Edmonton INDY - Play By Play Via Tweet By Tweet

Race Start: Will Power, Team Penske leads the field to the Checkered Flag at the Rexall Edmonton INDY at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2009)

Edmonton INDY - Play By Play Via Tweet By Tweet

The Edmonton INDY is in the middle of a three-year contract to bring the race to Edmonton. It would be a shame to see this Canadian venue go by the way of, say, Vancouver. Edmonton has been one of the better temporary courses ever set up and is similar to the type of race that another defunct venue had in Cleveland Burke Lakefront airport.

Edmonton INDY is the 11th race of the IndyCar Series 2009 season and it has been another tough year for the fortunes of the Transition Players with only one consistent highlight ... flashes of brilliance from Will Power, Justin Wilson, Graham Rahal, and Paul Tracy but little in the way of consistency.

Will Power, driving for Penske Racing, has been a consistent performer but due to contract issues with Penske ... has not been able to actually race consistently with only five appearances in races so far this season. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2009)

Order given to have drivers to the cars!

This excerpted and edited from Twitter, IndyCar Live Timing and Scoring, and various digital resources -

IndyCarNationDrivers introductions have begun at Edmonton City Centre Airport. Second of four Snowbirds flybys will be 15 minutes.
FuriousWedgewhat a concept, VS giving more coverage & explanation to the Dario-PT pit order issue than ABC did, and ABC were the ones covering that race
CrashGladysOh man, my Helio 'I love Canada' bit just cut out... hopefully it wasn't my DVR! I was wanting to hear that bit... #indycar

15:44:58 GMT-0600 Lap 0: All cars are away from the grid for the pack laps. Green flag 2nd time by.

15:48:55 GMT-0600 Lap 0: Mario Moraes has some damage after going off course.

IndyCarPRLap 1: #5 Moraes is off course in Turn 5 with damage to the car. #24 Conway off course in Turn 14.

Will Power leads the way on the first lap

luczodragonRear suspension was bent in the turn, he's coming in

15:53:36 GMT-0600 Lap 5: The lead has dropped to around one second.

VisionRacing10 laps in + Will Power is leader. Red car. Red car. Red car. (Normally) Red Car. But OH CANADA!! PT is P6 + looking to get in the mix!

16:00:00 GMT-0600 Lap 11: Will Power has a comfortable lead, but isn't pulling away.

Top five Will Power , Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, and Dario Franchitti - go figure. The good news is that Paul Tracy is on Dario's rear wing in sixth.

16:01:22 GMT-0600 Lap 12: Will Power just had his fastest lap of the race.

IndyCarPRLap 12: #12 Power leads #6 Briscoe by 1.5258 seconds.

Matos got his car fixed and is heading out on the track 14 laps down!

16:07:15 GMT-0600 Lap 18: Tomas Scheckter is back out after a pit stop. He appeared to have no damage.

VisionRacingI gotta say, the Luczo Dragon crew helmets and mirrored googles are awesome looking. Very Star Wars looking.
DRRIndyCarTomas reports rear suspension damage. Car looks ok.
VisionRacingEngineer Jeff Britton on radio: " Keep after it. You're catching him!" Refering to Ed hunting down Antinucci. Ed reporting understeer in 9.
IndyCarNationLap 17: #12 Power leads #6 Briscoe by 2.7540 seconds. Lap 20: #12 Power leads #6 Briscoe by 3.4230 seconds
pressdogdoes power pull over at the end to "accidentally" let Briscoe by since he's in the championship hunt?
lesleyworldTop five in Edmonton IndyCar race are all Penske and Ganassi. Ooo, how exciting! {YAWN}

16:10:44 GMT-0600 Lap 21: A battle for P10 is developing between Justin Wilson and EJ Viso.

16:11:49 GMT-0600 Lap 22: Richard Antinucci is in the pits for an extended stop.

pressdogfestival of lock step
VisionRacing8 laps to pitstop. Vision crew will try to get Ed a spot in the pits.
PlanetIrldotcom@pressdog Lockstep would be a compliment. That means they're close!

16:13:40 GMT-0600 Lap 24: The lead of Will Power is increasing with each lap.
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16:16:46 GMT-0600 Lap 27: The lead of Will Power has stabilized around four seconds.

DRRIndyCarFuriously working to repair the 24 http://yfrog.com/7gzg1zj
VisionRacingEd coming in this lap. Turn and a half front wingm taking reds off and putting black firestones on. And fuel of course.
luczodragonMoraes, Conway, Scheckter are now behind us. Shooting for 98 next
kvracingTracy now 6th after 29 laps. Still on red tires, not pitted yet. Race order, Power, Briscoe, Castroneves, Dixon, Franchitti, Tracy

16:20:27 GMT-0600 Lap 30: The lead cars are working their way through lapped traffic.
----
FuriousWedgedid Dixon just go over a speed bump coming out of the pits, he got some serious air!

Marco Andretti, Andretti Green Racing with the center of the city of Edmonton in the background. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2009)

Marco26WebDan's in - so Marco has a chance to make up some time on the track before his own stop.
luczodragonLeaders all coming in to pit, 61 laps left

Rahal and Doornbos pit - Tony Kanaan's car is on FIRE!
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16:27:12 GMT-0600 Lap 36: The fire was in the cockpit of Kanaan's car, but it appears he is uninjured.
16:28:19 GMT-0600 Lap 37: Ryan Briscoe is working on the lead of Will Power as it continues to come down.

lesleyworldScary pit fire for Tony Kanaan, but great to see all of the other team's crews running out immediately to help.
VisionRacing@tonyKanaan waving to fans on his way to medical. He's okay. VERY wet. But okay.
IndyCarNationLap 33: Leader #12 Power and #6 Briscoe and #9 Dixon pit for four black tires and fuel. New leader is #3
IndyCarPRLap 34: Leader #3 Castroneves on pit lane for four black tires and fuel. #11 Kanaan exits pits with a fire on-board.

16:31:35 GMT-0600 Lap 40: Dan Wheldon off course and continue in Turn 3.
16:33:42 GMT-0600 Lap 42: Will Power is looking strong as his lead stays around 2.5 seconds.

DRRIndyCarBoth our cars seem to be back running smoothly.
FuriousWedgeScary fire for Tony Kanaan with fuel splashing into the cockpit. he just can't catch a break at all this season
CrashGladysDamn I thought I was live with you all on the race, but you kept tweeting about a fire... just saw it... holy cow! Glad everyone is OK...
VisionRacingEd is P17 w/ Mutoh + Wheldon ahead. @ryanracing is P11. Elsewhere... Power leads (understatement!) Followed by parade of red cars + PT.
FuriousWedgemany kudos to all the indycar drivers this weekend for not taking out that Budweiser sign

16:35:42 GMT-0600 Lap 44: Helio Castroneves is running laps quicker than Will Power as the gap continues to go down.

We are nearly half of the way through, we've had off track excursions, bumping, scrapes, and fires but NO YELLOW FLAGS!

IndyCarNationLap 45: #12 Power leads #3 Castroneves by .6861 of a second.
luczodragonPitting on lap 46
PlanetIrldotcom@toomuchracing Not much to talk about. Will Power is dominating. No action. a Penske Parade
TheEDJE@PlanetIrldotcom - Parades are fun ... if you are a trombone player! #irl #ics #indycar
IndyCarNationLap 50: Working heavy traffic, #12 Power leads #3 Castroneves by .6265 of a second.
VisionRacingNext stop Vision crew will go to red Firestone tires. (Yes 4 tires. This is not NASCAR) Full tank of Ethanol. No wing adjustments.
kvracingPT just gone faster, now done 63.3452 on lap 52. Still P6, got 42 laps to go

16:44:32 GMT-0600 Lap 52: Will Power has had the strongest car all day.

FuriousWedgeIf Will is content to follow Danica & Marco, 2-8th will catch up by the pit stops #indycar
IndyRacingNewsKiss His Bricks: Jimmie Johnson Wins The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard: Bleacher Report On the restart second pl.. http://bit.ly/Q91Fn
pressdogProbably won't be any real racing here until after last pit stops. Wake me up when that starts.

16:51:37 GMT-0600 Lap 59: Will Power has every lap that he has been on the track and not in the pits.

pressdogmarco inhalation!
PlanetIrldotcom"If WP is so awesome, how come he can't pass a backmarker on a track that 150 feet wide? " lol, nice one
kvracingPT pitting again for red tires and fuel. Lap 61 or 95. Hitting a little bit of traffic but everything is good.

16:55:43 GMT-0600 Lap 63: Will Power gives up the race lead for what should be his last pit stop.

IndyCarPRLap 61: #10 Franchitti to pit lane for four black tires and fuel. #15 Tracy pits for four red tires and fuel.
DRRIndyCarGetting ready for a routine stop with Mike.
kvracingPaul just briefly went across the grass, but back on track

16:57:06 GMT-0600 Lap 64: Ryan Briscoe takes a pair of scuffed red tires.

lesleyworldAh, that's good, the cameraman couldn't figure out which one was Paul Tracy. And now Jon can't figure out where the cars are on the track.

16:59:13 GMT-0600 Lap 66: Ryan Briscoe gets around Dixon for P2.
17:00:10 GMT-0600 Lap 66: Helio Castroneves is the next driver to look at getting around Scott Dixon.
----
VisionRacingPower in lead. P2 Dixon locked up his front brakes. Briscoe gets past Dixon. Mixes up order... Red car. red car. red car. Oh wait nevermind.
pressdogthat was it, kids. the excitement for the day, baring air strike. thanks for watchin.
mariomoraesindyHave a team mate like this for what ? better dont have any one ..
mariomoraesindypra que que serve o companheiro de equipe ? pra ajudar no desenvolvimento nao ? O MEU SOH TEM FUDIDO TUDO .... pqp
pressdogpower +6.7 wings back in the delta
IndyCarPRLap 62: #12 Power and #3 Castroneves on pit lane for four black tires and fuel. New leader is #6 Briscoe.
IndyCarPRLap 63: #6 Briscoe on pit lane for four red tires and fuel. New leader is #9 Dixon.
IndyCarPRLap 64: Leader #9 Dixon on pit lane for four black tires and fuel. #12 Power beats #9 Dixon into Turn 1
IndyCarPRLap 70: #12 Power leads #6 Briscoe 6.5675 seconds
TheEDJE70 Laps and still no full course caution YELLOW - #irl #ics #indycar
FilipCleerenBriscoe has more trouble with backmarkers than with Helio and Dixon...

17:07:10 GMT-0600 Lap 73: Scott Dixon uses lapped traffic to get by Helio Castroneves for P2.

Marco26WebL73: Lead cars make a strong move on Marco and he takes a trip across grass to avoid trouble. Lapped up to fourth, but holding P10.
FuriousWedgeUmm Jon & Robbie, you guys missed the fact that Dixon got by Briscoe as well
IndyCarPRLap 73: #12 Power leads #9 Dixon 8.8424 seconds. I missed where Dixon passed Helio.

Briscoe has dropped positions from 2nd to 4th - Scuff Reds are not working out for him.

17:11:02 GMT-0600 Lap 77: Ryan Hunter-Reay has some rear wing damage and is trying to make it to the pits.

VisionRacing20 laps to go in Edmonton. Power leads, Reds follow, PT chases. Nearly everyone else is at least a lap down.
----
luczodragonHunter-Reay spins and hits wall rear end first, we'll see what that does for him
VisionRacingRT @IndyCarPR: #14 made contact with the retaining wall in Turn 10
toomuchracingI don't like this idea of having back-to-back-to-back race weekends in IndyCar. How's a guy supposed to catch up?!

17:14:16 GMT-0600 Lap 80: The gaps between the top five are opening up.
17:15:49 GMT-0600 Lap 81: Dixon is getting slowed down by Ed Carpenter and Helio looks to try and pounce.

IndyCarNationLap 80: #12 Power leads #9 Dixon 4.5154
VisionRacingPower still in control in Edmonton #indycar race. We're going back to the Menards day-glo yellow next week. Yellow cars rule! ;)
IndyCarPRMedical update from Dr. Michael Olinger: Tony Kanaan has been checked and released from the infield care center.
VisionRacingRHR @ryanracing is back on track with new rear wing.

17:17:42 GMT-0600 Lap 83: Helio is within a couple car lengths of Dixon.
17:19:28 GMT-0600 Lap 84: Helio uses a nice split move on Carpenter to take P2 from Dixon.

FuriousWedgeWhat a great move by Helio, that effectively saves the point chase for both Briscoe & Dario who were about to lose some good ground to Scott
luczodragonDespite the early set back Rafa has kept racing.
pressdogum. ok, why didn't Ed just go about 10 feet wide in that huge area and let the two contenders go?

17:21:09 GMT-0600 Lap 86: Helio Castroneves used the lapped traffic to open the gap up to nearly one second.

IndyCarPRLap 85: #12 Power leads #3 Castroneves by 6.8821 seconds. @h3lio made a nice move to pass @ScottDixon9 and lap car of @edcarpenter20
luczodragon9 laps left, we may go entire race without full course yellow

KV Racing Technology's Paul Tracy locks up his tires as he approaches Newman/Haas/Lanigan's Bobby D, Robert Doornbos at the Rexall Edmonton INDY held at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2009)

FuriousWedge@pressdog because that would have been boring, he knew you were bored and wanted to give you something to tweet about
luczodragonWill Power is going unchallenged. Could be wire to wire win
Marco26WebMarco flying again - just a few hundredths off his fastest lap of the day. DP matches it though.
PlanetIrldotcomNEW AWARD "The Marty Roth Award for excellence in Chicanery" - Awarded to the driver that best exemplifies Marty's ability to get in the way

17:23:13 GMT-0600 Lap 88: Most of the drivers are really spread out around the course.
17:25:10 GMT-0600 Lap 90: With five laps remaining, it is Will Power's race to lose.

pressdogthis plays right into my idea to have the Lights cars on the track at the same time to provide some picks for when we are all are sleepy.
luczodragonHunter-Reay made it back out 8 laps down, just ahead of Rafa. Thought we might sneak up one more spot. Nice effort by his crew
FuriousWedgeyou know what would make this race fun, put some sweet jumps out in the grass; Wheldon would be ready for the X-games by now

17:27:06 GMT-0600 Lap 92: Raphael Matos goes off course and continues in Turn 3.
17:29:06 GMT-0600 Lap 93: Full course yellow for Tomas Scheckter

Full Course YELLOW with the WHITE Flag displayed at the same time.

17:30:39 GMT-0600 Lap 94: Will Power wins the Rexall Edmonton Indy!

Podium: Will Power, Team Penske celebrates his win of the Rexall Edmonton INDY at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. He brought it home on a YELLOW/WHITE Flag final lap. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2009)

TheEDJEWill Power's yellow Penske car with the wire to wire run gives a new meaning to the phrase ... Full Course Yellow! #irl #ics #indycar
IndyCarPRLap 95: CHECKERED: Will Power wins the Rexall Edmonton Indy.
FuriousWedgeHad Briscoe not had his little issue he could have just notched up his 5th 2nd in 6 races, still a Top 5 keeps him in the hunt #indycar
pressdogbeen fun, kids. ups to @kevinlee23 today. awesome job. Anyone miss Arute? Didn't think so.
PlanetIrldotcom@pressdog I missed his orange nuclear tan. Kevin shoudl have tried it.
kart58And good job to the Penske rent-a-crew :-) #indycar
VisionRacingCongrats to Will Power + crew. 20 car was okay on reds. Ran good times on last stint. Gotta take some positives home with us. P16
PippaMannCongratulations to Will Power and his guys! Great job!
Marco26WebSo after the Penske and Ganassi top four, the race is on for 5th place in the championship. DP - 5th/285pts, MA up one place to 6th/259pts
DRRIndyCarWe finished both cars. Days like today, that's all you can hope for! Congrats to our good friend Will Power on a much-deserved win!
END OF UPDATES

How the drivers fared (** denotes Transition Player)

Pos Driver Team Gap
1. Will Power Penske**
2. Helio Castroneves Penske + 1.0936s
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 1.3213s
4. Ryan Briscoe Penske + 1.8266s
5. Dario Franchitti Ganassi + 4.4652s
6. Paul Tracy KV + 6.3941s**
7. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 26.5700s**
8. Justin Wilson Coyne + 26.9169s**
9. Robert Doornbos Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 1 lap**
10. Marco Andretti Andretti Green + 1 lap
11. Danica Patrick Andretti Green + 1 lap
12. EJ Viso HVM + 1 lap**
13. Alex Tagliani Conquest + 1 lap**
14. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green + 1 lap
15. Dan Wheldon Panther + 1 lap
16. Ed Carpenter Vision + 2 laps
17. Ryan Hunter-Reay Foyt + 8 laps
18. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon + 10 laps
19. Tomas Scheckter Dreyer & Reinbold + 22 laps
20. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold + 32 laps

Retirements/not classified:

Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 34 laps
Richard Antinucci 3G 20 laps
Mario Moraes KV 0 laps**

Paul Tracy, KV Racing Technology at the Rexall Edmonton INDY at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2009)

So, five of the top ten positions in Edmonton were occupied by Transition Players, those drivers that have been merged into the IRL from the ChampCar World Series allowing only one Andretti Green Racing driver (Michael's son, Marco) to crack the top ten on a temporary race circuit.

Will Power as Transition Player, notches his first win for the Team Penske organization ... they should give him MORE races to ride in.

Paul Tracy was the first driver not in a car fielded by Team Penske or Target Chip Ganassi, driving for KV Racing Technology ... another Transition Player without a ride for the near future - what in the heck is going on inside the thinking of the management of the IRL?

Jus' askin'!

... notes from The EDJE

Paul TracyJoins Forces With AJ Foyt For The Milwaukee Mile

Look who we ran into in the tire store in Spendora, TX ! They were useless helping get the tire fixed though! Image Credit: Tommy Kendall

Paul Tracy Joins Forces With AJ Foyt For The Milwaukee Mile

Two four time winners join forces to conquer the Milwaukee Mile together ... AJ Foyt as a car owner without a driver, and Paul Tracy as one of the most proven winning drivers without a full-time ride.

Motorsports commentator and sport car driver Tommy Kendall and Paul Tracy had decided to drive a motorhome back to Tracy's home in Las Vegas from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, taking the long way home through Texas. The fun thing about this trip is that Tommy decided to give updates about the trip through his Facebook account. The two of them experienced a flat tire near San Antonio, so they took the time to take a look at a 1964 primer black customized Lincoln Continental.

BLOWOUT in Splendora, TX! Bummer!! First time the wheels have stopped in 15 hours. Image Credit: Tommy Kendall

After leaving, Tommy wrote to tell everyone to join them on Sirius Radio - "Welcome to all the new friends from the Godfather's Sirius show who have joined the ABC Supply/Geico Thrilla Express." The word had begun to spread.

Gonna be 3 hours to get a tire here, so we've gone to plan B: unloaded the runabout and are going to go look at the Lincoln in the meantime. Image Credit: Tommy Kendall

Followers began to comment the following:

** AJ and PT is a match made in heaven. All we need now is Penske resources and the wins shall flow forth!

** PT is going to have to train on the heavy bag as well as the weights now. It is after all, AJ we are talking about.

** Sounds like a really fun road trip. I'm a big fan of "the thrill from West Hill". Way cool Lincoln!!

** Re: MM. Sad it came about this way but its probably more fate than anything. AJ and PT, we need to get PT's dad in there to stir up 'ol AJ. Epic. TO and beyond, this is history in the making. As happy as this makes a lot of people there are certainly some drivers/teams/owners this will just plain scare. Nice.

** AMEN and could not be happier. TK, PT and AJ is the real reality show. Some cool title that combines TEX and that HORN ...Chrome that is. Tell PT that we are stoked.

** This will be the first IRL race I watch start to finish.

The sad part to all of this was the tragic crash on LAP 174 of the INDY 500 that injured AJ Foyt's driver, Vitor Miera, that opened the door for two tough, rough around the edges open-wheel champions to join forces for at least one race at a track they both have had great success. Also, AJ had to hit a home run with star power after loosing his regular driver ... the race is named in honor of his team's steady and reliable sponsor ABC Supply and AJ Foyt himself - The ABC Supply Co. Inc. / AJ Foyt 225 at the Milwaukee Mile! AJ Foyt remarked, "It's a very important race for us because it's sponsored by our team sponsor ABC Supply, which is based in Wisconsin and Milwaukee is their home track."

While INDY just celebrated it's 100 year anniversary, the venerable "bullring" known as The Milwaukee Mile is celebrating it's 103rd year. The track is way different than the big four-cornered IMS in that it is only one mile around, there is very little banking to speak of and the track is wide enough to pass almost anywhere. It will be a very exciting race to watch, especially now with PT behind the wheel of an AJ Foyt prepared Dallara. The race will be televised Sun, May 31 - 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

We made good use of our downtime and PT bought this 64 Lincoln. Image Credit: Tommy Kendall

Thrilla' is pretty proud of his new murdered (flat black) Conti w/suicide doors. Image Credit: Tommy Kendall

This excerpted and edited from indycar.com -

Proven Winner
By Dave Lewandowski - Indycar.com - Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Two outspoken open-wheel racing stars have joined forces for the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 at The Milwaukee Mile this weekend.

Paul Tracy will replace the injured Vitor Meira behind the wheel of the No. 14 ABC Supply Co. car for A.J. Foyt Racing for the May 31 race. Tracy, who has won at The Mile four times, will be driving for the four-time Indianapolis 500 champion's team for the first time.

"I'm excited to get an opportunity to drive albeit as a fill-in for Vitor as I know it's a short-term thing," said Tracy, who is coming off a ninth-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 in a KV Racing Technology car. "When I started my career (1991), I competed against A.J. He was one of my idols growing up. I haven't told too many people this but he was one of the guys I modeled myself after. I'm a little rough around the edges like him and I say what I feel, and that's one of the things I've always admired about him."

Tracy, 40, has 31 Indy car victories in his CART/Champ Car World Series career; Foyt is the all-time leader with 67 (all under USAC sanctioning).

"Paul Tracy is a hard charger and our type of driver, much like Vitor," said Foyt, who has four victories at The Mile - including an Indy 500-Milwaukee double a week apart. "I believe we can put the right equipment under Paul, and we've both had success there, so I think we can put our heads together and have a good race.
----
Tracy has made himself at home at the track. In 14 starts (1993-2006), he has led nine races for 723 laps and earned four wins (Newman-Haas, 1995; Team Green, 1999, 2002; Forsythe, 2005), two poles (Penske Racing, 1996, 1997); two other top-five finishes plus two top-10 finishes.

"I think the team is competing at a much higher level these days," said Tracy, who will be competing in his fourth IndyCar Series event. "I had a long conversation with (team director) Larry (Foyt) and they're working hard. That's all I expect from people is to do their best. I think I'm the kind of driver who could make the difference at Milwaukee, being a four-time winner there, and teaming up with A.J., a guy who's won as many times as he has at the historic Mile is not only a great story but a winning recipe."
----
"There's no challenge for me, I'm a grizzly old veteran like A.J., I'll be up to speed real quick," he said. "I jumped in the car at Indianapolis and I hadn't driven at Indy in seven years and never drove a Dallara on the speedway and did 220 mph on my third lap. I don't anticipate any trouble getting up to speed because I spent the last month in the car. If the team can deliver me a good car, I think I can win the race for them."
Reference Here>>

Tommy Kendall has the weather update for the next leg of the ABC Supply/ Geico Express Road trip: Dark. continuing dark throughout the night, giving way to widely scattered sunlight in the morning.

This race will definitely be a "Thrill ... by the guy from West Hill"!

... notes from The EDJE

Paul Tracy & 15 Questions For The 2009 INDY 500

First Glimpse of PT and his new, Geico logoed firesuit. Image credit: KV Racing Technology's Photos - Facebook Wall Photos

Paul Tracy & 15 Questions For The 2009 INDY 500

Like a lot of us out here who still cling on to what is left of a CCWS spirit and CART culture, love it when good drivers, entertaining drivers are able to get loaded back into the chamber of the IRL rifle and compete.

Yesterday, the Indy Racing League held a teleconference with KV Racing Technology's Paul Tracy, who will be driving for the team in the 2009 INDY 500 set to be televised Sun, May 24 - Noon (ET) on ABC.

The Moderator asked 15 question ranging from expectations for the month of May, his preparedness, the make up of the KVRT team, and past relations with the racing community. Paul's return the the ICS scene is a refreshing blast of personality as his response to these questions point out.

Welcome back Paul ... it is as if you never left.

Paul Tracy was confirmed as the driver of a KV Racing entry in next month’s Indianapolis 500. Driving No. 15 and sponsored by GEICO insurance, the 2003 Champ Car title-winner will compete in the month of May at The Brickyard for the first time since he was controversially declared runner-up to Helio Castroneves in 2002. /// The Canadian was bullish about his chances. He said: “Every year at Indy there are a load of drivers there who just want to make the show, there are a handful who just want to run well and they’ll be happy with a Top 10 finish. /// “Well, that isn’t me. I’m in the handful that want to win this thing, and who will do everything in their power to do that, and I know KV Racing shares that same philosophy. We saw last year that KV was the best of the teams transitioning from Champ Car, and Jimmy [Vasser, team co-owner] and Mark Johnson [team manager] tell me that they have been working hard all winter on their superspeedway package. Image Credit: racer.com

Indy Racing League Teleconference Transcript - Wednesday, April 29, 2009

MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, we're joined now by Paul Tracy. Thanks for joining us, Paul.

PAUL TRACY: Sure.

MODERATOR: Paul will be making his 2009 IndyCar Series debut in the Indianapolis 500, driving the No. 15 GEICO/KV Racing Technology car. Paul has made five starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of second in his last start, which came in 2002.

Paul, you got into an IndyCar Series car last summer at Edmonton. Obviously you were quick right off the bat, finishing fourth in the race. Do you have any concerns now about getting back into the rhythm and being quick at Indy?

PAUL TRACY: No, not really. Obviously I've got a little bit more lead time to get ready for Indianapolis. There's a whole week of practice before the first week of qualifying. When we went to Edmonton last summer, it was really just kind of a last-minute deal. I was actually on vacation with my wife and kids at the beach in San Diego and got a phone call from Tony (George) asking if I'd like to do the race in Edmonton. That was about three days before I had to leave. Really didn't get any time to prepare for that. Hadn't driven a car in four or five months.

Paul Tracy, driving for Vision Racing, runs just ahead of Justin Wilson in the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Dallara in the 2008 Rexall Edmondton INDY. Paul Tracy, after qualifying and starting 16th, passes KV Racing Technology's Oriol Servia for 4th on the final lap. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2008)

From that standpoint I've kind of known for the last three, four weeks that this deal was going to come together. I've had time to get ready for it mentally and physically. The team obviously has fast cars this year. They were looking for a veteran driver to make their assault, KV at the 500. We all share the same goal, and that's to go there and try to win the race.

MODERATOR: You mentioned the team there. Guys you're familiar with, like Jimmy Vasser, Kevin Kalkhoven. You've known those guys on and off the track for years. Tell us about the chance to work with those guys for the month.

PAUL TRACY: I think it's great. I've known Kevin since he got into the car. Then Jimmy got involved with him. We've been competitors. But Kevin has always been very friendly with me, has said to me on a couple of different occasions that at some point he would like me to drive for him. So we've finally got that opportunity to do that. I couldn't be happier. Obviously the team is doing a good job this year. I think Mario (Moraes) is just lacking a little bit of experience. That only comes with time.

But the team, I feel they've got competitive cars. A lot of the guys on the team, the mechanics and engineers, I've worked with in the past. Quite a few of them are from Forsythe. My championship year at Forsythe, the guys on the team were on my crew, you know, three, so it should make the transition to getting there and getting up to speed fairly easy 'cause it's pretty comfortable surroundings really.

MODERATOR: Let's talk about the month of May and the race. What type of goals and expectations have you set for yourself heading into the month?

PAUL TRACY: For me, the only reason I want to go there is to try to win. It's not to go there to qualify and make the field and have a good day. I said at the press conference in Long Beach the reason I'm going there is to win. If we can do that and generate a lot of media for our sponsor with GEICO, hopefully we can grow this into something bigger and better. Right now the focus is just on Indianapolis. If that goes well enough, then maybe we can get into the races in Canada or maybe more.

Q. Like you said in Long Beach, this is the one trophy missing from your mantel and you'd like to have it. As you talked about earlier, can this be the springboard to get you back in full-time?

PAUL TRACY: I would hope so. Obviously with either a win or a great result in Indy I would hope that it would open the door to racing on a full-time basis. Last year coming back at Edmonton to come right out of the box and be in the top five or six in every practice session with Tony's (George) team, then finish fourth, I thought the expectations of that, I think everybody exceeded what we had planned to do. The excitement level after the race for that three, four, five days post race was very good. I thought, 'OK, I'm going to be in a car here.'

As time passed by, it just kind of fizzled. You know, nothing's a guarantee. Obviously this is a good opportunity. It didn't come out of the blue. I've had to generate the sponsorship to do this and find the money to do it. Nobody has handed me a ride. It takes money to run these cars. It's going to take finding a full-time sponsor to get me on the track.

Q. Toronto is back on the schedule this summer. Your old pals/enemies at Andretti Green are running the show. How much would it mean to you personally to be back on the grid with a car that's competitive to win?

PAUL TRACY: Well, obviously I would like to do that. Again, it's going take finding sponsorship to do that. Now that we've got a program for Indy, and I was at Long Beach, generated a lot of talk, generated a lot of media, a lot of exposure - some people are starting to talk. 'What is it going to take to get you in the Canadian races or more races?' So we've got the doors open now talking to more sponsors, people getting interested.

But it's tough. It's a tough market out there. I was just listening to Stanton (Barrett). It's no different. I'm no different than him. We're out there talking to sponsors, but it's hard to get a commitment from them.

Q. I remember in 2002 before the race when the team was struggling to make it into the show, you kind of called it Groundhog Day, that every day was the same. Rather than getting better, it was just getting worse. Then you were there at the very end of the race with it in your hands. Do you feel much better prepared going into Indy this year than you did back in '02 with Team Green?

PAUL TRACY: We went there again in '02 on just a one-race deal to run Indy. Our focus was the CART title with Dario (Franchitti) and myself. I think as the month was ramping up towards qualifying, we just weren't progressing and getting the setup right on the car. We struggled and struggled and struggled with it. We were just off a little bit in terms of setup. It doesn't take very much to be two, three or four miles an hour slow.

We basically on the day of qualifying, I think on the first weekend, we made a big drastic change in the final practice to try to get some speed in the car. I had lost the car in Turn 2 and backed into the wall, banged myself up pretty good. I was almost right then, I said to Barry Green, I'm ready to throw in the towel on this deal. I think I should go home for a couple days and just clear my head and think about this. If you don't want to run, or if we want to go test at Mid-Ohio with the Champ Car, then maybe that's what we should do. Barry said to go home for a couple days. I went home, got my head clear, because Indy is the kind of place where you run so much there, and once you get kind of sideways, get going the wrong direction, it's hard to get going back the right way again. Sometimes the best thing to do is just go and clear your head.

I did that. I came back. We had gotten some information and some help from some different teams and some ideas, really just changed the setup and changed a few things that we had on the car that weren't right. Then both Dario (Franchitti) and myself and Michael (Andretti), we were all quick. Second weekend, I think I qualified at like 228 (mph) on the second weekend. Then the car was good. But I was starting on the last row.

It doesn't take very much to be wrong. That's how sensitive the cars are.

Q. To go in there this year, even though Jimmy's (Vasser) team has a year of IndyCar experience now, it seems the teams that came over last year have picked up the pace dramatically. How much better suited do you feel you are going into this year's race to what you were back then?

Paul and Jimmy get even more comfortable with each other during the final ICS practice session along Shoreline Drive. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

PAUL TRACY: Well, Jimmy's (Vasser) guaranteed me a fast car, so I'm taking his word on it. He said they worked and worked and worked all winter on a lot of the fundamentals of the car, little tiny things that make big differences in terms of speed. It's not just changing a spring, changing a roll bar that makes the car fast. There's a hundred little things that make these cars fast on the superspeedways. A lot of it is body fit and aerodynamics, wheel bearings, oil. It's all the little tiny tricks that make the difference, like in a stock car. When they go to qualify at Daytona, Talladega, there's like 50 little things that make the difference. When you don't have those, it really shows.

From that standpoint, they qualified sixth at Kansas, which is a big, fast speedway, flat out, with all that preparation is where it shows. I don't think they had the race that they wanted, but the speed is in the car. With that, they've told me they've got a good car that they feel can win at Indianapolis.

Q. I noticed you were quoted recently about that 2002 race saying, I feel I kind of got swindled. Are you haunted by what happened in 2002?

PAUL TRACY: I'm not haunted by it. It's one of those things where I've seen the data and I've seen the television footage and I've seen where our cars were positioned on the track. They can measure these cars. I said to somebody at Long Beach, I watched a show on VERSUS a couple weeks ago, the closest finish in IndyCar Series history, they can measure these things by millimeters, the differences of thousandths of a second. The video of my car 16 feet ahead of Helio (Castroneves) with the green light on.

From that standpoint, I'm not haunted by it. I guess I don't have the material things that show that I won the race. I don't have the trophy. I didn't get the money that comes along with it. But from the other side of it, I have that feeling that you long for when you're a kid in your driveway playing hockey and you're counting down five seconds left and you score the winning goal, when you're a kid. We were coming down to the closing stages of the race and I made an outside pass for the win. That's what every kid dreams about, whether you're shooting baskets and there's one second left on the clock and you make the basket when you're a kid dreaming about stuff like that. That's in my soul now. So I have that feeling of winning there, which I think is more important than having a piece of -- you know, a trophy on your shelf. After a while, you never look at it anymore and it just gets tarnished.

Paul Tracy with team owner, KV Racing Technology, Jimmy Vasser in the pits at the the 35th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, soon after the announcement that Tracy will be driving the Geico sponsored #15 KVRT Dallara in the upcoming INDY 500. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

Q. You have the feeling. Maybe you'll get the actual hardware shortly.

PAUL TRACY: Yeah, we'll see. I'm excited about it. Get an opportunity to go back and try to do it.

Q. Probably the one great irony of the reunification last year was the fact that you lost your job. How have you been able to deal with that, watching everybody else move on to the new series where you're left on the sideline and your time clock is clicking away on your career?

PAUL TRACY: Obviously it's been frustrating. But as the merger -- the only way I can really say where I'm at today is because while the merger wheels were in process, I was being told a different story by (Gerry) Forsythe, that there wasn't going to be a merger, that I was going to continue to drive for them. That all didn't go the way it was told to me. So I was under contract to Forsythe. It took me a long time legally to be in a position where I was comfortable from a legal standpoint to go and drive for another team. So by the time I was able to do that, the season was already going and there was really no opportunity to get in another car.

Like I said before, with the result in Edmonton, I thought the door would be open. Nothing really happened. Nothing happened over this winter until the last three weeks. So, it has been a little bit frustrating. But I guess it's a lot of different factors that happen, whether it be economy, sponsorship and things like that.

Q. Has it basically in your mind been the economy? Is that the biggest stumbling block right now?

PAUL TRACY: It doesn't help. I think the economy, sponsorship dictates whether the wheels turn on the car. I haven't had a sponsor. I've gone out and found this deal with GEICO, a friend of mine, Doug Barnett, who does a lot of work with them, their NASCAR program. Without that I wouldn't be on the track. It's really a case of if you have money, you'll get a ride, and if you don't, then you sit.

Q. Has the 2002 race been a haunting thing since then? How did you get over it?

PAUL TRACY: I got over it the next week. I went to Milwaukee in the CART race and won there. I kind of let things go pretty easily. Obviously, I've won a lot of races since then, won a championship since then. Like I said, I've got that feeling that's burned inside of me of what it takes to win that race, but I don't have the material things that go along with it, which that's just the way it is.

Q. It's been a couple years since you've been on an oval and seven years since you've been on this one. Anything about that that concerns you or do you feel like once you get out there and get going everything will come back pretty quick?

PAUL TRACY: No, I think it will come back pretty quick. Obviously, I've been doing this for so long, have a lot of experience at it. I don't think it will take me very long to get back up to speed. It's not like I'm going there as a rookie, never seen the place, never been on a track like that. I've raced there a bunch of times, done lots of miles. So I don't think it will be too difficult for me.

Q. I know you joked at Long Beach, you were asked about whether you'd be interested in getting some extra track time, going out with the rookies. You said, 'Former winners aren't invited to do that.' If the extra track time was available, is that something you'd want to take advantage of or are you content to start with everybody else next week?

PAUL TRACY: I know they're talking to the league, I guess they have, apart from the rookie session, they have a refresher session, which is the extra miles that don't really cost anything in terms of the engine program. So if we can do that, we're talking to the league now about getting a handful of laps on the track before official practice starts on Wednesday. So we're trying to plan on that.

MODERATOR: Paul, thank you for taking the time to join us this afternoon. Appreciate that. We're looking forward to seeing you back here in Indianapolis next week.

PAUL TRACY: Thanks, guys.
Reference Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

Tracy – Open Wheel’s Loss Is Truck Series’ Gain

Paul Tracy at a news conference before the IndyCar Series race in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Tracy was able to place fourth overall, just missing the podium in his only race in a IndyCar Dallara in 2008. Image Credit: Shawn Payne - ICS

Tracy – Open Wheel’s Loss Is Truck Series’ Gain

Motorsports racing champion and Canadian Paul Tracy will be racing in the Craftsman Truck Series when he is set to drive for Germain Racing in the No. 9 Toyota Tundra after successfully testing with the team back in May at Chicagoland Speedway.

2008 saw many good drivers become shuffled out of competition in the major open wheel racing series as it became unified when ChampCar and IndyCar racing series merged. Many drivers ended up scattered about with some remaining here in North America to race in the American Le Mans Series, while others found rides in Europe in other specialized promotional racing series.

Tracy was left on the sidelines, with “one-of” outings at Long Beach for Forsythe and Edmonton for IndyCar Series President and Vision Racing Team owner, Tony George - his only appearances of the 2008 racing season … where he had competitive showings.

Paul Tracy will get behind the wheel of his NASCAR Series Toyota Tundra in Texas next week.

Paul Tracy in the Vision Racing Dallara #22 taking laps at Edmonton. Image Credit: Covey Moore

This excerpted and edited from autosport.com -

Tracy to race in Truck Series
By Diego Mejia Thursday, October 23rd 2008, 16:08 GMT

Former Champ Car champion Paul Tracy is set to return to NASCAR by making his Craftsman Truck Series debut next week at Texas Motor Speedway.
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Tracy's teammates for the weekend will be title contender and 2006 Truck Series champion Todd Bodine and rookie Justin Marks.

"Germain Racing is a championship organization, and I'm excited to be behind the wheel of the Bombardier Learjet/Sport Clips Toyota Tundra in Texas," said Tracy.

"Todd and I are good friends, and I'm looking forward to helping him and the Germain Racing team win the race in Texas and gain spots in the point standings. I appreciate them giving me the opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to support their effort at Texas."

Tracy made his NASCAR debut in 2006 when he ran six races for two different teams in the Nationwide Series. His best result came in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished 24th.

At the time, he was looking into making a permanent switch to NASCAR, but ultimately decided to sign a long-term Champ Car deal with Forsythe Racing instead, having struggled to find a competitive Cup seat.
Reference Here>>

It's Elation At Edmonton For CCWS/IRL Fans

The temporary race track at Edmonton City Centre Airport (from above) where the Rexall Edmonton Indy was contested. It was formerly called the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton and was a round of the Champ Car World Series. It was one of three Champ Car races added to the 2008 IndyCar Series following the merger of the two American open wheel racing series. Image Credit: Edmonton City Centre Airport

It's Elation At Edmonton For CCWS/IRL Fans

Welcome to Edmonton, Indy Racing League officials and race fans.

The IRL was treated to some fantastic crowds (estimate at over 200,000 for the time of the event) and a warm CCWS reception all during the three days that the IndyCar Series was in town to compete at the Rexall Edmonton Indy - the IRL's first ever race in Canada. This is what it will be like at all former ChampCar World Series venues next year under a truly unified series. All the best drivers and all the best teams with enough experience throughout the paddock to make the 2009 season fun and competitive.

Here is the transcript generated as an off-line live blogging effort at The EDJE. The weather is perfect, clear and in the low 80's, with winds between 10-20 mph from the SE.

After three warm-up laps the pace car pulls off and the Green Flag is waved to start the race.

Race Start for the race held in 2008. This race was held by the ChampCar World Series and was won by Justin Wilson. Wilson qualified in position six and finished the race the highest of all the T-Team Eleven driver competing in the race today. Image Credit: Rexall Edmonton Indy

LAP 1
Graham Rahal gets through the first couple of corners then goes off track with a broken right rear suspension. Says he was tapped by Mario Moraes started 10th but soldiered on at 22nd.

LAP 4
Briscoe baubles and Castroneves takes over the lead.

LAP 7
Will Power started 5th came into the pits while running 13th for adjustments, fuel, and tires.

LAP 9
Will Power retires – left front wishbone is bent. Rolled the car back to the garage to see about replacement.

LAP 11
Tracy moves up to 10th position after starting 16th. Paul Tracy is making his first start of the IRL season even though he did run at the Long Beach Grand Prix.

LAP 14
Castroneves leads Briscoe by 3.2 seconds

LAP 19
Vitor Meira slides into the corner tires in turn one – brings out a full course Yellow and pit stops.

LAP 21
In the pits, Dixon skunks Servia to take over third position.

LAP 25
Restart – The Red & White parade is disrupted when Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, and Buddy Rice stay out to assume the lead over Penske (Castroneves and Briscoe), and Target Chip Ganassi’s Scott Dixon.

LAP 28
Right Rear wishbone of Dale Coyne Racing’s Mario Moraes breaks.

LAP 29
Andretti Green Racing’s Hideki Mutoh spins and crashes badly – Full Course Yellow.

LAP 31
Buddy Rice and Tony Kanaan come in to pit – Marco stays out.
LAP 34
Restart, Paul Tracy pulls up to position 11 behind Bruno Junqueira. Helio jumps all over Andretti and passes for the lead in to turn one.

LAP 36
Paul Tracy also jumps up a few positions on the restart to position 9.

LAP 40
Marco Andretti in the pits. Castroneves, Briscoe, Dixon, Servia, and Wilson round out the top five. Weldon, Bernoldi, Tracy, Hunter-Reay, and Junqueira make up the top ten.

LAP 49
Townsend Bell hits the tire barrier; it’s a tow – Full Course Yellow

LAP 51
Field takes a pit stop – Full fill up leaves a car about 7 laps short of making it to the end on Green.

Scott Dixon skunks both Penske cars off pit lane. Tony Kanaan stays out and assumes the lead. Other that stayed out include Foyt IV, Rice, and Carpenter.

Mario Dominguez climbed up to 14th at one time in the Pacific Coast Motorsports/Visit Mexico City Dallara, but had to retire due to mechanical problems. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2008)

LAP 52
Mario Dominguez of Pacific Coast Motorsports looses a right rear tire as a result of an improper tire change.

LAP 54
Dixon ordered behind Castroneves before restart.

LAP 55
Green, Green, Green – Kanaan leads the pack with 25 laps since his last pit stop.

LAP 56
Briscoe spins and looses places to the leaders – Ed Carpenter taps Briscoe and sends him to 17th.

AJ Foyt IV, passes Tony Kanaan for the lead. Tony spins and opens the door.

LAP 57
Briscoe in the pits, gets topped off on fuel and check for damage – can make it to the end.

LAP 60
Kanaan regains the lead on a driving miscue by AJ Foyt IV. EJ Viso punts Graham Rahal into the tires after Graham rejoins the race. Full Course Yellow

LAP 61
Dixon, Castroneves, Weldon, Tracy, and Wilson round out the top five at restart by staying out during pit open. Kanaan pitted.

LAP 64
Green Flag. Viso called in to the pits for a 15 second stop and go penalty.

LAP 65
Bernoldi spins and drops a couple of places from 12th place.

LAP 67
The top eight places will need a splash and go to complete the race if it remains Green. Ryan Briscoe riding in position 9 can make it all the way. Tracy is up to position 4 followed by Wilson, Servia, and Junqueira.

LAP 70
Servia passes Tracy for fourth. There is speculation that some of the top seven might make it to the end … laps will tell. Briscoe passed Danica Patrick to break into the top eight.

LAP 75
Wilson passes Tracy for fifth place. Twenty laps to go. Who will make it on gas to the end?

LAP 77
Marco taps tires with Danica Patrick and pushes her off of the track. Danica has a flat tire, Marco has a hurt wing and drops back to 15th. Local caution only.

LAP 80
Briscoe passes Junqueira for seventh position. The race is announced to become a timed race – to be run less than the 95 original laps.

LAP 83
Wilson assumes 3rd, Weldon drops back to 6th. Fourteen cars on the lead lap.

LAP 85
Castroneves locks his brakes and looses time behind leader Scott Dixon.

LAP 86
Junqueira passes Weldon for 6th.

LAP 87
Bruno Junqueira sputters and drops back to 11th. Briscoe up to 6th.

LAP 91
White Flag – Dixon, Weldon, Wilson, Servia, and Tracy in the top five for the last lap. Paul Tracy passes Oriol Servia for 4th place on this last lap!

Major thanks has to given to Tony George for clearing the way for Forsythe Racing to race under the Vision Racing banner with a Forsythe prepared SubWay Restruants sponsored Dallara. Image Credit: Covy Moore (2008)

The T-Team Eleven is bolstered by the presence of Paul Tracy who raced his first ever race in a Dallara all the way to the end.

Here is how the transition team drivers fared:

Pos. Driver/Car No C/E/T S Qual Speed Laps XL LL Status Pts

3 Justin Wilson McDonald's Racing Team 02 D/H/F 6 0.000 91 0 0 Running 35

4 Paul Tracy Subway/ Vision 22 D/H/F 15 114.122 91 0 0 Running 32

5 Oriol Servia KV Racing Technology 5 D/H/F 3 116.710 91 0 0 Running 30

14 Bruno Junqueira Z-Line Designs 18 D/H/F 7 115.871 91 0 0 Running 16

15 E.J. Viso PDVSA HVM Racing 33 D/H/F 20 112.879 90 0 0 Running 15

16 Enrique Bernoldi Sangari Conquest Racing 36 D/H/F 11 114.519 90 0 0 Running 14

20 Mario Moraes Sonny's Bar-B-Q 19 D/H/F 10 115.015 85 0 0 Running 12

22 Will Power Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia 8 D/H/F 5 116.410 72 0 0 Running 12

23 Jaime Camara Sangari 34 D/H/F 26 111.229 68 0 0 Mechanical 12

24 Mario Dominguez Visit Mexico City/PCM Racing 96 D/H/F 19 112.500 51 0 0 Off Course 12

26 Graham Rahal Rexall-Oilers 06 D/H/F 8 115.573 44 0 0 Contact 10
Reference Here>>

A really good race in general - not a great race for the overall advancement in the Rookie-Of-The-Year points race due to the fact Will Power could not take advantage of a last place finish by Hideki Mutoh, the current points leader (moved from 31 to 29 points behind).

... notes from The EDJE

Pacific Coast Motorsports Hangs A Shingle

Pacific Coast Motorsports, Oxnard, California - An ultra professional organization with the facilities, personnel and equipment capable of competing at the highest levels of motorsport. Image Credit: PCM 2008

Pacific Coast Motorsports Hangs A Shingle

Yesterday, Tyler Tadevic, President and Team Director of Pacific Coast Motorsports issued an open statement posted at the PCM website.

American racer Alex Figge’s #29 getting it together at the Grand Prix of Las Vegas 2007. Image Credit: PCM 2007

A New Direction
PCM Update March 24

Due to the sudden demise of the Champ Car World Series, Southern California-based Pacific Coast Motorsports would like to announce the availability of their services. We welcome the opportunity to put our exceptionally experienced and highly capable championship winning team to work on your motorsports project. We would like to speak with anyone looking at the IRL, Grand Am, ALMS, IPS and Formula Mazda or any other form of Motorsports. As an ultra professional organization with the facilities, personnel and equipment capable of competing at the highest levels of motorsport on this continent, racing is what we do best, and we would love to take you to the front of your respective field. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions.

Tyler Tadevic, Team Owner: 760-831-0921
Michael Harvey, Team Manager: 805-760-1270
Reference Here>>

Team PCM jumping into action at the Grand Prix of Las Vegas 2007. Image Credit: LAT 2007 - via PCM Website

There are still a few great CCWS drivers out of the line up, maybe this is the last easy door that remains open … otherwise it would be start from absolute scratch.

Three drivers come to mind immediately, first, the lead driver for PCM was an American, Alex Figge, second would be Paul Tracy if he could secure releases from Forsythe Racing that would allow him to run in the IRL, and the 2007 Championship podium finisher at third in the points Dutchman Robert Doornbos (“Bobby-D”).

Any open sponsor organizations? The more the merrier!

UPDATE:

We, at The EDJE, have been doing a little research on Pacific Coast Motorsports and here are a few surprising facts about a very competitive racing effort:

Pacific Coast Motorsports Team Accomplishment Highlights

Jon Fogarty (right, sitting on car) celebrates with the Pacific Coast Motorsports team after winning the 2004 Atlantic title. Image Credit: champcaratlantic.com

• Won the 2004 Champ Car Atlantic title with Jon Fogarty
• Has raced in Atlantics, Grand-Am, ALMS and Champ Car World Series competition
• Won seven races in 2004 Atlantic season

Last year, PCM ran a full season Champ Car World Series in 2007, fielding a two-car team for Roshfrans Rookie-of-the-Year featuring Ryan Dalziel and Alex Figge. Veteran Mario Dominguez filled in for Ryan Dalziel in the final two races.

The California-based squad brings vast experience to professional autosport racing having competed successfully in Champ Car World Series, Champ Car Atlantic Series, American LeMans Series and in the Rolex Grand American Road Racing Series in the last four years.

The team is most well-known in Champ Car circles for its dominating 2004 campaign when Jon Fogarty won six races and the Atlantic championship, outracing current PCM driver Ryan Dalziel for the title.

The team also visited Victory Lane with Alex Figge as the American driver scored his first Atlantic win with a victory in Monterrey, Mexico. Running its own Grand-Am program last year, the team of Dalziel and Figge had seven top-10 finishes paced by a second-place run at Phoenix and a third-place result at Laguna Seca.

The tandem of Figge and Dalziel made its debut in 2005 as the team moved to sports cars, competing part time in both the Grand-Am Cup Series and the American Le Mans Series, with a season-best finish of third coming at Portland.

The team moved up from Grand-Am Cup and into the prototypes for the last race of the 2005 season and finished sixth in its debut.

The team debuted in 2003, running a single-car effort for Alex Figge. The team earned its first-ever front-row start when Figge gridded second at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in a race where he went on to finish fifth. Pacific Coast started its debut season with five consecutive top-10 finishes including top-five runs at Long Beach and MRLS.

Tyler Tadevic Bio - PCM Team Director and President - Having worked his way through the sport after starting as a mechanic for Champ Car Atlantic competitor World Speed Motorsports, Tyler Tadevic is in his fifth season at the helm of Pacific Coast Motorsports, having overseen the team’s rampant growth from Atlantic standout, through sports cars and the Champ Car World Series 2007 season.

This question begs to be asked and answered - How many teams that compete at the highest levels in the world of open-wheel autosports can lay claim to winning a series championship - ever?

Not ... (fill in the blank with any number of famous name teams from Formula 3000, F1, CCWS Atlantic, CCWS, CART, Indy Lights, and the IRL)

UPDATE April 23, 2008:

Pacific Coast Motorsports to officially join in the 2008 IRL Championship Season at the Indianapolis 500 - Mario Dominguez to take the seat for the rest of the season in the "Visit Mexico City" Dallara.
MORE>>

… notes from The EDJE