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Robin Miller’s Open-Wheel Notebook
PT still scrambling to find an IndyCar ride; Kanaan's disobedience; Kalkhoven injured in ski fall...
Robin Miller  |  Posted April 02, 2008   Indianapolis, Ind.
PT is still hopeful his personal sponsor Monster can join him in an IndyCar program. (LAT Photo)

Paul Tracy is still willing to drive for Gerry Forsythe in this month's Champ Car finale at Long Beach but his No.1 priority is finding a full-time ride in the Indy Racing League.

"According to my legal advice, Gerry has terminated the contract I had so that makes me a free agent," said Tracy on Tuesday night. "I'm more than willing to drive at Long Beach for him and I told the team that but they haven't confirmed it yet.

"I know this, I don't want to watch any more races on television, I want to be in them."

Neil Micklewright, team manager for Forsythe Racing, was called to comment on Tracy's status but did not respond. Mexico's David Martinez was named to drive for Forsythe earlier this week.

The colorful 39-year-old veteran was put in the trick bag, so to speak, by Forsythe when the co-owner of Champ Car announced he would not be competing in the 19-race, unified, open wheel series.

That left Tracy with a couple options: run only one race in 2008 (Long Beach) to collect his $2 million salary or walk away from his guaranteed money and try to make a deal in the IRL.

But, considering the unstable nature of Champ Car the past few years, it's believed many drivers have a clause in their contract to protect them. In other words, a ride would be guaranteed in whatever open wheel series answered the bell.

Tracy met wih Forsythe in late December and was assured the team was gung ho about '08 – in Champ Car.

"I was hoping Gerry would run in the unified series, but obviously it doesn't look like that's going to happen," said the 2003 CART champion.

So now the man with 261 Champ Car starts is scrambling to find a sponsor and a ride for a series that plans on running in Edmonton and possibly Toronto in 2009 currently without the popular Canadian driver.

"We met with Monster Energy Drink last week and gave them a proposal with a budget, so it's on their table," said Tracy of the company he signed a personal services contract with last year. "They're trying to see what they might be able to do (in the IRL) but it's
difficult because they're already in the second quarter of their budget.

"But they seem to like me so I'm hoping for the best."

In his one and only IRL start, P.T. was placed second in the controversial 2002 Indianapolis 500 which he lost his appeal that he passed Helio Castroneves before the final yellow light came on.
Kanaan was ordered to duck to the warmup lane in the final Homestead restart - but chose not to. (LAT Photo)

"I definitely want to run Indy again and I'd like to run at least one race before May but I'm running out of time," he said.

Originally, the most quotable man in open-wheel racing said he only wanted to run for one of the top three teams (Andretti-Green, Target-Ganassi or old boss Roger Penske) but he understands the reality of the situation.

"That's probably not going to happen, unless Monster came on board, but I'm open to run for any team with a budget to run a competitive car," said Tracy, who has had conversations with Tony George about joining his Vision Racing team.

"I know I can still go quick and I want to be part of this unified series."

KANAAN DISOBEYED

There were some angry teams (notably Rahal Letterman and Ryan Hunter-Reay) following the final restart at Homestead when leader Tony Kanaan remained on the track despite having a broken right-front suspension and nearly caused a major pileup before finally pulling out of the way.

But, according to IRL vice president of competition Tony Cotman, Kanaan disobeyed orders on two fronts.

"When the one-lap signal was given, IRL race control told him (Kanaan) to get off the track and pull down on the warmup lane and the Andretti Green team told him the same thing but he ignored us," said Cotman.

The slow, jumbled restart created an accordion effect and Hunter-Reay lost two spots (fifth to seventh) as drivers scrambled to avoid hitting each other.

Brian Barnhart, IRL president of competition, spoke with Kanaan afterwards but it's not known whether any disciplinary action will be taken.

KALKHOVEN INJURED

Kevin Kalkhoven missed the opening race of the series he helped put together because he's in a Colorado hospital recovering from a nasty fall on the ski slopes.

The co-owner of Champ Car whose two-car KV Racing entry finished 12th (Oriol Servia) and 25th (Will Power) at Homestead last Saturday night, suffered four broken ribs, a punctured lung and a concussion after taking a tumble in Aspen.

"Kevin is an excellent skier, he's been doing it for 35 years, and this is the second nasty fall he's had in the last couple years," said Dick Eidswick, the former president of Champ Car and a life-long friend of Kalkhoven's who was skiing with the 63-year-old Aussie.

"He's hurting pretty good right now but he should be back for Long Beach."
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