Paul Tracy (#1 Indeck Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) knows a thing or two
about running at Homestead-Miami Speedway, having scored podium finishes in
Champ Car races in 1997 and 2000 as well as scoring one of his 22 career poles
there in 1996
source:
paddocktalk.com
But open-wheel racing's winningest active driver is taking a different route
around the Homestead layout today as he tests the Grand-Am car of Bell
Motorsports in what could be a precursor to a ride with the team in the 2005
Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race.
Tracy is turning some laps today on the infield road course at Homestead as part
of a three-day test session for Grand-Am teams. If he gets the chance to compete
in the February endurance race, it would be the first time that the 28-time
Champ Car race winner has participated in the prestigious event. It would also
be the first time that he has raced a sports car in a professional series race
since the very start of his career when he became the youngest-ever race winner
in the Can-Am series at the age of 17.
The Bell Motorsports team would be a prime candidate for a ride for the 2003
Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford champion, as it
is the team that won the overall title in last year's twice-around-the-clock
event held at Daytona International Speedway. The team itself is familiar with
the skills of Champ Car drivers as well, having won last year's event with
former series star Christian Fittipaldi as one of the four drivers on the team
owned by Forest Barber.