Former Formula 1 and NASCAR driver Scott Speed believes he will race in the IZOD IndyCar Series season finale at Las Vegas. He wants a shot at the $5 million that a “non-IndyCar” driver would receive should he/she win on October 16 against all the regulars.
INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard said earlier this year that five drivers would be picked to race against the Series drivers, and Speed said he has received assurance he is one of them.
This is another good step for this talented driver. Yes, in Formula 1, Speed didn’t produce the best results, but ANY F1 driver is one of the best drivers in the world. It’s so political over there that many drivers aren’t even given the opportunity to succeed.
The race in Sin City won’t be the only race Speed will race this year. On Friday, Speed was employed by de Ferran Dragon Racing for the Indy 500. Should he qualify for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, he will become the third driver in IMS history to race in the track’s three big races: Indy 500, Brickyard 400 and F1 U.S. Grand Prix. The other two drivers are Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Pablo Montoya, and guess what each of them has…an Indy 500 victory.
So, can Speed get that win this year? I doubt it, considering Indy will be his FIRST EVER IndyCar race. But, Speed showing interest in this league leads me to believe he will be a full-time driver in the series one day. And when that day comes, he can immediately become a winner on every road/street course with his background. (Will Power may have a challenger then.)
Speed also can bring over fans from around the world that he got when he was racing in F1. But, the best thing about Speed without a doubt is his last name. I can promise you there will be stories done on it all month long. He just needs to find that “speed” though to have a shot this month and in October at Vegas.