source:
indycar.com by Dave Lewandowski
Tomas Scheckter was weaving through potential nicknames for new teammate Tomas
Enge like he does traffic on racetracks. Obviously, with a Tomas twosome in the
Panther Racing paddock, it could get a little confusing.
T2 was an early offering, as were Little E, Victor and other Eastern European
names. How about Boris? "No!" pleaded Enge, a native of the Czech Republic. "OK,
Boris it is," Scheckter deadpanned.
The routine isn't quite Laurel and Hardy yet and the moniker hasn't stuck, but
the IndyCar Series drivers certainly are fun-loving and entertaining. They also
hope to be competitive during the challenging 17-race season that begins March 6
at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Scheckter welcomes the fresh air blowing through the Indianapolis-based team
that has a series-high 14 victories and two championships, and the commitment
from Chevrolet to provide its sole IndyCar Series team with the power to return
to Victory Lane.
Last year, the South African with 44 IndyCar Series races in his seat started
strong before the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Racing entry came down with a case of
season-long hiccups. He started third and finished fifth (both season highs) in
the opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"We had our struggles last year, but a lot of things happened that were out of
our control, and this team moved ahead and is focused on winning races," said
Scheckter, who signed a contract extension at the season finale at Texas. "It's
really great to be back here with Panther, for sure. This team is very confident
in my ability and I know Panther is one of the strongest teams in the series.