It's like RLR almost forgot to announce this.
HILLIARD, Ohio (February 25, 2008) – Ryan Hunter-Reay opened eyes throughout motorsports last season when he stepped into the Rahal Letterman Racing Indy Car at Mid-Ohio and made his series debut without a single lap of testing and carried the car to a seventh-place finish.Congratulations, Ryan. I guess we need to find you a nickname now.
The American-born Hunter-Reay will now get a chance to chase the championship in 2008 with a full complement of preseason preparation as the Floridian was named today as the driver of the #17 Ethanol Dallara/Honda/Firestone for Rahal Letterman Racing.
(MORE from Rahal Letterman Racing)
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteOne vote for
"O-Ryan the Hunter"
Cribbed from the constellation Orion, aka the Hunter.
Failing that, seeing as he's driving for RHR: "The Temp"
LOL @ The Temp. Priceless.
ReplyDelete"RLR's RHR, TM"
ReplyDelete"The Temp" works for last season, but now he's no more temporary than anyone else I suppose. I know it's RLR but something like "The Next Pink Slip" would be not only harsh but also indistinguishable.
ReplyDeleteThe best I could come up with is "The Big Hyphen" (he's rather tall for a driver), but "O-Ryan the Hunter" just might be odd enough to work. Any other thoughts or suggestions are entirely welcome.
You could just call him Jeff Simmons, and see if anyone notices.
ReplyDeleteIndycar.com is saying that the first team has moved over: Conquest racing so there's another one Franck Perera
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Perera, how does Raphael Matos feel right about now? When he made the move to IPS, there were two series. Now Perera ends up with what would have been Matos' IndyCar ride (probably). Doh. I know that AGR is a top team, and TK isn't getting any younger (and like sports car racing, where AGR is building a strong program), but Matos is over 25, meaning he'd like to move up sooner rather than later, I'm sure. I hope he gets a part-time ride, maybe farmed out to Panther or Conquest by AGR. He'll at least run the 500, I'd think, though that'll probably be in an AGR car.
ReplyDeleteI was going to wait until "the big announcement" on Wednesday before I even BEGAN to think about nicknames for the immigrants.
ReplyDeleteWhen the time comes, is it possible to have have 2 "Wreckers"?
ReplyDeletePT's gotta be considered, right? Although Thomas does a lot on his own whereas PT likes to tango.
Looking forward to it all.
And PT will almost certainly find himself with a not-so-willing dance partner in Helio. Gee, how appropos. I am SO jazzed about this season!
ReplyDeleteNo, we need to keep reminding the world that Tony F-ing Stewart didn't invent the fence climb!
ReplyDeleteAlthough "Mambo #3," or even "Lou Bega" would be funny.
You want irony....
ReplyDeleteHelio's first fence climb was while he was driving in CART.
It also happened at Detroit.
Can't the fanatics get behind that? After all, I'd classify it as "intellectual property".
Also:
PT's Indian name "Two Left Feet"
My vote is for something similar to what tabernus said: RHR of RLR.
ReplyDeleteRyan for IndyCar Series Soph of the Year !
ReplyDeleteIs "Last Man Running" taken yet?
ReplyDeleteGiven Danica, Marco, and Kosuke I'm thinking the sophomore label is something to be avoided at all costs.
ReplyDeleteBash,
ReplyDeleteI prefer The Crappie's nickname for PT: Captain Crunch
No, we need to keep reminding the world that Tony F-ing Stewart didn't invent the fence climb!
ReplyDeletetabernerus,
Have you seen Tony lately? I don't want to start with the "Tony's so fat . . . " jokes yet, but if he wins a race this season the only way he's going to get up to the starters stand is with a cherry picker!
He may advertise for Subway, but he's not eating at Subway. Or if he is, it's damn near every hour on the hour.