Rocketsports PR on Memo

Mags · 9 Jul 2004, 22:09 (Ref:1031752)

TORONTO, Ont. (July, 9, 2004) – Alex Tagliani, driver of the No.8 Johnson Controls Lola, qualified sixth (provisional) with a time of 59.754 (105.734 mph, 170.161 km/h) in the first qualifying session for the Molson Indy Toronto. Tagliani, who started fourth in Toronto in 2003, worked closely with the Rocketsports crew to improve the speed and grip of the No. 8 Lola, in order to secure a better starting position for Round Six of the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered By Ford on Sunday.

“We’re okay with the time we have, but want a few more tenths, which are in reach,” said Tagliani. “The car is okay, but it needs more bite. It’s difficult to find grip with the surface with the various concrete changes.

“We have good people on board, on the team and we’re looking at adjusting the new dampers to what we need for qualifying tomorrow. The Rocketsports engineers are looking at the data, but there’s a tight margin for change and we need to catch up.

“Drivers can make moves on the back straight-away, but it’s tough to pass here (on the Toronto course). We expect to be quicker tomorrow and need a good position on the grid, which is important on the Toronto track,” concluded Tagliani, who currently ranks fourth in the Champ Car World Series with 86 points.

Tagliani gets back on the Toronto street course at 1:45 PM (ET) Saturday, July 10, 2004 for the second qualifying session for the 19th annual Molson Indy Toronto.

SPECIAL BULLETIN:
MEMO GIDLEY TO DRIVE FOR ROCKETSPORTS RACING IN TORONTO

Rocketsports Racing today announced a driver change for the Molson Indy Toronto. Champ Car rookie, Nelson Philippe will be replaced by veteran driver, Memo Gidley. Philippe will not be driving the No. 17 Lola for the second-year Rocketsports team due to contractual issues.

Memo Gidley will make his third Toronto start in the No. 17 Rocketsports Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone in Round Six of the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered By Ford. Gidley has three seasons driving Champ Cars, and also drove for Rocketsports in the Trans-Am series, in 2003. Gidley drove the No. 3 Rocketsports Jaguar R Performance XKR at Infineon Raceway, where he finished fourth.

“Memo’s the right person to put in the No. 17 Rocketsports car for the Toronto Indy this weekend. I’ve worked with Memo in the past and he has experience here in Toronto. He’ll be ready for the Saturday qualifying session and we look forward to working with him,” commented Rocketsports team owner, Paul Gentilozzi.

Cowboy · 9 Jul 2004, 22:18 (Ref:1031758)

Thanks for the post Mags, too bad it doesn't say much about the long term of Memo. It sure will be nice to see him back though.

Mags · 9 Jul 2004, 22:26 (Ref:1031764)

It makes me go.... HUM. "Rocketsports Racing today announced a driver change for the Molson Indy Toronto. Champ Car rookie, Nelson Philippe will be replaced by veteran driver, Memo Gidley. Philippe will not be driving the No. 17 Lola for the second-year Rocketsports team due to contractual issues."

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 22:52 (Ref:1031787)

It's called a "bounced check" - there are a bunch of other rides that are on a verge of experiencing it ?!... Sperafico and Servia come to mind here...

zerO

Liz · 10 Jul 2004, 01:36 (Ref:1031849)

Not what I heard -- but it's a one race gig.

zerO · 10 Jul 2004, 03:47 (Ref:1031904)

Maybe Papa will write a check that doesn't bounce (for a change)... hihihaha...

zerO

enemy-ace · 10 Jul 2004, 04:04 (Ref:1031914)

Great news. Always been a Gidley fan. Hope he kicks arse, although that is a tall order on such short notice.

indycool · 10 Jul 2004, 12:17 (Ref:1032215)

That release came out ONE DAY after a Rocketsports release talking about Phillippe looking forward to Toronto....how things change.

Agree, zerO....check didn't show.

**GTRMagic** · 10 Jul 2004, 12:33 (Ref:1032253)

Quote:

Originally posted by zerO
Maybe Papa will write a check that doesn't bounce (for a change)... hihihaha...

zerO

Isnt the offence of writing bad cheques a major offence in the US, that follows you forever??

TedN · 10 Jul 2004, 15:10 (Ref:1032471)

David Phillips Take

Quote:

... apparently had a "contract dispute" with the Rocketsports team in the run-up to the Toronto Molson Indy, said dispute reportedly stemming from comments made within the team regarding the youngster’s performance in a rookie season in which he has yet to qualify faster than 16th or finish higher than 10th.

Ted

zerO · 10 Jul 2004, 15:39 (Ref:1032491)

btw Mags, did you know that Michael Valiante was considered before Gidley was ??? - the only reason it didn't happen is because Valiante is tied to Walker and his ride as of Vancouver... so, my assumption is that Gidley will be in for more than just Toronto...

zerO

TedN · 10 Jul 2004, 22:20 (Ref:1032678)

Or, Did He Just Quit?

Ted

Kicking-back · 10 Jul 2004, 22:37 (Ref:1032687)

Philippe would say that, wouldn't he!

He was by no means ready for Champ Car.

There may well be blame on both his and the team's side.

macdaddy · 10 Jul 2004, 23:54 (Ref:1032729)

I don't dislike him, but that interview was laughable!
On more than one front.
Safe to say he's gone for the season? Even his career?
I like Gidley, but another all-Canadian team including Valiante would be just too sweet! It's not as if Walker and Gentilozzi haven't met before!

macdaddy · 11 Jul 2004, 00:00 (Ref:1032735)

I was referring to the "Or Did He Just Quit?" interview that Ted has just linked.

therealdeal · 11 Jul 2004, 01:25 (Ref:1032756)

whats with all the critism here about phillipe..... i knew him through karting sure it might be a little early to get him started but if you were him in that position you would want to do the same thing and hop right in that rocket... hes a great driver and i think he can do it but not just yet he needs a little more experience and maybe he will end up in toyota atlantics...

Dov · 11 Jul 2004, 02:47 (Ref:1032788)

Quote:

Originally posted by therealdeal
hes a great driver and i think he can do it but not just yet he needs a little more experience and maybe he will end up in toyota atlantics...

Maybe Nelson should have stepped up to Atlantics before his parents threw their lamb in with the lions!

RapidTron, there's no reason for you to talk to Mags like that!

Mags · 11 Jul 2004, 02:50 (Ref:1032790)

It's OK Dov, no offence taken. This driver change is sort of, out of left field, and, in a funny way, how I got into media in the first place! Memo was one of my very first interviews.

Liz · 11 Jul 2004, 11:37 (Ref:1032961)

He's not going to do well in the race today, how could he possibly? And from what I hear, he was chosen to be a Token American -- if I had a dime for every time I have heard an announcer crow "WE HAVE ANOTHER AMERICAN IN THE FIELD" this weekend, I could buy my own team. Affirmative Action is never a good reason to pick a driver. They ought to have picked Fogarty if they wanted a token American, he's already here and he's driven a Champ Car in recent memory. (These aren't the cars Memo drove, and he wasn't great in the ones he did drive.)

indycool · 11 Jul 2004, 13:25 (Ref:1032996)

A few short months ago, there were some, including me, who were critical of a 17-year-old who finished wherever in Barber Dodge with a wad of money being "hired" to drive a ChampCar by a co-owner of the series. His qualifications were minimal.

Now, as I understand it, he never started better than 16th or finished better than 10th in his short career. For a 17-year-old, etc., etc., to whine about the race car and team because he was someplace he shouldn't have been in the first place, is, as someone else said, laughable.

If any other team puts him in a seat, it's because they need the money. He didn't get to be a better driver by getting fired from Rocketsports, probably because daddy wouldn't write checks any more.

Gidley is unquestionably a few steps up in quality.

enemy-ace · 11 Jul 2004, 14:51 (Ref:1033099)

Liz I couldn't disagree with you more about Memo. The last time Memo was in a Champ Car in '01 he drove 6 less races than his teamate Junqueria and yet still managed to finish just 3 points behind him in the championship. I don't know why he never had the opportunity for a full time ride but I imagine lack of money is a big factor. There is a reason why he has been asked to sub so many times and that is because he is a quality pilot, period. This is going to be a difficult weekend for him, being called on in such short notice, but for sure the quality of the grid just went up ten-fold. This isn't meant as a dig at Phillipe either, I just think he isn't ready for this level of competition. I would love to see Memo stay on for the season though I know this is unlikely (read money). But the team (Tag included) and the series and the fans would all benefit from his inclusion.

camcartfan · 11 Jul 2004, 16:15 (Ref:1033191)

What a joke that kid is. Long live Meeeeeeemo!

Cowboy · 11 Jul 2004, 16:38 (Ref:1033229)

Interesting signature camcartfan. Definitely made me laugh.

BootsOntheSide · 11 Jul 2004, 16:59 (Ref:1033265)

I think the signature's pretty gross, and it shows how desperate the Bush crowd are if that's the best they can do.

Anyway, great to see Memo back. If tehy give him a succession of races to adjust I think he'll do really well.

Like it or not, the series does need US drivers to attract domestic interest. Fogarty would be as good as nayone - young, promising and likable - but Memo deserves a full season chance. if he struggles, I'd happily admit that he's not the best.

Kicking-back · 11 Jul 2004, 17:17 (Ref:1033281)

Agreed, that signature is inappropriate for a family-friendly motor-racing forum.

On topic, I think Rocketsports should probably run Gidley for the rest of the season.

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