Guerrero Will Probably Miss Indy 500

The failure of Alfa Romeo to successfully prepare a car in time for this year’s Indianapolis 500 probably means that driver Roberto Guerrero will not compete in the May 28 race.

“I would say, at this point, Roberto probably won’t be racing in the 500,” Paul Bryan, director of publicity for Alfa Romeo, told the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. “We want him ready to go when the car is ready to go. I’m not sure the developers want to risk injury by letting Roberto drive (in the 500) for another team.”

Guerrero, who has a home in San Juan Capistrano, has competed in five straight Indianapolis 500 races. He joined the newly assembled Alfa Romeo team last November. For the past several years, he has been the principal driver for Granatelli Racing.

In five previous races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Guerrero has had two second-place finishes, a third, a fourth and a 32nd last year when he was involved in a first-lap accident.

Currently in Mugello, Italy, where he is conducting testing on the Alfa Romeo, Guerrero was unavailable for comment.

The Alfa Romeo people are shooting for the June 18 Detroit Grand Prix, a road race, for the car’s first competition.