Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Money woes keeping Hamilton in the pits

Davey Hamilton was poised to make yet another run at the Indy Racing League championship in 1999 after finishing second each of the past two seasons.

Hamilton and the Galles Racing team had everything they needed to contend for the title: new cars, equipment and a race-proven crew that remained intact from the year before, despite Galles buying out previous team owner Bob Nienhouse.

Everything, that is, except the money to go racing.

After Reebok terminated its sponsorship of Hamilton's car following the 1998 season, Galles and company -- Hamilton included -- spent all of their money on cars and equipment and now have no money to go racing when the IRL season starts in two weeks in Orlando, Fla.

"I'm sitting here shocked," Hamilton said Wednesday from his Las Vegas home. "We've had some great years and been running so good and we've been in contention. We're ready to go racing but we don't have the funding to go racing."

Even if Hamilton manages to land a sponsor in the next two weeks, he said his team's deadline has passed to make the IRL season opener on Jan. 24.

"Our deadline was the fourth (of January)," Hamilton said. "We're ready to go race, but in our mind we had to make it the fourth because we would want to go test before the race, we want to do it right."

Hamilton, 36, said he has turned down several offers to drive for other teams, opting, instead, to try to make a go of it with his current team.

"I had two calls today, as a matter of fact, but it's more important for me to be in a car that I know I can go win in -- I don't just want to be in the race," he said. "I've turned down three offers just because it's not the right deal ... it's teams that I couldn't go get in the car and win the race -- nobody can.

"I wanted the opportunity to be able to win. The rides are out there, but the funding to do it right is very difficult at this point in the IRL and I really don't understand why. I think it's a great value compared to other racing (series). I guess the split-up between CART and the IRL still has an effect on corporate America."

Hamilton acknowledged that missing the first race of the season would seriously hamper his attempt to contend for the series championship, but did not rule it out.

"Obviously, (missing a race) makes it very difficult, it leaves no room for error," Hamilton said. "Yes, you can still make a run for the championship, but what that means is that you have to have a flawless season."

In addition to hindering his run for the series title, Hamilton said missing the season opener is discouraging for another reason.

"This will be the first IRL race that I have missed," he said. "I've been in every one of them (since the league's inception). There are only three guys who have been in all the IRL races and that's Tony Stewart, Arie Luyendyk and myself and not one of the three of us will be in Orlando at this point, which is very unfortunate."

Although the IRL has been known in the past to help underfunded and unsponsored teams make races, Hamilton said he has had no offers of assistance from league founder Tony George.

"They know my situation (but) there has been nothing there," he said. "They want me there -- they say it's very important for me to be there -- but that's all they have said. The bottom line is, if there was some help, we would be there.

"It's really unfortunate. Things have worked out well (the past two years) but I have yet to have that really great sponsor and that security. I feel once I get the sponsorship and I have some security where we're going to go racing and we're going to do it right, watch out because we're going to be tough.

"I just hope that comes real soon."

* NASCAR: Ernie Irvan, winner of the 1991 Daytona 500, will team with Boris Said and Mark and Brian Simo to drive in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona next month.

"This really came about from Boris," Irvan said. "He told me we need to team up and run the Rolex 24, and I thought it might be a fun thing to do."

Said drives Irvan's entry in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

"I have no sports car experience," Irvan said. "Basically the only road course experience I have is on the Winston Cup tour. I won't be doing any of the night driving ... there's really no need for me to do that." ...

In testing for next month's Daytona 500, Ken Schrader posted the fastest lap in a Chevrolet with a speed of 189.893 mph; Dick Trickle turned the fastest lap in a Ford with a 189.909 mph in the Bill Elliott-owned No. 13 Ford.

Trickle, who is out of a ride for the 1999 Winston Cup season, was testing the car for Elliott, who will field the car in a limited number of races this season.

* CART: Henderson's Richie Hearn and his Della Penna Motorsports team are switching from Ford to Toyota power for the 1999 CART season.

Hearn is coming off his most successful season in CART, having posted eight top-10 finishes and finishing 16th in PPG Cup points in a Swift/Ford.

Della Penna also announced that primary sponsor Budweiser would be back on board with an increased financial commitment this season.

"The chance for our team to be associated with Toyota again is a great opportunity," Hearn said. "Toyota is definitely on the right track and the team and I want to be there when it all comes together for Toyota.

"With the advances Toyota is making, coupled with a strong commitment from Budweiser, 1999 should be a good year for Della Penna Motorsports."

* IRL: Arie Luyendyk, who will compete in one IRL race in 1999 -- the Indianapolis 500 -- before retiring, underwent surgery last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., to have his gall bladder removed.

Doctors said the surgery went well and Luyendyk said he intends to attend the IRL season opener Jan. 24 in Orlando, Fla., as team and sponsor spokesman for Treadway Racing.

Henderson's Sam Schmidt is replacing Luyendyk, who won last October's Las Vegas 500K at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, behind the wheel of the No. 5 Sprint PCS G-Force/Aurora, and will make his debut for Treadway Racing at Walt Disney World Speedway.

* BACKMARKERS: Unlimited Hydroplane Hall of Fame driver Jim Kropfeld, who won the 1986 national championship while piloting Miss Budweiser, died Sunday in Cincinnati. Kropfeld was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor on Oct. 1, 1998. ...

Daredevil Tommy Pearson will attempt a world-record jump over 24 cars in his 1972 Chevy Nova Sunday afternoon at the Oasis Resort Casino in Mesquite. The jump, which is scheduled to take place at approximately 4:15 p.m., will be televised by the Fox Network. ...

Southern Nevada's top drag racers will be honored at an awards banquet Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Hall Post No. 8, 733 N. Veterans Memorial Drive.

The National Hot Rod Association/Craftsman ET Series division winners from Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1998 were Dana Young in Pro, John Sparrow in Sportsman, Bill Dudley in Street and Dan Clifton in Motorcycles.

Trophies will be presented to the top three finishers in each category.

Tickets are $13 for adults and $9 for children ages 5-15 and can be purchased in advance at National Performance Center, 1703 E. Charleston Blvd., and at Las Vegas Speed and Marine, 4444 W. Craig Road. Call Grace Creason at 457-0174 or Jean Phelgar 641-9054 for more information.

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