Adam Andretti gets an IPS ride, TV show

The story at IndyCar.com is all smiles and sunshine as it is already being announced that Adam Andretti (John's younger brother, hence Michael's cousin) has lined up several sponsors to help him participate fulltime in the Indy Pro series next year.

Should be a good thing, having an Andretti and an Unser (since Al The Third also has an IPS ride) battling it out among the up and comers of the IPS. Yeah, well, maybe you should read about this sponsorship before you start walking with a spring in your step.

Brunton Vineyards and Rev It Up Racing have signed on as primary sponsors, and Brimstone Dynasty and Sirius Vodka have signed associate sponsorship agreements for the newest member of the Andretti racing family to join the Indy Racing League. He is the younger brother of John Andretti.

"We were honored to be a part of Adam's inaugural (Indy Pro Series) race," said Geno Brunton, chairman and CEO of Brunton Vineyards, and we look forward to, and are committed to a long and rewarding partnership with Adam. We believe in Adam and his talent."

Brunton also announced that Andretti will be a competitor in the Fox reality series "All American Rookie." Brunton is the creator and executive producer of the series that begins pre-production this month.

Wait, what was that last part? Somehting about an "All American Rookie" reality show? And what would that be, pray tell?

The series was created by D. Geno Brunton, the show’s Executive Producer, who partnered with NASCAR champion and veteran driver, Joe Nemechek to create the first true reality show about the world of stock car racing and give fans of the sport a real insight as to what it takes to become a professional stock car driver.

Pre-production of the second season will begin in September, 2007 whereby the producers will allow for 15 fans of NASCAR to compete against 15 Rookies to determine the “All American Rookie”. Season 1 starts off with 30 rookies who currently race in ARCA and Hooters circuits, whereas Season 2 will pit the raw tenacity and drive of ordinary fans against the skill and endurance of the rookie who has sacrificed, driving weekly (one [sic] his or her own dime) to one day become a professional race car driver.

So let me get this straight. Adam Andretti is going to be racing fulltime in the Indy Pro Series next year AFTER he participates in a reality show designed to show he can be a "professional stock car driver". OK then.

Maybe Mr Judd should be on this show. I mean, what the...?