Playing For the Other Team

As witnessed during last weekend’s bumper-riding, second-place performance in Sonoma, Mr Judd can still handle a course with right turns pretty well. And note he’s on a one-year contract and essentially a free agent at the conclusion of the IRL season next weekend.

Now Crash.net is relaying information that Robin Miller of Speed TV said…hold on, does that make this a third-hand report? I mean, you only have two hands, so is the metaphor even valid?

Anyhow IT IS being reported that after the Chicagoland race Mr Judd will be spending the remainder of the year under a Champ Car contract, driving for RuSport in the car vacated by the incapacitated (but improving) Cristiano da Matta. The CCWS has three remaining races at the conclusion of the IRL season, so Mr Judd will either be doing a big-time temping gig or perhaps is auditioning for full-time employment elsewhere.

With a one-year contract, I’m guessing it’s a little of both. One would think he would still be able to get something together for 2007 with his current sponsor Klein Tools, but with Jonathan Klein (son of the owner of Klein Tools) contending for the series championship in Indy Pro the writing is on the wall for Dario at Andretti Green.

UPDATE: SpeedTV has the story, including the predictable leaving-all-options-available quote "I'm looking at several opportunities and Champ Car is one of them." Show me the money.