Vision Racing Eyes Indy 500 Upset

Tony George became president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1989. He founded the Indy Racing League in 1996. He completed the open-wheel Triple Crown in 2005 when he founded his own racing team, Vision Racing.

Since its inception to the IRL in 2005, Vision Racing has endured tumultuous moments time and time again.

The worst moment occurred at the 2006 season-opening IndyCar event in Homestead, Florida. Vision driver Ed Carpenter crashed during a morning warm-up session and came to a rest at the bottom of the track. Out of nowhere, a car driven by rookie Paul Dana smashed head-on at full speed into Carpenter’s idle machine. Dana was killed while Carpenter escaped with only bruised lungs.

Controversy struck the Vision stable once again at the 2008 season-opening race at Homestead. Carpenter and Vision teammate A.J. Foyt IV qualified career-bests of 2nd and 3rd, but both runs were disqualified after the cars failed technical inspections.

Team manager Larry Curry was fired due to the violations, but hopes are still high heading into Vision’s fourth Indy 500.

Some experts – for unthinkable reasons – picked Carpenter and Foyt IV to be front row contenders. With Curry running the operations, that was a viable possibility. But, Curry’s demise sent Vision scrambling for solutions. After pole day, just one of three Vision machines was qualified. Carpenter qualified comfortably on the inside of row 4, but his teammates, Foyt IV and Davey Hamilton were still on the outside looking in.

So, who exactly are these three chaps who will be driving for Vision on May 25? Each comes from diverse backgrounds, but all carry a plethora of experience to give team owner George a win at his home track.

Carpenter, step-son of boss Tony George, is preparing for his fifth Indy 500 start with expectations of improving on his career-best finish of 11th, which he accomplished in 2005 and 2006. Carpenter is an Indy native who grew up minutes from the track so winning the race would result in one of the more emotional and memorial celebrations in history.

In four previous starts, Carpenter crashed out in two of them and finished a lap down in the others. He has yet to contend in any of his four appearances, so improvement is limitless.

Vision’s second car will be driven by the most famous names in Indianapolis 500 history.

A.J. Foyt IV, grandson of four-time 500 champ A.J. Foyt, is making his fifth Indy start. Despite carrying the famous name, Foyt IV is light years away from living up to grandpa’s legacy.

Foyt IV, whose best finish of 14th came in 2007, is best known for breaking Bruno Junqueira’s back in the 2005. Junqueira was running in fifth place when he attempted to pass Foyt IV’s on the outside on lap 76. He started to make the pass in turn 2, but he never made it to the turn 3; Foyt IV came high and touched wheels with Junqueira, which sent the Brazilian into the turn 2 wall. Junqueira broke his back and was forced to sit out the rest of the season.

If Foyt IV plans to carry on his grandfather’s legacy, Indy is the paramount place to start.

Veteran and journeyman Hamilton will pilot the third Vision machine on race day. Hamilton will be competing in his eighth race, but just his second since 2001 due to a horrific crash at Texas Motor Speedway that halted his driving career. Hamilton will be representing Vision Racing for a second straight year. He finished 9th last year, which was the third top-10 finish of Hamilton’s career. He finished 4th in 1998 and 6th in 1997.

Hamilton has probably moved into the No. 2 slot on Vision Racing’s board due to the multitude of issues Foyt IV has endured this month. Nevertheless, as it stands now, this is a one-shot deal for Hamilton so he needs to make the most of it. He needs to find the magic and confidence he drove with in the late 1990s before his accident if he hopes to accomplish his dream of winning the Indianapolis 500.

WHY A VISION CAR WILL WIN:

It has been nine years since CART invaded Indianapolis and they have dominated ever since with no signs of slowing down. If a non-power team is going to roll into victory lane, George will be sure it is one of his Vision cars. George, who has more money than God, will expend all possible resources to ensure his cars are competitive come race day.

Are they a long shot? Yes, but every once in awhile the long shot comes from nowhere to astonish the world.