By Paul Kelly
allstate400atthebrickyard.com
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Reigning Allstate 400 at the Brickyard champion Jimmie Johnson will be a member of the United States team at the Race of Champions on Saturday, Dec. 16 in Paris.
The unique, all-star event pits top drivers from many types of worldwide racing against each other on a special rallycross track inside the 80,000-seat Stade de France soccer stadium. Drivers race in individual and team competition in a variety of vehicles, including a Citroen World Rally car, Porsche 911 GT3 sports car, Renault Megane touring car, Aston Martin GT sports car and an off-road buggy.
Joining current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series points leader Johnson on the U.S. team will be 2006 Rally America champion Travis Pastrana, who moved to four-wheeled competition during his successful motocross career.
{{display_poll_18}}Pastrana also has racing experience at IMS, competing in Porsche Michelin Supercup support races during the United States Grand Prix in 2003 and 2005.
It will be the third time Johnson has participated in the Race of Champions, as he raced in 2002 and 2003. Johnson, four-time Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon and current MotoGP star Colin Edwards led Team USA to the Nations Cup in 2002, when the event took place in the Canary Islands.
This will be the fourth consecutive Race of Champions start for Pastrana.
Other drivers with IMS ties competing this year are United States Grand Prix veterans Jenson Button and David Coulthard, and Indianapolis 500 veteran Sebastien Bourdais. Button is driving for England, Coulthard for Scotland and Bourdais for France.
If Johnson wins the NEXTEL Cup this season, he will be one of at least four 2006 series champions in the event, along with Bourdais (Champ Car), Sebastien Loeb (World Rally Championship) and Bernd Schneider (DTM).
Loeb won the individual title in the 2005 Race of Champions, while Team Scandinavia took team honors.
***
Tickets: Tickets for the 14th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will go on sale Friday, Dec. 1.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office is accepting ticket orders for the race. To place an order for tickets, camping or parking, contact the IMS Ticket Office at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, (317) 492-6700 locally or log on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.
The Ticket Office is located in the IMS Administration Building, at the intersection of 16th Street and Georgetown Road in Indianapolis. Business hours are from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
| Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Talkback | Post Comment |
|
|
|