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Phil Giebler Indy 500 Dream Ends Abruptly

INDIANPOLIS ? Phil Giebler was the 33rd fastest qualifier for the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and his efforts earned him the Chase Rookie of the Year award. The Californian was so inspired with his initial experience that he couldn?t wait for the next go-around. But his dream vanished Saturday afternoon when he crashed heavily during his first day on the track.

His dream aspirations were over for the 92nd edition of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Giebler?s American Dream Motorsports team made its debut mid-day Saturday and completed just 38 practice laps before the incident. The 28-year old driver had slowly worked his way up to speed and had reached 218.336 miles per hour prior to his bout with the wall.

On the fateful lap, Giebler went below the white line in Turn 2, did a quarter spin and the left rear of the car made heavy contact with the SAFER Barrier, sliding to a stop in the grass on the backstretch.. The Delphi Safety Team was on the scene immediately and assisted him from the car.

He was conscious and alert throughout the ordeal and was taken to Methodist Hospital where he was diagnosed with bruised lungs and a cervical sprain, according to Dr. Mike Olinger, senior medical director for the Indy Racing League. After being held overnight for observation, he was released Sunday but not cleared to drive.

Giebler will remain in Indianapolis for a few days before returning to his California home.

?Phil is doing better, team co-owner Eric Zimmerman said. ?He pushed it too hard. Once we hit 218 (miles per hour), we were going to put it in line and put it in the show. The car was destroyed. That?s just the way this game is played, and we are proud of our team.?
The team considered acquiring another car but decided it was too late to do so. They will have a new car for the June race at the Texas Motor Speedway with veteran Jaques Lazier subbing for Giebler.

?Phil is still our driver and we back him 100 per cent,? Zimmerman added. ?Until he gets better, Jaques (Lazier) will be our driver.?
Team members visited Giebler in the hospital and were pleased that he was going well. ?Phil looked good and was in good spirits,? team engineer Mark Weida said. Regarding the accident, Giebler told Weida that he adjusted his entry into Turn 1 believing the car would understeer. It didn?t and the car got away from him.

Giebler arrived in Indianapolis earlier in the month without a ride but his outlook brightened when the newly formed Dream team selected him to drive the only Panoz chassis in the historic race. It came about when Zimmerman, an Arizona businessman, and former Indiana boxing commissioner William T. Kelsey acquired the Playa del Racing operation.

Giebler?s selection was a natural as he had driven for Playa del Racing a year ago and put a similar Panoz into the race with only a day and a half of practice, to include a crash during his first qualification attempt.

?Phil?s career is exactly what American Dream is all about,? Zimmerman said on Friday. ?He?s an excellent driver and he just needs a break to make good. We picked him up as we believe he?s a perfect candidate for us.?

Giebler?s prospects were full of ups and downs as May approached, so he was thrilled with the opportunity presented. ?I have been working on various deals since last year,? he said. ?A lot of things have looked amazingly good only to fall apart. This deal came about at the last moment but then it came apart a few days later. A California company, a former sponsor of mine, stepped up this week to save us.?

While two dozen teams were working toward the final weekend of qualifications, the Dream team worked all night Thursday to assemble their car with a goal of making a shakedown run late Friday afternoon. While the car was assembled and the engine fired, it failed technical inspection.

?The inspectors were a little bit strict with us,? Giebler said Friday evening. ?One end plate was off by 3/1000ths of an inch and there were some other stuff they wanted fixed. It was very frustrating, as we should have been on the track.?

Instead, the team fixed the car during the night and the wheels turned for the first time Saturday morning.

Regardless of the odds against the team for cracking the 500 field, Giebler had been cautiously optimistic. ?I still think we can make the race as there are a couple of cars that I am not too impressed with,? he noted. ?Having been here before I know what to expect which is a lot different from coming here for the first time. Sure, we have had a few bumps in the road but I am feeling good about it.?

Since the 2007 500, Giebler hadn?t raced an IndyCar but he had driven a handful of Firestone Indy Lights races. Also, he had been very active with his family-owned go-kart business, and he had been using computer simulation programs to refresh himself with the Speedway.

The likable driver will undoubtedly race again as his spirits won?t be dashed after his bout with the wall. Prior to the crash he had said, ?I have tried to make the Indianapolis 500 be like any other race but it is so different, and so special, it can?t be done. It is good to be here.?

Giebler is a true racer and he will be back in the cockpit as soon as he?s fit.

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