Update
Tuesday afternoon. the news became official:
Sam Schmidt announced Tuesday that he has acquired the assets of the FAZZT Race Team, which debuted in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2010 with Canadian Alex Tagliani and will enter the team's No. 77 Honda-powered Dallara in 2011 as Sam Schmidt Motorsports with Tagliani as the driver.
In addition to aquiring the cars and equipment, Sam Schmidt Motorsports will retain FAZZT employees for continuity into the 2011 season. SSM will retain the full sponsor support from Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) in the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg March 27.
According to reports, it appears that the FAZZT Racing Team is on the verge of being bought by long-time Indy Lights owner Sam Schmidt after its future was seriously put into doubts during the recent weeks.
“All I can tell you is that the No. 77 car will be driven by me all year and there are lots of good things happening,” said Tagliani late Monday night from his home in Indianapolis.
“There has been a high level of interest from Sam (Schmidt) to get into IndyCar and he’s looked at us very seriously.”
Schmidt, whose team captured last year’s Lights’ crown with J.K. Vernay, could not be reached for comment but FAZZT’s team manager Rob Edwards was in Las Vegas last week negotiating with the former IndyCar driver.
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is fielding four cars in the 2011 Indy Lights campaign out of his shop and its likely FAZZT Racing would remain in the Indy shop they opened last year.
Schmidt announced last week he would field a car at Indy for Jay Howard but it’s not known whether that will be farmed out to Bobby Rahal or Howard will now run as a teammate to Tagliani.
Schmidt last fielded a full-time IRL entry in 2001 with drivers Davey Hamilton, Alex Barron, Richie Hearn, Jaques Lazier and Anthony Lazzaro.
Tuesday afternoon. the news became official:
Sam Schmidt announced Tuesday that he has acquired the assets of the FAZZT Race Team, which debuted in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2010 with Canadian Alex Tagliani and will enter the team's No. 77 Honda-powered Dallara in 2011 as Sam Schmidt Motorsports with Tagliani as the driver.
In addition to aquiring the cars and equipment, Sam Schmidt Motorsports will retain FAZZT employees for continuity into the 2011 season. SSM will retain the full sponsor support from Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) in the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg March 27.
According to reports, it appears that the FAZZT Racing Team is on the verge of being bought by long-time Indy Lights owner Sam Schmidt after its future was seriously put into doubts during the recent weeks.
“All I can tell you is that the No. 77 car will be driven by me all year and there are lots of good things happening,” said Tagliani late Monday night from his home in Indianapolis.
“There has been a high level of interest from Sam (Schmidt) to get into IndyCar and he’s looked at us very seriously.”
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| Photo: FAZZT Racing team |
Schmidt, whose team captured last year’s Lights’ crown with J.K. Vernay, could not be reached for comment but FAZZT’s team manager Rob Edwards was in Las Vegas last week negotiating with the former IndyCar driver.
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is fielding four cars in the 2011 Indy Lights campaign out of his shop and its likely FAZZT Racing would remain in the Indy shop they opened last year.
Schmidt announced last week he would field a car at Indy for Jay Howard but it’s not known whether that will be farmed out to Bobby Rahal or Howard will now run as a teammate to Tagliani.
Schmidt last fielded a full-time IRL entry in 2001 with drivers Davey Hamilton, Alex Barron, Richie Hearn, Jaques Lazier and Anthony Lazzaro.