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30 Jan 2003, 19:58 (Ref:490948) | #1 | |
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Walker Racing Inks Deal With Rodolfo Lavin
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Ladder System Veteran Steps Up to Champ Car World Series INDIANAPOLIS (January 30, 2003) – Rodolfo Lavin has done battle on many of the tracks of the Champ Car World Series during seven seasons of competition on the Champ Car Ladder System – a system that is designed to build the skills required to send drivers to the upper echelon of open-wheel racing. Lavin reached the top of that ladder Thursday afternoon as long-time CART team owner Derrick Walker announced that his Walker Racing team had signed the Mexican driver to partner with Darren Manning for a full-season, two-car effort in the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. “We have seen Rodolfo on the scene for many years now and are very familiar with the skills he brings to the team,” said Walker. “His experience and knowledge of the way Champ Car operates – even though he saw it from the Indy Lights and Toyota Atlantic perspective – will help the team and should serve to help his teammate Darren get acclimated to the series this year.” Lavin will drive the #5 Corona Ford-Cosworth/Reynard for 2003, ending a climb up the Champ Car ladder that has seen the 25-year-old run five years in the Dayton Indy Lights Series as well as a full season in the Toyota Atlantic Championship. He was the Lights series' youngest full-time driver when he made his first start at the age of 18 in 1996 and earned a pair of top-fives in his final year of 2000 before moving to Atlantics. He finished in the top 10 in both of his Atlantic seasons, earning a career-best finish taking second at The Milwaukee Mile last year. “I look forward to the challenge of competing in the highest category of racing in the US, and we will be giving 110 percent both on and off the track,” said Lavin. “Corona and I are very happy to be with Walker Racing, a team with such a great history and success in CART over the years.” Both Walker drivers will head south next week for their first 2003 Champ Car testing sessions as Lavin and Manning take part in Champ Car Spring Training at Sebring International Raceway February 4-6. Last edited by ¡As-de-mim!; 30 Jan 2003 at 20:03. |
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30 Jan 2003, 23:04 (Ref:491118) | #2 | ||
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I've already said this in another thread about Bourdais and Manning, but GREAT NEWS!
Didn't we all say that announcement would start coming in January?!!! |
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31 Jan 2003, 03:26 (Ref:491326) | #3 | ||
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Not to be critical, I believe all drivers deserve a chance to show what they can do - but I'm curious what he brings to the table to get a CART ride? He seems to have had fairly a medocre indy lights and atlantic record.
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31 Jan 2003, 12:43 (Ref:491761) | #4 | |
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He brings Corona pesos to the table. Lots of 'em.
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31 Jan 2003, 16:14 (Ref:491986) | #5 | ||
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Unfortuantely this guy seems like a pay-driver in every sense of the word. I'm a little surprised that he's driving the #5, as that's Walker's main number. Considering that this is essentially a satellite operation,a nd Manning will surely be the main point man, I expected Darren to get the 5. Does it suggest that Lavin's money means more than Manning's talent.
Oh, and that press report is one of the most mawkish, excruciating ones i've seen. |
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31 Jan 2003, 16:37 (Ref:492012) | #6 | ||
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What I'm looking forward to the most is the opportunity to get a Corona Racing ballcap!
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31 Jan 2003, 21:31 (Ref:492302) | #7 | ||
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Keyword: Corona
I hope this guy does bring a load of talent to the table, but for importantly I hope he can figure out how to setup Walker's car because I don't think the team has done well at this in the past. |
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2 Feb 2003, 09:16 (Ref:493622) | #8 | ||
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Hrmmm, I doubt the number would make too much of a difference. WHo is sponsoring Manning?
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3 Feb 2003, 03:53 (Ref:494516) | #9 | |
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Did anyone else see the Corona Competition Team/Ford-Cosworth/Team Walker Reynard on Speed News today? That is one awesome looking paint job.
Last edited by ¡As-de-mim!; 3 Feb 2003 at 04:02. |
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3 Feb 2003, 04:15 (Ref:494520) | #10 | ||
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Crash Test, I'm pretty sure the majority of Darren's funding is from the RAC in the UK.
I'm undecided on Lavin. He had a pretty decent revord in Atlantic given the car he had to work with, so never know... |
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"I used to hate writing, but now I enjoy it. I realized that the purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure poor reasoning, and inhibit clarity. With a little practice, writing can be an intimidating and impenetrable fog!" - Calvin and Hobbes |
3 Feb 2003, 06:59 (Ref:494560) | #11 | ||
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Quote:
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3 Feb 2003, 12:32 (Ref:494771) | #12 | ||
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Well, I'll give him a chance -- and if you're lurking here, Mr. Lavin, the only suggestion I have is that you need a new barber. After all, Kenny Brack was on road courses too, and he seemed to garner plenty of fans and be a nice enough guy off the track. So you can never tell.
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"If we won all the time, we'd be as unpopular as Ferrari, and we want to avoid that. We enjoy being a team that everybody likes." Flavio Briatore |
3 Feb 2003, 15:32 (Ref:494965) | #13 | ||
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Give him some time, maybe he just needs the right team atmosphere and equipment. I find it hard to believe Corona would back somebody that isn't a good PR guy and a decent driver. Speaking of which, as far as setups, perhaps Walker just needs to add a little lime to smoothen things out?
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3 Feb 2003, 17:26 (Ref:495065) | #14 | ||
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Well they had Gil to do setups when he was there the car was still, um, difficult. That year when he set the record for DNFs was one of the few times I have seen him ready to say rude things on TV!
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"If we won all the time, we'd be as unpopular as Ferrari, and we want to avoid that. We enjoy being a team that everybody likes." Flavio Briatore |
4 Feb 2003, 18:25 (Ref:496359) | #15 | ||
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Better him, than Avril Lavigne
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4 Feb 2003, 18:56 (Ref:496404) | #16 | |||
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