Truesports
Encyclopedia
Truesports was an automobile racing team founded by Jim Trueman
based in Hilliard, Ohio
. The team is best known for winning the 1986 Indianapolis 500
and back-to-back CART
championships in 1986 and 1987.
The word "Truesports" is a portmanteau
of the surname
"Trueman" and the word "sports" or perhaps the word "motorsports." The primary crew chief of the team was Steve Horne, who would later start Tasman Motorsports
.
himself started racing sports cars in 1962. In the 1970s, Trueman met up with Bobby Rahal
, and they entered the Can-Am series. After several seasons in Can-Am, Trueman and Rahal began to look towards the CART
series and the Indianapolis 500
.
In 1981, Trueman sponsored the car of owner/driver Vern Schuppan
in the Indianapolis 500
The car came home third. Starting in 1982, the Truesports CART team was founded with Rahal driving. Rahal won his first race midway through the season at Cleveland Grand Prix. He followed that up with another win at Michigan, a second place finish in the season standings, and clinched the CART rookie of the year award.
In 1983 and 1984, Truesports continued to succeed with Rahal behind the wheel. They won three more races, and placed 7th at the 1984 Indianapolis 500
.
In 1985, Truesports secured the sponsorship of Budweiser
. Rahal qualified for the front row at Indy
, but early in the race, mechanical problems ended their day.
Concurrent with their primary CART effort, Truesports ventured into IMSA
racing on several occasions in the mid-1980s. In 1982, Trueman and Rahal finished second at the 12 Hours of Sebring
. The duo also teamed up to race in the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans
with Garretson Developments, who Rahal won the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona
.
. After a two-year battle with cancer, team owner Jim Trueman
succomb to the disease 11 days after the Indy victory. The team dedicated their efforts to Trueman's memory, and Rahal went on to win six races, and the 1986 CART championship.
For 1987, Steve Horne and other members of the Trueman family assumed day-to-day operations of the team. Truesports switched to the Lola chassis, and remained with the Cosworth
powerplant. Several of the top team in CART, such as Penske
and Patrick
, moved to the Chevrolet
-Ilmor
. Hoping to win back-to-back races at Indy, Rahal qualifying second. His day ended early though with an ignition problem. Rahal won three races during the season, and clinched his second consecutive CART title.
Also in 1987, Truesports won the ARS Championship
with driver Didier Theys
. ARS was the precursor to the modern day Indy Lights series.
engine. It was known to be underpowered but very reliable and competitive in the 500-mile races due to its high fuel economy. Rahal finished 4th at Indianapolis
, second in the Michigan 500
, and won the Pocono 500
. The Pocono win, however, was the lone win of the season, and Rahal chose to leave the team at the end of the year.
In 1989, Truesports signed rookie Scott Pruett
as driver. Pruett won co-Rookie of the Year at Indianapolis, and had one second place finish (Detroit
). He went into the Detroit race with a decided advantange. He was one of few drivers in the field familiar with the Detroit street circuit
(previously a Formula One course), and had won the SCCA
Trans-Am
Motor City 100 (a support race for the Formula One event) in 1987.
In March 1990, Pruett was seriously injured in a preseason testing crash at West Palm Beach, Florida
, an IMSA
street course. Raul Boesel
drove as a replacement for the entire season. His best finish was 6th place. Pruett spend the entire 1990 season on the sidelines in physical rehab.
and made a demonstration run for them with a March 85C
-Cosworth
. Later, Ferrari built their own Indycar chassis, the Ferrari 637
, and Truesports seemed poised to become the first team to compete with it. The chassis program, however, never materialized, and was a bargaining tool by the Ferrari Formula One
team.
Starting in 1990, Truesports began exploring an in-house chassis building program. The Truesports All-American chassis was set to debut for 1991 IndyCar season. Don Halliday did the primary design for the program. In 1990, the team drove the entire season in year-old cars Lola to save cost. When Pruett returned from injury in 1991, he drove the Truesports 91C-Judd machine to a respectable first season.
In 1992, the chassis was further developed, and was powered by the dominant Chevy Indy A engine. Pruett, however, still failed to win any races.
and the CART
title, the team was not offered a lease in 1987, nor 1988, for the Chevy Indy V-8. The lack of a competitive engine was a direct reason that Rahal left the team. Rahal's 1988 win at Pocono was the team's final triumph.
After a slumping 1992 season, and with Jim Trueman's death falling further into the past, the Truesports team decided to reorganize its assets. The team's physical assets, headquarters, and chassis program was absorbed into the Rahal-Hogan Racing
team, co-owned by former Truesports driver Bobby Rahal
. The remainder of the Trueman family businesses operated separately.
In 1993, Rahal-Hogan Racing attempted to continue the Truesports chassis program. It was rebranded the R/H chassis, and quickly scored a second place finish at Long Beach
. The success was short-lived however, as the chassis proved uncompetetive on superspeedways. The team was dealt a massive blow when Rahal failed to qualify at Indianapolis
a month later. The following week they switched to the more conventional Lola, while team driver Mike Groff
attempted to salvage a season out of the R/H. By the end of the year, the chassis project was abandoned permanently.
(1982-1988) Scott Pruett
(1989, 1991-1992) Raul Boesel
(1990) Geoff Brabham
(1991)
Jim Trueman
James R. Trueman was an American businessperson and automobile racing team owner. His most successful business ventures were Red Roof Inn motels and the Truesports racing team. Bobby Rahal won the 1986 Indianapolis 500 for the team...
based in Hilliard, Ohio
Hilliard, Ohio
Hilliard is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 28,435 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hilliard is located at . It is bordered on the east by Upper Arlington, on the north by Dublin, on the south by Galloway and Columbus, and to the west lies open farmland...
. The team is best known for winning the 1986 Indianapolis 500
1986 Indianapolis 500
The 70th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31, 1986. After being rained out on May 25–26, the race was rescheduled for the following weekend...
and back-to-back CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
championships in 1986 and 1987.
The word "Truesports" is a portmanteau
Portmanteau word
A portmanteau or portmanteau word is a blend of two words or morphemes into one new word. A portmanteau word typically combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings...
of the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
"Trueman" and the word "sports" or perhaps the word "motorsports." The primary crew chief of the team was Steve Horne, who would later start Tasman Motorsports
Tasman Motorsports
Tasman Motorsports Group is a former racing team owned by Steve Horne that competed in the Indy Lights series and, most notably, the CART series from 1995 to 1998. Tasman was one of the first teams to successfully field a Honda powered entry...
.
Early years
Jim TruemanJim Trueman
James R. Trueman was an American businessperson and automobile racing team owner. His most successful business ventures were Red Roof Inn motels and the Truesports racing team. Bobby Rahal won the 1986 Indianapolis 500 for the team...
himself started racing sports cars in 1962. In the 1970s, Trueman met up with Bobby Rahal
Bobby Rahal
Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal is an American auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver, he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500...
, and they entered the Can-Am series. After several seasons in Can-Am, Trueman and Rahal began to look towards the CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
series and the 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...
.
In 1981, Trueman sponsored the car of owner/driver Vern Schuppan
Vern Schuppan
Vernon "Vern" Schuppan is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. Schuppan drove in various categories, participating in Formula One, the Indianapolis 500 and most successfully in sports car racing.-Formula One:...
in the Indianapolis 500
1981 Indianapolis 500
The 65th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1981. A hectic month of May was interrupted several times by rain. Bobby Unser took the checkered flag as the winner, with Mario Andretti second...
The car came home third. Starting in 1982, the Truesports CART team was founded with Rahal driving. Rahal won his first race midway through the season at Cleveland Grand Prix. He followed that up with another win at Michigan, a second place finish in the season standings, and clinched the CART rookie of the year award.
In 1983 and 1984, Truesports continued to succeed with Rahal behind the wheel. They won three more races, and placed 7th at the 1984 Indianapolis 500
1984 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1984 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1984.-Recap:An exciting first half turns dull as defending champion Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti fall out late with mechanical trouble, leaving Rick Mears the winner by over two laps. Rookies Roberto Guerrero, Al Holbert,...
.
In 1985, Truesports secured the sponsorship of Budweiser
Budweiser
Budweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...
. Rahal qualified for the front row at Indy
1985 Indianapolis 500
The 69th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis, United States on Sunday, May 26, 1985. Due to a dramatic spin by eventual race winner Danny Sullivan, the race is known in auto racing lore as the "Spin and Win".-Recap:...
, but early in the race, mechanical problems ended their day.
Concurrent with their primary CART effort, Truesports ventured into IMSA
IMSA
IMSA can refer to:* International Management Systems Association, original name of the International Project Management Association * Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, a residential magnet school located in Aurora, Illinois...
racing on several occasions in the mid-1980s. In 1982, Trueman and Rahal finished second at the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
. The duo also teamed up to race in the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
with Garretson Developments, who Rahal won the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
.
Championship seasons
Truesports racing entered 1986 with considerable anticipation. The highlight of the season was a victory at the 1986 Indianapolis 5001986 Indianapolis 500
The 70th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31, 1986. After being rained out on May 25–26, the race was rescheduled for the following weekend...
. After a two-year battle with cancer, team owner Jim Trueman
Jim Trueman
James R. Trueman was an American businessperson and automobile racing team owner. His most successful business ventures were Red Roof Inn motels and the Truesports racing team. Bobby Rahal won the 1986 Indianapolis 500 for the team...
succomb to the disease 11 days after the Indy victory. The team dedicated their efforts to Trueman's memory, and Rahal went on to win six races, and the 1986 CART championship.
For 1987, Steve Horne and other members of the Trueman family assumed day-to-day operations of the team. Truesports switched to the Lola chassis, and remained with the Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
powerplant. Several of the top team in CART, such as Penske
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
and Patrick
Patrick Racing
Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.Patrick Racing was started by Pat Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978. Patrick Racing would win three Indianapolis 500s and two CART championships, making it one of the most successful CART teams ever.In...
, moved to the Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
-Ilmor
Ilmor
Ilmor, founded by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan in November 1983, is a British independent high-performance autosport engineering company. With manufacturing based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, and maintenance offices in Plymouth, Michigan, the company supplies engines and consultancy to the...
. Hoping to win back-to-back races at Indy, Rahal qualifying second. His day ended early though with an ignition problem. Rahal won three races during the season, and clinched his second consecutive CART title.
Also in 1987, Truesports won the ARS Championship
1987 in Indy Lights
The 1987 American Racing Series Championship consisted of 10 races. Didier Theys won three races on his way to the championship.-Calendar:-Phoenix race:Held April 12 at Phoenix International Raceway...
with driver Didier Theys
Didier Theys
Didier Theys is an Belgian sports car driver. He is a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona ; a winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring ; the Sports Racing Prototype driver champion of the Grand-American Road Racing Association and the winner of the 24 Hours of Spa...
. ARS was the precursor to the modern day Indy Lights series.
Changes
For 1988, Truesports switched to the JuddJudd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
engine. It was known to be underpowered but very reliable and competitive in the 500-mile races due to its high fuel economy. Rahal finished 4th at Indianapolis
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...
, second in the Michigan 500
Firestone Indy 400
The Firestone Indy 400 was an IndyCar Series race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.Between 1970 and 2007, Michigan International Speedway hosted at least one open-wheel race in every season, hosting 55 open-wheel races over 38 years...
, and won the Pocono 500
Pocono 500 (Indycar)
The Pocono 500 was an American Open Wheel 500-mile race held at Pocono International Raceway from 1971-1989. It was sanctioned by USAC from 1971-1981, and by CART from 1982-1989. Following the 1989 event, the track was officially deemed too rough and unsuitable for Indycars, and was permanently...
. The Pocono win, however, was the lone win of the season, and Rahal chose to leave the team at the end of the year.
In 1989, Truesports signed rookie Scott Pruett
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
as driver. Pruett won co-Rookie of the Year at Indianapolis, and had one second place finish (Detroit
Detroit Indy Grand Prix
The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix presented by shopautoweek.com is a weekend of professional auto racing held at the Renaissance Center and later the Belle Isle in Detroit, United States. It has been held from 1989-01, 2007–08, and is scheduled for 2012 and beyond...
). He went into the Detroit race with a decided advantange. He was one of few drivers in the field familiar with the Detroit street circuit
Detroit street circuit
The streets of Detroit, Michigan hosted Formula One racing, and later CART racing, between the 1982 and 1991 seasons. The course was set up near the Renaissance Center and the Cobo Arena, also including a small part of the M-1 highway, also known as Woodward Avenue.Created largely in an effort to...
(previously a Formula One course), and had won the SCCA
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
Trans-Am
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
Motor City 100 (a support race for the Formula One event) in 1987.
In March 1990, Pruett was seriously injured in a preseason testing crash at West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
, an IMSA
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
street course. Raul Boesel
Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.He won the 1987 World Sportscar Championship and the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona...
drove as a replacement for the entire season. His best finish was 6th place. Pruett spend the entire 1990 season on the sidelines in physical rehab.
Chassis program
In 1985, Trueman and Rahal traveled to Italy to meet with FerrariFerrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
and made a demonstration run for them with a March 85C
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
-Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
. Later, Ferrari built their own Indycar chassis, the Ferrari 637
Ferrari 637
The Ferrari 637 was a Ferrari racing car designed to run in the American CART series. It was designed by Gustav Brunner and, although tested and unveiled to the press in 1986, it never raced.-Background:...
, and Truesports seemed poised to become the first team to compete with it. The chassis program, however, never materialized, and was a bargaining tool by the Ferrari Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team.
Starting in 1990, Truesports began exploring an in-house chassis building program. The Truesports All-American chassis was set to debut for 1991 IndyCar season. Don Halliday did the primary design for the program. In 1990, the team drove the entire season in year-old cars Lola to save cost. When Pruett returned from injury in 1991, he drove the Truesports 91C-Judd machine to a respectable first season.
In 1992, the chassis was further developed, and was powered by the dominant Chevy Indy A engine. Pruett, however, still failed to win any races.
Demise
Although it was not openly revealed at the time, the association with Ferrari (and subsequent cancellation of the chassis/engine program) in the late 1980s had a lasting effect on the team. Though Rahal was defending champion of both the Indy 500Indianapolis 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...
and the CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
title, the team was not offered a lease in 1987, nor 1988, for the Chevy Indy V-8. The lack of a competitive engine was a direct reason that Rahal left the team. Rahal's 1988 win at Pocono was the team's final triumph.
After a slumping 1992 season, and with Jim Trueman's death falling further into the past, the Truesports team decided to reorganize its assets. The team's physical assets, headquarters, and chassis program was absorbed into the Rahal-Hogan Racing
Rahal Letterman Racing
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is an auto racing team that currently races in the American Le Mans Series and part–time in the IndyCar Series. Based in Hilliard, Ohio, it is co–owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, television talk show host David Letterman, and businessman Mike...
team, co-owned by former Truesports driver Bobby Rahal
Bobby Rahal
Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal is an American auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver, he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500...
. The remainder of the Trueman family businesses operated separately.
In 1993, Rahal-Hogan Racing attempted to continue the Truesports chassis program. It was rebranded the R/H chassis, and quickly scored a second place finish at Long Beach
Long Beach Grand Prix
The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race held on a street circuit in Long Beach, California. Christopher Pook is the founder and promoter which began as a vision while working at a travel agency in downtown Long Beach. It was the premier circuit in the Champ Car from 1996, and...
. The success was short-lived however, as the chassis proved uncompetetive on superspeedways. The team was dealt a massive blow when Rahal failed to qualify at Indianapolis
1993 Indianapolis 500
The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory...
a month later. The following week they switched to the more conventional Lola, while team driver Mike Groff
Mike Groff
Mike Groff is a former race car driver in CART and the Indy Racing League and the 1989 Indy Lights champion. He made 54 starts in CART beginning in 1990 with a best finish of 6th, occurring at Phoenix International Raceway in 1994...
attempted to salvage a season out of the R/H. By the end of the year, the chassis project was abandoned permanently.
CART Drivers
Bobby RahalBobby Rahal
Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal is an American auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver, he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500...
(1982-1988) Scott Pruett
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
(1989, 1991-1992) Raul Boesel
Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.He won the 1987 World Sportscar Championship and the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona...
(1990) Geoff Brabham
Geoff Brabham
Geoff Brabham is an Australian racing driver. He is the son of three-time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham. Brabham spent the majority of his racing career in the United States. He raced successfully in CART early in his career. In ten appearances in the Indianapolis 500, with a best result...
(1991)
Business ventures
- Mid-Ohio Sports Car CourseMid-Ohio Sports Car CourseMid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
- bought by Jim Trueman in 1981 and owned by the Trueman family. - The Mid-Ohio School - A comprehensive driving and riding school, focusing on high performance, defensive driving, fleet training and competition licensing, since 1993
- Truesports Choice - A high performance automobile parts company
- Truepower - engine development organization
- Trueperformance - A high-line collision repair facility