Bruno Injured / Replaced by Servia

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by enemy-ace

Brack's Oval prowess is what almost won him the championship. However his lack of results in comparison on road courses were his downfall.

Well, that, and being taken out at Michigan, Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca

[Omega99]

I recall that he still had some very strong results on road/street courses.

[enemy-ace]

Overall-Road-Oval
1 Gil de Ferran 199 145 54
2 Kenny Brack 163 47 116
That was a good year!

[Amar7605]

It's not gonna be an American driver. You can count on that.

[JohnSSC]

Brack, you may recall had some crappy road race finishes due to being partnered with "Mad Max" Papis who punted him off Xs 3 - at least once while in the lead at RA if I recall. Brack was leading the CART championship at the time.

St Mad Max Papis (always spoken of in such glowing terms here - handy in a sportscar but in open wheel...PT without the talent.) lost his ride with Rahal rather quickly.

Let's all think a bit here kids:

Brack was contracted with Rahal when he got hurt. I do not know the terms but he may well still be obligated to the Team (or Rahal to him). This is why you likely can take him out of consideration for the N-H ride. My own opinion is that Rahal will go to 4 cars for selected races to get Kenny ramped-up to a full season shot next year.

And geez - DelMonte? Jorge? C'mon! No offense but why not put a test dummy in the car or Oswald Stumpledink?

[jock25]

I would think Fittipaldi is probably first on the list - knows the team, knowns the car, knowns the tracks - safest bet for the championship.

How do the CCWS races run in relation to the Busch Series races? Could Jourdain be a possible substitute?

Outside bet: Ryan Dalziel? - I know he is contracted through PKV and is messing about in GT's but why not?

[macdaddy]

This Speed article includes a short interview with Bruno, and verifies that both Jourdain Jr. and Carpentier have been approached by N/Haas thus far. (Both drivers declined).

[rustyfan]

The Busch race at Dover starts at the same time as the Champ Car race at Milwaukee, so Jourdain declining wasn't too much of a surprise. And wouldn't the tire issue that stopped him from racing at Monterrey have kept him out of Milwaukee anyway?

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by jock25

Outside bet: Ryan Dalziel? - I know he is contracted through PKV and is messing about in GT's but why not?

Agree lets get Dalziel in the car. Tested a champ car before and he's a fast american. Lets let him loose and see what he can do.

[cos]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Agree lets get Dalziel in the car. Tested a champ car before and he's a fast american. Lets let him loose and see what he can do.

If by 'American' you mean 'Scottish'!

[BootsOntheSide]

You're right Cos, Ryan Dalziel is Scottish (his last name's pronounched D-L, it's actually quite a common Scottish name).

[jock25]

Easy mistake to make D.R.T....but the justification is spot on. I had forgotten about the PKV tests and how quick he had been. Obviously the contract with PKV might be an issue but surely KK would be delighted to get him some early running before replacing Vasser next season?

[rustyfan]

From SpeedTV:

Originally Posted by SPEEDTV.COM

Open Wheel Notebook
Written by: Robin Miller Indianapolis, Ind. – 6/1/2005

Dr. Terry Trammell said Tuesday night that Bruno Junqueira is looking at a six month recovery from injuries he suffered in last Sunday's Indianapolis 500.

So now the best ride in Champ Car, the PacifiCare Lola/Cosworth of Newman/Haas Racing, is available for the rest of the 2005 season. And that should certainly be an easy seat to fill. Right? Think again.

Carl Haas called Canadian Patrick Carpentier but the longtime CART regular, who has a two-year contract with Team Cheever and Mecachrome (the company that pays his salary) in the Indy Racing League, reluctantly declined.

"It was really flattering, a nice compliment, but it's all too complicated with contracts and, besides, I came to the IRL because I wanted to run more ovals," said Carpentier late Tuesday night.

"I tried to get a release to run Milwaukee because I've always done well there but I couldn't work it out."

Next on the check list was Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, co-owners of Champ Car, signed Hunter-Reay to a contract last winter to keep him from testing with Chip Ganassi's IRL team. They placed the 24-year-old Floridian with Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports stable.

After hearing Hunter-Reay was wanted by Newman/Haas, Kalkhoven called Paul Newman on Monday. "Paul (Gentilozzi) and I offered Ryan to Newman/Haas because it would be good for him and good for our series," said Kalkhoven.

Hunter-Reay, who along with A.J. Allmendinger is the American future of Champ Car, was understandably excited about the possibility of joining Sebastien Bourdais this weekend at Milwaukee.

"Carl called me today and asked if I'd like to drive at Milwaukee and I said, 'Absolutely,'" said Hunter-Reay, who won the pole and led every lap last year at Milwaukee in the most dominating drive in Champ Car history.

"But it's only a race-to-race offer and now Paul (Gentilozzi) doesn't want to let me out of my contract for just one race."

The next race after Milwaukee is Portland, where Hunter-Reay qualified second fastest in 2003, so it might behoove Haas to at least offer a two-race deal.

"That would be great," said Hunter-Reay.

If Haas, Hunter-Reay and Gentilozzi can't get together, there don't seem to be a lot of viable options.

Buddy Lazier, who was offered the Newman/Haas seat in 1997 for St. Louis and Milwaukee to replace the injured Christian Fittipaldi but was turned down by IRL owner Ron Hemelgarn, is coming off an excellent showing at Indy and could be a one-race option for the oval.

Kenny Brack, who made a nice comeback from his 2003 injuries this past month, was asked if he'd be interested but didn't sound all that stoked. "I'd talk to them, sure, but it's not something I could decide in 10 minutes," said the 39-year-old Swede.

Michel Jourdain, now pursuing a NASCAR career in the Busch series, might be able to run a couple of races but couldn't do the whole season. Memo Gidley, Michael Valiante, Mario Haberfeld, Roberto Moreno and Fittipaldi might also get some consideration.

"Whatever we do it's got to be done by Wednesday," said Haas on Tuesday.

Champ Car qualifies Friday and races Saturday at Milwaukee State Fair Park.

[climb]

I think this accident could mark last Hass' participation at Indy, taken times have gone when CC teams could go and sweep all the field, and the risks of situations like Bruno's.

[Kicking-back]

I think Haas will be back at Indy next year.

[Amar7605]

So with that SPEED TV article, are they saying that Ryan Hunter-Reay can be in the N-H seat? Is that realistically possible?

[Mike.ca]

If Robin Miller is right, then Kalkhoven and Forsythe are the ones who have RHR under contract, not Gentilozzi. So I suppose that they could reassign him to another team if they wished. If Miller is right, it would be a great move for Champ Car and for N-H. N-H gets a proven winner. Champ Car gets a promotable American driver in a top ride.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by Amar7605

So with that SPEED TV article, are they saying that Ryan Hunter-Reay can be in the N-H seat? Is that realistically possible?

I reckon it's saying that yes, there is a chance, but it depends on whether things can get worked out with Gentilozzi.

And if there is a deal made, then who will replace Hunter-Reay?

[StickShift]

I would assume Haberfeld would take Hunter-Reay's place at Rocketsports. He nearly drove for the team two weeks ago.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by StickShift

I would assume Haberfeld would take Hunter-Reay's place at Rocketsports. He nearly drove for the team two weeks ago.

Ah ok, wasn't aware of that, but yes, that would make sense then.

[Snrub]

I really don't think Brack is weak on road/street courses. Team Rahal was just able to nail the oval setups, but had a heck of a time on the road/street setups. Recall that back in 2000-2001, Penske were really strong on road courses. It wasn't an indication that De Faren was weak on ovals.

Having RHR on NH is a terrific idea. Plus, he's really been struggling on Rocketsports this year.

[macdaddy]

From TSN:

The (Long Beach Post Telegram) says Jourdain was asked to fill in for Saturday race only at this time, an indication that Newman/Haas will likely look for an oval specialist to take over the reigns this weekend before searching for a more permanent replacement.

Other names being bandied about as possible replacements include Canadian Michael Valiante, former series drivers Kenny Brack, Memo Gidley, Mario Haberfeld, Roberto Moreno and Christian Fittipaldi, who was reportedly talking about running a third car with Newman/Haas this year until a lack of sponsorship killed those plans.

"What we have now is a list of drivers that are available, that are interested and what their terms and conditions are," said team spokesperson Kathi Lauterbach. "The team is in the process of going over that list."

[luke]

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/N...le.asp?ID=9058

ORIOL SERVIA TO PILOT THE PACIFICARE CAR FOR NEWMAN/HAAS RACING AT THIS SATURDAY'S TIME WARNER CABLE ROAD RUNNER 225

Oriol Servia has been named to replace the injured Bruno Junqueira in the No. 2 PacifiCare entry for Newman/Haas Racing at this weekend's Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225 at the legendary Milwaukee Mile. Junqueira was injured after contact with a lapped car during Sunday's Indianapolis 500 and sustained a fracture to his T-12 and L-1 vertebra which were repaired on Monday by Dr. Terry Trammell.

[StickShift]

Well, that was underwhelming.

[Russ-Turner]

What's Mika Salo up to these days? Or is this guy any good?