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IRL: Metro Racing Systems Continues To Test

22 December 1997

Indy Racing League (IRL) team owner/driver Stan Wattles and Metro Racing Systems have logged a lot of miles since receiving their first Indy car on Sept. 5. In addition to posting an eighth-place finish in the Las Vegas 500K race on Oct. 11, the team has conducted extensive development testing in preparation for the 1998 season.

The team has covered 2320 miles in 20 days of race and testing activity at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire International Speedway (Loudon, N.H.), Pikes Peak International Raceway (Fountain, Colo.), Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Tex.) and Walt Disney World Speedway (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.). The team's fastest average lap speed was 208.173 miles an hour on the 1.5-mile high-banked Texas track on Nov. 21.

Stan Wattles is looking forward to the Jan. 24 IRL season-opening Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway. The Sewall's Point, Fla. resident says he has unfinished business at his home track. He led two laps of the inaugural Indy 200 in 1996 and had solid command of third place when an admitted rookie mistake took him out of the race. He started 13th and finished eighth.

Wattles returns to the Indy 200 in a dual role as both the team owner and driver for Metro Racing Systems, based in nearby Stuart, Fla. Wattles announced formation of his IRL team during the 1997 Indy 200 and spent the year preparing the new team for competition. He is the second IRL team owner/driver; 1997 Indy 200 winner Eddie Cheever, Jr. was the first.

Metro Racing Systems is fielding the IRL's first "all-American" car, with the Riley & Scott MK V chassis (#002), Indy Aurora V8 engines and Goodyear Eagle tires. An all-American car hasn't competed in the Indy 500 since 1984. The last all-American Indy 500 victory was in 1977.

Wattles initiated the Racing to Make a Difference program in co- operation with the National Center for Learning Disabilities to increase public awareness and understanding of learning disabilities. He hopes his success in overcoming the challenges of dyslexia, dysgraphia and perception difficulties will encourage children who also struggle with learning disabilities. "I want to win races, but helping kids through my racing program is equally important," he says.