Monday Notes

- 21-year-old USF2000 pilot Shannon McIntosh will be featured in the October issue of Seventeen magazine. The publication featuring the Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing driver is due out Tuesday, September 13th.

"I can't wait to see what it actually looks like to be featured on a full page in a national magazine," said McIntosh."Throughout this contest it was easy to forget that we were vying for the cover of Seventeen magazine and that all five of us would be featured [regardless of who got the cover]. The contest was such an amazing experience and a great opportunity from beginning till the end."

- INDYCAR will announce plans for their Las Vegas $5 Million event at 2pm Tuesday afternoon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, dubbed the "Go Daddy IndyCar Challenge".

- Belardi Auto Racing has announced that they'll test Sprint Car driver and Crawfordsville, Indiana native Jacob Wilson at the Kentucky Speedway September 22nd in a Firestone Indy Lights machine.

“We’re very excited to have the opportunity to bring Jacob on board for the test at Kentucky,” team owner Brian Belardi said. “Although he’s never been in a Lights car, the talent he’s showcased on dirt tracks and in sprint cars shows us how successful he could be in the Mazda Road to Indy. We would love to bring more of the sprint car and midget drivers to the program, because I think it’s important to integrate those different types of talent into the development program we have feeding into the IZOD IndyCar series.”

The 21-year-old driver can be found on Twitter at @JacobWilson07.

“Growing up as a kid in Indiana it was all about racing for me,” said Wilson. “My excitement for the opportunity to test a Firestone Indy Lights car with Belardi Auto Racing is indescribable. I have to say thank you to Brian Belardi and John Brunner for the opportunity and all of the people involved for their support.”

- Joao Paulo de Oliveira has signed on to run the #34 Conquest Racing entry in Japan this weekend, sponsored by Ceremony, a wedding and funeral planning company in Japan. Oliveira, a Formula Nippon driver, sat on pole and won on Twin Ring Motegi's road course in the series just a few weeks ago.

"Joining Conquest Racing is an exciting opportunity at this stage in my career," said Oliveira. "I have been following the IZOD Indycar Series over the years and it's a thrill to be making my debut in Japan. Twin Ring Motegi is a very smooth, technical and demanding track. It has lots of hard braking zones followed by long straights, so obviously you need a good car under braking and traction. These are key factors if you want to go fast around there. I have great memories from Motegi winning two out of the last three Formula Nippon races, so I'm looking forward to going back there."

Twin Ring Motegi is a very smooth, technical and demanding track. It has lots of hard braking zones followed by long straights, so obviously you need a good car under braking and traction. These are key factors if you want to go fast around there. I have great memories from Motegi winning two out of the last three Formula Nippon races, so I'm looking forward to going back there."

- Longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway photographer Ron McQueeney announced his retirement September 9th. Photographing cars on the 2.5 mile oval since 1972, McQueeney has been director of photography since 1977.

"I would say almost every event that I've been to here at the Speedway, I've enjoyed one way or the other," McQueeney said. "For me, this has just been a labor of love."

McQueeney will continue to photograph races and other events at IMS.

- IMS President Jeff Belskus was named President and CEO of Hulman & Company September 9th. Retaining his role at IMS, Belskus will lead Hulman & Company properties including Clabber Girl, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IMS Productions, INDYCAR and various other holdings.

- Andretti Autosport will run Avon, Indiana native Mike Larrison in the Firestone Indy Lights season finale at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway next month in the #26 Calumet Specialty Products Partners entry. Larrison, a Motocross rider turned karting driver will first test with the team at the Kentucky Speedway.

"I'm really excited to run a Firestone Indy Lights car with Andretti Autosport. Growing up 15 minutes away from the Speedway, it has always been my dream to race in the Indianapolis 500," Larrison said. "I'm looking to get my feet wet during testing and get comfortable with the driving style. Hopefully we have a good result in Vegas and the race becomes a stepping stone for next year. Thanks to Michael [Andretti], J-F [Thormann] and my sponsor Calumet for this opportunity."

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