He’s on a Roll but Needs a New Ride

Cal Wells III will phase out his PPI Motorsports Toyota Atlantic Series team after this season, but driver Dan Wheldon continues to impress during his rookie season on the circuit.

Wheldon, who is living in Newport Beach, lost the lead to Buddy Rice with two laps remaining at last Saturday’s Road America 220 and finished second under a yellow flag at Elkhart Lake, Wis. It was Wheldon’s seventh top-five finish in nine races this season.

Wells, the owner of PPI Motorsports in Rancho Santa Margarita, announced in late July that he was eliminating his two-car Toyota Atlantic team at the end of this season. All elements of the program will continue in operation through the season finale in Houston on Oct. 1.

Wheldon, 22, isn’t waiting until then to flag down a ride next season. He has been talking with several CART teams, but acknowledges his lack of experience might keep him in the minor leagues of open-wheel racing for another season.

“I might not be what they’re looking for,” said Wheldon, originally from Buckinghamshire, England. “I’m still talking to champ car teams, still working very hard to get a champ car drive, but I’m probably going to do another full season of Toyota Atlantic or Indy Lights. I’ll probably do about five races [next season] and do a lot more testing.”

PPI Motorsports’ Atlantic team, founded in 1997, currently fields Wheldon’s car and another driven by Andrew Bordin. Wheldon is ranked second in the series standings and Bordin third. The program won the championship last season with driver Anthony Lazzaro, whom Wells moved into PPI’s NASCAR entry.

“Our Atlantic program has been highly successful in its four years of operation,” Wells said. “It’s hard to discuss a decision like this in the middle of the racing season, but I did not want to leave our guys without options at the end of the year.

“With our champ car teams moving to Hickory (N.C.) this winter, we needed to address the status of the Atlantic program as well as opportunities for all our Atlantic personnel to fill positions with us on the East Coast.”

Wheldon wasn’t too surprised with the news. He knew Wells was funding much of the team out of his own pocket and was focusing a majority of his energy on his CART program and first-year NASCAR team.

“Cal has given me a great opportunity and has assisted the team financially,” said Wheldon, who remains under contract until 2002. “I know [Toyota Atlantic] isn’t big on his list. I could sense that he was going to let it go and focus attention where he needs to get results.”

Along with preparing staff for PPI’s CART team, the Atlantic team has been a major resource in CART’s developmental system. In support of the Atlantic series’ efforts in conjunction with the U.S. Formula Ford 2000 series, the team has conducted annual test sessions for U.S. FF2000 champions, most notably with Wheldon in late 1999, an effort that led to Wheldon’s eventual signing with PPI’s own Atlantic team for the 2000 season.

“My goal ever since I got into the Toyota Atlantic Series is to get into CART and that’s still my goal,” Wheldon said.

Wheldon, who was a rookie in the 1999 U.S. Formula Ford 2000 series, claimed six victories with Primus racing last season and won the championship.

After eight record-setting years on the British and International karting circuits, Wheldon made the transition to single-seaters at the 1996 British Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship. Wheldon completed his rookie season with three victories and was named a finalist for the prestigious McLaren/Autosport young driver of the year award.

Wheldon advanced to Formula Ford in 1997, where he earned seven victories and another McLaren/Autosport young driver of the year nomination through two seasons of competition.

ENDURANCE RACING

Rod Everett of Orange has entered his Hybrid racing team in this weekend’s six-hour Bosch Sports Car Summerfest in Watkins Glen, N.Y., the last event on the 2000 Grand American Road Racing series schedule.

Purpose-built racing cars from England, Italy, France and the U.S. compete in the series. Reminiscent of the old Can-Am cars, the prototype championship series boasts exotic sports racing cars capable of speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.

“The exotic sports cars are intriguing because drivers bring out a wide variety of automobiles,” said Everett, a former racer who helped launch the racing career of actor Craig T. Nelson. “When we come to these races we have people hanging on the fences instead of sitting in the grandstands.”

Hybrid will race its Riley and Scott MK3 prototype sports car chassis No. 001 for the final time. It was the first prototype car ever made.

“We’re retiring this car from our stable and it’s going up for sale,” Everett said. “We rebuilt the entire car and now it’s good as new.”

Everett, who opened his racing business in 1986, plans to venture into Indy cars next year. Hybrid relies entirely on sponsorship money and Everett is confident he can bring along some of his backers from sports car racing, including one of his main supporters, Yokohama Tires.

“We might try one [IRL] race at the end of the year just to get water between our toes,” Everett said. “We may continue in sports cars, but most of our attention is focused toward Indy cars.”

If you have an item or idea for the motor sports report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at martin.henderson@latimes.com

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ON TRACK

Orange County Speedway

Through Aug. 20

Speedway motorcycles

1. Charlie Venegas, San Bernardino 414

2. Shawn McConnell, Brea 328

3. Chris Manchester, Upland 321

4. Brad Oxley, San Juan Capistrano 317

5. Dukie Ermolenko, Cypress 309

6. Bobby Schwartz, Costa Mesa 309

7. Andy Northrup, Alta Loma 284

8. Randy DiFrancesco, Bakersfield 276

9. Eddie Castro, Ojai 240

10. Jim Estes, Winnetka 217

Schedule

Saturday----Dan Nay Night (championship speedway, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway).

Sept. 9--Freestyle Motorcycle Jumping (speedway); 16--Skirt Night (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 23--North vs. South (speedway, sidecars), 30--Sidecar State Championship (speedway, sidecars).

Oct. 7--Farewell (speedway, sidecars); 14--Coors Light U.S. National Championship (speedway).

Irwindale Speedway

Through Aug. 20

Super Late Model

1. Greg Voigt, Goleta 590

2. Ben Walker, North Hills 542

3. Tim Woods, Chino 494

4. Tommy Fry, Simi Valley 474

5. David Brandon, Palmdale 456

6. Shawn Brink, Lancaster 410

7. Brian Kelley, Arleta 354

8. James Bruncati, Glendora 350

9. Rod Johnson, Saugus 344

10. A.J. DiMarzo, Saugus 322

Late Model

1. James Weston, Goleta 726

2. Todd Burns, Riverside 622

3. Tony Green, Oak Hills 612

4. Steve Nickolai, Simi Valley 590

5. David Hessing, Canyon Country 580

6. Deryk Ward, Palm Springs 566

7. Richard Hooper, Palmdale 522

8. Guy Goldstein, Cathedral City 504

9. Dan DiGiammarino, Highland 394

10. Nick Conti, Palm Desert 268

Grand American

1. Rip Michels, Mission Hills 432

2. Dean Kuhn, Oceanside 368

3. Robert Rice, Hawthorne 322

4. John Watkinson, Canyon Country 308

5. Tom Topping, Los Angeles 278

6. Steve Luecht, Chula Vista 274

6. Jimmy White, Covina 274

8. Henry Ford Jr., Alta Loma 270

8. Travis Thirkettle, Newhall 270

10. Roger Carufel Jr., Saugus 258

Super Stock

1. Jeff Green, Long Beach 528

2. Mike Price, San Pedro 482

3. Yagel Berkovitz, Burbank 468

4. T.K. Karvasek, North Hills 460

5. Tom Siebuhr, Canyon Country 450

6. Kevin Wood, Saugus 410

7. Greg Benner, Whittier 344

8. Henry Miles, Palmdale 320

9. Doug McComb, Thousand Oaks 308

10. Dean Cato, Fullerton 306

Mini Stocks

1. Bob Reed, Riverside 318

2. Terry Limberopoulos, Bellflower 284

3. Lee Ladd, Thousand Oaks 270

4. Rod Bornhop, Orange 166

5. Randy Colling, Santa Ana 164

6. Gil Gillis, Simi Valley 150

6. Fred Adams, Covina 150

8. Greg Tucker, Ojai 144

9. Danny Rowe, Lake Elizabeth 126

9. Pat Ackley, Huntington Beach 126

Schedule

Saturday--NASCAR Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Grand American Modifieds, T.Q. Midgets, American Race Trucks.

Sept. 2--NASCAR Super Late Models Twin 50s, Super Stocks, Speed Trucks, Mini Stocks; 9--NASCAR Super Late Models, Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Legends Cars; 16--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, Mini Stock cars, Figure 8, American Race Trucks; 23--USAC Midgets, Sprint Cars, CAM 360, T.Q. Midgets; 30--NASCAR Super Late Models 100, Grand American Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Legends Cars.

Oct. 7--NASCAR Southwest Series, Super Stocks, Legends Cars; 14--USAC Silver Crown Cars, Sprint Cars, Grand American Modifieds; 21--NASCAR Late Models 75, ARCA Trucks, Super Stocks 50, T.Q. Midgets, Mini Stocks 25, Supermodified; 28--NASCAR Super Late Models 100, USF3 VW FORMULA 3, Speed Trucks, Legends Cars.

Nov. 3--American Race Truck practice, qualifying; 4--American Race Trucks National Finals, Speed Trucks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, Mini Stock cars, Legends Cars; 11--NASCAR Home Depot Winston West 300 season finale, Spec Trucks 100; 18--Speed Trucks 100, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, T.Q. Midgets, Legends Cars; 23--60th Annual Home Depot Turkey Night Grand Prix for USAC Midgets, and T.Q. Midgets.

Perris Auto Speedway

Through Aug. 20

SCRA Sprint Cars

1. Richard Griffin, Silver City, N.M. 1473

2. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda 1263

3. Ricky Gaunt, Torrance 1150

4. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix 1100

5. Tony Jones, Corona 1032

6. Cory Kruseman, Ventura 1012

7. Steve Ostling, Corona 985

8. Mike Kirby, Lomita 975

9. Mike English, Norwalk 971

10. Troy Rutherford, Ojai 940

PASSCAR Street Stocks

1. Luke Dodd, Riverside 252

2. Henry Wesolowski Sr., Temecula 226

3. Ron Warkington, Riverside 198

4. Tim Shadduck, Hemet 182

5. Rick Arringdale, Victorville 175

6. Steve Stewart, Long Beach 161

7. Rusty Stewart, Lakewood 160

8. Ken Searcy, Nuevo 159

9. Eddie Lagor, Nuevo 156

9. Jeff Dunham, Murrieta 156

Champ Trucks

1. Todd Cunningham, Corona 309

2. Dino Napier, Corona 308

2. David Schuyler, Lompoc 298

4. Jack Dodd, Riverside 289

5. James Gonzalez, Canyon Lake 241

6. Cap Pidgeon, Signal Hill 259

6. Gary Cecil, Corona 233

8. Art Peterson, Cathedral City 233

9. David Jackson, Victorville 232

10. Mark Anderson, Sky Valley 221

Schedule

Saturday--Figure 8, Trains, Cruisers.

Sept. 2--Stocks, Trucks, Cruisers; 3--SCRA Sprints; 9--SCRA Sprints; 16--Stocks, Trucks, Dwarfs; 23--SCRA Sprints; 30--SCRA Sprints, Lightning Sprints.

Oct. 7--Stocks, Lightning Sprints; 14--Stocks (Fair); 27--SCRA Sprints, USAC Midgets; 28--SCRA Sprints, USAC Midgets.

Nov. 4--Triple Crown Championship, Stocks, Trucks, Lightning Sprints; 10--Oval Nationals, SCRA Sprints; 11--Oval Nationals, SCRA Sprints; 18--SCRA Kindoll Classic, Sprints, 50 laps.