Former FPA Champion Justin Wilson joins DRR IndyCar outfit
Englishman targeting overall championship honours in 2010
Justin Wilson has joined the Dreyer and Reinbold Racing team as
he prepares for an assault on the 2010 Izod IndyCar
Championship.
Wilson, whose career has flourished under the managerial
guidance of MotorSport Vision and Formula Two Chief Executive
Jonathan Palmer, won the inaugural Formula Palmer Audi Championship
in 1998, before further success in Formula 3000, Champ Car and
Formula One.
In the 2009 IndyCar series he famously handed his Dale
Coyne Racing team its first victory in 25 years of competition when
he dominated proceedings at Watkins Glen last year. He took two
further podiums in the year, on his way to finishing ninth in the
overall standings.
The 31-year-old revealed that it had not been an easy decision
to leave Dale Coyne after such an impressive year, but the draw of
joining Dreyer and Reinbold Racing had proved hard to resist.
"I'm excited at the potential of Dreyer and Reinbold Racing and
the way they go about their business," Wilson explained. "I came
about two weeks ago and had a look around the workshop. I was so
impressed with what I saw and what was going on. It just felt like
the right thing for me to do.
"I really like the direction that DRR is headed in. I believe
that we will be very competitive and my aim is to win the
championship - I know it may sound steep, but I feel that we have a
very good chance and I'm ready to win some races.
"It was a pretty tough call to leave Dale and move on with my
career. I have to thank Dale and Gail (Coyne) for everything
they've done. But it all came about so quickly - two weeks ago I
got a call from DRR, and things just snowballed so quick. It was
just a great opportunity."
Wilson will take the number 22 car at Dreyer and Reinbold
Racing, with Z-Line Designs set to continue as the primary sponsor
of his car. He will be joined at the team by fellow Briton Mike
Conway, who recorded three top ten finishes in his maiden IndyCar
season in 2009 - a line up team co-owner Robbie Buhl feels is the
strongest DRR have ever enjoyed.
"I'm excited as I've ever been," he enthused. "I think this is
the best focus we've had in years. We are ready to win some races
and really feel we can do it with Justin and Mike. They are
exceptional drivers and we are thrilled to have them on board with
us."
Justin became the inaugural FPA champion back in 1998, before
going on to win the Formula 3000 International series in 2001. He
raced for both Minardi and Jaguar in Formula One, before moving to
race full-time in America - winning races in both Champ Car and
IRL. He will get behind the wheel of his new DRR car for the first
time when testing commences on February 24/25 at the Barber
Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.