What happened to Ben Collins!

[luke]

What happened to Ben Collins!

At first he was going to run all the races from Phoneix on wards then it looked like he was going to be able to do the final 4 races from Nazerth onwards.

:confused:

[luke]

Sponsership issues had something to do with it I guess.

[Down F0rce]

The sponsors pulled out at the last minute.

[BootsOntheSide]

You've basically answered your own statement/question there. PDM never made it out onto the track as a result, which is a shame.

[Down F0rce]

Well, they ran at Indy with Robbie McGee.

[BootsOntheSide]

Istand corrected. It's still rough justice for the team that gave Sam his chance.

[Down F0rce]

Very much so. They are working on getting a full time package for next year though.

[GP Racer]

Go to my thread, "A New Team In The IRL?".

There is a rumor about a new team, and it could be him...

[F3lollipops]

An ex-F3 driver, Ben had a successful outing in the British GT championship at Thruxton recently. When I was talking to him after the race he joked that it had made a nice change to turn right once in a while

[ascarracinguk]

hes now racing in ascar again...altho not as much success as last year

[BootsOntheSide]

Maybe Ben will get another chance to pursue his US ambition. ASCAR achievements don't seem to be viewed with much respect in the US, but it's got to elave you well-prepared for oval racing.

[Kicking-back]

ASCAR worked as a stepping-stone for Darren Manning.

[N I Tram]

True, but then he also had experience as a F3000 front-runner and F1 test driver.

[rustyfan]

Ben Collins might have switched his focus towards US stock-car racing - he's set to race in the ASA race at Charlotte later this year. Crash.Net reports (posted on September 3rd);

Collins to race with Texaco Havoline in the US.

2003 Days of Thunder Champion Ben Collins will be heading to the United States at the end of the season to take on the Americans in the American Speed Association (ASA) race on the 1.5-mile oval at Lowes Motor Speedway in North Carolina on October 14th.

Texaco Havoline are backing Collins in this one off race and will be taking on some of the worlds top NASCAR and ASA drivers on the high speed, 24 degree banked oval. The car will be in the same colours as his Days of Thunder car, including the famous number 42, and will be run by established ASA race team Wood Brothers. Ben is no stranger to racing in America after he spent 1999 competing in the Indy Lights Championship, posting a new lap record at Michigan Speedway and taking six top 10 finishes in his rookie year.

“Thanks to Texaco Havoline and US Automotive, this is going to be an excellent opportunity for me to show what I can do in front of some really high profile teams as we are looking at the possibility of a full time drive for 2005,” said Ben Collins. “This will be the first time that ASA have raced at Charlotte so most of the drivers will be learning the circuit, including me, making it more of a level playing field for the race. I am hoping for a good finish to the Days of Thunder season and go to the States on a high.”

Dennis Klein, Managing Director of Motorsport Connections said: “This deal for Ben to race in the United States is part of a larger deal put together by Motorsport Connections, the acting motorsport agency for Chevron Texaco UK. I'll be in North Carolina with Ben talking to a number of high profile individuals with a view to Ben racing in America next year.”

[N I Tram]

Could be a good opportunity for him, as he's more familiar with stock cars than open-wheelers in recent years. The only problem for him, at first, will be gaining acceptance (and the neccessary fradting support) from a field of drivers who may not want a foreigner alongside them.