Indy 500 Entries - Can We Get 33?

[GP Racer]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Referring to your signature GP, have you got any real news about Jeff? Do you think it's possibel that he is the rumoured IRL figure who is headed for ChampCars? I agree that its a shame he hasn't had a chance this year.

Jeff is really a hard luck story and deserves better than what he has gotten from IRL team owners. He has proven that he has what it takes in both IPS and the IRL, but what he seem's to lack is a sponsor and money. That's why Patrick dropped him last season.

I guess that's the way racing is these days, but it's really short-sighted of teams to take on outside guys like Briscoe and Enge for instance, when you have drivers that are working their tails off to do just one thing, race IndyCars. Fans want to see drivers that are dedicated to that goal, not guys that are just passing through.

So to answer your question, no, I think Jeff's goal is still the IRL and the Indy 500 from what I've read and heard. He's still down in IPS, but having a tough time on a rookie one car team. I'm surprised and upset that he didn't get an Indy 500 call though...

[rustyfan]

Arie Luyendyk Jr. has been officially announced as the driver of the Beck Motorsports entry. IndyCar.com article:

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=4593

He'll get a chance to take his Rookie Orientation test tomorrow, May 19th.

[Down F0rce]

Jimmy Kite is also confirmed as Hemelgarn's new driver. That makes 33

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

Arie Luyendyk Jr. has been officially announced as the driver of the Beck Motorsports entry. IndyCar.com article:

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=4593

He'll get a chance to take his Rookie Orientation test tomorrow, May 19th.

We're expecting thunderstorms here in Indy tomorrow...

Which means Arie Jr. might be taking that test on Friday...

Which also means that he will have very, very little time to prepare and get acclimated in the car before qualifying on Saturday...

Could be a very tough few days for Arie Jr.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Given that they will be racing in the European GP at the Nurburgring the same day the Indy 500 is held, that joke falls down a bit

Reminds me of when Jim Clark raced at Monaco and would fly across to Indy and race there the same weekend...when racing drivers were men and eat razorblades for breakfast and wore scarves around there faces to protect them from flying stones!

How things have changed, I remember Gerry Marshall testing a Vauxhall at Snetterton and loosing a wheel right in front of Jim Clark track testing the Lotus 29 "Powered by Ford" Indy car! And going to a midnight matinee in the Hammersmith Odeon to watch the new fangle Satilite transmission the year Graham Hill won in a Lola called a Red Ball Special!!!

Enough of this rubbish!...Daniel Wheldon's going to win it!

[BootsOntheSide]

Did you give in when Ant asked for cornflakes instead of razorblades then Rennen?

I'm sure if Arie is close to pass standard, he will be passed, to ensure that we get 33 cars. He's driven IPS, so he should be fast and safe enough anyway. He's a good choice, I don't know much about Jimmy Kite but he seemed to do okay for PDM 2 years ago.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I don't know much about Jimmy Kite but he seemed to do okay for PDM 2 years ago.

Kite has 23 IndyCar starts to his credit, including four at Indianapolis where he has a best finish of 11th back in 1998.