Paul Tracy Back at Indy in GEICO Racing Entry
Veteran Racer Seeks to Win Indianapolis 500 After Seven-Year Hiatus
May 11, 2009
Tracy, the 2003 champion in the now-defunct ChampCar series, has hooked up with KV Racing Technology and secured sponsorship from GEICO Insurance to drive in the May 24th Indianapolis 500. Tracy has raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway five times, dating back to 1992, but not since 2002. Thanks to the acrimonious 1996 split between CART (later called ChampCar) and the Indy Racing League, which prevented drivers from the rival CART series from racing in the sport's biggest event, Tracy has had limited opportunities to test himself on the most famous 2.5-mile oval in the world. He effectively shook off any rust by posting a fast lap of over 223 mph in the first practice session on May 5.
Good Showing For Subway Restaurants
After the two series merged last year, Tracy was left out in the cold when his ChampCar team, Forsythe Racing, decided not to join the merged series. He did manage to compete in one event last season – a one-off ride for IRL founder Tony George's Vision Racing team at Edmonton, turning in a stunning fourth-place finish in the Subway-sponsored car.
Scarborough Ontario's Favorite Son
The 40-year-old native of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, who calls Las Vegas home, was not able to parlay the impressive Edmonton result into a full time ride in '09, but Tracy says he hopes to secure a ride for the remainder of the season and race for at least two more seasons. KV Racing co-owner Jimmy Vasser, a former driver and friend of Tracy, came to the rescue for Indy, but Tracy is not schedule to compete at any other IRL events at this time.
While it's true that fans generally either love or hate him, Tracy brings an attitude and name recognition to a series badly in need of both. His month in Indianapolis promises to be headline making as he seeks to make amends for what he feels was an unjust decision in the 2002 Indianapolis 500.
Indy 500 Win That Wasn't
Tracy has been quoted several times recently stating that he still feels as if he won the '02 race, not official winner Helio Castroneves. On lap 199 of 200, officials ruled that Castroneves was ahead of Tracy when the yellow flag came out following a crash. After considering Tracy's protest of the decision for five weeks, the IRL upheld the chief steward's initial call. With Tracy motivated to capture the win he feels was wrongly taken from him, his month in Indianapolis promises to be anything but quiet.
