multi21

Without a confirmed ride for '10, Trulli is looking for options ala Montoya and Scott Speed...


Trulli and Salo to test NASCAR
07 October 2009


As Nelson Piquet Jr. prepares for a NASCAR Truck Series test, Toyota's Jarno Trulli has also been revealed as a name for a trial in America. The Italian will be testing a car for the Michael Waltrip Racing team in Lakeland, joined by former fellow F1 competitor Mika Salo.



With Salo having left Formula One after being dropped by Toyota at the end of 2002 and Trulli out of contract in two races' time, the MWR outfit has been reported by Fox News as preparing to test the duo at the International Speedway in Florida just one week before this season's NASCAR climax in Miami.




Salo drove 8 seasons of F1 between 1994 and 2002
"We're serious about the test, we're not going to jack around," Cal Wells, Executive Vice President of the team, commented of Salo in particular. "It's a real deal. But I'm not sure what it's going to turn into - it depends on what is real and it depends on what we can afford to do; we don't have a sponsor here saying 'Let's go get a Finnish driver' but I think, after a proper evaluation, if he can go to Finnish companies - which would support him in the US - then that would be wonderful."

"As you well know, this is not an easy sport," added Steve Hallam, a former McLaren engineer who now works as Director of Competition for MWR. "From time to time an opportunity arises for both them and us to take a look at them; it's very premature to get carried away with this because it takes a long time for both parties to know where they are in terms of performance."

BrianKeithSmith

Additional Summary from Jayski.com:

F1 driver to test for Waltrip? UPDATE 2 drivers testing: Former F1 driver, Miko Salo, supposedly will test for Michael Waltrip Racing in one of the team's Toyota Camry Sprint Cup cars at an undisclosed venue at some point in November. The 42-year-old former grand prix driver has been racing in sportscars since the end of his Formula 1 career in 2002 and won the GT2 class of the American Le Mans Series in 2007. He has had a seat fitting with Michael Waltrip Racing. "It will be great to get to test a NASCAR at last," Salo told this week's AUTOSPORT magazine. "After two years of trying, I finally met the person who could make it happen. Racing sportscars in the US has definitely helped. My hope next year is that I can do some races in Nationwide, maybe even a full season - but I understand that I may have to raise some money to make it happen."(Autosport)(10-2-2009)
UPDATE: Michael Waltrip Racing will test Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo at International Speedway in Lakeland, Fl., the week prior to the NASCAR season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway. Trulli, 35, currently drives for Toyota in Formula One. He finished second last week in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka and is currently eighth in the World Championship. Trulli's sole F1 win came at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix in 2004 while driving for Renault. After Trulli completes the F1 season on November 1 at Abu Dhabi, he will be fitted for his seat at MWR then join the organization to observe for the final three races. Trulli dropped in at Michigan Speedway last June to watch the Sprint Cup race. With the current uncertainty surrounding Toyota's future in F1, it appears that Trulli is considering stock cars as a viable option. Salo, 42, competed in F1 from 1994 to 2002 and posted two podium finishes. In 2007, Salo won the GT2 class of the American Le Mans Series. He currently competes for a team that MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman has an interest in Europe.(FoxSports)(10-7-2009)

ltc

IIRC, MWR races Toyotas, so I can see where it started...

ew928

Those road course Nascar races are going to look more funner.

At least they drive at Watkins Glen.

ltc

Minus the boot...

skl

Juan can have some company... but I guess he doesn't do trucks... I can't imagine Trulli coming over to the states... little hard to keep up with his wine business!

Larry Herman

Does this mean that F1 is becoming the feeder series for Nascar?

lipamax

Yeahh,

If you're good enough, you may will get a ride in the NASCRAP or CRASHMAN TRUCK series (of course if you're lucky)...

ew928

Well, they'll have to relearn side-by-side going through corners and that thing called passing.

Chris M.

Say it isn't so! Unfortunately you may be right. It looks like Patrick Long will be headed that direction as well at some point.

DWalker

Actually what thismeans is that NASCAR cannot continue to attract large corporate sponsors in this country and NEEDS CASH. The typical NASCAR budget is nothing compared to F1, so NASCAR teams are hoping that if they can attract drivers who have a history of bringing in good sponsor cash then the team will survive.