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Two More Teams
By Andrew Cutler October 8 2008
After winning the 2008 Firstone Indy Lights championship, Raphael Matos said that his goal for 2009 was a full time ride in the IndyCar Series, bucking the unfortunate trend of recent past Lights/Pro champs. Yesterday Matos was able to see that goal achieved as he was publicly announced as the new driver for Luczo Dragon Racing.
Furthermore LDR, which has only run a limited schedule thusfar in the two years of it's exsistance, announced that it will participate in the full IndyCar schedule starting next year.

"This is an exciting day for our race team because not only are we taking that step to full-time status, we are adding a young driver who has proven to be a champion at every level he has raced," said team co-owner Jay Penske, son of Team Penske's owner, Roger. "Any time you can win four championships in six years like Rafa has done you have some special qualities. He is ready for the IndyCar Series, and we are so thrilled to have him."

The 27 year-old Brazilian driver was also quite thrilled. "I'm extremely excited about the opportunity. It's definitely the biggest step in my career. This is such a young and promising organization. I've worked really hard to get here, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win races, and obviously our ultimate goal is the championship."

But Luczo Dragon isn't the first team during this young off-season to announce big plans. Beck Motorsports, whose participation in IndyCar over the years has steadily dwindled down to two or three appearances per season, has "remade" itself under new a business partnership, and two weeks ago said that it will be full time competitor in 2009. The squad, now renamed Team 3G, plans to put Stanton Barrett, a fifteen year veteran of the  NASCAR Nationwide Series (with only a handful of top-ten finishes to show for it) and Hollywood stuntman, behind the wheel.

Unlike LDR, which already appears to have it's sponsorship program in place, I fear that Team 3G - which notably didn't reveal it's sponsorship plans - may have a rough road ahead.

I've held off on reporting about Team 3G because I can't help but get a strong "we're doing this on a wing & a prayer" vibe off of them & I was awaiting further developements. I wish them luck, but I'm just not sure that see them lasting for long.   

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