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©1999 SpeedCenter Publishing JACKSON, MI -- December 14, 1999 -- U. E. "Pat" Patrick announced today that Patrick Racing has signed Roberto Moreno to campaign the #20 Visteon/Patrick Racing entry during the 2000 FedEx Championship Series season. Moreno, 40, will team with Adrian Fernandez, who is entering his third season with the team and will pilot the #40 Tecate/Quaker State/Patrick Racing car. "We are very pleased to have Roberto join our organization," said Pat Patrick. "He is a very talented and competitive driver as well as a team player. We look forward to getting the benefit of his experience as we move forward towards our goal of a championship during the 2000 FedEx Championship Series season. John Quigley, Director, Visteon Racing said, "Visteon is pleased to welcome Roberto Moreno as its driver for the 2000 FedEx Championship Series season. With Roberto's background and experience, he will be a strong addition to the team and Visteon's overall goal of winning for the customer." The personable Moreno, who has 61 CART starts to his credit, will be running in his seventh CART season, but will have a full-time CART ride for just the third time. Best known as "Super-sub" for his ability to take over for injured drivers and produce at a very high level, Moreno is coming off a highly productive 1999 season. He began the year without a CART ride, but went on to distinguish himself during stints as a replacement driver for the injured Mark Blundell (eight starts for PacWest Racing Group producing the team's top results) and Christian Fittipaldi (five starts for Newman/Haas Racing). He scored points in six of his eight starts for PacWest, topped by fourth place finishes at Gateway and Toronto. His stint with Newman/Haas was highlighted by a CART career best second place finish at Laguna Seca. Moreno scored points in eight of 13 starts and finished 14th in FedEx Championship Series with 58 points. "I think I have shown over my career that when I am with a good team I produce good results," said Moreno. "Joining Patrick Racing on a full-time basis is the best opportunity I have had in my racing career. The team is very experienced, competitive and a consistent winner. I am looking forward to working with Mr. Patrick, Jim McGee, Adrian and all the mechanics. With the package we have and the backing and support of Visteon, and its technical advisors I am confident that we can challenge for the championship in 2000." Moreno, began his racing career in go-karts in 1974. In 1979 he made his debut in cars in the British Formula Ford Championship. He raced in Formula Fords, Formula 2000, various Atlantic series and Formula 3 through the 1984 season. Moreno made his CART debut in 1985 competing in five road course races for Galles Racing. He ran his first full season in CART in 1986, with Galles, but then went back to Europe in 1987 and ran the Formula 3000 circuit finishing third. His first F1 start also came in 1987 at Suzuka, Japan for the French AGS team. He placed sixth and earned his first, and the team's first, championship point. Moreno was the Intercontinental Formula 3000 Champion in 1988, and in 1989 he was in Formula One cars full-time racing for the Coloni team. In 1990 he raced F1 with the Eurobrun team and ran two races with Benetton finishing second at Suzuka, Japan and placed 10th in the championship. He finished tenth in the F1 championship standings again in 1991, with two fourth place showings (Monaco and Spa) this time driving for Benetton, Jordan and Minardi. Moreno raced half the 1992 Fl season with the Andrea Moda, then hooked-up with the Italian Ford factory team for the last three rounds of the Italian Touring Car Championship. He remained in touring cars for the 1993 season driving for the Alfa Romeo Team in the French Touring Car Championship, placing seventh. In 1994, looking to recharge his batteries, Moreno returned to karting in Brazil. Rejuvenate, he was again back in a Formula One car in 1995 with the Forti Corse team. Moreno returned to the CART series, after a nine-year absence, in 1996 with his second full-time ride, this time with Payton/Coyne Racing. He finished 21st in the point standings (25 points) with three top ten showings including a oval career high third-place finish at the U. S. 500. He started the 1997 CART season with Payton/Coyne Racing, but ended the relationship after the first race of the season in Miami. When Christian Fittipaldi was injured in Australia, he stepped in and contested the next six races for Newman/Haas Racing earning a CART career best second place starting position at Rio. Following Fittipaldi's returned, Moreno signed on as a consultant with Bettenhausen Motorsports. When Patrick Carpentier broke his collarbone in a freak accident, Moreno was once again back in the car for the last two races of the season earning one top ten finish. In 1998 he ran the first two races of the season for Project Indy, but left when sponsorship for the full season did not materialize. He then substituted again at Newman/Haas Racing when Christian Fittipaldi was injured during practice at Milwaukee. Moreno and his wife, Celia, live with their two daughters, Andressa (3/9/88) and Kiara (10/1/94) in Weston (near Fort Lauderdale), Florida.
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