J.R. Hildebrand: “I hope to be able to help Andrew and the rest of the team to succeed”
Fairfield, N.J.
Aug 21, 2007
RLR/Andersen Racing will field entries for Andrew Prendeville and J. R. Hildebrand in the Indy Pro Series doubleheader at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., this weekend, team owner Dan Andersen announced today.
Andersen said that Joey Scarallo, who has been driving for the team this year in the Indy Pro Series, has decided not to compete at Infineon or at the season finale at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., on Sept. 9. “It was an amicable and mutual decision on both of our parts, “ Andersen said.
Hildebrand will be a local favorite at Infineon, as he lives in nearby Sausalito, Calif. He’ll use the number that Scarallo has been using, No. 15. He will drive the team’s red-and-black back-up car that Prendeville used to finish fourth at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last month.
Prendeville, of Morristown, N.J., will continue to drive the Best Friends Animal Society No. 5, which debuted a red-and-white paint scheme at Kentucky Speedway Aug. 11.
At 19 Hildebrand is one of America’s brightest rising stars, and he has a close connection to the RLR/Andersen team already. RLR/Andersen Racing’s Indy Pro Series engineers, Dominic and Nicholas Cape, prepared Hildebrand’s car and guided him to a phenomenal year in 2006, when together they won a record 12 of 14 races enroute to the Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 championship. They also set the record for the most consecutive victories in a season with seven; the most laps led in a season; and the most poles in a season.
Hildebrand was tabbed for the prestigious Team USA Scholarship program in 2005, finishing third overall in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Cup in his first experience racing in Europe.
He was second overall and Rookie of the Year in the Pacific F2000 Zetec Formula Ford series in 2005, and he earned the championship in the SCCA Formula Russell series in 2004.
Hildebrand drove for Newman Wachs Racing in this year’s already-concluded Champ Car Atlantic series, finishing seventh overall. His best finish was second at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland in June.
Hildebrand tested with the RLR/Andersen team at Infineon Aug. 16.
“Everything went very well, and the Capes and I are very optimistic about our chances with both Andrew and J. R. at Infineon, “ said team manager John Andersen.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity that Dan Andersen has given me to race at my home track, and extremely excited to work with the Capes again, “ Hildebrand said. “We combined for a lot of success in the Formula 2000 series. I think I’ll be able to slip right into the team easily. I really like Andrew. He’s very competitive as well, so I think the whole situation will be really good. In addition to doing well for myself, I hope to be able to help Andrew and the rest of the team to succeed. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity. “
