In the comments for the Watkins Glen LiveBlog someone asked about the last time both Penske and Ganassi cars finished outside of the Top 10. It took some digging but I think I found the answer: Motegi 2003. Check out the results of that race and note the drivers of the respective teams.
1. Scott Sharp (Kelley)
2. Kenny Brack (Rahal)
3. Felipe Giaffone (Mo Nunn)
4. Michael Andretti (Andretti Green)
5. Al Unser Jr. (Kelley)
6. Sam Hornish Jr. (Panther)
7. Dan Wheldon (Andretti Green)
8. Tora Takagi (Mo Nunn)
9. Greg Ray (Access)
10. Robbie Buhl (Dreyer & Reinbold)
11. Shinji Nakano (Beck)
12. Jaques Lazier (Menard)
13. Buddy Rice (Cheever)
14. Tony Kanaan (Andretti Green)
15. Scott Dixon (Ganassi)
16. Tomas Scheckter (Ganassi)
17. Alex Barron (Penske)
18. A.J. Foyt IV (Foyt)
19. Buddy Lazier (Hemelgarn)
20. Shigeaki Hattori (Foyt)
21. Roger Yasukawa (Fernandez)
22. Helio Castroneves (Penske)
23. Sarah Fisher (Dreyer & Reinbold)
24. Scott Mayer (PDM)
Yes friends, Alex Barron was driving for Roger Penske on this day as a one-race replacement after Gil de Ferran was injured at Phoenix in this crash. Don’t feel too bad for de Ferran though since he recovered enough to win the next race at Indianapolis.
As for Motegi, all four drivers for Penske and Ganassi retired from the race due to accident, although Scott Dixon was battling for the lead with just 23 laps to go. Here is Mike King of IMS Radio with the call.
Long Beach Preview
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Is it just me, or does it seem like we have gone months without an IndyCar
race? If you want to get technical, we have. The last points-paying race
was run...
8 hours ago
Wow. Good work Jeff.
Alex Barron in a Penske. Will wonders never cease?
This makes me wonder why Greg Ray couldnt stay in an Indycar. Did he just rub people the wrong way?
Scott Mayer made Marty Roth look like Mario Andretti.
If I remember that b'cast correctly Mayer found the wall on THE PACE LAP.
Jeff- thanks for the dig. I figured it was long ago, but 5+ years? Sick. To think that both Penske and Ganassi were more or less "transition" teams in 2002. OK, OK.... It's a reeeeeeal stretch to compare "transition" teams from then and now, but it would be cool if next year a couple of the "new" guys could keep their cars consistently in the top 10 for a couple of years.
hey wild, I think Greg just decided to retire.
hey wild, I think Greg just decided to retire.
Instead of Mario Moreas, Marty Roth, Milka Duno, Enrinque Bernoldi,and EJ Viso, the Series should have these guys back:
Jacques Lazier, Buddy Lazier, Tora Takagi, Roger Yasukawa, and Alex Barron.
Ray started his own team and promptly ran out of money when he couldn't find any significant sponsorship.