Scheckter

INDIANAPOLIS -- When Jody Scheckter hears his son described as a "crasher" in the Indy Racing League, he shakes his head in disbelief.

Tomas Scheckter is a rookie in the IRL and will start on the inside of the fourth row in Sunday's 86th Indianapolis 500. In three of his first four races as a rookie, Scheckter has been involved in crashes, including one that hospitalized Jaques Lazier and himself.

That happened last month in Nazareth, Pa., when he ran into the back of Lazier's car. His move was considered overaggressive and it earned him a three-day suspension from practice for the Indianapolis 500.

The penalty was served and Scheckter has been a model racer on the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His father, the 1979 Formula One world champion, believes that his son is better than the reputation he has gotten.

"I find it quite strange because in his junior formulas, he was very good under race conditions and hardly ever crashed," Jodie Scheckter said. "Now, he does a lot. He has to start understanding it's different here. I think his last crash and going to the hospital brought it home to him. I think he has a bit of a bad rap, but when you crash, that is what you ask for."

	“	He has to start understanding it's different here. I think his last crash and going to the hospital brought it home to him. I think he has a bit of a bad rap, but when you crash, that is what you ask for. ”
		— Jodie Scheckter

The younger Scheckter said when he told his father that he was joining the IRL, it was met with a bit of skepticism. The Formula One driver believes an all-oval racing series can be hazardous.

"I think the thing with ovals is that it's dangerous," Tomas Scheckter said. "It's much more dangerous than racing in Europe. In Europe, you're not used to seeing people get rushed off to the hospital all the time. This year, two drivers have broken their back including one this month.

"Obviously, he was brought up in an era that was very dangerous. Hopefully, I can try and keep it as safe as possible."

It's Scheckter's aggressive racing style that has helped him race near the front of the field so quickly in his IRL career. In fact, that type of racing has earned him fans outside of the IRL.

"I think what Tomas has done this year has been great," CART driver Dario Franchitti said. "It's been exciting. The one thing is, when he's been out there he's been quick in every race he's done. What more can you ask? He's been out there trying to win races.

"When he gets a bit more experience, maybe after this week, for sure he's going to win some races this year. He does a good job. He makes it exciting for me to watch at home."