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Northern Light IRL: Galles Racing Announces Three Car Team for 2001

16 January 2001

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Rookies Mears, Andr to join Unser in Indy Racing Northern Light Series

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M-- Galles Racing owner Rick Galles announced Jan. 15 that Galles Racing will expand to a three-car team for the 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series by bringing rookies Casey Mears and Didier Andr on board as teammates with veteran Al Unser Jr.

Mears, son of legendary off-road champion Roger Mears and nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, is coming to Galles Racing after a successful career in the Dayton Indy Lights Series where he finished third in the 2000 championship. That result backed up a second-place finish in the 1999 Indy Lights championship. Mears, from Bakersfield, Calif., also finished fourth in his CART debut in November 2000 at California Speedway.

Andr, a native of Lyon, France, raced for Pac Wests Indy Lights program in 1998 and 1999, where he won twice at Laguna Seca and finished second in the 1998 Dayton Indy Lights championship.

Galles, who has given several top drivers their start in Indy-style racing, including Al Unser Jr., Adrian Fernandez, Roberto Moreno and Kenny Brack, is thrilled to bring Mears and Andr into the Indy Racing Northern Light Series.

"We are excited to have Didier and Casey join our team," Galles said. "They have tremendous potential, and I think that Al Jr. will help their learning curve tremendously. Patience and focus is a very important part of their development.

"This is tough, wheel-to-wheel racing, and both of them understand how fierce the competition is in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series. These are two outstanding young drivers, and we are proud to have them as part of our team."

Andr, who has just moved to Albuquerque to be near the Galles team, is thrilled about the prospects for his rookie year with Galles.

"It is very exciting for me to begin my rookie year with a team that has so much experience and knowledge," Andr said. "The Galles name is highly respected not only in the United States but in Europe, as well, and they know how to put together a good package and win races. This is going to be a very important learning year for me, and Rick Galles and chief engineer Alan Mertens will be excellent teachers."

Mears is equally happy to join the Galles team for the 2001 Indy Racing season.

"I am very excited and happy to be with Galles Racing and looking forward to racing in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series," Mears said. "It is a great opportunity to be with a race team that has so much depth and has been in Indy-car racing for so long."

In addition to naming the two rookies as his drivers for 2001, Galles also announced that PlayStation France will sponsor Andrs car, and CBS Sportsline.com will be the primary sponsor for Mears car.

"Casey Mears is a young American driver from a great racing family," said CBS Sportsline CEO Mike Levy. "It is a thrill for me personally and for the entire CBS Sportsline family to be sponsoring him as part of the Galles Racing team in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series."

Starz Super Pak will be the primary sponsor of Unsers car in 2001, with Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. as an associate sponsor. Unser won once in 2000, his first Indy Racing Northern Light Series season.

Text Provided By Paul Kelly

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