Ray released from Foyt for last two races of IRL season

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer August 27, 2002

DALLAS (AP) -- Former Indy Racing League champion Greg Ray won't drive for A.J. Foyt in the final two IRL races of this season.

Ray has been released from his Foyt Racing contract for the rest of this season. The 1999 IRL champ could drive for another team at Chicago on Sept. 8 or the season finale at Texas Motor Speedway the following week.

More importantly, he will be seeking sponsors for next season.

Foyt's spokeswoman, Anne Fornoro, said Tuesday that Foyt had agreed to Ray's request to be released from his contract so that he could pursue other opportunities.

``Considering where we are in the points championship, it makes total sense at this point for me to step out of the car and focus my time and energy on developing business opportunities to create a winning program,'' said Ray, who is 22nd in points. ``Hopefully we can make that happen at Foyt Racing.''

Ray, the 36-year-old driver from Plano, Texas, also has a contract with Foyt for 2003. But that contract is dependent on other issues such as sponsorship.

Foyt, a four-time Indianpolis 500 champion, hired Ray after Eliseo Salazar suffered a torn artery in his chest in an April 16 crash during testing at Indianapolis. Ray took over for Salazar in the Indianapolis 500 and finished last in the 33-car field after crashing on the 30th of 200 laps.

Salazar had been expected to be sidelined for up to nine months, but returned July 20 at Nashville. Foyt then added a third car, putting Salazar back in the No. 11 car and moving Ray to the No. 41 car.

``The reality of the situation is that right now we are a three-car team operating on a single-car budget,'' Ray said. ``That means we are stretching people and resources way beyond their original intentions. The mechanical failures and other problems we've encountered are due to the limited supply and excessive demands we have had to put on our people and equipment.''

Ray has 13 career poles, the most in IRL history and four more than Billy Boat who ranks second, but hasn't started higher than 12th in any of his nine races this season. Ray's best finish was 12th, both at Texas in June and Richmond, where he led 41 laps.

Airton Dare, a second-year driver for Foyt, is seventh in points and has five top-10 finishes, including his first IRL win July 7 at Kansas. Salazar, limited to seven races, is 19th in points.

Ray also drove for Foyt in last season's finale at Texas, finishing eighth in a backup car after Ray split with Team Menard after three seasons and the 1999 title.

Throughout the offseason, Ray tested with Kelley Racing. But the week before his expected Kelley debut in the season opener at Miami, Ray was replaced by two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr.