IRL: Healing Harrington to attempt to race at Pikes Peak
25 June 1999
INDIANAPOLIS - Harrington Motorsports will compete at the Radisson 200 this weekend at Pikes Peak International Raceway as driver Scott Harrington will attempt to qualify despite suffering a broken leg during the Longhorn 500 presented by MCI WorldCom earlier this month. "We're not quitters," says Gene Harrington, who owns the Pep Boys Indy Racing League team that son Scott drives for.
Scott Harrington will wear a knee brace on his left leg, a lower leg brace on his right leg and a cast on his foot, Gene Harrington said. Scott Harrington was injured in a crash during practice the day before the race at Texas Motor Speedway.
The team missed its second straight race, as Scott was bumped from the Indianapolis 500 just before rain came on Bubble Day. But Gene Harrington said the team is not retrenching.
"It's either perseverance or mush-headedness," he said. "It's been an ultra-downer. We're not giving up. Everybody knows we're capable of running up front and winning races."
Harrington will use an Aurora engine at Pikes Peak in his Dallara chassis, shod with Firestone tires. The team also has raced with Infiniti power this year. CertainTeed Building Products became the team's primary sponsor during the Indianapolis 500, attracted to the team by Harrington's solid fifth-place finish in the MCI WorldCom 200 in March at Phoenix.
"They are top-notch people," Gene Harrington said of CertainTeed. "They understand and are with us the rest of the season."
If Scott Harrington is unable to drive due to discomfort, Gene Harrington said the team does have a backup plan.
"We have too much good stuff going for us to get down," the senior Harrington said. "We've had enough bad luck for a lifetime. We've got to turn it around. We have enough resolve and enthusiasm as ever. "When our luck turns, we're going to have some hellacious good luck."
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Man of Steele: Floridian Dave Steele, who has driven in three Pep Boys Indy Racing League races but missed this year's Indianapolis 500 when he crashed in practice, will be at Pikes Peak International Raceway this weekend, driving a Coors Light Silver Bullet car.
The USAC-sanctioned 100-mile race follows the Radisson 200 on Sunday. Steele will be at the wheel of George Snider's second car, the No. 111 that Mike Bliss drove to victory in January at Walt Disney World Speedway.
Last Sunday, Steele subbed for Derek Davidson, who broke his arm in a Friday-night accident at Terre Haute, Ind., and set the Salem (Ind.) Speedway 30-lap record in winning the sprint-car feature. He broke the record set in 1990 by Jeff Gordon.
Two other Pep Boys Indy Racing League candidates for the future - Jay Drake and Ryan Newman - also established records at Salem.
Drake took Gordon's one-lap midget qualifying mark, while Newman shattered the 30-lap midget record. Don Branson set it 38 years ago.
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Name change: Rookie driver John Hollansworth Jr. will unveil new sponsor logos on his TeamXtreme Dallara/Aurora/Firestone car this weekend at Pikes Peak International Raceway.
Dallas-based CompuCom, parent company of his previous primary sponsor, pcsave.com, will have its name on the side of the car for the rest of the season. Team uniforms will be changed for the next race at Atlanta. Lycos remains as a co-primary sponsor.
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Taking a break: Tri Star Motorsports has withdrawn from the Radisson 200 at Pikes Peak International Raceway, but chief mechanic Rob Grossman said the team will "for sure" participate in the Kobalt Mechanics Tools 500 presented by MCI WorldCom on July 17 in Atlanta.
Rookie Ronnie Johncox will again be in the car. He drove to an impressive 10th place in his Pep Boys Indy Racing League debut in the Longhorn 500 presented by MCI WorldCom on June 12 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Larry Curry, 1996-97 Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion Tony Stewart and Andy Card own Tri Star.
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Welcome to the family: Driver Jeff Ward and wife, Candice, are parents of a girl after having three boys, including twins. Their daughter was born June 13, the day after Jeff raced in the Longhorn 500 presented by MCI WorldCom at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ward enters the Radisson 200 at Pikes Peak International Raceway holding second in the point standings. He trails leader Scott Goodyear by 19 points.
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