Arden to CART??

[rabbit]

According to Autosport...

Arden plotting European race effort, Final three rounds could also be on the cards

Top Formula 3000 team Arden International Motorsport is planning to step up to Champ Cars later this year with a one-car assault on the European leg of the US-based series, according to this week's AUTOSPORT magazine.

Although team boss Christian Horner refused to comment on the subject, he did admit: "We are in discussion with CART." The European races comprise Brands Hatch and EuroSpeedway Lausitz in May.

The planned project is expected to be revealed at the Champ Car season-opener at St Petersburg this weekend. It is also thought likely that Arden might also contest the final three Champ Car rounds of the season in Mexico City, Surfers Paradise and California.

Former Arden F3000 ace Tomas Enge is a likely candidate for the drive, although its current F3000 driver Townsend Bell has previous Champ Car experience from his time with Patrick Racing. Its remaining F3000 driver, Bjorn Wirdheim, is also understood to be on the shortlist. Wirdheim set the pace in the F3000 test session at Imola this morning (Thursday).

It'd be fun to see Bell back in the mix. Makes you wonder if that's why he signed with Arden in the first place.

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by rabbit

It'd be fun to see Bell back in the mix. Makes you wonder if that's why he signed with Arden in the first place.

Well, he was smart to try something different... his reputation here in America wasn't exactly that great after his issues at Patrick.

I mean, who was going to hire him?

But if he can set the world on fire in F3000, it opens possibilities, especially when you've got the fella from Red Bull wanting to start an all-American F1 team.

If you prove you can run with the best in F3000, it may be easier to get some Red Bull funds to help you land a second seat in F1 somewhere.

Just thinking out loud...

[Ziggy]

Just thinking out loud, and I would agree

Bell's sort of blotted his copy book. Who knows what happened over at Patrick's. Rather than blend into obscurity, at least Townsen has thrown his lot in with a capable racing outfit. I wish him well and hope He can find a way back into the upper level of our sport.

Ziggy

[RaceGrrl]

I liked watching Townsend race, and yes, he made rookie mistakes, but hopefully he's learned from them. I'd like to see him in that seat.

[JoeBob]

What I wonder about is why more of the "out of work drivers" don't do the same thing.

There's a gaggle of drivers that scurry from race to race, trying to get a ride and play super-sub. It is really hard to prove yourself when you join a team for a race or two, then move on to see who else might need you. Nobody is going to set the world on fire stepping into somebody else's seat for a race. Especially when the competition have been testing/racing together all year.

Sometimes, the best thing to do for your career is head back to the minors for a year to stay sharp, and remind the world what it is you can do. In most sports, thats how it works. Work your way up through the minors and earn a shot in the big show. If things don't work out, head back to the minors, get better, and hope to be called up again soon.

A year in F3000, SportsCars, or anything else would do a guy like Memo Gidley a lot more long-term good than hanging around hoping to fill in for an injured driver.

JMHO, of course.