Kanaan, Marco Ready to Feast on Foes
Written by Allan Brewer · March 4, 2007
2007 IndyCar Season Can’t Start Soon Enough for Hungry AGR Contenders
by Allan Brewer
allan@fastmachines.com
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Tony Kanaan. Photo: Allan Brewer
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Andretti Green Racing looks to return to the top of the charts with a new driver lineup and after a long winter’s testing-log full of hours on the dyno and the shaker-rig.
Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti join AGR regular Dario Franchitti and newcomer Danica Patrick on one of the most talented, and hungry, teams in racing anywhere.
With renewed purpose and confidence, they could prove a potent third column in the Indy Racing League’s upcoming season.
Tony Kanaan will once again pilot the white and green bodied, orange-striped Seven/Eleven machine.
The 2004 IRL champion put in a disappointing result in 2006, at least by his lofty standards.
Fourteen starts with nine top 10 finishes would be great for just about every other contender, but it’s not good enough to challenge the red cars and the bright orange and white cars on the track.
Victory at Milwaukee gave the Brazilian some solace, and it bears repeating that only he and teammate Marco Andretti were successful in pulling a win out over the four driver juggernaut from Ganassi Racing and Penske last year.
No poles on the year bespeak the dismal lack of outright speed the team contended with in 2006. They spent the winter intensely studying where they needed aerodynamic improvement and the early-season testing results have been encouraging.
“We spent a lot of time in the off-season working very hard to close the gap, and I think the lap times at the tests have shown that,” Kanaan said. “But, we’ve still got some work to do on the Team 7-Eleven car before the Homestead race (March 24th, the season-opener). We’re getting closer to the red-and-white cars, and hopefully you’ll see us win more races this season.”
Despite the travails, Kanaan earned nearly one a half million dollars for the year; not enough to pay all the bills for a sole IndyCar machine’s season, but enough to cover the fixed expenses and bid to fight again another day.
He can look forward to the same familiar faces trackside as last year with chief mechanic Jeff Simon and engineer Eric Cowdin teaming with manager George Klotz to call the races.
Thirty-two year old Kanaan lives in Miami and is an acknowledged fitness fanatic, running triathlons for downtime laughs and relaxation. His training may well be the most comprehensive and broad-based, including weights and strength work as well as cardio, of any race driver anywhere.
Meanwhile, Marco Andretti looks to build on his big-time racing experience and point towards a title in his sophomore season.
Andretti lives in Indianapolis near the team’s specialized manufacturing and testing facility on the city’s northwest side. Though his family home is in Nazareth, Pennsylvania near the rest of the Andretti clan, he travels constantly
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Could you send me the entry list for the 2007 Indy 500 race…..I would really appreciate it and thanks….Allen
Can’t wait to see how “America’s Sweetie” does in a competitive race team. No more excuses, show us the money honey!