Paul Tracy Secures Sponsorship, Will Race In Honda Indy Toronto
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Tracy Believes His Performance This Month
At Indy Helped Secure Sponsorship Deal |
IRL driver Paul Tracy is close to a sponsorship deal with a "major Canadian-based company" allowing him to race in both the July 12 Honda Indy Toronto and the July 26 Rexall Edmonton Indy, according to Dean McNulty of the TORONTO SUN. It is believed Tracy's qualifying effort for this weekend's Indianapolis 500 -- where he will start 13th for the KV Racing Technology team -- "was the impetus behind finding sponsorship" for the two races. Tracy, a native of the greater Toronto region, said that the sponsorship -- "that will be officially announced the week following the Indy 500 -- came together after lengthy talks." Tracy: "We've been working really hard to get this deal. You know I'm not a big go-get-a-sponsor guy; I'm a driver. But in this economy, the wheels don't turn without sponsorship and I think that my performance this month (during qualifying for Indy), moved the process along." McNulty notes it "didn't hurt that Tracy is the centre of media attention at the Brickyard with his first appearance since" '02. Tracy, referring to his sponsor for this weekend's race, said, "I'll tell you Geico likes that this is happening. They are bringing their caveman guy to be in the pits with us on Sunday" (TORONTO SUN, 5/21).
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Rexall Edmonton Indy Will Reportedly
Lose At Least C$1.5M This Year |
NORTHERN LIGHTS: In Edmonton, Dan Barnes reports the Rexall Edmonton Indy this year will lose at least C$1.5M, but officials from event organizer Edmonton Northlands are "already talking about extending their three-year deal with" the IRL. The inaugural Rexall Edmonton last year was "impressive" until Northlands announced a C$5.3M loss, which was a "whopping [C$4M] more than they forecast." Northlands Dir of Major Events Mike Burton said that the company has cut C$1M "off its race expenses for this year and will stage the proceedings on a budget" of C$14.5M. Barnes reports one of Northlands' "major expenses is sponsorship" of Conquest Racing driver and Quebec native Alex Tagliani. Northlands "bought title sponsorship of the Rexall Edmonton Indy No. 34 car and in so doing secured a ride" for Tagliani for several races. The sponsorship is the "only reason" Tagliani is driving in the Indy 500 Sunday -- he will replace Bruno Junqueira in the No. 36 car, which "will carry Rexall Edmonton Indy signage on top of the side pods during the race." Conquest Racing Commercial Dir Jim Freudenberg said that they were "not contractually bound by the Northlands deal to put Tagliani in the No. 36 car, 'but we thought it was the right thing to do'" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 5/21).
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