Tracy To Replace Meira At Milwaukee

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 Zautke

Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s 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 for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.

racingnation.com

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