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IROC: CART Drivers Back in 2001 True Value IROC Series

18 January 2001

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Tinton Falls, NJ - The 2000 CART FedEx Series Champion, Gil de Ferran and The 2000 CART FedEx Rookie of the Year, Kenny Brack will participate in the 25th running of the True Value IROC series. De Ferran and Brack's invitation acceptance brings the field of 12 to six open wheel drivers versus six stock car veterans. They join previously announced Indy Racing Northern Light Series Champion, Buddy Lazier, and fellow Northern Light Series drivers Scott Goodyear, Eddie Cheever, Jr., and Mark Dismore. Also previously announced were NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, Bobby Labonte, and fellow Winston Cup drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd and NASCAR Busch Series Champion, Jeff Green.

Besides winning team owner Roger Penske his 10th National Championship, de Ferran became the "Fastest Man in the World" when he set the World Closed Course Speed Record with a qualifying speed of 241.428 mph on his way to winning his 5th pole of the season.

De Ferran began racing Karts at the age of 14 in his native Brazil. He moved on to Formula Fords while attending Maua Engineering College in Sao Paulo. He moved to England in 1988 where he competed in various Formula series', winning the 1992 British Formula 3 Championship, as well as earning tests for Formula One teams. In 1995 he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana and began his CART career by capturing Rookie of the Year honors with a win in the final race. During his six year CART career, de Ferran posted five wins, captured 11 poles and 55 top-ten finishes. 2001 will mark de Ferran's first True Value IROC series.

Kenny Brack's impressive CART debut earned him Rookie of the Year honors and fourth place in the final standings, which backs up his 1999 Indianapolis 500 win for an assured invitation; Brack was unable to compete in the 2000 True Value IROC series due to scheduling conflicts.

Brack's True Value IROC debut came in 1999 for his Indy Racing League Championship. He bested fellow open wheel competitors, finishing 6th overall.

Brack hails from Glava, Sweden where he carved out his early career throughout Europe with numerous championships, victories and Formula One tests before landing in the United States in 1997 when he joined the newly formed Indy Racing League. In 1998 he won A.J. Foyt his first championship as a team owner and in 1999 brought more honor to Foyt winning the Indianapolis 500. In 2000 Brack switched to Team Rahal and the CART FedEx Championship Series capturing 12 top-ten finishes, of which eight were top-five's.

The 25th anniversary season of the True Value IROC series begins on February 16 with race one at Daytona International Speedway. The race will be broadcast on ESPN Sunday, February 18 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Text Provided By George Signore

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