Playa Del Racing
Encyclopedia
American Dream Motorsports was a racing team that competed in the Indy Racing League's Indy Lights series and the IndyCar Series
' Indianapolis 500
owned by Eric Zimmerman and William T. Kelsey. Until May 2008 it was known as Playa Del Racing and was owned by Jeff Brougher, Ernie Moody, Gary Sallee, and Susan Schafer.
-Toyota for Jaques Lazier
in the 2005 Indianapolis 500
. The team returned in 2006
and co-owner Jon Herb
was to join Lazier in a second car, but he was unable to find speed and was replaced with veteran Roger Yasukawa
. Herb subsequently parted ways with the other owners and re-formed his own team, Racing Professionals
.
PDR fielded an Indy Pro Series
car in the 2007 season
starting with rookie A. J. Russell at Miami. After his poor showing, the team used Al Unser III for four summertime oval events and Phil Giebler for eight road-course events with modest success from each and also fielded a car for Sean Guthrie
when his Guthrie Racing
car was unavailable due to crash damage.
Playa Del Racing entered two cars into the 2007 Indianapolis 500
driven by former IndyCar race winner Jaques Lazier and one of their IPS drivers, the young American Phil Giebler. Both ended up crashing out of the race, but Giebler managed to capture the 2007 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year title.
and that Phil Giebler would return to the team to drive its entry in the 2008 Indianapolis 500
. Giebler crashed the team's Panoz during practice on the third day of qualifying, totaling the car as well as suffering bruised lungs and a cervical sprain. The team had planned to run the Bombardier Learjet 550 at Texas Motor Speedway
in June with a new Dallara
chassis and Jaques Lazier behind the wheel. However, an entry for the team was not on the entry list posted by the league on June 3. The team's Indy Lights entry also failed to arrive at the first race after the Freedom 100
with no official reason as to why. In an interview on July 4, 2008, Al Unser, Jr.
indicated that the team had gone bankrupt and that he and the team's sponsor were seeking to acquire the team's assets in bankruptcy court. The team's Indy Lights equipment was ultimately sold to Bryan Herta
, who used it to begin his own team.
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
' Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
owned by Eric Zimmerman and William T. Kelsey. Until May 2008 it was known as Playa Del Racing and was owned by Jeff Brougher, Ernie Moody, Gary Sallee, and Susan Schafer.
2005 to 2007
The team was formed in 2005 and fielded a PanozPanoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
-Toyota for Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier is an American racing driver born January 25, 1971 in Denver, Colorado and is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier....
in the 2005 Indianapolis 500
2005 Indianapolis 500
The 89th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 2005. It was the premier event of the 2005 IndyCar Series season, and the tenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Dan Wheldon won the race under a yellow flag...
. The team returned in 2006
2006 Indianapolis 500
The 90th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday, May 28, 2006. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the race by passing rookie Marco Andretti on the final straightaway, about 450 feet from the finish line...
and co-owner Jon Herb
Jon Herb
Jon Herb is an American professional race car owner and driver in the Indy Racing League.Herb made his IRL debut in the first race of the 2000 season in Orlando, but drove most of the races in the ARCA stock car series. He made his Indianapolis 500 debut in 2001, finishing 27th and competing in...
was to join Lazier in a second car, but he was unable to find speed and was replaced with veteran Roger Yasukawa
Roger Yasukawa
Roger Yasukawa is a Japanese-American auto racing driver.Yasukawa started karting in Southern California, winning the California State Championship in 1991 in Junior Sportsman. He then moved to Italy to compete in JICA...
. Herb subsequently parted ways with the other owners and re-formed his own team, Racing Professionals
Racing Professionals
Racing Professionals is a racing team owned by Indy Racing League IndyCar Series driver Jon Herb. Herb formed the team in the middle of the 2001 season and competed in a total of eight races at the end of that season and the 2002 season. In 2004 the team fielded a car for Herb in three events in...
.
PDR fielded an Indy Pro Series
Indy Pro Series
Firestone Indy Lights is a developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar. Previously, another series named Indy Lights filled the same role for CART and ran from 1986 to 1993 as the American Racing Series and Dayton Indy Lights from 1991 to 2001...
car in the 2007 season
2007 in IPS
The 2007 Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series started on Saturday March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The season's premiere race is the Freedom 100 on May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The season finale was held at Chicagoland Speedway on September 9...
starting with rookie A. J. Russell at Miami. After his poor showing, the team used Al Unser III for four summertime oval events and Phil Giebler for eight road-course events with modest success from each and also fielded a car for Sean Guthrie
Sean Guthrie
Sean Guthrie is an American racing driver from Albuquerque, New Mexico currently competing in the Firestone Indy Lights Series. He is the son of Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race winner Jim Guthrie....
when his Guthrie Racing
Guthrie Racing
Guthrie Meyer Racing is a former Firestone Indy Lights Series team.The team started in 2005 as Guthrie Racing owned by 1997 IndyCar Series “Rookie of the Year” winner and 1997 Phoenix race winner Jim Guthrie. The team began running in the Star Mazda Pro Series in 2005 with numerous podium and top...
car was unavailable due to crash damage.
Playa Del Racing entered two cars into the 2007 Indianapolis 500
2007 Indianapolis 500
The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
driven by former IndyCar race winner Jaques Lazier and one of their IPS drivers, the young American Phil Giebler. Both ended up crashing out of the race, but Giebler managed to capture the 2007 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year title.
2008
For 2008, Playa Del Racing announced it would compete in a full season in the development IRL Firestone Indy Lights Series (formerly the Indy Pro Series) with Al Unser III as their full-time driver, thanks to sponsorship from Ethos Fuel Reformulator. On May 2, 2008 it was announced that the team had been purchased by William T. Kelsey and Eric ZimmermanEric Zimmerman
Eric Zimmerman is a game designer and the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a computer game development company, which is known for the game Diner Dash. Each year Zimmerman hosts the Game Design Challenge at the Game Developers Conference...
and that Phil Giebler would return to the team to drive its entry in the 2008 Indianapolis 500
2008 Indianapolis 500
The 92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was run on Sunday May 25, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, USA. Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the race from the pole position. It was the thirteenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and served as the showcase event of...
. Giebler crashed the team's Panoz during practice on the third day of qualifying, totaling the car as well as suffering bruised lungs and a cervical sprain. The team had planned to run the Bombardier Learjet 550 at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
in June with a new Dallara
Dallara
Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993...
chassis and Jaques Lazier behind the wheel. However, an entry for the team was not on the entry list posted by the league on June 3. The team's Indy Lights entry also failed to arrive at the first race after the Freedom 100
Freedom 100
The Firestone Freedom 100 is a Firestone Indy Lights Series auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is currently held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500...
with no official reason as to why. In an interview on July 4, 2008, Al Unser, Jr.
Al Unser, Jr.
Alfred Unser, Jr. , nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior" or simply "Junior" is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.-History:...
indicated that the team had gone bankrupt and that he and the team's sponsor were seeking to acquire the team's assets in bankruptcy court. The team's Indy Lights equipment was ultimately sold to Bryan Herta
Bryan Herta
Bryan John Herta is an American race car driver. He currently runs his own team, Bryan Herta Autosport in the Firestone Indy Lights Series...
, who used it to begin his own team.
IndyCar Drivers
- Jaques LazierJaques LazierJaques Lazier is an American racing driver born January 25, 1971 in Denver, Colorado and is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier....
(2005-2007) - Roger YasukawaRoger YasukawaRoger Yasukawa is a Japanese-American auto racing driver.Yasukawa started karting in Southern California, winning the California State Championship in 1991 in Junior Sportsman. He then moved to Italy to compete in JICA...
(2006) - Phil Giebler (2007)