After a trying 2006 season, Rahal Letterman Racing hopes a series of off-season moves are a change in the right direction in 2007.
The most visible change is in the driver lineup where 1996 IndyCar Series co-champion Scott Sharp joins returning driver Jeff Simmons as the team focuses on a two-car effort for the first time since 2004.
Sharp, who brings new sponsor Patron Tequila to the IndyCar Series, failed to build on a solid debut season with Fernandez Racing, slipping from fifth to 12th in points. He sees the move to Rahal as a new beginning.
“I am excited to be with a team in Rahal Letterman Racing that is approaching the season from the same point I am, †Sharp said. “RLR didn’t enjoy the kind of success last season that they have been accustomed to, so we are both hungry to excel and to win and to accomplish something. RLR has a great track record, and for me to come to this organization at this stage of my career is a great situation for my sponsor Patrón Tequila and myself. â€
But not everything is new for Sharp, who is paired again with engineer Jeff Britton. The pair worked together at Kelley Racing in 2001 and 2002, scoring two wins and the pole for the 2001 Indianapolis 500.
Simmons, meanwhile, returns to the same No. 17 Team Ethanol entry in 2007, but the pieces around him have changed. Engineer Neil Fife steps up to be Simmons race engineer while Ed Daood, who oversaw Danica Patrick’s car the last two seasons, will serve as his chief mechanic.
Still, the changes are welcome from Simmons as he prepares for his first full season in the IndyCar Series
“It has been a blessing to have a full off-season of testing to get ready for the IndyCar Series season, †Simmons said. “I have never had the opportunity to spend as much time testing as what I have had this off-season. When I first raced in the IndyCar Series in 2004 at Indy, I was literally in the car one day and qualifying the next. Last year of course everything happened so suddenly that I really didn’t get much of an opportunity to prepare before we were racing. â€
Simmons finished the year strong with six top-10 finishes in his final seven starts. The former Indy Pro Series standout hopes to build on that success this season.
“We had a difficult season last year with the chassis change, but I think everyone has worked really hard in the off-season, †he said. “I think the payoff will be evident at the first race. â€
RAHAL LETTERMAN RACING
Car numbers: 8 (Sharp), 17 (Simmons)
Chassis/engine/tire: Dallara/Honda/Firestone
Drivers: Scott Sharp, 39, of Norwalk, Conn., and Jeff Simmons, 30, of Hartford, Conn.
Team manager: Steve Dickson
Technical director: Jay O’Connell
Chief engineer: Ray Leto
Race engineers: Jeff Britton (Sharp), Neil Fife (Simmons)
Chief mechanic: Ricardo Nault (Sharp), Ed Daood (Simmons)
CO-OWNER’S OUTLOOK FOR 2007:
Bobby Rahal
“I am optimistic about the outlook for RLR in 2007. The addition of Jay O’Connell as our technical director and the chance to properly test with the Dallara chassis has given us a solid base for this season. I think the addition of Scott Sharp, a driver whom I nearly signed a decade ago when he was coming out of the Trans Am ranks, will bolster our team in a number of ways. Scott is a proven leader and a driver who knows what he wants at this point of his career. A great deal of credit has to go to him for assembling the Patrón Tequila sponsorship, and in my conversations with him, I sensed a hunger after he endured a difficult season last year. Pairing him with a young driver like Jeff Simmons in the Ethanol car we think will be a winning combination. Jeff did an admirable job under some difficult circumstances last season and I see a bright future ahead for Jeff. â€
Scott Sharp 2006 IndyCar Series season (with Delphi Fernandez Racing)
Starts 14
Victories 0
Top 5 2
Top 10 8
Poles 0
Laps led 9
Best start 2nd (Richmond)
Best finish 5th (Texas and Richmond)
Running at finish 11
Points rank 12th
Earnings $895,705
Jeff Simmons 2006 IndyCar Series season
Starts 12
Victories 0
Top 5 0
Top 10 6
Poles 0
Laps led 2
Best start 6th(Milwaukee)
Best finish 7th (Nashville and Infineon)
Running at finish 8
Points rank 16th
Earnings $712,405
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