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The late ex-Ferrari F1 driver Michele Alboreto at
the wheel of one of Team Scandia's IRL racecars at Las Vegas Speedway, circa
1996; Photo by David Taylor. (Image source: gettyimages.com)
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While Cliff Durant was the first to enter
five cars twice, circa 1923-24, and Lou Moore put together his four car Blue
Crown Spark Plug team, capturing a
Hat-trick of Borg Warner trophies between 1947-49, which I labourisly
chronicled in;
Nonetheless, whilst Messer Durant may have
had eight cars under the Durant Banner (name) in 1923, only five were entered
by him and thus, Andy Evans is the
current record holder for single entries by a team owner, a feat which probably
won't be beaten anytime in the foreseeable future, if ever...
SCANDIA-SIMON
Longtime CART Team Owner Dick Simon sold his
operation to Seattle's Andy Evans during the 1996 season, with Evans Team
Scandia setting a record with the most entries ever by a single team, with
seven cars making the 80th running of the Indianapolis 500, utilizing a variety
of year-old chassis, i.e.; Reynard and Lola's powered by either Ford Cosworth
XB's, Ilmor/Mercedes V-8's or the Menard, nee Buick V-6, all three powerplants
being turbocharged.
As 1996 was the Indy Racing League's debutant
Indy 500, and with TG's insistence of being BOSS! After hastily creating his
own series to play in his family's Sandbox, the die was cast for the infusion
of new talent in what forever will be known as "The Split!"
Team Scandia's roster was comprised of
five-rookies: two ex-Formula 1 drivers, one Sports Car Ace, one ARCA driver with
an unique name, one teenage Mexican and one Super Modified star.
The team leader most likely was Eliseo Salazar,
better known as "Greazy 'Ol Salad Bar!" As Eliseo and Alessandro
Zampedri were the only two "Veterans" on
the squad, as Zampedri would finish
highest with a fine fourth place finish, while Salazar came
home sixth, the only two Team Scandia drivers finishing in the Top-10.
Yet since I didn't
watch the race, vehemently Boycotting 'lil Napoleon, aka Tony George and his
infamous 25-8 rule, being a CART Diehard, I had NO idea that apparently Team
Scandia team-mates Zampedri and Salazar, along with
Roberto Guerrero were involved in a
last-lap crash which caused Zampedri to suffer serious injuries!
Drivers
No. 7, Eliseo
Salazar; No. 8, Alessandro Zampedri;
No. 22, R-Michele Jourdain, Jr.; No. 33, R-Michele Alboreto; No. 34, R-Fermin
Velez; No. 43,
R-Joe Gosek; No. 90, R-Racin Gardner.
MODERN ERA...
For '97, Team Scandia slimmed down to only
five entries before silently leaving the sport after '98, before another team
would pick up the mantle of routinely entering five cars at Mother Speedway.
Michael Andretti and his Andretti Green
Racing (AGR) squad first accomplished running five entries at Mother Speedway
in 2006, with Michael coming out of retirement to race with his son Marco,
making his rookie debut at the Brickyard, along with team regulars Dario
Franchitti, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan. Where Marco almost made history with
that electrifying runner-up finish!
For '07, Michael made his final drive at the
Speedway, before retiring permanently from the cockpit. With son Marco,
Franchitti and Kanaan along again with new team member Danica Patrick replacing
Bryan Herta.
As how can Y'all forget Ashley Judd skipping
to her... Down Pitlane to greet then Hubby Dario in victory lane, scoring
Andretti Green Racing's second Indy 500 win,
after the late Dan Wheldon's first triumph in 2005.
Then
five years ago, in 2010, AGR's "Fab-5' consisted of Danica Patrick, Marco
Andretti, Mike Conway, Ryan Hunter-Reay and John Andretti in the Richard Petty
racing alliance.
Twenty-twelve's
five car armada was actually a three team, or was it two team affair, as the
now renamed Andretti Autosport ran its three primary cars of Marco Andretti,
James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay. While AFS/Andretti had Sebastian
Saavedra and
Andretti Conquest had 'BIA, aka Ana Beatriz in single team entries.
For
the first time in eternity, Andretti Autosport's quintet included reigning
IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay sporting the No. 1 plate, with EJ
Viso, Marco
Andretti, rookie R-Carlos Munoz and James Hinchcliffe as his
"Wingmen." As the soft spoken Columbian Munoz was an electrifying
runner-up en route to winning Rookie Of the Year (ROY) honours.
Last
year, the B-I-G' NEWS at AA was the addition of 'RASSCAR's BAD BOY Kurt "F
BOMBS R-US" Busch, who'd ultimately be named ROY with his fine sixth place
finish. While the rest of the team remained intact with RHR, Marco Andretti,
Munoz and thee Mayor 'O Hinchtown (Hinchcliffe) rounding out this gaggle 'O
Andretti cars, with Ryan Hunter-Reay securing Michael Andretti's third Borg
Warner trophy in that most exciting last lap pass!
And as Y'all surely know by now? This year's
Indy 500 field will see Andretti Autosport once again lead the way with five
entries for: Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Carlos Munoz and part timers
Simona de Silvestro and Justin Wilson.
Then in the race to lock-up Chevrolet's last
engine Dealio, as both GM and Honda will only supply 17-engines apiece for this
year's Indy 500. Surprisingly 'Cheep! (Ganassi) outflanked Kevin "Smiley
Face" Kalkhoven and "Top
Jimmy's" (Vasser) push for this final turbo 'lump... As Ganassi for the
first time ever will run five cars at Mother Speedway, with Scott Dixon, Tony
Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, Sage Karam and Sebastian Saavedra.
As apparently Chip has decided to one-up his
fiercest competitor El 'Capitano, nee Roger Penske, who As we all know has bulked
up to four full-time entries for the first time ever in Team Penske's storied
history.
Hence, seemingly now, three car teams have become
de riggour for the Month 'O May, as the likes of 'Ol SuperTex (A.J. Foyt) Dale
Coyne, the "smiley-Jim Alphabet Soup Kalkhoven-Vasser conglomeration, Schmidt
Peterson Motorsports and CFH Racing teams all feature three cars apiece for the
500-race.
While Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will
campaign a somewhat paltry two car squad at Indianapolis, with Bryan Herta
Autosports, Dreyer & Reinbold and Lazier Partners Racing being the only
single car entrants.
As the one-car teams seem somewhat quaint in
this era of multi-car teams, which benefit from extra Data acquisition and
economy of scales, as I'm not sure when the last true one-car operation won the
Indy 500?
As even though the
economy's improving, right? Nevertheless, I don't expect to see anybody, even
Mikey A' daring to break Andy Evans record of seven entries at Mother Speedway
anytime soon! Although I believe this will be the first time ever two teams
have entered five cars apiece...
