rpm.espn.com: Comments on IRL drivers

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Monday, December 23
Updated: December 31, 12:06 PM ET

Comments on IRL drivers
ESPN.com

We spotlighted IRL drivers Billy Boat, Robbie Buhl, Helio Castroneves and Eddie Cheever. Here are your thoughts on their '02 campaigns and prospects for next season:

Billy Boat
I really hope Billy can come up with something big before the season starts. Billy is a real class act and one of the reasons the IRL was formed. As welcome as guys like Dario, Kanaan, Dixon and so on are, we really need to keep guys like Billy Boat, Mark Dismore, Donnie Beechler and other people who have had trouble in the past finding a steady IRL ride around. They are what this great American league means, after all.

Mike Mauzy
Fort Wayne, Ind.

I think Billy deserves a good sponsor. He deserves to be on a good team. Remember when he was with Foyt and Conseco? Remember how good he was!? All he needs is a good car and team and he can handle the rest! I'm pretty sure that if Curb/Agajanian/Boat doesn't get another sponsor they will run a limited schedule next season -- no one wants that! If anyone is reading this and can sponsor Billy, PLEASE DO!

Jason Jamison
Phoenix, Ariz.

Billy is a good driver and deserves to have a ride. It'll be hard for him to find sponsorship, but hopefully he can put something together. He did well once he switched to Infiniti last year, and I feel given a competitive car, he can finish in the top 10 this year

Gene Rhea
Muncie, Ind.

Hope Billy finds enough money to be competitive again this year. He's a courageous and talented driver deserving of a few good breaks.

Steve Ray
Indianapolis

Robbie Buhl
Robbie Buhl is what the IRL was made for. He has found himself good sponsorship and has been competitive for years. Hopefully he and D&R can find some money for Sarah and be ANOTHER IRL original team running American drivers with an American engine. Finding a theme here among true IRL fans and teams?

Brian Goad
San Clemente, Calif.

Buhl is just one of those guys you would like to see win more. He's involved heavily in his charity work, he always is one of the friendliest drivers to the fans, and he and his team have brought solid sponsors into the IRL. It's a shame they got involved with Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw's TWR racing engine outfit through Infiniti. Robbie's engines did the same as everything Walkinshaw put his hands on this year -- they blew up.

Jason Dinkens
Mexico, Mo.

Robbie only suffered from sub-par engines poorly supplied by Walkinshaw. His team was hampered by an a relatively large time spent on putting the engines back together after receipt from Walkinshaw and the inconsistent G-Force chassis. Look for a huge rebound from Robbie with Chevrolet/Dallara. Look for a win at Indy coupled with three other wins and five other top-five finishes.

Scott Kenney
Westfield, Ind.

After watching Fisher run consistently better than Robbie Buhl the last half of the season, Robbie may be better off letting Fisher have the full-time ride and having himself in the second car when there is enough money. Robbie is one of the good guys in racing and may end up being a better owner than driver.

Jason Scott
Green Bay, Wisc.

Helio Castroneves
During his last year in CART (2001), Castroneves ran well on ovals, so his success last year (2002) was not really a surprise. On the other hand, all of the CART drivers including Helio were dominated on oval tracks by Kenny Brack. In 2003, Helio will have Kenny and several other veteran oval aces to contend with. He will be hard pressed to reproduce his second place IRL finish next year. Throw in a bunch of new engines and it's really anyone's game.

Harvey Stober
New York

I was so proud of Helio for doing so well in the IRL last season! I was the happiest girl in the world when he won the 500 for a second time. It's fun for fans to watch Helio because he always has a great attitude about everything. It was also really great to see how much MORE excited Helio was for getting second place in the championship than Sam was for actually WINNING the championship! I know Helio can do just as well next season, and I hope more than anything in the world that he will win another 500!

Natalie Krause
Indianapolis

Maybe I sound slighted but as a Gil de Ferran fan I think both Helio and Sammy Boy were quite lucky that it was only the two of them to fight it out over the last few weeks. If I'm not mistaken, de Ferran was the points leader going into the race he was injured. So as talented as Helio and Sam Jr. are they both had it WAY easier minus de Ferran. Remember Helio fans, De Ferran has TWO championships and I'll take those over two Indy 500s. But anyway, I rooted for Helio without Gil.

Robert Keating
Cliffwood Beach, N.J.

Helio's a great driver and should do very well again next year, especially driving for a powerhouse like Penske. But I'd rather watch him and Gil de Ferran competing on road courses; that's where true driving talent can be seen.

Don Berry
Lockport, Ill.

Eddie Cheever Jr.
Cheever has the best equipment of his career, an eager and young protege (Rice), and can still compete with the IRL's best. There's no reason he can't race until 50-plus like Foyt, Andretti, Bettenhausen, etc. And, he never had a better chance to compete against the top ex-CART guys as he will the next few years. That must have Eddie very hungry!

Chris Sabby
Minneapolis

Although he was KOd in five races he was also up front in those races. I'm sure it's incredibly tough to run a team and also be a driver. He is one of the best out there. I don't recall him ever sticking anyone in the wall. Most accidents he was a victim of circumstances. I like his tell it like it is attitude. Incredibly knowledgeable about racing. Good luck with this season whatever he chooses to do.(Maybe stick Scheckter in the wall). I will miss him on the track.

Bill Brant
Indianapolis

The "under-a-Cheever" shows his true colors -- when the real competition arrives, he scrams 'cause he can't hang with the big boys. Let's review his entire professional career in open wheel race cars. 1) 0 for nine years in F1; 2) 0 for five years in CART. Oh, and those five wins in the IRL against weak competition in the IRL. Just proves his Indy '98 win was as much a farce as the IRL is.

Erik Corredor
Auburn, Ala.

I think Eddie has done a great job with his team, and they are really going to be a powerhouse in the next few years. Red Bull is a great sponsor, and if they hire a second full-time driver like Alex Barron, they should have a realistic shot at the title. Hopefully they can stay off the wall and take run at Sam and Penske.

Gene Rhea
Muncie, Ind.

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