Indiana Open Wheel - Rumors From the Indy Circle Track Expo

As always, rumors were abound at the Circle Track Expo this last Saturday. Who’s doing what? Who’s driving for whom? Who’s in? Who’s out?

As always, PDP Racing (Jim Payne, Chad Delagrange, Tom Paterson), being a major player in sprint car racing, was on everyone’s lips. So I thought I would take this time to address some of these rumors and set the record straight.

Rumor #1:
Jim is leaving the team to become Justin Bieber’s stunt double.

Answer:
While Jim does resemble a slightly older Justin Bieber (I think “the Bieb” might be slightly taller) , his tolerance for even my childish behavior is extremely low, so I just can’t see him putting up with the stunts Bieber pulls. Jim is definitely a better driver though.

Rumor # 2:

The PDP Racing headquarters in Argos, IN will be demolished for the new I-84 bypass.

Answer:

I’m sure Johnny will have much more info on this, but believe me, I get a call from the state, wanting my property, and it will be sold! I’ve got my eyes on a nice quiet piece of ground outside of town. Enough room for Clarence the Wonder Dog to run and far enough outside of town for those late night engine tests!

Rumor #3

PDP Racing has developed a WABAC Machine.

Answer:

While I’ve been told, in my younger years, I looked a bit like Sherman, we are missing a Mr. Peabody (If you don’t get this cartoon reference, you are too young to be reading this, so go back to your binky!) so we just haven’t been able to make this happen.
It would probably get Chad more involved because all I hear from him is how much better the racing was forty or fifty years ago. And how we are a bunch of wimps compared to the guys back them. While this might be true; I just get tired of hearing it.
I would consider his opinion more if only he was around fifty years ago. He was barely around forty years ago! Of course the point wouldn’t matter, because if the racing was like it was forty years ago, none of the three of us would be alive because we would have had our heads tore off years ago due to the absence of a roll cage!

Rumor #4:

In the never ending pursuit to save weight, Jim and I will no longer be the primary drivers. Sara (my traveling companion and body guard) will now be driving.

Answer:

While Sara would indeed be an ideal weight savings device, since she probably weighs 50 pounds less than Jim and close to 100 less than me, we would have to have a mandatory red flag at lap 15 so she could smoke.
It will be better if I fire up the mill and the lathe and keep shaving a few parts. Or maybe I should just lay off the cheeseburgers and large fries!

Rumor #5:

PDP Racing will be making an attempt at the Little 500 with a dual Paxton Supercharged Hudson Hornet motor.

Answer:

This may be the most valid of all the rumors. While I’m not confirming the rumor, and there’s no rule against it according to the Anderson Speedway web site, if you were to walk into the PDP Racing skunk works in Waterloo, IN, you MIGHT see a Hudson motor or two and you MIGHT find a Paxton Supercharger. But with the passing of Andy Granatelli, our source of NOS Paxton Superchargers would be severely compromised.

Besides, as bad as our Little 500 attempt went last year, could a Hudson be that much worse?

Note: If you don’t know what a Paxton Supercharger is or who Andy Granatelli was…………..Back to the binky!!!

The absolute truth in all of this is that Jim, Chad and I will be racing again this summer. With our Dynamite chassis pavement car, we will be primarily running the HOSS series as well as selected other events. Our Maxim dirt car will see appearances at selected MTS races as well as a few BOSS races.
While I can’t guarantee results, I can guarantee that we will have fun and at the end of the year, no matter what, we will still be friends.

Tom Paterson
PDP Racing

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