SAMAX, RACING PROFESSIONALS FILE ENTRIES FOR ROOKIE DUNO, HERB
INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, March 29, 2007 – SAMAX Motorsport and Racing
Professionals each filed an entry March 29 for the 91st Indianapolis 500, with rookie Milka Duno driving for SAMAX and team owner Jon Herb driving for Racing Professionals.
The 91st Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Entries must be postmarked by midnight Wednesday, April 4.
Duno, from Caracas, Venezuela, will drive the No. 23 CITGO Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup car entered. Simon Morley is the chief mechanic, and John Cummiskey is the team manager.
Sports car veteran Duno will attempt to make her first career Indianapolis 500 start and will participate in the Rookie Orientation Program on May 6-7 at IMS.
She is trying to become just the fifth woman to drive in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James, Sarah Fisher and Danica Patrick preceded Duno as female competitors at Indy.
There could be three women in this year’s race, an all-time high. Fisher is named to drive a Dreyer & Reinbold entry for this year’s race, and Andretti Green Racing will include an entry for Patrick.
St. James and Fisher each drove in the 2000 race, the only time two women competed in the same Indianapolis 500.
Herb, from Chicago, will drive the No. 19 Dallara/Honda/Firestone for his Racing Professionals team, which has competed in the IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series. A backup is entered. Joe Barlam is the team manager.
Indy Pro Series race winner Herb will attempt to make his second career Indianapolis 500 start. He started 18th and finished 27th in 2001, driving for Tri-Star Motorsports.
2007 INDIANAPOLIS 500 ENTRIES (as of March 29)
Driver
Entrant
Car
C/E/T
Entry Date
Buddy Rice (W)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
15, 15T Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
D/H/F
March 7
Sarah Fisher
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
5, 5T Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
D/H/F
March 7
Marty Roth
Roth Racing
25 Roth Racing
D/H/F
March 12
Tomas Scheckter
Vision Racing
2, 2T Vision Racing
D/H/F
March 15
Ed Carpenter
Vision Racing
20, 20T Vision Racing
D/H/F
March 15
Anthony Foyt IV
Vision Racing
22, 22T Vision Racing
D/H/F
March 15
Scott Sharp
Rahal Letterman Racing
8, 8T Patron Sharp Rahal Letterman
Racing
D/H/F
March 27
Jeff Simmons
Rahal Letterman Racing
17, 17T Rahal Letterman Racing Team
Ethanol
D/H/F
March 27
Jon Herb
Racing Professionals
19, 19T TBA
D/H/F
March 29
Milka Duno (R)
SAMAX Motorsport
23, 23T CITGO Racing
D/H/F
March 29
Key: C/E/T-Chassis/engine/tire; D-Dallara; P-Panoz; H-Honda; F-Firestone; (W)-Indianapolis 500 winner; (R)-Indianapolis 500 rookie; TBA-to be announced.
ENTRY SUMMARY
DRIVERS (10)
Former race winners (1): Buddy Rice (2004).
Former pole winners (2): Buddy Rice (2004), Scott Sharp (2001).
Rookies (1): Milka Duno.
U.S. born (7): Ed Carpenter, Sarah Fisher, Anthony Foyt IV, Jon Herb, Buddy Rice, Scott Sharp, Jeff Simmons.
Foreign born (3): Milka Duno, Venezuela; Marty Roth, Canada; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa.
Youngest: Anthony Foyt IV, 22.
Oldest: Marty Roth, 48.
Most previous starts: Scott Sharp, 12.
CARS (19)
Chassis: Dallara 19.
