Team Kool Green Anounces 1998 Plans

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Team Kool Green Anounces 1998 Plans
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
Tracy and Franchitti to drive in two car effort
By Peter Burke
This morning, Barry Green, owner of Team Kool Green officiallyannounced his plans for the 1998 season during the CARTteleconference (a huge transcript of the entire conference is tofollow later this week on SpeedCenter).
He will be fielding two Reynard/Honda/Firestone cars for the next PPGCART World Series season. The #26 car will be piloted by Paul Tracy,who just a week ago was unexpectedly released by Team Penske. He willbe joined by sophomore driver Dario Franchitti, driving the #27entry, who impressed in his rookie season by winning a pole positionand being close to winning several races.
Green commented on hiring Paul Tracy this late in the season as a"lucky coincidence," and praised Paul for being a "very, very fast"driver. About the reasons for recruiting Dario, he said that "Dariocame into the series strong with a one car effort and impressed rightaway; obviously he has strong test drive abilities."
The experience of Tracy, who has previously raced for Team Penske andNewman/Haas Racing, plus Dario's impressive ability to set up a carwithout having a team member to gauge himself with promise a verypotent combination for the next season. Green claims that "therewon't be a # 1 driver in the team. They'll race against each other."He added, that because of his focus on winning a CART championshipfor his sponsor, that they "may have some team orders as we come downto the last races of the season." Green said, "the focus has to be onwinning the Championship; the race wins will come."
Parker Johnstone, who originally was under contract for two years atTeam Green, apparently won't remain part of the effort, not even astest driver. Green said that he "doesn't know what Parker is doingwith his future plans. Parker lost confidence in the team and theteam lost confidence in Parker. We decided to go our own ways and heis free to explore all other options."
Dario Franchitti's move to the Honda-powered Team Green followed along relationship with Mercedes-Benz. It cost him the chance to racefor rookie of the year honors at Fontana when Mercedes-Benz severedall ties with him and Robby Gordon ran Dario's Hogan Racing car.
Dario said that "it was difficult to leave Mercedes." He added thatlate in the season, his "best opportunity was Kool Green, who run theHonda package." Responding to the rather unusual way he and Mercedesseparated this season, he said "there's a lot more to it than meetsthe eye." He further explained that "to leave Mercedes has been themost difficult decision of my life. They have been very good to me.But the opportunity with Kool Green was too good to miss."
Paul Tracy stated his delight with the Kool Green operation. He saidhe was "impressed with the Kool operation from the get-go, beforeeven starting to look [for a ride after being ousted by Penske]." Hesaid he talked to Forsythe, Hogan and Patrick, plus called a fewFormula One teams, but claims that Barry Green had been on top of hislist.
Tracy joined the interview from the Kool Green shop in Indianapolisand commented on what he saw there as "very impressive" and that hehad not seen anything "as well equipped as this [shop] since testingfor Benetton in Formula One" And this after just having driven sixseasons for Penske and Newman/Haas.
He called his contract with Barry Green "very generous" and calls hisnew arrangement for 1998 his best opportunity yet to win theChampionship. The contract is a "long-term commitment," but neitherTracy nor Green were willing to release details beyond the fact thatit was a multi-year contract. Tracy said "we're gonna be together fora while."
Coming back from a week of seeing his career almost dissolvefollowing a late season dismissal by Penske, Tracy, who has beenaccustomed to racing for top-flight teams throughout his CART career,now finds himself again in a top seat. After two seasons in a lesscompetitive car and entering a well-financed team running winningengines, chassis, and tires, Tracy predicts for 1998 that "now is thetime" and that there will be "no excuses." About the car he addedthat "the Reynard is a car you don't need to wrestle; you canconcentrate on driving." Team Kool Green starts testing for the nextseasons with 4 days of testing scheduled already next week.
About his future career plans and a possible move to Formula One,Tracy said that he has "got a goal and that is to win the CARTChampionship. That is something I have to achieve before goingsomewhere else."
Hiring two non-US citizens to run the top cars of the Kool Greenracing effort is a shift in the way the team has looked at this issuein the past. Green commented that the "goal is to run up front" whilethe American driver tradition "will be carried out in the Academyprogram," a driving school program supported by Kool Green.
Other changes in the team may affect their Indy Lights team. Greensaiid his Lights Team is currently testing, and that he had to"reevaluate the program and discuss it with the sponsors." As forthe engineering talent to support the CART team, Green could only saythat he is currently discussing the issue with Tony Cicale, and hasnot yet made any decisions. He said "this is usually something we doafter the package is confirmed."


		NOW AVAILABLE! — The Official Directory for CART Racing

		Team Kool Green Anounces 1998 Plans ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. Tracy and Franchitti to drive in two car effort By Peter Burke This morning, Barry Green, owner of Team Kool Green officiallyannounced his plans for the 1998 season during the CARTteleconference (a huge transcript of the entire conference is tofollow later this week on SpeedCenter). He will be fielding two Reynard/Honda/Firestone cars for the next PPGCART World Series season. The #26 car will be piloted by Paul Tracy,who just a week ago was unexpectedly released by Team Penske. He willbe joined by sophomore driver Dario Franchitti, driving the #27entry, who impressed in his rookie season by winning a pole positionand being close to winning several races. Green commented on hiring Paul Tracy this late in the season as a"lucky coincidence," and praised Paul for being a "very, very fast"driver. About the reasons for recruiting Dario, he said that "Dariocame into the series strong with a one car effort and impressed rightaway; obviously he has strong test drive abilities." The experience of Tracy, who has previously raced for Team Penske andNewman/Haas Racing, plus Dario's impressive ability to set up a carwithout having a team member to gauge himself with promise a verypotent combination for the next season. Green claims that "therewon't be a # 1 driver in the team. They'll race against each other."He added, that because of his focus on winning a CART championshipfor his sponsor, that they "may have some team orders as we come downto the last races of the season." Green said, "the focus has to be onwinning the Championship; the race wins will come." Parker Johnstone, who originally was under contract for two years atTeam Green, apparently won't remain part of the effort, not even astest driver. Green said that he "doesn't know what Parker is doingwith his future plans. Parker lost confidence in the team and theteam lost confidence in Parker. We decided to go our own ways and heis free to explore all other options." Dario Franchitti's move to the Honda-powered Team Green followed along relationship with Mercedes-Benz. It cost him the chance to racefor rookie of the year honors at Fontana when Mercedes-Benz severedall ties with him and Robby Gordon ran Dario's Hogan Racing car. Dario said that "it was difficult to leave Mercedes." He added thatlate in the season, his "best opportunity was Kool Green, who run theHonda package." Responding to the rather unusual way he and Mercedesseparated this season, he said "there's a lot more to it than meetsthe eye." He further explained that "to leave Mercedes has been themost difficult decision of my life. They have been very good to me.But the opportunity with Kool Green was too good to miss." Paul Tracy stated his delight with the Kool Green operation. He saidhe was "impressed with the Kool operation from the get-go, beforeeven starting to look [for a ride after being ousted by Penske]." Hesaid he talked to Forsythe, Hogan and Patrick, plus called a fewFormula One teams, but claims that Barry Green had been on top of hislist. Tracy joined the interview from the Kool Green shop in Indianapolisand commented on what he saw there as "very impressive" and that hehad not seen anything "as well equipped as this [shop] since testingfor Benetton in Formula One" And this after just having driven sixseasons for Penske and Newman/Haas. He called his contract with Barry Green "very generous" and calls hisnew arrangement for 1998 his best opportunity yet to win theChampionship. The contract is a "long-term commitment," but neitherTracy nor Green were willing to release details beyond the fact thatit was a multi-year contract. Tracy said "we're gonna be together fora while." Coming back from a week of seeing his career almost dissolvefollowing a late season dismissal by Penske, Tracy, who has beenaccustomed to racing for top-flight teams throughout his CART career,now finds himself again in a top seat. After two seasons in a lesscompetitive car and entering a well-financed team running winningengines, chassis, and tires, Tracy predicts for 1998 that "now is thetime" and that there will be "no excuses." About the car he addedthat "the Reynard is a car you don't need to wrestle; you canconcentrate on driving." Team Kool Green starts testing for the nextseasons with 4 days of testing scheduled already next week. About his future career plans and a possible move to Formula One,Tracy said that he has "got a goal and that is to win the CARTChampionship. That is something I have to achieve before goingsomewhere else." Hiring two non-US citizens to run the top cars of the Kool Greenracing effort is a shift in the way the team has looked at this issuein the past. Green commented that the "goal is to run up front" whilethe American driver tradition "will be carried out in the Academyprogram," a driving school program supported by Kool Green. Other changes in the team may affect their Indy Lights team. Greensaiid his Lights Team is currently testing, and that he had to"reevaluate the program and discuss it with the sponsors." As forthe engineering talent to support the CART team, Green could only saythat he is currently discussing the issue with Tony Cicale, and hasnot yet made any decisions. He said "this is usually something we doafter the package is confirmed."