IRL: Pep Boys Indy Racing League Weekly Notebook
8 April 1998
INDIANAPOLIS - Notes and quotes from the Pep Boys Indy Racing League:Another USAC star makes the jump: USAC standout Dan Drinan will drive in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League for D.B. Mann Motorsports starting at the Indianapolis 500, team officials announced April 2.
Drinan started a successful career in USAC Silver Crown, midget and sprint racing in 1981. Drinan won the midget feature at the prestigious Skoal Bandit Racing Copper World Classic in 1995 at Phoenix International Raceway, holding off Pep Boys IRL star Davey Hamilton. Drinan also is a highly respected builder of chassis and suspension components for Silver Crown and midget cars, and he has worked as a mechanic and fabricator for Indy-style car teams.
D.B. Mann Motorsports, based in Indianapolis, will field a Dallara/Aurora for Drinan, also from Indianapolis. The team entered the season-opening Indy 200 with Billy Roe as its driver but failed to qualify, lacking enough entrant points to make the field after qualifying was rained out. Roe joined Team Scandia last month.
Drinan, 37, is the second USAC star to climb to the Pep Boys IRL in the last week. Silver Crown and midget driver Donnie Beechler, 36, made his debut for a new team, Cahill Racing, on April 2 during a test session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Both Drinan and Beechler must participate in the Rookie Orientation Program on April 14-15 at the Speedway. Drinan must take a refresher test. Beechler must take the entire rookie test.
***
Menard, six other teams enter Indy 500: Defending IRL entrant champion Team Menard leads a list of seven teams that entered the Indianapolis 500 in the last week.
Team Menard is fielding a car for drivers Tony Stewart and Robbie Buhl, and two other cars for drivers to be determined. Panther Racing also entered a multi-car effort for the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 with a car for Scott Goodyear and another for a driver to be determined.
Other entries, with driver:
.Blueprint Racing: Driver to be determined
.Chastain Motorsports: Stephan Gregoire
.Immke Racing: Tyce Carlson
.PDM Racing: John Paul Jr.
.Phoenix Racing: Marco Greco
All entries must be postmarked by April 9.
***
Giaffone released after crash: Affonso Giaffone, admitted to Methodist Hospital with back pain after crashing during testing April 2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was released April 3 and cleared to drive by Pep Boys IRL Director of Medical Services Dr. Henry Bock.
Giaffone, 29, returned to his native Brazil after being released. He hit the wall in Turn 1 after spinning in a G Force/Aurora/Firestone fielded by Jonathan Byrd-Cunningham Racing. The left rear of the car sustained extensive damage.
Mike Groff, primary driver for Byrd-Cunningham Racing, is scheduled to participate April 16-17 in the veterans' portion of the open test at the Speedway. Groff was hospitalized March 22 after a crash during the Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix. He was released the next day and has been cleared to drive.
***
Arie OK after crash: Defending Indianapolis 500 champion Arie Luyendyk was unhurt in a crash while testing April 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Luyendyk's engine malfunctioned in the middle of Turn 4, and his Sprint PCS-Radio Shack-Qualcomm G Force/Aurora/Firestone spun 180 degrees and hit the retaining wall with the left side of the car. The left side of the car sustained heavy damage.
Luyendyk exited the car without assistance, and was examined in the Infield Medical Center and released to drive. ***
Rookie, open tests: Teams entered for the 82nd Indianapolis 500 can participate in the first-ever open test at the Speedway April 14-18.
Rookies will participate in the Rookie Orientation Program on April 14-15, with veterans testing on April 16-17.
Firestone and Goodyear will also select teams to participate in a tire test scheduled for April 18.
***
Dr. Jack goes to college: Dr. Jack Miller makes presentations about dental health to many groups of elementary- and secondary-level students throughout the country during the Pep Boys IRL season. But Miller moved up a few grade levels April 2 when he spoke to approximately 200 dental students and faculty at the Ohio State College of Dentistry. Miller talked about his experience as a dentist and as the driver of the Crest Racing/SRS Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League.
***
Next event: Indianapolis 500, May 24, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. General admission tickets for practice and qualifications can be purchased in advance by calling (317) 484-6700. Reserved race tickets are sold out, but general admission tickets are available in advance or at the gate.
