As everybody remembers Team Scandia, Righto?
Its funny how one mellows over time, eh? And
that ten years after my initial No Fenders story, I’ve gleamed more insight
into what should have been a race team of interest to Mwah Wayback’ when.
1996
For 1996, initially Andy Evans formed a
partnership with Dick Simon, where each party would field one entry apiece in
that year’s Indy Racing League.
Yet this partnership was dissolved in January
when Evans took sole ownership of the team. Having bought the remaining shares
from Simon on January 5th, albeit Dick Simon remained as team manager.
For the inaugural IRL race at Walt Disney World
Speedway the team ran under the banner Scandia/Simon Racing. Before being known
as Team scandia thereafter, until its demise in 1998.
The Irl’s inaugural season consisted of three
oval events, i.e.; Walt Disney World Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway
and the Indianapolis Motor speedway.
Scandia/Simon Racing arrived at Walt Disney
Speedway with three entries, i.e.; Eliseo Salazar, Michele Alboreto and Lyn St.
James, but Salazar failed to qualify…
IRL Entries
(Indy 500 = Round 3)
#7. Eliseo Salazar, Chile: Rounds 1, 3
#7. R-Fermin Velez, Spain: Round 2
#8. Alessandro Zampedri, Italy: Round 3
#22. R-Michel Jourdain Jr, Mexico: Rounds 2-3
#33. R-Michele Alboreto, Italy: Rounds 1-3
#34. R-Fermin Velez, Spain: Round 3
#43. R-Joe Gosek, USA: Round 3
#90. Lyn St. James, USA: rounds 1-2
#90. R-Racin Gardner, USA: round 3
1996-97
The 1996-97 Indy Racing League season was a
hybrid calendar, with two Fall events, before a further eight events the
following year.
The season began on August 18, 1996 at New
Hampshire International Speedway.
(Loudon) followed by Round 2 at Las Vegas Motor speedway on September 15th.
Then recommenced at Walt Disney in January, 1997 for Round 3 of 10. Followed by
Phoenix, Indianapolis, Texas Motor speedway, Pikes Peak, Charlotte, Loudon and
Las Vegas, concluding on October 11th, 1997.
Team Scandia ran only five cars at that May’s
Indianapolis 500.
IRL Entries
(Indy 500 = Round 5 of 10)
#7. Eliseo Salazar, Chile: Rounds 1-2, 5-10
#8. Stephan Gregoire, France: Rounds 2, 8
#8. R-Vincenzo Sospiri, Italy: rounds 5-6
#22. Stephan Gregoire, France: Round 1
#22. Michel Jourdain Jr, Mexico: Round 2
#22. R-Marco Greco, Brazil: Rounds 3-6
#22. R-Vincenzo Sospiri, Italy: rounds 7-10
#33. R-Michele Alboreto, Italy: Rounds 1-2
#33. R-Fermin Velez, Spain: Rounds 3-6
#33. R-Jimmy Kite, USA: Rounds 7-10
#34. R-Affonso Giaffone, Brazil: round 2
#34. Alessandro Zampedri, Italy: rounds 5-6
Note: Drivers retained their Rookie (R)
designation the entire year of 1996. Hence being rookies in the hybrid 1996-97
IRL season.
1998
The 1998 IRL season began the same as the
previous year’s, i.e.; beginning at Walt Disney Speedway in Orlando, Florida.
Followed by Phoenix, Indianapolis and Texas Motor Speedway, before Team Scandia
curtailed further racing that year.
As the team had slimmed down to a paltry,
pedestrian two car entry for Indianapolis. Before Jimmy Kite closed out the
year at TMS.
IRL Entries
(Indy 500 = Round 3 of 11)
#7. Jimmy Kite, USA: Rounds 1-4
#33. Billy Roe, USA: round 3
1999
The All knowing Intrawoods’, that wonderous Al
gore invention, Hya! For reasons unknown, lists Jim Guthrie as Team Scandia’s
lone IRL driver for 1999.
Yet as far as I can tell, Andy Evans must have
become disillusioned with Open Wheel Racing, or racing in general? Or simply
sniffed an opportunity to cut His losses and cash-out?
Either way, for all intensive purposes, Team
Scandia didn’t exist after the 1998 season. Even if Guthrie is listed as the
team’s representative.
Especially since Guthrie only made one race
attempt that year, driving for the unheard of Poulson Racing at Mother
Speedway. Yet Guthrie failed to qualify for that year’s Indianapolis 500 and
Team Scandia’s murky conclusion is unknown…
Sports Cars
Both Michele Alboreto and Fermin Velez raced
Team Scandia’s iconic scarlet Ferrari 333 SP Sports Cars.
As don’t know how many times Alboreto drove the
333 SP, other than both the 1996 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.
Ditto for Velez, who primarily raced
Prototypes. Including wins in both the 1995 and 1997 12 Hours of Sebring
driving for Team Scandia.
Velez was part of Andy Evans Scandia
Engineering’s two car assault at Le Mans for 1996, with His brace of Ferrari
333 SP’s competing in the IMSA-WSC class.
Andy Evans co-drove with Velez and Yvan Muller,
albeit a short lived affair.
Being my favourite memory of Evans driving
prowess, when trying to out-brake triple F1 World champion Nelson Piquet!
