©1999 SpeedCenter Publishing
to compete full time in CART
CART FedEx Championship Series competitors Team Rahal announced that Kenny Brack, the 1998 Indy Racing League champion and 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner, has signed with the team to pilot its Shell Ford-Cosworth/Reynard. In a press conference held at the Team Rahal headquarters, owner Bobby Rahal introduced the new driver along with Shell Director of Sponsorships, Events and Brand Standards Kevin Ilges.
In 28 Indy car races, Brack posted four wins, including the 83rd Indianapolis 500, and won nearly $4.5 million in prize money. Brack posted 16 top-ten and 11 top-five results in the all-oval track IRL despite his early racing background was on the road courses of Europe.
"Kenny is one of the bright young stars in open wheel racing," said Rahal. "He has consistently proven over his career that he is a championship contender. It didn't take long to realize what a highly motivated and focused individual he is, one who has been successful in everything he has undertaken. I have no doubt that the combination of Kenny and Max [Papis] will push us to new heights and enable Team Rahal to challenge for the championship in 2000 and beyond."
"From a driver's standpoint joining a professional racing organization with a proven record like Team Rahal gives me a chance to win races and compete for the CART championship," said Brack. "My sole purpose in racing is to win and to build upon the success I have had in the past. My conversations with Bobby [Rahal] convinced me that Team Rahal has a single underlying goal to be the best Champ Car racing team in CART and to win the PPG Cup. That dedication to succeed solidified my decision to join Team Rahal."
"On behalf of all those who represent the Shell brand I welcome Kenny to Team Rahal and to the CART FedEx Championship Series," said Kevin Ilges of Shell. "Kenny is a bright young racing star who we at Shell are looking forward to working with both on and off the track."
Brack began his racing career in Formula Ford (1984-87) and Formula 3 (1989-90) on the road courses of Europe. He raced in the Formula Opel Series (1991-92) prior to dominating the Scandinavian Clio Cup in 1992 and 1993. He made his US racing debut in the Barber-Saab Pro Series in 1993, winning the championship on the strength of six race victories. After three years in Formula 3000 (1994-96), where he was the winningest driver during his last season, Brack moved to the Indy Racing League in 1997 where he became one of the series' dominant drivers, winning the championship in 1998 and finishing as the runner up in 1999.
Since 1992 Brack has won three series championships (1992 Clio-Cup, 1993 Barber-Saab and 1998 IRL) and finished as the series runner-up on two other occasions. Only twice in his last eight years has he failed to finish in the top-four in his racing series.
"Kenny and Max are a perfect combination for Team Rahal," said Team Rahal co-owner David Letterman. "I'm looking forward to a great season."
"The challenge for our team, for Kenny and for Max is to continue to build on the momentum that Team Rahal had over the last third of the 1999 season," said Team Rahal General Manager Scott Roembke. "The combination of Max, who had a breakout season in 1999, and Kenny, who has been a perennial title contender throughout his career, gives us the opportunity to build on the success we have enjoyed here already."
Brack is excited about the prospect of running CART's challenging schedule of road, street and oval courses. "Over the last several seasons I have raced exclusively on ovals, and while I like the challenge of racing on ovals, my background is in 16 years of road racing. Therefore I really am looking forward to the opportunity to get back and do battle on these types of tracks. I like the ovals, but the unique combination of the CART schedule allows me the best of both worlds. I am looking forward to the mix of racing with events on ovals like Michigan and Chicago and historic road courses like Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca and Elkhart Lake, and the challenge of street courses like Long Beach."
In 2000, Shell enters its fifth season as a primary sponsor on one of Team Rahal's Champ Cars. Shell first partnered with Team Rahal in 1993 as an associate sponsor. Over the last four seasons the Shell car has accounted for two victories (Laguna Seca 1998 & 1999), six pole positions and eight podium appearances in the CART FedEx Championship Series.
Team Rahal is a franchise member of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). Headquartered in suburban Columbus, Ohio, the team owned by three-time PPG Cup Champion Bobby Rahal and CBS LATE SHOW host David Letterman currently fields a pair of Championship Cars for Max Papis and Brack in the CART FedEx Championship Series. The 65-member team enjoys primary sponsorship from Shell Oil Products Company and Miller Brewing Company.
