Post
by mlittle » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:52 am
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was empty on a mid-August morning - save for visitors exploring the cavernous facility on tour buses and maintenance personnel preparing for the next big event. Still, standing on the Yard of Bricks, it was an impressive sight for Andre Azzi. "It gave me goose bumps. It was unbelievable," the Montreal entrepreneur said of his initial visit to the historic racetrack.
That's the reaction Alex Tagliani expected - and one the veteran open-wheel racing driver experiences every time he enters the garage area. On May 30, 2010, the Canadians plan to be on the starting grid for the Indianapolis 500 with their own race car.
FAZZT Race Team, a partnership between Azzi Race Division, ATG and Rubicon Sports Agency, announced today their intent to compete in the IndyCar Series full time in 2010 with Tagliani behind the wheel of the No. 77 car (equipment of Roth Racing). Azzi as the CEO and former Kelley Racing general manager Jim Freudenberg as the COO will oversee the team.
"The driver's vision is stability, to be surrounded by the people you know you're going to work with for a long time, and that is the key to success if you want to perform at this level," said Tagliani, who has made eight IndyCar Series starts over the past two seasons and more than 140 major open-wheel racing starts in his career. "With Andre coming on board, being passionate about racing and fulfilling a dream and being part of a team, we all have strengths and we all need each other to make it happen.
"For the next few years I know my job is to be representing the sponsors the best I can and driving. It's the best scenario I could be in. It's very serious and for everyone involved the beauty of it is first-class equipment and people make the team, and if you have the right people you'll be fast on the track.
"We're not doing this to go around and just participate; we want to be competitive every weekend and that's going to be my job I'll probably retire from IndyCar racing in a couple of years and I'll be very proud of what we put together."
Prospects to form an IndyCar Series team started rolling earlier this year. Tagliani replaced the injured Enrique Bernoldi for the final two races of the 2008 IndyCar Series season with Conquest Racing. He competed in six events this year with the team - being named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after advancing from 33rd on the grid to an 11th-place finish.
"Alex and I have been working together since before Long Beach and we found we work very well together from a commercial perspective, where Alex understands very well what a sponsor needs and cares to take the time to do that," said Freudenberg, who with Rubicon Sports Agency represented Conquest Racing on commercial ventures. "Alex had a friend, Andre, who has a passion for cars and racing. Alex brought Andre to the table months ago to potentially be a partner in another opportunity that didn't work out. The timing wasn't right, but it turned out well for this timing.
"We thought it would be a good opportunity to put together a new team that could create the environment that we need for the relationships that we all have to foster a strong commercial part of a race team that would give Alex the opportunity to choose all the right players to surround himself with and be successful long term."
FAZZT has hired longtime Walker Racing engineer and team manager Rob Edwards, who worked with Tagliani in Champ Car, to manage the day-to-day racing operations of the team that will be based in Indianapolis. FAZZT Race Team will be an informal Team Canada, eventually incorporating a Canadian driver development program.
"It's the best scenario I could be in," said Tagliani, who turns 37 on Oct. 18. "People make the team, and if you have the right people you'll be fast on the track. I've known Rob for years and have had the chance to work with him, and it's a dream team to start with a guy like Rob. I want to focus on my job as a driver. At the end of the day we're not doing this to go around and just participate; we want to be competitive every weekend and that's going to be my job. I'll probably retire from IndyCar racing in a couple of years and I'll be very proud of what we put together."
The venture is "a dream come true" for Azzi, who's already envisioning race day at Indianapolis.
"I grew up loving cars," he said. "Like any kid I had these little (Hot Wheels) toys I played with and hoping one day I could afford to get the real size, and I love watching racing competition. I tried once but realized I'm probably the worst driver on the planet. I started collecting different cars, met Alex and he told me his passion for Indy and I realized I have the same passion as Alex.
"Now the timing is right, and now I'm the owner of an IndyCar team. One of my goals is to have a team that Canadians and Canadian sponsors can be proud of, and hopefully by next year we can be a good, competitive team. Our first year is going to be learning process because I have to make sure we're all compatible, but (winning Indy is) in the back of my mind, 'Why not?' You don't go into racing and don't think you're not going to be first. We want to win this thing and it's as simple as that."
