INDY 500: Carlson, Guthrie, Gidley to drive at Indy
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
May 6, 2001INDIANAPOLIS - Three more drivers - Tyce Carlson, Jim Guthrie and Memo Gidley - have joined the chase for a starting spot in the 85th Indianapolis 500.
Carlson, from Indianapolis, will drive the No. 60 Tri Star Motorsports/Immke Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone entered by Tri Star Motorsports. He will attempt to make his third Indianapolis 500 start, as he also qualified in 1997 and 1999. Carlson's best finish was 14th in 1999.
Former USAC standout Carlson has made one Indy Racing Northern Light Series start this year, finishing 15th in a Tri Star entry in the season-opening Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200 in March at Phoenix.
Tri Star also is fielding an entry at Indy for rookie Jon Herb.
Guthrie, from Albuquerque, N.M., will drive the No. 27 Blueprint Racing Special G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Guthrie and Blueprint teamed up to pull off the biggest upset in Indy Racing League history, holding off 1996-97 series champion Tony Stewart to win the 1997 Phoenix 200.
Guthrie will attempt to make his fourth Indianapolis 500 start. He raced at Indy for three straight years from 1996-98, with a best finish of 18th in 1996. Guthrie's last Indy Racing League start came in October 1998 at Las Vegas.
Gidley, from San Rafael, Calif., will drive the No. 61 Team Cure Autism Now/Brayton Engineering G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone fielded by Brayton Racing. Gidley, an Indianapolis 500 rookie, crashed during his first qualifying attempt last year on Pole Day at Indy in a Team Pelfrey car and didn't make another attempt.
The 85th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 27. Indianapolis Star Opening Day is May 6. MBNA Pole Day is May 12, with second-day qualifying May 13. Bump Day is May 20. Coors Carb Day is May 20.
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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