Paul Tracy will have a new ride in Milwaukee for the ABC Supply / A.J. Foyt Racing 225. [Russ Lake Photo]
Tracy To Replace Meira At Milwaukee
by Steve Zautke5/26/2009
The sometimes fiery Paul Tracy will drive for the equally fiery A.J. Foyt in Sunday's ABC Supply / A.J. Foyt Racing 225 at The Milwaukee Mile. The deal is for one race, as regular driver Vitor Meira who was injured in last Sunday's Indianapolis 500 is believed to be out for the year due to two fractured vertebrae.
"For me I'm excited to get an opportunity to drive albeit as a fill-in for Vitor as I know it's a short-term thing," said Tracy "When I started my career, I competed against AJ. He was one of my idols growing up. I haven't told too many people this, but he was one of the guys I modeled myself after. I'm a little rough around the edges like him and I say what I feel, there's no b.s. and that's one of the things I've always admired about him."
Team owner Foyt likes Tracy's hard-charging style, "Paul Tracy is a hard charger and our type of driver, much like Vitor," said the American legend. "I believe we can put the right equipment under Paul, and we've both had success there, so I think we can put our heads together and have a good race."
Both drivers have had success at The Mile winning four-times each, Foyt won in 1962, 1964, 1975 and 1979. Tracy won at the one-mile oval in 1995, 1999, 2002 and 2005. Tracy has made a total of 14 starts at The Mile, the last in a Champ Car race in 2006.
Tracy is coming off a ninth-place finish at the Indy 500 and is scheduled to drive the two Canadian IndyCar races (Toronto and Edmonton) for KV Racing later this season.
Steve's first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked as a videographer for the Milwaukee Mile, reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS), has written features for 'Vintage Oval Racing' and 'Victory Lane' magazines and currently works as historian and on special projects for the Milwaukee Mile.
Steve also co-hosts "Sparky's Final Inspection" a NASCAR-based radio show with hosts, Steve "Sparky" Fifer and "NASCAR Girl" Summer Santana on a rotating basis with fellow RacingNation.com editor, John Wiedemann (Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com).
Steve follows all types of racing from sprints and midgets to Formula 1. However, has a soft-spot for the old USAC Stock Car series, Jimmy Clark, Bobby Unser and Jim Hurtubise.
