IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Tristan Vautier likes corn in his salads with rice, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and tuna. His teammate Simon Pagenaud loves corn and always keeps it handy in his house.

The Iowa Corn Indy 250 is about much more than corn however, and both drivers plan on showing up to the 7/8-mile oval in top form.

In Simon Pagenaud’s first race at Iowa Speedway in 2012, he drove the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports car from his starting position of 25th all the way to fifth.

“In our first year at Iowa Speedway, it took us some time to understand what to do with the race car,” Pagenaud said. “In the race my engineers hit the sweet spot though and the car was really nice to drive. I was able to be aggressive and we made up a ton of ground. I was running in the top-three at the end so I learned a lot that day. I figured out how aggressive I needed to be to succeed here and I hope to do the same this weekend.”

Tristan Vautier started on pole and finished fourth in his debut race at Iowa Speedway in 2012 driving in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.

“I really enjoyed the feeling of high grip in the banking and being able to stay flat in the corner getting ‘carried’ by the banking,” Vautier said. “The bumps in Turns 1 and 2 are always very challenging though because it upsets the car.”

With a lap at Iowa Speedway taking only 18 seconds, drivers must maintain focus at all times.

“You pretty much spend the whole time in the corners in Iowa,” Pagenaud said. “There are a lot of bumps, so you have to stay very focused on your line. There’s not really any downtime to think about anything else. You’re just trying to be proactive on the car’s behavior and keep your car as straight as possible when you cross the bumps.”

Vautier, driving the No. 55 Coastal.com/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car, will be in overdrive trying to learn the differences between driving an IndyCar and a Firestone Indy Lights car at Iowa Speedway.

“Ovals are still a big challenge for me, especially at a race where you have to be very good at timing passes and dealing with traffic in general to make sure you don’t lose your momentum,” Vautier said. “There are lots of new things to learn in a very short time, and this car is much harder to drive than a Firestone Indy Lights car, especially on ovals. The learning curve makes things exciting though, and I love challenges!”

Simon Pagenaud and Tristan Vautier will practice and qualify at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, June 22. The green flag will fly for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on Sunday, June 23rd at 3 p.m. ET. Broadcast coverage begins on ABC at 2:30 p.m. ET.

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Tristan Vautier, driving the No. 55 Coastal.com/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car, battled a car that did not handle well in traffic. The rookie driver finished 21st after making slight contact with the Turn 4 wall that ended his day with bent suspension.

After an encouraging initial stint in the No. 77 car, Pagenaud fell a lap down during his second stint.

“I have mixed feelings about today’s race,” Pagenaud said. “I really felt like we had a good car. We were running in the top-six early on with really strong restarts, but we finished 12th.”

Pagenaud leaves the Milwaukee IndyFest seventh place in the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship standings with high hopes to make up ground in the next round of competition at the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

“Our finish is a shame today because the HP car was really fast,” Pagenaud said. “We made a lot of improvement on the car but this is costly on our championship. It’s a long championship though so we’ll bounce back and try to do better in Iowa.”

Tristan Vautier started 10th in the Milwaukee IndyFest, and struggled to navigate his car through traffic on the busy one-mile oval.

“It was a tough race,” Vautier said. “I was really struggling behind other cars but I was decent by myself. As soon as I got in a pack, came up on slow cars or had restarts I went backwards. It just made for a long day.”

On lap 173, teammate Simon Pagenaud came up on Vautier’s lapped car.

“When Simon (Pagenaud) was about to lap me I went high to let him by and hit some marbles,” Vautier said. “I understeered into the wall. It wasn’t a big hit but it was big enough to bend the suspension and end our day.”

Vautier was forced to retire from the race due to damage to his front and rear suspension, and finished 21st.

Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport won the Milwaukee IndyFest for the second consecutive year. Hunter-Reay was followed to the checkered flag by Team Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Will Power in second and third place.

Simon Pagenaud and Tristan Vautier return to action for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on Sunday, June 23. For the latest team updates, follow @SPMIndyCar on Twitter.

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Driving the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports car, Pagenaud found a healthy dose of speed on the short oval during qualifications with an average two-lap speed of 169.311 mph.

“We hit the hard limiter, which really hurt us in qualifications,” Pagenaud said. “The balance was nice in my car and it was awesome in Turns 1 and 2, then a bit loose in Turns 3 and 4. Overall it was a bit loose but it was good enough for me to stay full-throttle for both qualifying laps.”

Tristan Vautier earned a two-lap qualifying average of 169.215 mph in the No. 55 Coastal.com/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car. The IZOD IndyCar Series rookie was fourth fastest in the first practice session on Friday, but struggled in the second practice session before qualifications.

“We had an awesome pace in the first practice session this morning, and then we really struggled this afternoon,” Vautier said. “We were a bit uncertain of how we would qualify but it was a decent run and I was happy about the car. If someone would have told me we would have run that quick of a speed before qualifications I don’t think I would have believed them.”

With qualifying in the books, both drivers know their hardest work on the Milwaukee Mile is still ahead of them on race day.

“I enjoy this track so much because it honestly drives more like a road course than an oval,” Pagenaud said. “It’s all about finding the right balance here to have a strong car. It will be good to be up front tomorrow on race day because passing here is difficult with tire wear. It’s a challenge to set this car up for the race, and it’s going to be very important to have strong in and out laps.”

Vautier believes a well-handling car in traffic will be crucial to success in the 250-lap race.

“It’s going to be very difficult to have a car that works well in traffic here, and you’re going to need to be fast behind other drivers and run different lines,” Vautier said.

The IZOD IndyCar Series rookie will also look to gain valuable seat time on an oval track tomorrow as he learns the nuances of oval racing.

“I still have a lot to learn about long runs on ovals,” Vautier said. “I don’t set objectives for the races but I’ll be focusing on being clean the entire day on-track as well as in pit stops.”

Marco Andretti of Andretti Autosport won the pole for Saturday’s Milwaukee IndyFest. The green flag will drop for the race at 4:40 p.m. ET, and broadcast coverage of the event will start at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. For all of the latest team updates, follow @SPMIndyCar on Twitter.

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Coastal.com is the largest online retailer of eyeglasses and contacts in North America. The company served as a primary sponsor for Tristan Vautier at Texas Motor Speedway for the Firestone 550, and will continue on with Vautier for the Milwaukee IndyFest, the Iowa Corn Indy 250 and the Pocono INDYCAR 400.

“At Coastal.com we believe in speed,” said Braden Hoeppner, Vice President of web sales at Coastal.com. “Most of our customer’s orders are delivered within just a couple days from the time they order and as such we are the fastest online optical store in the world.”

Coastal.com’s emphasis on speed is a natural fit for IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Vautier who has driven from the back to the front of the talented IndyCar field at several races.

“Partnering with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Tristan Vautier is a perfect fit to demonstrate how fast we can really be at Coastal.com,” Hoeppner said. “We’re excited to work with Tristan (Vautier) who has a passion for speed and has demonstrated that on the track already in his young career.”

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports owner Sam Schmidt is excited to welcome a new partner to the team.

“Coastal.com is a smart company that has found success with a business model that offers its customers high quality products at a reduced price,” Schmidt said. “We have a great opportunity to welcome a new sponsor to our exciting sport through our partnership with Coastal.com, and I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish with Tristan Vautier on track sporting their livery.”

Visit Coastal.com to learn more about the company backing Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Tristan Vautier in the No. 55 Coastal.com Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car.

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Navigating his way through 228 laps that featured a blistering average speed of 177.257 mph, Pagenaud worked to improve his car and position on each racing stint.

“It was difficult to master the cars around the track tonight because there was very little grip,” Pagenaud said. “I think it made for a good race though.”

The No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports car improved ten positions throughout the course of the race, which was slowed by only three caution periods.

“We had to change our engine before the race so we started in the very back of the field, but we came back and finished 13th,” Pagenaud said. “So honestly it was a good day points wise for us. I wish we could have done better, but overall I’ll take it because it’s a decent day for our championship.”

IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Tristan Vautier started his first race at Texas Motor Speedway from 24th position. His progress was slowed by a fueling issue his crew encountered in pit lane early on in the race.

“We had an issue in the pits that put us behind in strategy,” Vautier said. “Things just didn’t really fall into place for us tonight, and we didn’t have a winning pace.”

The 23-year-old gained valuable experience in his first outing at the 1.5 mile oval, however.

“I learned a lot out here tonight and I’m glad I was able to keep running until the end,” Vautier said. “The low downforce and soft tires made things very difficult out there. It was a good experience, but it’s always disappointing when you finish 18th.”

Helio Castroneves cruised to victory in the Firestone 550 with a lead of 4.6919 seconds. Ryan Hunter-Reay and Tony Kanaan followed him to the checkered flag in second and third.

Simon Pagenaud and Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports leave Texas Motor Speedway 6th place in the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship with 194 points. Tristan Vautier and the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team are currently in 20th place with 121 points.

Pagenaud and Vautier return to action at the Milwaukee IndyFest in West Allis, Wisc. on Saturday, June 15. The race will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Follow @SPMIndyCar on Twitter for the latest team updates.

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The 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway flexed its muscles today during qualifying for the Firestone 550, and both Simon Pagenaud and Tristan Vautier will start the race from the back of the field.

Pagenaud qualified 14th for the race, but due to an unscheduled engine change he will receive a 10-spot grid penalty on race day.

According to Pagenaud, the speed in his No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car was not fully represented in the qualifying session where he posted a two-lap average of 215.727 mph.

“We have a faster car than we showed in qualifying, but we had a miss-shift which cost us a lot,” Pagenaud said.

The Frenchman is not worried about the No. 77 car’s ability to perform in the 550 km race tomorrow at the superspeedway, however.

“It didn’t go our way in qualifying today but we have a long race tomorrow,” he said. “The nature of the racing here is to have low downforce for good racing. It will be important to have a stable car set-up so that we can be consistent in the race.”

Tristan Vautier did not make a qualifying attempt due to the No. 55 coastal.com/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car receiving an engine change prior to its mileage limit, which automatically results in a 10-spot grid penalty.

“We have an engine change to do and our qualifying would have been compromised because of that, so we just decided it was best not to go out,” Vautier said. “We’re short on tires too, so it just made more sense for us today.”

The 23-year-old IZOD IndyCar Series rookie is still getting used to driving on the high-banked oval that brings blistering speeds out of his No. 55 car.

“The car is very tricky to drive here, but it’s the same way for everyone,” Vautier said. “There is very little downforce which makes things difficult and showcases driver talent. I know I have a lot of work to do because I’m not used to driving these high speeds on the edge.”

Vautier and Pagenaud will take the green flag for the Firestone 550 on Saturday, June 8 at 8:45 p.m. ET. For the latest updates from both drivers and teams, follow @SPMIndyCar on Twitter.

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Less than a week after his victory, Pagenaud and the Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports team have shifted their focus from celebration to determination.

“You’ve got to come back to reality after a win quickly in the IZOD IndyCar Series because the schedule moves quickly and we’re focusing on Texas now,” Pagenaud said. “It’s nice to be a winner but we’re looking forward and want to get back to victory circle again.”

Pagenaud attributes rising to the top of the three-ring circus of world-class drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series to his stellar relationship with his engineers. Just as with any ringmaster and performer, the SHM engineers and Pagenaud work extremely closely to extract the best out of their Honda-powered chariot.

“I know my engineers are going to give me a good car, and they know I’m going to do a good job on the track,” Pagenaud said. “Getting our first win together is a big step forward for us, and now we believe it can happen again.”

As Pagenaud prepares to try his hand at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway, he is looking forward to negotiating the delicate balance needed to keep a fast car on the tightrope for the 550-mile race.

“Our team is good at thinking forward and anticipating what I’ll need to have a good car at the end of a race,” Pagenaud said. “I love the aspect of racing where you have to go into great detail and be smart about any change you make to your car in the race.”

Pagenaud’s teammate, IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Tristan Vautier, will have the added challenge of being relatively new to night racing. The 23-year-old will navigate the No. 55 coastal.com/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car through the Wild Asphalt Circus hoping to avoid trouble like a skilled lion tamer.

“I think the hardest thing is being able to see the track well enough when the sun goes down because it blinds you,” Vautier said. “After that, one of the biggest adjustments is driving a car with changed balance because cars don’t react the same way in the daylight as they do at night.”

Pagenaud and Vautier qualify for the Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway’s Wild Asphalt Circus on Friday, June 6 at 3:30 p.m. CT. The green flag drops on the Firestone 550 on Saturday, June 8 at 7:45 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ABC. For the latest team updates, follow @SPMIndyCar on Twitter.

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TEXT: “It’s such a relief. I mean, there is so much emotion going through the cockpit on the last few laps. I had to use everything I had to stay focused. It’s so sweet. So sweet. I’ve been working for this my whole career and it’s awesome.” — Simon Pagenaud on winning Race 2 at the Dual in Detroit

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IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Vautier’s momentum was slowed early on in the race.

“I flat spotted my right front tire early on,” Vautier said. “I had to come in early for a pit stop because there was really no point in staying out after that.”

A plethora of yellow flags after Vautier’s premature pit stop helped him regain track position as the race wore on.

“We had a pretty good race after the early pit stop,” Vautier said. “The yellow flags definitely helped us catch up. I tried to fight for a top-10 but we didn’t quite make it.”

Vautier and the No. 55 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car ended “Dual 1″ in 11th place. He is looking forward to getting back in the car for “Dual 2″ tomorrow.

“The guys did a great job in the pits today and now we just have to work on being faster for tomorrow,” Vautier said.

Simon Pagenaud, driving the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car, attacked “Dual 1″ in Detroit from the eighth starting position.

“It was a difficult day for us in Detroit,” Pagenaud said. “We managed to improve the car in qualifying for ‘Dual 2′ this morning, but unfortunately it went the wrong way for the race. It was a pretty long day at the office but we managed to bring home some points finishing 12th.”

Thanks to the two-race weekend format in Detroit, Pagenaud will not have to wait long to work with his engineers and improve his showing at Belle Isle.

“We’re going to do some work to make the HP car better for tomorrow,” Pagenaud said. “We’ve got some work to do, but I’m definitely not giving up hope. We’ll study what happened during the race because we’re obviously lacking a little bit of something. We’ll come back stronger tomorrow because that’s what we do.”

Mike Conway of Dale Coyne Racing won “Dual 1″ in Detroit, which was his second-career IZOD IndyCar Series victory. Ryan Hunter-Reay and Justin Wilson joined him on the podium.

The green flag drops on “Dual 2″ in Detroit at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 2. Follow @SPMIndyCar on Twitter for all of the latest team updates.

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