who will drive the 14

[disko]

since vitor broke his back, the 14 ride is open. AJ will probably put AJ 4 in, but I'd like to see junky or schector.

whoi do would you like to see as the pilot of the 14?

[NickFalzone]

It's too bad about Vitor, he's got some of the worst luck in IndyCar. My guess would be IV, particularly since the next race is the "Foyt 225". Anyone know how long Vitor is going to be out?

[drewdawg727]

I would think they would put Manning in...because he drove for them last year.

[MDS]

The free agent pool is pretty deep at the moment, so AJ's got his pick from:

Franck Perera
Franck Montgeny
Bruno Junqueira
Nelson Phillippe
Oriol Servia
Will Power
Alex Lloyd
Darren Manning
Tomas Sheckter
Paul Tracy
and others

The safe bets would be Oriol, PT, Bruno and Tomas; if he could get Will Power or Alex Lloyd on loan they would be good picks as well.

If I were in AJ's shoes I'd take a long hard look at Paul Tracy and Franck Perera. Vitor hasn't been all that impressive so far and Franck is someone that could challenge him for his ride, and PT will bring your team some attention and some good finishes as well.

[drewdawg727]

I think Servia and Tracy are two guys that deserve a ride more than anyone. A wise choice would be to put Power in the car, because he was let go from his other teams, and he (unlike Philippe, Perera, and others) are absolutely willing to drive and drive well.

[jarrambide]

Someone knows if Vitor was receiving his pay check from the team or from any personal sponsor(s)?

I´m happy nothing horrible happened, what happened was serious, but could have been worst.

[Placid]

I would test Jonathan Bomarito.

Or even Jay Howard and Wade Wade Cunningham. They are all
overdue for a ride.

[Chamoo]

I would think Franck Perera has a good shot after his one-off last season with AJ.

Maybe he rotates drivers? AJ Foyt IV for ovals and a young guy for road courses?

[MDS]

A couple more guys I thought of... Townsend Bell, Johnathan Summerton, John Edwards, basically I'm hoping for anyone other than AJIV

[SoCalPVguy]

since vitor broke his back, the 14 ride is open. AJ will probably put AJ 4 in, but I'd like to see junky or schector.

whoi do would you like to see as the pilot of the 14?

Given past history, AJ will put the cheapest driver avaiable or the ride buyer with the biggest check in the car.

[MDS]

Apparently Vitor is out for four to eight months. I think this could be the end of his IRL career unfortunately.

According to Robin Foyt was talking with PT about Milwaukee.

[Mark in Oshawa]

If AJ wants to win, he puts in an experienced guy. If he operates as per usual, it will be his grandson or whomever will give him a check.

PT wont take the ride, he only wants to drive in cars he knows he has a shot at winning in. On an oval maybe that is the 14, but I cant see PT messing up his rides with Vasser for Edmonton and Toronto in a car he knows he has a fighting chance in, vs driving for AJ for the summer....

[Chamoo]

If AJ wants to win, he puts in an experienced guy. If he operates as per usual, it will be his grandson or whomever will give him a check.

PT wont take the ride, he only wants to drive in cars he knows he has a shot at winning in. On an oval maybe that is the 14, but I cant see PT messing up his rides with Vasser for Edmonton and Toronto in a car he knows he has a fighting chance in, vs driving for AJ for the summer....

Well, if KVRT clears him to drive for AJ at Milwaukee and then lets him run at Edmonton and T.O for them, why wouldn't he? It's been proven anyone can run up front on the short oval at Milwaukee. Last year a bunch of transition teams with no aero parts ran up front for much of the race.

[NickFalzone]

Right, and I would also point out that AJ's car at Watkin's Glen with Manning at the wheel almost won, and finished in 2nd. PT could do fine at a Milwaukee or road course with AJ, it's the bigger ovals that KV or many other teams would be the better equipment.

Also, I don't think it will happen, I think it will be IV, but I think that PT and AJ would make a very interesting combination...

[SarahFan]

scuttlebutt of PT to foyt is heating up this morning

[nigelred5]

wow, imagine those conversations on the radio and in the shop..... talk about strong personalities.

[Alfa Fan]

Paul Tracy confirmed.

[jwhite9185]

WOW really didnt see that one coming! I assumed he would put iv in the car...

[MDS]

From the website:


Like politics, racing has been known to make strange bedfellows. Two outspoken stars of the sport have joined forces for the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt 225 at Milwaukee this weekend. A.J. Foyt has hired veteran driver Paul Tracy to replace injured Vitor Meira to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Indy car. It is Tracy’s first time driving for Foyt; at this point, it is a one race deal.

http://www.foytracing.com/news/2009_archive/releases/index.shtml

So its a one race deal, but looking at the schedule if you're going to run him at Milwaukee it makes sense to run him at Texas at least, if not through Richmond, Iowa and Watkins Glen while you prepare to put another driver in the car for the two Canadian races.

Honestly you could make a case for Townsend Bell, Oriol Servia, Bruno Junqueira or Tomas Sheckter, but Tracy is the best hire-able gun for Milwaukee and probably the rest of the season. If nothing else I am a lot more interested in Milwaukee than I was Sunday.

Still, If I had a team Franck Perera would be my choice for a long-term soultion. I firmly believe that the way teams rise up the ranks is by finding promising young drivers, giving them their start and then reap the rewards while they still have a year or two left on their contracts, not running never-was has-beens who bring money or nepotisim to the team, like AJ has a record of running.

[nigelred5]

Man do I hope they have him miked up for the race!

[Chamoo]

From the website:



http://www.foytracing.com/news/2009_archive/releases/index.shtml

So its a one race deal, but looking at the schedule if you're going to run him at Milwaukee it makes sense to run him at Texas at least, if not through Richmond, Iowa and Watkins Glen while you prepare to put another driver in the car for the two Canadian races.

Honestly you could make a case for Townsend Bell, Oriol Servia, Bruno Junqueira or Tomas Sheckter, but Tracy is the best hire-able gun for Milwaukee and probably the rest of the season. If nothing else I am a lot more interested in Milwaukee than I was Sunday.

Still, If I had a team Franck Perera would be my choice for a long-term soultion. I firmly believe that the way teams rise up the ranks is by finding promising young drivers, giving them their start and then reap the rewards while they still have a year or two left on their contracts, not running never-was has-beens who bring money or nepotisim to the team, like AJ has a record of running.

I doubt PT will want to stay with AJ at a place like Texas where aerodynamics is so key. PT wants to be in a winner. Obviously at a place like Milwaukee, he can be a winner without having to worry about the kind of car he is in, because just about anyone can compete at Milwaukee if they can get around the track.

If AJ were able to hold onto PT, he would be smart to try and get James Hinchcliffe into a ride at Edmonton and Toronto as he could probably get some extra canadian sponsorship dollars with a canadian running.

I think Vitor is at AJ Foyt Enterprises for a while, and once his injury is done, he will be the man there, so finding a young hot shoe is probably out of the question. I would like to see Franck Perera there as well, but I doubt it will happen unfortunately, and it would hurt him to run a few races, then be put on the shelf again once Vitor returns.