® IndyCar Series® oval tracks for two years.
Tony had posted the fastest lap in practice before he qualified a disappointing 15th. The race was a different story, as Tony quickly charged from his 15th starting spot to take the lead before the halfway point. The Bryant driver credited two teammates with helping turn his fortunes around.
“I have to thank my team and the entire crew,” said Tony, who recorded three top 10s in this stretch of four oval races in the first half of the season. “They did a great job. I had a great car. I have to thank my teammates, too. Marco and Ryan came over after I made a mistake during qualifying and I was pretty down. They talked to me for 45 minutes and cheered me up. Marco gave me a little bit of his setup and Ryan actually helped me with the setup, putting it together for today. It was a great job as a team and it feels good.”
Tony and the Bryant car will go for their second consecutive win when the IZOD IndyCar Series heads to the Watkins Glen® road course in upstate New York on Independence Day at 3:30 p.m. on ABC television.
June 2, 2010—Bryant Racing’s Tony Kanaan provided some of the most exciting moments in the 94th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Tony and his Andretti Autosport crew put two weeks of trials and tribulations behind them and had a brilliant race on May 30. Tony, who started his Bryant machine from 33rd, the last spot on the grid, immediately took to the dangerous high line and passed eight cars in the first two corners. This was only a prelude of things to come.
After dusting off slower cars in the back half of the field, Tony’s charge did not stop. In fact, shortly after the halfway mark of the race, he had worked his way all the up to second place. This brought back memories of the charges of Tom Sneva in 1980 and Scott Goodyear in 1992, as each came from 33rd to finish second in those races. Tony wasn’t content with second though and began reeling in eventual Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti. With less than five laps to go, Franchitti’s lead was only 0.75 of a second over Tony. Then it all went wrong. In his effort to go for the win, Tony had burned through too much ethanol and had to make a pit stop for a splash of fuel only four laps from the end. His just reward would have been a well-earned second place finish. Instead, Tony and the Bryant team were left with an 11th place finish.
The race finish continued a string of bad luck for Tony at the Indianapolis 500 that brings to mind the hard luck stories of legendary drivers who never won the 500, such as his car owner Michael Andretti, the irrepressible Lloyd Ruby and four-time 500 pole position winner Rex Mays. Tony seems to always be in the hunt at Indianapolis, leading in seven of his nine starts while running second in the two races that he didn’t lead.
The Bryant team will attempt to take the momentum of a good 500 run into the next race at Texas Motor Speedway. The Izod IndyCar Series at Texas will be televised on Versus on Saturday, June 5 at 8 p.m. EST.
May 25, 2010—Bryant Racing’s Tony Kanaan and his Andretti Autosport team spent the weekend of May 22-23 enduring the trials and tribulations of attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. After crashing Bryant cars on both Saturday and Sunday, Kanaan’s bleary-eyed crew raced the clock and got to work on a car that wasn’t entirely his own. Teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay generously donated part of his Izod car on the last day of qualifying to make sure that Tony could actually get on the track, hoping his third time would be the charm. With less than 90 minutes to go on Bump Day, Tony qualified in the in the last row, and will race his repaired car that he crashed on Pole Day from the 33rd spot. This was an amazing turnabout for a driver who has never started worse than sixth in eight prior starts in the 500.
Tony was genuinely relieved and driven to tears by making the race, especially after he had just watched longtime friend and storied veteran Paul Tracy miss the 500 in the late qualifying scramble. After the 6 o’clock gun sounded, Tony said that he felt better than when he won the pole position for the 2005 500.
Tony and the Bryant team will try to go one better than the most successful last row starters in 500 history. In 1980, Tom Sneva started last – the 33rd position – and finished second to winner Johnny Rutherford. In 1992, after starting 33rd, Scott Goodyear nearly caught and passed winner Al Unser Jr., finishing second by 0.043 of a second. That ranks as the closest finish in 500 history. If nothing else, Tony will attract a lot of attention as he tries to charge to the front from his spot at the back of the pack.
The 94th Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 30. The broadcast will begin at Noon on ABC Television.
May 2, 2010—Bryant® Racing driver Tony Kanaan and his Andretti Autosport team seem to be rounding into form just in time for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing®. Kanaan finished 3rd in the Kansas Indy 300 on May 1 to kick off the month in fine fashion. He and his team will now prepare for the 94th Running of the Indianapolis 500®. Kanaan has consistently been close to winning the 500, leading the world-famous race in seven of his eight starts. Kansas marked the first podium of the season for Kanaan, giving him a perfect five-for-five, top 10 finishes this season. The Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 30 and will be broadcast live on ABC Television at noon ET.
April 19, 2010—Bryant driver Tony Kanaan had his best finish of the young season with a fifth place in the prestigious Long Beach Grand Prix on April 18. Kanaan's Andretti Autosport teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay, won the race after starting from the second position on the grid. Kanaan now sits eighth in the Izod IndyCar Series point standings. The Bryant team is now busily preparing for the season's shift to oval tracks, which will feature the world famous Indianapolis 500 on May 30.
2010 IndyCar Series Racing Schedule
| Date | Track | TV |
| March 5 | São Paolo, Brazil | 11:30 a.m. Versus |
| March 19 | St. Petersburg | 3:30 p.m. ABC |
| April 11 | Barber Motorsports Park | 3:00 p.m. Versus |
| April 18 | Long Beach | 3:30 p.m. Versus |
| May 1 | Kansas Speedway | 1:30 p.m. ABC |
| May 30 | Indianapolis | Noon ABC |
| June 5 | Texas Motor Speedway | 8 p.m. Versus |
| June 20 | Iowa Speedway | 1:30 p.m. Versus |
| July 4 | Watkins Glen International | 3:30 p.m. ABC |
| July 18 | Toronto, Canada | 12:30 p.m. ABC |
| July 25 | Edmonton, Canada | 5:00 p.m. Versus |
| August 8 | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | 3:00 p.m. Versus |
| August 22 | Infineon Raceway | 5:00 p.m. Versus |
| August 28 | Chicagoland Speedway | 5:00 p.m. on Versus |
| September 4 | Kentucky Speedway | 8:00 p.m. Versus |
| September 19 | Twin Ring Motegi, Japan | Midnight Versus |
| October 2 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 6 p.m. Versus |
Tony Kanaan
Career Highlights
- Won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship
- Finished second in the 2005 IndyCar Series championship and third in both 2007 and 2008
- Has registered 13 career IndyCar Series wins and 10 IndyCar Series poles
- Started on the pole and drove to victory at Richmond in 2008
- Teamed with Bryan Herta and Dario Franchitti to win the LMP2 class of the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2007, Kanaan’s first career ALMS start
- Led 83 laps – more than any other driver – at the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and is the only driver in history to lead laps in his first seven Indianapolis 500 starts
- Captured an IndyCar Series-high of five wins in one season (2007)
- Raced to victory at The Milwaukee Mile in 2006
- Recorded victories at Kansas and Infineon Raceway in 2005
- Qualified for the pole position at the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500
- Received the Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy in 2004 for being the AARWBA Driver of the Year; also a member of the 2004 AARWBA All-American Team
- Earned victories at Phoenix, Texas and Nashville during 2004
- Claimed first IndyCar Series victory on March 23, 2003, at Phoenix International Raceway
- Earned two CART pole positions in 2002 at Miami and Fontana events
- Lone career CART win came in 1999 at Michigan Speedway
- Awarded 1998 Jim Trueman CART Rookie of the Year
- Crowned 1997 Dayton Indy Lights Champion
- Drove to victory at the Granja Viana 500 kart race in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2007, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1998
- Invited to race at Japan’s famed Suzuka course in the Formula Nippon Series in 2007 and finished sixth in his only start in that Formula
- Won the Capacete de Ouro (Golden Helmet) Award presented by Racing Magazine in Brazil in 2007, 2005 and 2004
- Received the Casci di Oro (Golden Helmet) Award given by Italy’s Autosprint in 2004
Bryant Racing History
At the encouragement of Bryant's Indianapolis-based dealer, Bryant made its debut in auto racing at the 1958 Indianapolis 500. With the support of the Bryant name, Eddie Johnson became Bryant's first Indy 500 qualifier in car number 19. Johnson started the race in 26th position, completed all 200 laps and finished the race in 9th place.
Since then, Bryant has been a familiar sight at the Indy 500. In fact, the Bryant name has been featured on a total of 50 cars on the starting grid of what is called "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Through the years, drivers such as Eddie Sachs, Rodger Ward, Scott Brayton, Arie Luyendyk, Al Unser, Jr. and Sarah Fisher have carried the Bryant colors during the traditional Memorial Day event.
As the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened its doors to NASCAR with the 1994 Brickyard 400, Bryant was there sponsoring John Andretti's entry in the historic event. This was Bryant's first venture into stock car racing, which would continue with another sponsorship the following year.
In 1996, Bryant once again increased its involvement in racing by becoming a full-time sponsor of an Indy Racing League entry. The Indy Racing League (IRL) is a series for open-wheel, open-cockpit cars of the type that have raced at the Indianapolis 500 since 1911.
The full season racing sponsorship provided an entire year of excitement for Bryant. The Bryant driver, former Indianapolis 500 champ Arie Luyendyk, was a favorite going into each of the inaugural season's 5 events. Bryant enjoyed a victory at the Phoenix 200 and became the fastest Indianapolis 500 qualifier's sponsor of all time with an average speed of 236.986 mph. The successful season was the beginning of a new chapter for Bryant, as it became a frontrunner in the competitive world of auto racing.
In 1998, Bryant experienced its second victory, this time with John Paul Jr. behind the wheel. John took the checkered flag at the Texas Motor Speedway's Lone Star 500, then finished the season with a 4th place finish in Las Vegas.
The next 5 seasons, the Bryant Racing Team joined forces with Kelley Racing. As an associate sponsor with the team, Bryant had a presence on 2 cars each season. The 1999 season proved to be an exciting one, with Scott Sharp winning the Atlanta Motor Speedway event and Mark Dismore claiming victory in the season-ending Texas Motor Speedway event. In 2000, Dismore captured the pole position in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event while Sharp won the June Texas Motor Speedway event. During the 2001 season, Dismore's highest finish was 2nd (St. Louis), and Sharp claimed victory at the June Texas Motor Speedway event.
By 2002, Kelley Racing hired 2-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser, Jr. to be Scott Sharp's teammate and drive the Bryant entry. Unser finished 2nd at the June Texas Motor Speedway event, and placed 7th in the season-ending points race. In 2003, Unser won the June Texas Motor Speedway event while teammate Sharp claimed victory in the Motegi, Japan event. And for 2004, fan favorite Sarah Fisher took the wheel for Bryant and finished 21st at the Indianapolis 500.
In 2005, Bryant participated in its tenth season of IRL action by teaming up with Fernandez Racing and driver Scott Sharp. The highlight came in August, when he won the Kentucky Motor Speedway event. At season's end, Sharp placed 5th in the points race. The following season, Scott Sharp and Fernandez Racing continued Bryant's Indy tradition by competing in the season's 14 events.
Bryant teamed with perennial IndyCar Series powerhouse Andretti Green Racing (AGR) for the 2007 season. Veteran Tony Kanaan was selected to drive for Bryant. Partnering with a proven team and daring driver, Bryant had high hopes for a successful season. A victory by Kanaan in the April Motegi event boosted Bryant’s confidence. The remainder of the 2007 season proved successful for Kanaan. In addition to the Motegi win in April, he claimed victory in Milwaukee, Michigan, Kentucky, and Belle Isle. Kanaan finished 3rd in the season ending point’s race.
Once again, Bryant partnered with AGR and driver Tony Kanaan for the 2008 IndyCar Series. Kanaan started the season strong, with top five finishes in three of the first four events leading up to the Indianapolis 500. Tony and the Bryant team found success during the remainder of the 2008 season win at Richmond and finished 3rd in the year-end driver’s points standings for the second consecutive year.
In 2009, Tony and the team went winless after a hard crash in the Indianapolis 500. The team recovered to score 10 top 10 finishes and finish 6th in points.
This season, Bryant is proud to renew its partnership with Andretti Autosport and Tony. The Bryant racing tradition continues!
