Conquest's Enrique Bernoldi practices for the 2008 Indianapolis 500. The 92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was run on Sunday May 25, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway Indiana, USA.

Conquest Racing is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and Champ Car Atlantic Championship . The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. The Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda is a Formula racing series with races throughout North America Formerly it competed in the Champ Car World Series. Champ Car, was the name for a class and specification of cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades primarily for use in the Indianapolis It is owned by former series competitor Eric Bachelart. Eric Bachelart (born February 28, 1961 in Brussels) is a former Race car driver and current team owner born in Belgium. The team ran in Indy Lights competition in the late 1990s with Felipe Giaffone, who brought sponsorship from Hollywood cigarettes and Mi-Jack sponsored brothers Chris and Jamie Menninga. Firestone Indy Lights is a developmental racing series sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Felipe Giaffone (fiˈlipi ʒaˈfoni born January 22, 1975 in São Paulo) is a Race car driver from Brazil. Chris Menninga (born 1974 Austin Texas) is a racecar driver who has raced in Open wheel racing (most recently Champ Car Atlantic Championship) events The team jumped to the Indy Racing League in 2002 with Laurent Rédon; the Frenchman won rookie of the year honors but was not retained when the team jumped ship to Champ Car in 2003. The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based Open-wheel racing series. Laurent Redon (born August 5, 1973) is a Race car driver born on Loire, France. Champ Car, was the name for a class and specification of cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades primarily for use in the Indianapolis

The team ran Mario Haberfeld in an unloved Reynard chassis and shared information and resources with Emerson Fittipaldi's team, that ran future Formula 1 driver Tiago Monteiro. Mario Haberfeld (born January 25, 1976 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian auto racing driver Reynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer Emerson Fittipaldi (born December 12, 1946 in São Paulo, Brazil) is a highly successful Brazilian automobile racing driver winning world championships Tiago Vagaroso da Costa Monteiro (tiˈagu mõˈtɐiɾu born 24 July, 1976 in Porto, Portugal) is a Racing driver who drove for In 2004 the team expanded to two cars, fielding Justin Wilson in a Lola with several others in a Reynard. Justin Wilson (born 31 July, 1978 in Sheffield) is a British racing driver from England who currently competes in the IndyCar Lola Racing Cars (also Lola Cars International) is a Racing car Engineering company founded in 1961 by Eric Broadley and based in Huntingdon Wilson signed with RuSPORT for 2005 and Conquest ran teenagers Nelson Philippe and Andrew Ranger, each 18 years old when the season started. RuSPORT was an Auto racing team that competed in the Champ Car World Series. Nelson Philippe (born July 23, 1986 in Valence Drôme, France) is a French race car driver Andrew Ranger (born November 20, 1986 in Roxton Pond, Quebec) is a Canadian racing driver

While Philippe left for 2006, the team retained Ranger dependent on his Canadian sponsorship and signed 2005 Champ Car Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman to the second car. The Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda is a Formula racing series with races throughout North America There were rumors Darren Manning would replace Ranger early in the season but this was put to rest with his on-track performances and more money coming into the team. Darren Manning (born April 30, 1975 in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England) is a Motor racing driver currently racing Internet betting web site Goldenpalace.com signed on as Zwolsman's sponsor at the second race in Houston. GoldenPalacecom is an Online casino, hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies which is located in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory

The team branched into the Atlantic ranks in 2006 with drivers Graham Rahal and Al Unser III. Graham Rahal (born January 4, 1989 in Columbus Ohio) is an American race car driver Alfred Richard Unser ("Just Al" or "Al Unser III" (born October 23 1982 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is a professional race car driver in

After the 2006 season, Mike Lanigan pulled his company's support from the race team due to a lack of funding. The 2006 Champ Car World Series season was the twenty-eighth Champ Car World Series, however only its third season under the Champ Car title In a Speedtv. com article, Bachelart was about to shut down his team when his sponsor called with a deal for the 2007 season. ^[1] But on February 6, 2007 a New York based company, later confirmed to be vodka company 42 Below, gave them sponsorship with former A1 Grand Prix driver Matt Halliday. History The nation-based A1GP concept was founded by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum of Dubai, initially in 2004 Matthew Halliday (born July 14, 1979 in Auckland) is a motor racing driver from New Zealand. However, after poor performances in Vegas, Long Beach, and Houston, Halliday was released in favor of Jan Heylen. Jan Heylen (born May 1, 1980 in Geel) is a race car driver in the Champ Car World Series Jan Heylen drove the next 9 races for Conquest Racing and his best finish was a 2nd place at the Bavaria Grand Prix of Holland. Jan Heylen (born May 1, 1980 in Geel) is a race car driver in the Champ Car World Series On October 3rd it was announced that Jan Heylen would be replaced for the rest of the season by the returning Nelson Philippe. Nelson Philippe (born July 23, 1986 in Valence Drôme, France) is a French race car driver

In Late December of 2007 the team announced the signing of new marketing partner, Opes Prime Group Ltd, an Australian-based financial services provider. Opes Prime Group Limited is an Australian margin lending and stockbroking firm which suffered a dramatic collapse in 2008 Following the unification of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League, Conquest was the first Champ Car team to confirm their participation in the IRL IndyCar Series, with driver Franck Perera named to drive one of the team's two cars. The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. Franck Perera (born 21 June, 1984, Montpellier, France) is a Race car driver who has competed in a number of international ^[2] The other driver entry has been confirmed as Enrique Bernoldi will be driving for Conquest Racing during the 2008 IRL Championship. Racing career Early career Bernoldi started out in Karting in 1987 at age nine and won many regional and national titles before heading to Europe at age 17

However on the eve of the opening race of the 2008 IndyCar Season, on 28 March 2008, Opes Prime was placed in receivership,and left the team shortly after. Sangari steped up to sponsor both cars after Ares also left the team. ^[3] After the Long Beach Grand Prix, Perera was replaced in the #34 car by Jaime Camara to complete a fully Brazilian lineup. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an Open-wheel race held on a temporary road course in Long Beach California. Jaime Camara (born November 5, 1980 in Goiânia) is a Brazilian race car driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series for

Past drivers

• Enrique Bernoldi (2008)
• Jaime Camara (2008)
• Mario Haberfeld (2003)
• Matt Halliday (2007)
• Jan Heylen (2007)
• Franck Perera (2008)
• Nelson Philippe (2004-2005, 2007)
• Andrew Ranger (2005-2006)
• Laurent Redon (2002)
• Alex Sperafico (2004)
• Justin Wilson (2004)
• Charles Zwolsman (2006)

References

==External links Official Website