Indy Lights: Farewell Forsythe...for now
29 December 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
For just the second time in seven years, the 2000 Indy Lights season will
not see an entry from Forsythe Championship Racing, the team that has won
a
series-leading four championships and 33 races primarily as Tasman
Motorsports Group. Owner Jerry Forsythe, who purchased the Tasman team
prior to this past season, has pulled out of Indy Lights to focus on his
CART Champ Car and Toyota Atlantic programs which account for no less than
five race cars between three teams.
Tasman won its championships with Bryan Herta (1993), Steve Robertson (1994), Tony Kanaan (1997) and Cristiano da Matta (1998) and scored the 33rd win - the only one under the Forsythe Championship banner - last April at Nazareth Speedway with Airton Dare. Despite the significance of the team's departure, however, Tasman founder and current Forsythe Championship Racing President Steve Horne has not ruled out a return to Indy Lights in the future. He and Tasman sat out the 1995 Indy Lights season to launch the team's Champ Car program only to return to the junior series the following year.
"Indy Lights has always been an integral part of my racing plans," Horne said. "I still strongly believe that it is a powerful resource for any Champ Car team. I am disappointed not to be involved in 2000, but the potential exists for us to get back in."
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