
LEXMARK INDY BOSS WELCOMES BESNARD'S START
28/9/2004 18:52 (Press Release) -
Lexmark Indy 300 General Manager James O’Brien has welcomed today’s news that Gold Coast driver David Besnard will campaign a Champ Car at this year’s event on the streets of Surfers Paradise from October 21-24.
Besnard will line up in a Reynard in Derrick Walker’s Walker Racing team following a three-way agreement between Walker, US-based Australian Champ Car series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven and Gold Coast businessman Craig Gore.
The decision comes three weeks after Besnard had a successful Champ Car test session at the Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona.
Besnard’s late inclusion in the Indy field was made possible after teenager Josh Hunt, who this year has competed in the Toyota Atlantics Championships in the US with the support of Gore’s Wright Patton Shakespeare Financial Group and Kalkhoven, elected to have another season in the US rather than a one-off Champ Car drive at Indy.
Hunt will return to the Atlantics in 2005, again with the support of Gore and Kalkhoven, with a view to graduating into Champ Cars. The Gold Coast teenager is part of the WPS junior development program and will be part of the team at Indy.
Besnard, who regularly drives for Gore’s WPS V8 Supercar team, will be the first Australian to compete in the Gold Coast race since Jason Bright in 2000.
As a result, he will not be a part of the field for the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge which shares equal billing with the Champ Car event.
“It has obviously taken a little while for the parties to iron out the final deal, but we are delighted that David (Besnard) will be in a Champ Car at this year’s Lexmark Indy 300,” said O’Brien.
“Besnard is a fierce competitor and has a wealth of open wheel experience and I am sure he will do a fantastic job on and off the track.
“David is a former ambassador for this race and I guess he steps straight back into that role in a much bigger way over the next month.
“It is great that Craig Gore’s company Wright Patton Shakespeare and Kevin Kalkhoven have been able to structure an arrangement to have David in the car and to have Josh Hunt back in a Toyota Atlantic car next season.”
Besnard will return to the US later this week for a second test before flying back to Australia mid next week to compete in the 10th round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series – the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at Bathurst.
“It’s great to finally get the green light and I’m looking forward to flying the Aussie flag at Indy,” said Besnard.
“I won’t be going out there to win the race but I’ll be looking to put on a good show and just soak up the experience.”
Besnard will compete under the same WPS Racing livery that he sports on his V8 Supercar.
“Bezzy’s inclusion will be fantastic news for anyone considering attending the event. It’s great that we have got an Aussie – and especially a Queenslander – for everyone to follow,” said Gore.
“I’m delighted to have worked with Kevin and Derrick in arriving at a final resolution.”
Release Date: 27/09/2004
Lexmark Indy 300
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