Official: Craig Pollock to field Cart team in 2003

[Jay]

From Cart.com:

INDIANAPOLIS-– Well-versed in what it takes to win in the major leagues of open-wheel auto racing, former British American Racing team principal Craig Pollock and high-tech industry giant Kevin Kalkhoven have set their sights on the 2003 Champ Car World Series with today's announcement of the formation of PK Racing, a new one-car entry for the 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season.

Pollock and Kalkhoven, along with CART President and CEO Christopher R. Pook, made the announcement today at a news conference in Indianapolis. They will then conduct a similar announcement in Montréal, the site of the Molson Indy Montréal and the city in which Pollock, the manager of Formula One driver and 1995 CART champion Jacques Villeneuve, has business and community-related interests.

“This has all come together very quickly,” Pollock said of the PK Racing operation. “Just prior to Christmas, I got a call from Kevin about looking into the possibility of starting up a team in CART. The timing is perfect, because CART is in the process of reinforcing its organization and priorities, and has done a tremendous job in that regard over the last few months.”

The 46-year-old Pollock has hired long-time CART team manger Russell Cameron in that capacity for PK Racing and will tap into his experience in order to fully prepare his team for the February 23 season opener.

“It's a short period of time to put the whole thing together,” said Pollock. “The fact that all CART teams will be running with the same engine this season will make the start-up a bit easier for us because it's a level playing field for everyone. The CART series is extremely competitive. If we do our jobs well, we should be able to field a competitive team. But we're going to make sure that we walk before we run.”

Pollock said PK Racing has narrowed its selection of a driver to “about three or four candidates,” and an announcement will be made shortly. He added that Villeneuve has no involvement in the PK Racing venture, “but he is very supportive of our fielding a team in CART.” The team will be based in Indianapolis, as the team has purchased a state-of-the-art shop on Methanol Lane.

“We are very excited about having owners with the racing and business acumen of Craig and Kevin,” said Pook. “Having this team join the Champ Car World Series, especially given Craig's years with Formula 1, illustrates that we have built a series that is a destination for the top teams and drivers in the world.”

Kalkhoven will not be involved in the daily racing operations, but he is no stranger to the sport. A life-long racing enthusiast, he has competed as a driver and recently renewed his SCCA national license. As the Chairman and CEO of JDS Uniphase, the corporation's market cap grew from $35 million to $100 billion. Prior to his retirement, Kalkhoven was among the top 50 CEOs on the Worth Magazine list.

“My interest in life is building businesses, and I regard PK Racing as a business,” said Kalkhoven. “Craig and I have had the opportunity to discuss the business of racing quite frequently over the year, and I'm pleased that we are able to join forces in fielding a team in the CART series. I believe with CART's new rules it has made it possible for fresh teams and new blood to enter North American open-wheel road racing. I am sure this will create exciting and close racing for the fans.”

2-2-2-2
PK Racing Joins CART cont.

Starting a racing team from scratch isn't new for Pollock. He was at the helm of BAR from its 1998 inception. Within two years, BAR had climbed to fourth in the constructors' standings. Pollock left BAR in 2001, although Pollock remains a shareholder and a member of the team's board of directors.

“We have made some mistakes in the past, but we have also done some very good things,” said Pollock. “We're going to tap into the knowledge bank of what went right with the BAR start-up experience and use that as a type of blueprint for PK Racing, making sure that we don't make the same mistakes that slowed the development of BAR.”

[DNQ]

Well there we go then, thats another car confirmed. Shame it isn't a two car team, and it'd be nice to have a driver announcement at this stage, but considering two weeks ago this was only a feint rumour, it's very positive news. Thats 16 cars confirmed, two near certain (Bourdais and Moreno).

[Jay]

Yeah, and there's a few more possibilities beyond that (is Yoong still coming along to be a designated backmarker?) A few others may still pop up..so we should be good on car count. Amazing job by Pook!

[StuiE]

Well-versed in what it takes to win in the major leagues of open-wheel auto racing,

BAR know how to do that...


Great to have them in though, have they said anything about sponsership (Kevin Kalkhoven would be behind this wouldnt he?) or chassis?

PK chewingGum would be a good title sponser wouldn't they...

[KC]

I would not be surprised if PK Racing expands before the season is out with a young driver bringing some backing.

[Sato san]

good stuff !......This is going to bring alot of exposure to Cart with the Villenueve /Pollock connections.., which will be just what Chris Pook wants i would think.

[Snrub]

An article linked in another post by Radioshoes said it would be Patrick Lemarie. What do you guys know about him? It's interesting that there will be FOUR Canadians and 3 of them from Quebec! (assuming that it's likely Lemarie is a Quebecer) Good news from a Canadian perspective (the Montreal race will be huge!), but it's kind of a shame they didn't pick up an American.

[Jellybabe]

Originally posted by gtr69

BAR know how to do that...

Craig helped Barry Green set up his IndyCar team too don't forget!

[Jellybabe]

Originally posted by Snrub
An article linked in another post by Radioshoes said it would be Patrick Lemarie. What do you guys know about him? It's interesting that there will be FOUR Canadians and 3 of them from Quebec! (assuming that it's likely Lemarie is a Quebecer)

Patrick Lemarié is French, from Paris. He did a spell in FAtlantic, which is where he met JV.

[TheRob]

Not that it matters, but JV met Patrick at school in Switzerland. Pollock taught both of them.

[Sato san]

Originally posted by Jellybabe
Craig helped Barry Green set up his IndyCar team too don't forget!

o yes , ....i forgot he had a hand in that ....and look what that lead to .

[f1manoz]

Confirmation of what we all thought was going to happen. But this means another car, and I agree with the sentiment that Pollock will be able to find backing for a second car. And considering, still, the number of rumours flying round, 20 cars is now a definite possibility.

[The Snout]

Yep, I mean, can you see Pollock being a small team running only 1 car 2 years from now ? By next year they'll have 2 cars.

[Cybertiger]

I don't know whether we are getting the full story here though? I read in an article today that Pollock will almost definately field two cars?! Who ,if its true, would be in the other? And thats assuming Lemarie is definately one?!! Rumors of a Brit and an American are circulating apparently!!?

[Crash Test]

gtr69- Agreed, I'm surprised somthing that sells for 60c a packet would go for such a massive sponsorship spending spree on the other side of the world

At least the addition of Pollock to the series is something it desperately needs- a big(ish) name that a lot of people know.

[tanalised]

damn good news
A high profile entry into Champcars this year. Somrthing that will grab some attention

[Jellybabe]

Originally posted by Cybertiger
I don't know whether we are getting the full story here though? I read in an article today that Pollock will almost definately field two cars?! Who ,if its true, would be in the other? And thats assuming Lemarie is definately one?!! Rumors of a Brit and an American are circulating apparently!!?

A few names I've heard going around are Lemarié, Mika Salo, Alex Yoong, Darren Manning and Ant Davidson. I haven't heard any Americans mentioned yet...

[macdaddy]

The rumourmill at Champweb suggests a second car by Long Beach.

[BootsOntheSide]

Funnily enough I dreamt last night, having not seen this, that I lived next door to Craig Pollock, and I asked him if the team was happening. he said yes, and I think he said 'Richard Lyons' as the driver, which is a long shot at best, but if the lead driver is experienced, he could go for a young British talent in a second car... Remember where I heard it first.

Its good to have such a big name involved, and maybe this will give Barry Green an option of returning, perhaps taking a part-share in funding a second car. Forsythe and green ran JV between them before splitting into se[erate teams, which in 2001 between them ran 6 cars, so this could be the start of something big.

[Cybertiger]

Lyons might be a good guess- but I think Ant Davidson would be more likely. I've got a feeling that a driver that has no top level (CART or F1) links would be more likely.

[macdaddy]

Let me pull a few quotes from this article:
http://www.speedtv.com/auto/?lvl=3a&cat=20&id=4756

...the fact that they have acquired the former PacWest/PWR Championship Racing facility in Indianapolis and respected ex-PacWest/PWR vice president of racing operations Russell Cameron as their team manager at least gives them a running start."

Speculation about PK Racing’s driver has included recent Formula 1 veterans Mika Salo and Eddie Irvine, as well as former BAR test driver Patrick Lemarie.

"The driver has not been decided yet," said Pollock. "We are getting down to a short list, there are two or three drivers on that short list and the driver/engineer combination will probably be announced in the next seven to 10 days. In researching the driver lineup for this team, we were actually quite surprised at the number of good drivers who wanted to come into the series again."

"It is going to start off as a one-car team purely because we know how it’s going to be difficult in a six-week period to get a two-car team up..."

(That suggests to me..?)

Kalkhoven: "There’s no traction control, so it’s going to be down to the drivers in very similar cars with similar engines. This is going to lead to really exciting, fascinating racing where the best drivers are definitely going to emerge unaided..."

As for for the team’s financial structure, Pollock and Kalkhoven say they put their own money into the initial capitalization and are currently "discussing and negotiating with quite a few sponsors, especially with title sponsors."

Thus the failure to announce sponsors in the press conference.

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by macdaddy
"The driver has not been decided yet," said Pollock. "We are getting down to a short list, there are two or three drivers on that short list and the driver/engineer combination will probably be announced in the next seven to 10 days. In researching the driver lineup for this team, we were actually quite surprised at the number of good drivers who wanted to come into the series again."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,3-2003031473,00.html

Irv the Swerve?

[Peter S]

According to todays autosport, British Formula 3 champion Robbie Kerr has moved in to prime position for the PK racing seat. He is on the short list with Salo, Lamarie and another.

[Jellybabe]

Robbie Kerr isn't very experienced - in another quote I saw Craig said he was looking at people who were experienced in top level series.

[Cybertiger]

Robbie isn't very experienced in terms of Cart racing- true. But he has a wealth of knowlege from different formulae to draw on, and he has shown that at every step up that he takes- he is almost definately on the pace from the start. Clearly this doesn't guarantee success- but if, (and i think he will be) he's given a chance- I bet he rewards them!