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Moreno to Keep Swift Seat Warm
©1997 SpeedCenterInternet Publishing, Inc.
Roberto Mereno named to drive Swift007i
Moreno to Keep Swift Seat WarmAs a result of Christian Fittipaldi's second lap crash in last Sunday'sSurfer's Paradise race, Roberto Mereno has been named to drive the Swift007i in Sunday's Long Beach Toyota Grand Prix.
Moreno recently departed his ride with Payton Coyne in a sudden move bythe team to contract Paul Jasper, Jr. just days before the Surfer'sParadise event. The Payton/Coyne signing of Moreno had been somewhat ofa surprise, too, after extended testing with Jasper, Jeret Schroeder andMichel Jourdain earlier this year at Sebring.
The agreement is temporary, but certainly couldn't hurt Moreno's resume.The 38 year old Brazilian has the opportunity to drive for one of thepremier teams in motorsports.
"I've talked to Christian to ask his permission to keep his seat warm,"said Moreno. "I came to the United States in 1984 to establish myself inCART. Getting to drive for one of the most successful teams in CART isa great opportunity. Unfortunately, it's under the wrongcircumstances." Said Moreno, speaking of Fittipali's situation.
"Moreno has lots of testing and racing experience," said team co-ownerCarl Haas. "Myself, Paul [Newman] and the entire team feel terribleabout Christian getting injured. We hope he recovers quickly and isback driving for us soon.
"We're glad Roberto was available on such short notice. We know we'reputting him into a pressure situation but we feel confident that he willdo a good job for us this weekend."
In 1996, Moreno made his return to the PPG CART World Series after anine-year absence. His season was highlighted by a career-bestthird-place finish at the U.S. 500. His previous best was a fifth at theMiami Grand Prix in 1985. He finished 21st in the PPG Cup with 25points. He also had top-10 finishes at Rio (9th) and Long Beach (8th).


		Check out the latest Sports Guides from Starting Blocks Int'l

		Moreno to Keep Swift Seat Warm ©1997 SpeedCenterInternet Publishing, Inc. Roberto Mereno named to drive Swift007i Moreno to Keep Swift Seat WarmAs a result of Christian Fittipaldi's second lap crash in last Sunday'sSurfer's Paradise race, Roberto Mereno has been named to drive the Swift007i in Sunday's Long Beach Toyota Grand Prix. Moreno recently departed his ride with Payton Coyne in a sudden move bythe team to contract Paul Jasper, Jr. just days before the Surfer'sParadise event. The Payton/Coyne signing of Moreno had been somewhat ofa surprise, too, after extended testing with Jasper, Jeret Schroeder andMichel Jourdain earlier this year at Sebring. The agreement is temporary, but certainly couldn't hurt Moreno's resume.The 38 year old Brazilian has the opportunity to drive for one of thepremier teams in motorsports. "I've talked to Christian to ask his permission to keep his seat warm,"said Moreno. "I came to the United States in 1984 to establish myself inCART. Getting to drive for one of the most successful teams in CART isa great opportunity. Unfortunately, it's under the wrongcircumstances." Said Moreno, speaking of Fittipali's situation. "Moreno has lots of testing and racing experience," said team co-ownerCarl Haas. "Myself, Paul [Newman] and the entire team feel terribleabout Christian getting injured. We hope he recovers quickly and isback driving for us soon. "We're glad Roberto was available on such short notice. We know we'reputting him into a pressure situation but we feel confident that he willdo a good job for us this weekend." In 1996, Moreno made his return to the PPG CART World Series after anine-year absence. His season was highlighted by a career-bestthird-place finish at the U.S. 500. His previous best was a fifth at theMiami Grand Prix in 1985. He finished 21st in the PPG Cup with 25points. He also had top-10 finishes at Rio (9th) and Long Beach (8th).