If you missed it- Cheever Racing owner Eddie Cheever, Cheever Racing Indy Pro Series driver Richard Antinucci and Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon were the guests on today’s Indy Racing League teleconference. Cheever announced that he will field a car in 2007 for Antinucci, his nephew, in selected Indy Pro Series races while Dixon discussed how his team has prepared to fight for the IndyCar Series title.
Cheever was asked why he chose the Indy Pro Series for his nephew.
Q. You talked a little bit there about the Indy Pro Series. You’ve been in the position as an IndyCar Series owner that you’ve seen the Indy Pro Series from a distance for a couple years as the Indy Pro Series got started and got itself established, then came into the series yourself as a team owner last year and now coming back. Give us a little bit more of your perspective about the series and what it’s all about.
Eddie Cheever Jr: I think it’s a very good training ground for drivers that want to learn and prepare themselves properly for really the basis of what have you in Indy car racing, which is oval racing in an open-wheel car. They’re very safe. They’re quick. They run in tight groups like you do in an IndyCar (Series car) on an oval. I think it’s a really good steppingstone for a driver to prepare himself to race at the Indy 500.
If you now add the road course element to it, a lot of doubleheaders at these road courses, it’s a really good place to see what talents they have, how to develop it. From a driver’s perspective, I think it is a really good place to learn.
I really like the business package they put together. It makes a lot of sense. The prize money is growing and is very strong. When you look at the whole slew of new teams coming and drivers that are going to be in there, I think it’s going to be probably the best open-wheel schooled drivers in the States.
From a businessman’s perspective, I think it’s great. From a driver’s perspective, I think it’s a good place to measure yourself up against others. You actually get to run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That’s a big deal. That’s good for a driver to get miles in a race car on that track.
Antinucci, a veteran of several junior formula series in Europe discussed why he has moved to racing in the U. S.
Q. You spent most of your driving career over in Europe. Tell us about the decision to move over to America.
Richard Antinucci: Well, simply, I think as Uncle Eddie just said, a lot of drivers, whether they started here or there, can move overseas, go back and forth. You’ve seen my uncle himself race in Europe, groom himself, then race Formula One, come back to America. For me it’s just a great opportunity. I think the Indy 500 is the biggest single race in the world. My dream would be to be the second person in the family to win that. We’re far from that at the moment. That’s just the start of a very hopefully prosperous project.
Dixon was also asked the following question concerning the 2007 IndyCar Series schedule:
Q. The overall schedule in 2007 is very diverse. We have short ovals, the speedways, road and street courses. Looking at your history on all those types of courses, I would guess that really plays to your strength in the battle for the championship.
Scott Dixon: Yeah, I hope so. Our short tracks have been struggling a little bit. There doesn’t seem to be that many of those. Mile-and-a-halfs to two miles last year were extremely good for our cars. Also the more road courses they add, the better for me. I think they’ve got a good mix at the moment. Definitely, if they do add a few more in the next coming years, I think it will be good, get to maybe some of these downtown street races, capture a different kind of audience.
The IndyCar Series has done a great job of putting a fantastic calendar together I think for ‘07
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