Beatriz in for Chicagoland, Qualifying Altered for Car Count

With Mike Conway still on the mend from his broken back and leg, Ana Beatriz will drive for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing at Chicagoland this weekend. it will be her third start this season, with the other being at Sao Paolo and Indianapolis.

"Ana really showed us her talent when we ran her back in March and May," team co-owner Dennis Reinbold said. "We look forward to running her as she competes at Chicagoland Speedway.

During the past three months, my agents, Andre Ribeiro, Augusto Cesario, and I, have been working on establishing a full-season program for 2011," Beatriz said. "In order to stay fit, I have been karting and I have added a new challenge to my calendar like the Rio de Janeiro Half Marathon."

Qualifying Altered Due to Car Count

With 29 cars entered for this weekend's race, and with the entrants for the following races potentially being close to that number, qualifying as been altered and shortened; instead using a four-lap average, drivers will be gridded based on a two-lap average. "The number of cars we're having at our events - 27 cars at Mid-Ohio and 29 at Chicagoland and maybe Homestead-Miami - and the length of time it takes to qualify these cars when you're conducting two-day shows, it becomes a non-productive use of track time," Indy Racing League president of competition and racing operations Brian Barnhart said.

"By going to an average of two timed laps instead of four, it reduces our qualifying time by 33 percent. We're rather make sure the drivers are getting ample track time in practice conditions with all cars on track at the same time to be better-prepared for the race."