ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (April 5, 2009) - In his debut for Vision Racing, driver Ryan Hunter-Reay handed the team their best career IndyCar Series result with a second place finish after 100 laps on the streets of St. Petersburg for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

From a 14th place starting position on the grid, Hunter-Reay worked his way up methodically and was able to take advantage of an opportunity that a well timed pit stop provided him on lap 33 just a caution was thrown for two separate accidents. That would put the No. 21 Vision Racing entry into fourth spot half way through the race.

After taking second place away from Justin Wilson on lap 86, Hunter-Reay did his best to challenge race leader Ryan Briscoe in the final laps with attempts on two late restarts. But with the promise of a good finish he remained aggressively smart and earned a podium spot in just his first start with his new team.

Vision Racing teammate Ed Carpenter drove his No.20 Menards Honda/ Dallara/ Firestone as high as third place on lap 70 as the leaders cycled through pit stops and was running in 15th spot when he came in for his final pit stop on lap 71. Leaving the pits on cold tires, an uncharacteristic mistake put him off line and into the marbles in Turn 3, ending his day in the tire barrier. Carpenter is credited with an 18th place finish.

After being unemployed just a little over a week ago, the stars aligned for Hunter-Reay in the last several days and culminated into Sunday's podium finish at St. Petersburg. Hunter-Reay met his Vision Racing crew just seven days ago, was officially announced to the team on Tuesday, first drove the No. 21 machine on Friday and nearly scored a victory in what can be considered a home race for the Florida native.

Additionally, in his debut with Vision Racing, the 28-year-old scored the team's highest finish in their fifth season and gives them their highest ever championship point standing of second place (10 points behind leader) going into the second round of the season two weeks from now.

The almost storybook ending in today's race most certainly provides solid footing for Hunter-Reay and Vision Racing from which to build on during the 2009 season. IndyCar Series racing resumes on the Streets of Long Beach, Calif. in two weeks for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 19 at 5 p.m. ET on VERSUS.

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Post Race Quotes: (April 5, 2009)

Ed Carpenter - No. 20 Menards/Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Finishing Position: 18th

Qualifying Position: 22nd

On race:

"We had just made a pit stop and put on our last set of tires. I was pushing real hard out of the pits and the car pushed in Turn 3 and got up into the marbles and it was over. It was a rookie type mistake but I am not a rookie so I am pretty disappointed in myself. Just a stupid mistake. I could have scored some decent points but this is not the way I wanted to start the season. It's all on me. We're going to have to rebound and make it up to the guys, the team, Menards and everyone else."

On Ryan Hunter-Reay's second place finish:

"Ryan (Hunter-Reay) showed right away that he had a contribution to make to the team. He had a great run and made it exciting. I'm really happy for him and it's great for the Vision team."

Ryan Hunter-Reay - No.21 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Finishing Position: 2nd

Qualifying Position: 14th

On race:

"It's amazing how things work out. I can't thank this team enough. What they've done in seven days, not even seven days, and we're sitting here in second place at St.Pete. I felt like I wanted to try to take Ryan Briscoe at the end but I was also thinking long term with points and everything else. Briscoe was certainly charging hard in the breaking zone. You couldn't take a foot off the line without really jeopardizing your car. I kept it in there the whole time and finished well for the Vision team. We ran a good clean race."

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About Vision Racing: Vision Racing is owned and operated by Tony and Laura George as well as actor Patrick Dempsey of ABC's Grey's Anatomy and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana in a 32,000 square foot facility. The team competes full-time in the IndyCar Series and is entering its fifth season of IndyCar Series competition. The team is coming off eight top-ten finishes and four additional top-five finishes including a fifth place finish in the Indianapolis 500 by Ed Carpenter and a fourth place run by Paul Tracy at Edmonton. The team features returning IndyCar Series driver Ed Carpenter and welcomes veteran Ryan Hunter-Reay for 2009. New for 2009 is a return to the Firestone Indy Lights Series with driver James Davison as well as a technical partnership with new FIL team Bryan Herta Autosport and driver Daniel Herrington. Vision Racing continues to proudly perpetuate the legacy of the Hulman-George family through motorsports excellence, by demonstrating the traditions and heritage of the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Racing.

www.VisionRacing.com / www.Twitter.com/VisionRacing / www.YouTube.com/VisionRacing / www.Facebook.com