From: Michael Powell 
 
PANTHER, PATRICK, GORDON FILE ENTRIES FOR INDIANAPOLIS 500
 
INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, March 29, 2004 - Panther Racing and Patrick Racing,
teams with winning pedigrees in open-wheel racing, were among those who filed
entries March 29 for the 88th Indianapolis 500.
 
Panther Racing entered six cars, two for 2002 Indianapolis 500 Bank One
co-Rookie of the Year Tomas Scheckter, two for 2003 Indy Racing League(R)
Menards Infiniti Pro SeriesTM champion Mark Taylor and two for a driver to be
named later. Panther won IRL IndyCar(R) Series titles in 2001 and 2002 and a
Menards Infiniti Pro Series title with Taylor in 2003.
 
Patrick Racing entered two cars for two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser
Jr. Patrick-owned cars won the Indianapolis 500 in 1973 and 1982 with driver
Gordon Johncock and in 1989 with driver Emerson Fittipaldi after a stirring,
wheel-banging duel with Unser.
 
Team Gordon also entered two cars for driver-owner Robby Gordon.
 
The 88th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 30 at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway. Entries must be postmarked by midnight March 31. Qualifications
for the 33-car starting field begin on Pole Day, Saturday, May 15.
 
Scheckter, from Cape Town, South Africa, will drive the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther
Dallara Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone, with a backup entered. Simon Morley is the
chief mechanic.
 
Scheckter will aim to make his third Indianapolis 500 start. He finished a
career-best fourth in 2003 and has led 148 laps combined in his first two Indy
starts.
 
IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 rookie Taylor, from London, will drive the
No. 2 Menards/Johns Manville Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone, with a backup
entered. Eric Haverson is the chief mechanic.
 
Panther also entered the No. 44 Pedigo Chevrolet Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone
and a backup for a driver to be named later. Ron Catt is the chief mechanic.
 
Buddy Lindblom is the team manager of Panther's entries.
 
Unser, from Albuquerque, N.M., will attempt to make his 17th Indianapolis 500
start in the No. 20 Patrick Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone, with a backup
entered. Neil Brown is the chief mechanic, and 11-time Indianapolis 500 starter
Steve Krisiloff is the team manager.
 
This will be the first start of the season for Unser, winner of the 1992 and
1994 Indianapolis 500. Team owner U.E. "Pat" Patrick announced earlier this
month that his team was moving to the IndyCar Series with Unser as driver
starting at Indianapolis.
 
Team Gordon owner Gordon will drive the No. 70 Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone,
with a backup entered. Bharat Naran is the chief mechanic, with Thomas Knapp
the team manager.
 
Gordon, from Orange, Calif., will attempt to make his 10th Indianapolis 500
start. His best finish is fourth in 1999 after he ran out of fuel while leading
with less than two laps to go. Gordon will attempt the "double"
of driving the
Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte,
N.C., on the same day.
 
 [...]
 
***
 
Tickets: Tickets are available for the 2004 Indianapolis 500 on May 30. For
information, log on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, or call the IMS
ticket office at (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700.
 
___ Internet Rex 2.29
 


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