INDY RACING: Infiniti thrilled to see ranks grow at Texas
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
September 7, 2001INDIANAPOLIS - The Infiniti Gang is growing in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series.
Robbie Buhl and Eddie Cheever Jr. have been the drivers this season to use the Infiniti engine in season-long Indy Racing Northern Light Series competition, but an Infiniti also will power Greg Ray and Indy Racing newcomer Johnny Herbert in the season-ending Chevy 500 on Sept. 16 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ray will drive the No. 11 A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone, while former Formula One race winner Herbert is entered to make his Indy Racing debut in the No. 36 Heritage Motorsports G Force/Infiniti/Firestone.
"I couldn't imagine a better group of drivers and teams to be fielding the Infiniti engine," said Steve Kight, director of marketing, Infiniti Division, and director of motorsports, Nissan North America, Inc. "Johnny Herbert's international appeal and F1 success, and the championship-winning experience of Greg Ray and A.J. Foyt complement our already strong lineup of Indy 500 champion Eddie Cheever Jr., and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing's Robbie Buhl."
The addition of Herbert and Ray to the Infiniti roster at Texas is the first time since the 1997 Indianapolis 500 that Infiniti has had more than three cars in a race.
1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Cheever delivered Infiniti its second-ever Indy Racing victory in the #51 Cheever Indy Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone on July 8 at Kansas Speedway. Cheever also won the first for Infiniti, in June 2000 at Pikes Peak International Raceway.
"Since Eddie's victory in July, it has been a whirlwind effort for the Infiniti Motorsports group," Kight said. "On one hand, we were intensely focused on continuing the development of the engine; on the other hand, we were approached by a number of teams that wanted to purchase our engine.
"While we would prefer to have 90 days to put an engine package together for a new team, we did our best. And in less time than that, we were able to provide engines to the two teams on the top of our list, Foyt Racing and Heritage Motorsports."
Text provided by Paul Kelly
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit
The Racing Photo Museum and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.