Pagan Racing

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Pagan Racing was a racing team owned by Texas businessmen Jack and Allan Pagan.

Contents

CART Indy 500 entries

The team was founded in 1993 when the team purchased the CART IndyCar equipment of Kenny Bernstein's King Racing. [1] The team fielded a car for Jeff Andretti for the 1993 Indianapolis 500 who finished 29th after a crash. The following year they signed veteran Roberto Guerrero to drive their car. Guerrero started 20th but was knocked out by a crash after only 20 laps. The team upgraded to IlmorMercedes-Benz engines in 1995 and Guerrero brought their car home 12th in the "500".

Full-time IRL entrant

In 1996 the open wheel racing world was rocked by "the split" and Pagan elected to stay with the Indy 500 and race in the Indy Racing League. Jack and his son, Allan, used the family's oil industry connections to obtain Pennzoil sponsorship to race in the 1996 Indianapolis 500 with Guerrero. Guerrero was one of the few veterans in the race and was one of the favorites to win on raceday and while he did not win he registered a respectable 5th-place finish. The team also participated in the other two IRL races of the season and Guerrero finished tied for fourth in the short 1996 championship. The team launched a full-season attack on the championship for the 1996–1997 season and the team selected the Infiniti engine to power their cars when the new cars came at the beginning of 1997. However, the Infiniti motors produced significantly less power than the Oldsmobile engines and the team switched engine manufacturers mid-season after poor results and an Indy 500 where Guerrero was unable to maintain a fast pace. By virtue of being one of only a handful of drivers to compete in all the races, Guerrero and the Pagan team finished 7th in the 1996-1997 championship.

Decline

Guerrero returned in 1998. The team's sponsorship from Pennzoil had left for the new Panther Racing founded by former Pagan crew chief John Barnes. Despite a lack of funding Guerrero ran respectably in the first four races of the season. That lack of funds brought Stevie Reeves on board for the fifth race of the season. Reeves finished 10th, but prize money did not allow for the team to continue and it ceased operations for the rest of the season. The team returned in 1999 with Jeff Ward and minor sponsorship beginning with the Indy 500. Ward finished in Pagan Racing's best finish of second place. However, Ward had few other good finishes that season and finished 11th in points. Funding uncertainties returned at season's end and the team was again without sponsorship. It fielded an entry for Richie Hearn in the 2000 Indianapolis 500 where Hearn was knocked out by an electrical problem. The race was the team's last as rising costs finally put an end to the small team from Texas.

Drivers

Racing results

Complete CART Indy Car World Series results

(key)

YearChassisEngineTyresDriversNo.1234567891011121314151617
1993 SFR PHXLBH INDY MILDETPORCLETORMCHNHAROAVANMDONAZLAG
Lola T92/00 Buick 3300 V6 t G Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Andretti 2129
1994 SFR PHXLBH INDY MILDETPORCLETORMCHMDONHAVANROANAZLAG
Lola T92/00 Buick 3300 V6 t G Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero 2133
1995 MIA SFR PHXLBHNAZ INDY MILDETPORROATORCLEMCHMDONHAVANLAG
Reynard 94i Mercedes-Benz IC108D V8 t G Flag of the United States.svg Dennis Vitolo 2118
Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero 1612

Complete Indy Racing League results

(key)

YearChassisEngineTyresDriversNo.1234567891011
1996 WDW PHX INDY
Lola T94/00
Lola T95/00
Ford XB V8 t G Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero 215165*
Reynard 94i Flag of the United States.svg Billy Boat 99DNQ
Lola T92/00 Buick 3300 V6 t 87DNQ
1996–1997 NHA LSV WDW PHX INDY TXS PPIR CLT NHA LSV
Reynard 95i
Reynard 94i
Ford XB V8 t G Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero 2164
Dallara IR7 Infiniti VRH35ADE V8 1772713
Oldsmobile Aurora V8 1817614
1998 WDW PHX INDY TXS NHA DOV CLT PPIR ATL TXS LSV
Dallara IR8 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 G Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero 2126272224
Flag of the United States.svg Stevie Reeves 10
1999 WDWPHXCLT INDY TXSPPIRATLDOVPPIRLSVTXS
Dallara IR9 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 G Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Ward 212C 1 21892613231021
2000 WDWPHXLSV INDY TXSPPIRATLKTYTXS
Dallara IR-00 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 F Flag of the United States.svg Richie Hearn 7527
  1. ^ The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte was cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities.

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References

  1. The Pagan Family, Pagan Racing Press Kit