AAR's John Ward moves to Patrick Racing

The new expanded Patrick Racing Team, which recently added Raul Boesel to team up with Scott Pruett, has yet another new team member.

John Ward, who was a Chief Engineer for Dan Gurney's All American Racers team will be the Chief Engineer for Patrick Racing. Ward will also take on the duties as Race Engineer for Raul Boesel.

Ward also was the head designer for Gurney's extremely successful IMSA GTP chassis that dominated that series for several years.

Goodyear conducts rain tire testing

Though it was not raining at Goodyear's test facility in San Angelo, Texas, six-thousand gallons of water helped emulate a wet track.

Christian Fittipaldi tested 30 rain-tire tread patterns last week in varying depths of water. The test facility also offered straight-line braking and acceleration, high and low cornering speeds and high-speed hydroplaning.

"We tested different constructions, compounds and tread patterns," Fittipaldi said. "I tried to tell the engineers what I felt with each set and they can see if that matches to what they anticipated. As expected, some sets were better than others. It was a big plus for me to test here, and we are happy with the results."

de Ferran debuts with Walker Racing

Gil de Ferran made his debut with Walker Racing during a three-day Goodyear tire test session this week at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona.

De Ferran, who moved to Walker after spending his first two seasons with now-defunct Hall Racing, began testing Monday on the raceway’s east course with the Reynard Honda he used with his former team this past year.

Walker Racing, which is switching from Ford to Honda for the 1997 season, is awaiting its 1997 package that includes the return of the Reynard chassis.

Two Brothers support Two Sons

Rick and Roger Mears are in the final stages of putting together a two-car Indy Lights team for their sons, Clint and Casey respective to their fathers.

Clint raced in Toyota Atlantic in 1995, finishing ninth in the championship standings, while Casey pulled a one-off in Indy Lights this year at Cleveland, finishing eighth.

International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductees

Legendary Indy Car driver Rick Mears and Jim Hall are part of the 1997 inductee class for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Birmingham, Alabama.

Mears and Hall will be joined by Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, Ralph Earnhardt and Don Garlits for the April 24, 1997 induction at the Speedvision Dome in Talladega, Alabama.

A panel of 150 worldwide journalists voted for nominees and this group was selected from among 20 finalists.

The International Motorsports Hall of Fame, founded by the late NASCAR President Bill France Sr., inducted its inaugural class in 1990.

"I’m very honored to be named as a 1997 inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame," said Mears, who serves as an advisor to Marlboro Team Penske. "It's a privilege to be recognized in the same company with the other 1997 inductees, along with everyone whose has been given this distinction since 1990. Many of these drivers helped me throughout my career, and it’s great to be included with some of my heroes and many of my friends."

Sources: IndyCar News Service - Indy Car Racing Magazine