Family, Friends,
Surf, Sand.and Racing in California
Sam Schmidt
Motorsports Primed for Season Finale'
With
championship hopes dashed by a tough trip to The
Glen, Sam Schmidt Motorsports heads into the
season finale at California Speedway thinking
about capping off its successful season with a win
and having some fun on the 'Left Coast.' Owner
Sam Schmidt will be surrounded by friends, family
and fellow Pepperdine alum when his team tries to
repeat it's show of strength. When the checkered
flag waves, Midwesterner Travis Gregg will head to
the desert and the beach for Baja racing and
surfing lessons.
Gregg,
a 27-year-old from Camden, Ohio, drives Schmidt's
#7 Lucas Oil Special. Gregg, has gained attention
for his backflips in celebration of his three race
wins (Miami, Texas, Kentucky), The Miami
University graduate has five pole positions
(Miami, Phoenix, Texas, Kentucky, Pikes Peak) and
heads into the race weekend engaged in battle with
Jeff Simmons for the a newly announced award for
the driver that leads the most laps in the 2005
season. Gregg leads the fight 222 laps to 173
and sits third in the series championship
standings with 426 points.
Jaime
Camara, 24, a Brazilian native residing in Miami,
Fla., is fifth in the standings with 383 points.
Driving Schmidt's #1 CELG, Goias entry, Camara has
three pole positions (Indianapolis, Nashville,
Milwaukee), three outside pole positions
(Homestead, Phoenix, Kentucky), and two wins
(Indianapolis, Nashville).
Chris
Festa, 19, of Atlanta, Ga, the youngest of
Schmidt's drivers, is sixth in the series
standings with 355 points. Festa led his first
Menards Infiniti Pro Series lap at Texas, where he
qualified second. His best finish this year was
second at Phoenix. He also has two third place
finishes (Indianapolis road course and Texas).
The teenager drives Schmidt's #19 SpacePak,
CareCentric entry and attends classes at Florida
State University.
Sam
Schmidt Motorsports is also a means of promoting
and publicizing the Sam Schmidt Paralysis
Foundation. The Foundation was created by Schmidt
to help individuals overcome spinal cord injuries
and other neurological disorders. Schmidt is
currently recovering from serious upper spinal
cord injuries suffered in a testing accident on
January 6, 2000 while practicing for the
season-opening Indy Racing League event at Walt
Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Fla. Further
information is available at
www.samschmidt.org or (317) 236-9999.
Racer
Magazine will auction a limited production
Firestone poster to be signed by all 30 drivers
that have won while driving on Firehawk tires.
The auction will be held on eBay in October with
the proceeds to be split between two key Indy
Racing League charities, Sam Schmidt Paralysis
Foundation and CARA Charities.
Here
are some thoughts from the drivers and owner
heading into the California weekend:
SAM
SCHMIDT, Owner, Sam Schmidt Motorsports:
"We
had the pole last year and had the race won if not
for a last-lap incident, so heading back to
California is kind of one of those tracks that the
team really wants to conquer.
"Overall, we haven't had the combined season
results we were looking for at the beginning of
the season, so what we want is for all of the Sam
Schmidt Motorsports entries to qualify and finish
well. A good result here helps everyone get
through the long winter until the season starts
next year.
"It's
not the best consolation prize for being as close
to repeating as series champions as we've been
this season, but, honestly, it would be a great
accomplishment for all three drivers to wind up in
the top six in points.
"Since
I grew up in Southern California and attended
Pepperdine University, I'll have lots of friends
and family at the race. It's always good to see
so many familiar faces."
TRAVIS GREGG, #7 Lucas
Oil Special, Sam Schmidt Motorsports Entry:
"Being out of the
points race is disappointing, but I hope to end
the year on a good note at California Speedway.
My crew and the whole Sam Schmidt Motorsports team
has been great all year long. I look forward to
being competitive and running up front. I'm only
eight points out of second place so it would be
great for the team and for me to move up in the
final standings.
"After the race, I'm
going to try a couple things I've never done. I'm
going with (ESPN2 pit road reporter) Cameron
Steele's 'Desert Assassins' race team in their
pre-run for the Baja 100 and I'm going to learn
how to surf! Obviously, we don't have any oceans
or deserts in Ohio, and I've never been to Mexico
- this should be a lot of fun."
JAIME CAMARA, #1 CELG, Goias, Sam Schmidt
Motorsports Entry:
"I
expect the weekend to go well, I think we will be
competitive and hopefully will be there at the end
to fight for the win. It's going to be my first
race at Fontana and for what I heard it's a very
nice track. This year, 2005, was my first season
at Menards Infiniti Pro Series and I think it was
a good season. Now I'm thinking about 2006 season
and that I'll do better in 2006 at the series."
CHRIS FESTA, #19 SpacePak, CareCentric, Sam
Schmidt Motorsports Entry:
"Heading into this last race, I'm hoping for a
good, strong finish. We've had a lot of
experience with the bigger ovals this year, and
I'm hoping we're fighting as hard for position in
California as we were in a race like Texas - every
lap there was a challenge with either me running
on Travis for the lead or me getting pressure from
behind. That's what I'm hoping to get at
California - good, hard racing with a strong
finish to take into the off season."
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Richard N. (Chip) Williams, Williams Company of
America, Inc.
502 E.
Center Ave., Mooresville, NC 28115 (704)
660-0796 FAX: (704) 660-0886
email:
chip.williams@mindspring.com
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