©1999 SpeedCenter Publishing
Team KOOL Green announced today that Raul
Boesel will drive the #26 KOOL Honda-Reynard in the Marlboro Grand Prix of
Miami at the Miami-Homestead Speedway, March 19-21. Boesel replaces Team KOOL
Green's regular driver Paul Tracy, who was suspended from the opening race of
the 1999 FedEx Championship Series by CART following an incident during
October's Honda Indy Australia.
The race represents a homecoming of sorts for Boesel, who drove for Team Green in 1996 and finished 22nd in the CART championship.
"While we're extremely disappointed Paul won't be driving for us at Homestead, we're fortunate to have a driver of Raul's talent and experience available," said Barry Green, owner of Team KOOL Green. "He's very well liked by everyone on the team. Through no fault of Raul, we didn't have the best of seasons together in 1996, so we're really looking forward to giving him a competitive and reliable package."
The 1987 FIA World Sports Car champion, Boesel is seventh on the all time CART list with 169 starts to his credit. A two-time pole winner, he has earned five second place finishes in Champ Car competition and has five top-10 finishes in the CART championship. He competed in the Indy Racing League driving for McCormack Motorsports in 1998 and finished fourth in the United States Road Racing Championship driving for Panoz Racing. This year he is again driving for TransWorld Racing/McCormack Motorsports in the IRL and finished fifth in the season opener at Walt Disney World Speedway on January 24.
"I'm excited by the opportunity to drive for Team KOOL Green at Homestead," says Boesel, a resident of nearby Key Biscayne. "I know from experience they are a first rate team and I'm really looking forward to driving the Honda- Reynard and competing against all my friends in CART."
Tracy, who joined Team KOOL Green for the 1998 season and last fall signed a three- year contract with the team, expressed his support for the decision to enter Boesel in the Miami Grand Prix.
"Raul's a perfect choice," said Paul. He's a great all around driver, but some of his best performances have come on ovals. Given his experience with the team, he should go well at Homestead. Naturally, I wish I was driving but that's not the case, so Raul, my regular teammate Dario Franchitti and everyone at Team KOOL Green has my full support."
Boesel is scheduled to test with Team KOOL Green at Homestead on Monday, February 1 and again during CART's Spring Training February 2-4.
Source: Team Kool Green
