SCHECKTER’S WELCOME IN CART
Tomas Scheckter’s abrupt departure from Cheever Racing’s Indy Racing League program for what is being termed “safety reasons” drew a fair amount of attention in the CART paddock in Montreal.
Scheckter, of course, has been blistering fast - but accident prone - in his rookie IRL campaign, but came through to win the Michigan 400 in July. “We’ve got to get that guy a test,” said CART president and CEO Chris Pook. “We’re juggling some testing schedules right now to get him in a car.”
CART team owners mentioned in connection with a Scheckter test include Carl Haas - looking for at least one driver next year in the wake of Christian Fittipaldi’s departure to Petty Enterprises - and Bobby Rahal. Haas is reported to have expressed an interest in the South African, while noting his penchant for crashing.
Rahal, meanwhile, brings an altogether more interesting perspective to the situation, having worked with Scheckter during their brief association with Jaguar, an association that ended when Rahal dismissed the former World Champion’s son from the Jaguar development program after he his arrest for soliciting a prostitute in London.
“I like Tomas,” said Rahal. “Even when I had to get rid of him it was like firing your son . . . ‘Tomas! You just don’t do that.’
“But yes, I would love to test him. I think Tomas is a helluva race car driver. He’s a sharp young man. He has the sort of glow around him that attracts people to him and I think he would be a great addition to our series.”
Tomas Scheckter’s abrupt departure from Cheever Racing’s Indy Racing League program for what is being termed “safety reasons” drew a fair amount of attention in the CART paddock in Montreal.
Scheckter, of course, has been blistering fast - but accident prone - in his rookie IRL campaign, but came through to win the Michigan 400 in July. “We’ve got to get that guy a test,” said CART president and CEO Chris Pook. “We’re juggling some testing schedules right now to get him in a car.”
CART team owners mentioned in connection with a Scheckter test include Carl Haas - looking for at least one driver next year in the wake of Christian Fittipaldi’s departure to Petty Enterprises - and Bobby Rahal. Haas is reported to have expressed an interest in the South African, while noting his penchant for crashing.
Rahal, meanwhile, brings an altogether more interesting perspective to the situation, having worked with Scheckter during their brief association with Jaguar, an association that ended when Rahal dismissed the former World Champion’s son from the Jaguar development program after he his arrest for soliciting a prostitute in London.
“I like Tomas,” said Rahal. “Even when I had to get rid of him it was like firing your son . . . ‘Tomas! You just don’t do that.’
“But yes, I would love to test him. I think Tomas is a helluva race car driver. He’s a sharp young man. He has the sort of glow around him that attracts people to him and I think he would be a great addition to our series.”
“I’ve said it before and, unfortunately the record proves it - I think it’s a very dangerous series. . . ."


Sorry, from:
David Phillips SpeedTv notes
[ August 24, 2002: Message edited by: 220mph ]
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