Yasukawa in at Beck
Roger was shown in a drivers suit on the video streams. Shortly thereafter, IndyCar.com confirms that Roger Yasukawa will drive the #98 CURB Records/ hhgregg/Real Power Beck Motorsports car.
This likely leaves Alex Barron without a ride, unless he is put in the second American Dream (formerly Playa Del) Racing ride. He’d be a smart choice to get the sole Panoz entries (presuming the PDM entry doesn’t materialize) up to speed.
Update: In terms of a second American Dream entry, Phil Giebler, who was in a press conference this morning, said:
I really don’t see it happening. I don’t think another car will be coming into the team.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Stinks for Barron, the guy has finished in the top 10 twice and top 15 in every Indy start.
May 14th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
HHGREG needs to get involved in IndyCar FULL TIME since they are based in Indianapolis !!
May 15th, 2008 at 4:00 am
If a driver with Alex Barron’s skills is without a ride then there MUST be 40 car/driver combos competing for 33 spots. The collapse of CART aka ‘Re-Unification’ didn’t leave enough time to build or acquire all of the new equipment the new [unified/nowhere else to race] IRL teams need – where is all of last years equipment [chassis and other parts] that the big boys (Penske, AGR and TargetCG) replace every year? Mr. Barron just needs to go dig around in the dumpsters a little – if he stuck with IRL he could be sitting in Danica’s seat.
The 92nd running has all the ingredients to be the best race in many years and the last 3 have been incredible: Danica the rookie leads and finishes 4th; Hornish passes Marco for the win in the final 1/4 mile of the race and the psychotic race to the unknown finish after the rain delay last year. I’ve been coming since ‘89 [little Al and Emo running 1 and 2 touch tires right infront of me heading into T3 with only a couple of laps to go - Emo wins] and in those days races would end with 15 cars running, only 3 on the lead lap and the eventual winner ahead of #2 by 30 seconds, the endings were boring. Now, in ‘06 we probably had 10 or 12 on the lead lap. The 500 is now much more fun, more exciting and more competitive than anything I’ve seen since that ‘89 race [which was incredible btw! and will only be bested by a Danica win]