Hideki Mutoh to Replace Dario Franchitti at Andretti
ideki Mutoh, the Indy Pro Series rookie of the year, will take Dario Franchitti's spot with Andretti Green Racing in 2008.
Franchitti, this year's Indianapolis 500 winner and the IndyCar Series champion, will drive in the Nextel Cup American stock car series with Chip Ganassi Racing next season. He made his debut in the second-tier Busch Series last week with a 32nd-place finish at Memphis.
The 25-year-old Mutoh had 13 top-10 finishes in 15 starts last season in the Indy Pro Series, the IRL's developmental program. The native of Tokyo had two wins and was the series runner-up. He also made one start in the IndyCar Series, finishing eighth in the season finale at Chicago.
``We've been impressed with Hideki since the first open test of 2007 when I got a look at him in an Indy Pro Series car for the first time,'' AGR co-owner Michael Andretti said. ``He is going to have three great teammates to lean on and that should really help his learning curve as a rookie.''
His teammates at AGR are Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti, Michael's son and the 2006 IndyCar rookie of the year.
Co-owner Kim Green said Mutoh would immediately begin a training program with the team.
``He'll be spending a lot of time at the (Indianapolis) race shop, which is great for him from a communication standpoint,'' Green said. ``We'll then be trying to get into an in-depth rookie test schedule before the season.''
The 2008 IndyCar season opener is March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Thu November 1, 2007 16:22 EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)
Hideki Mutoh had 13 top-10 finishes in 15 starts as Indy Pro Series Rookie of the Year.
ideki Mutoh, the Indy Pro Series rookie of the year, will take Dario Franchitti's spot with Andretti Green Racing in 2008.
