Alex Lloyd's talent is so huge it takes two teams to contain him. The trick has been figuring out which two teams that would be, but a press release today has answered that question.
During Wednesday’s Indianapolis 500 Media Tour, Rahal Letterman Racing and Target Chip Ganassi Racing revealed that they would work together in fielding an entry for 2007 Firestone Indy Lights champion Alex Lloyd for the 92nd running of this year’s Memorial Day classic. The #16 Dallara/Honda/Firestone Indy Car will be run out of the RLR stable for the month of May, with the Ohio-based team working closely with TCGR to ensure that Lloyd – who is under a developmental contract with Target Chip Ganassi Racing – receives the benefit of working with engineers and mechanics from both teams.
“This is something that we have been wanting to do for a while now and an opportunity with Bobby and his team is perfect for us,” said Target Chip Ganassi team owner Chip Ganassi. “I really think everyone is going to be hearing a lot about Alex Lloyd in the coming years. He is one of the sport’s future stars.”
Lloyd has been busy collecting dust for Big Chip all season, but apparently the reality of Ganassi having an extra driver and Rahal having an extra chassis made for a certain type of synergy. Does this mean Rahal employees will be sharing information with Ganassi people? Is a Ganassi employee going to be calling Lloyd's race? Would the earnings be split between owners for Lloyd's effort? Does Alex get to appear on Letterman's show? I have no idea, but they've got about a month to figure it out.
What I do know is you'll probably be seeing a lot of Alex Lloyd in the future. He's the real deal, and it wouldn't be shocking in the least to see him replace Dan Wheldon at TCGR next year.
This Could Be a Real Shot in the Arm
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Nowadays, whenever I discuss IndyCar marketing – I do so with caution.
After writing a post last summer that called into question some of the
marketing eff...
1 day ago
So if Alex won't be using a third Vision car does that mean a seat is open to PT?
does this mean Rahal gets to screw Alex like he did Hunter because he is too busy watching his son race???
Maybe Sharp should start a support group...
And what did "the Prodigy" do to deserve such a terrible fate?
maybe wheldon isn't going anywhere now that IRL is the place to be and a ganasi stock car isn't the greatest place in the world. with wheldon staying poor alex gets sent to purgatory in grahams support team
Anything that increases car count at Indy or elsewhere is a good thing. I can't imagine Wheldon, who has won an Indy and a Championship, going anywhere.
Wheldon once said (I forget where) that the only reason he'd leave is because he really wants to race in a series where there's a big crowd every race. Even with NASCAR's little dip recently, that was more true there than the IRL. Now that's less true. If the crowds grow as the season progresses, and Indy is a big success, and the Champ Car teams get competitive on the ovals (or at least more so) by the end of the year, leaving everyone really excited about 2009, I think Wheldon will stay in an IndyCar. And he's friends with Dario, and that can't be a ringing endorsement he's hearing.