Dick Simon Racing

Dick Simon Racing was a race team owned by racer Dick Simon that competed in the CART Championship Car series from 1983 to 1995 and the Indy Racing League from 1999 to 2001.

CART

File:DickSimon.jpg

Dick Simon's March 84C at Laguna Seca in 1984.

The team was founded in 1983 when Simon decided to bring his sponsorship from Vermont American to a new team of his own creation. He saw an immediate boost in performance as he qualified for the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since 1980 and was noticeably more competitive than he was with the Leader Card team. In 1985 Simon brought in Brazilian Raul Boesel to drive full-time as he scaled back his own racing to a part-time schedule, occasionally joining Boesel in a second car. Simon only competed in four races in 1986 as Boesel drove the team's primary car to 17th in points and was competitive in nearly every race. A number of other drivers made part-time appearances in Simon's other entry as Dick Simon Racing became one of the premier teams for pay drivers. This trend continued in 1988 which would be Simon's final year of racing as Arie Luyendyk replaced Boesel in the team's full-time entry. In 1989 Scott Brayton joined Luyendyk as the team fielded a pair of full-time fully funded entries for the first time. Luyendyk finished 10th in points while Brayton finished 15th. Luyendyk left the team for 1990 and was replaced by Japanese rookie Hiro Matsushita while Brayton again finished 15th. Matsushita took his Panasonic funding elsewhere for 1991, leaving Brayton to drive a single Simon entry to a respectable 12th-place points finish. Brayton, Matsushita, and Boesel returned to the team in 1992 and Boesel finished 9th in the championship while Brayton finished 15th again. The team also fielded a car in the Indy 500 for female rookie Lyn St. James who became the second woman to compete in the race. St. James returned for a partial schedule in 1993 while Brayton and Boesel drove the full-time cars to 15th and 5th-place points finishes respectively, with Boesel capturing 3 runner-up finishes. In 1994 Matsushita again returned to the team as Boesel continued in the other car, this time finishing 7th in points. In 1995 the team signed Dean Hall and Formula One veteran Eliseo Salazar to drive the team's two cars and they were joined in April by rookie Carlos Guerrero. Hall left the team after failing to qualify for the Indy 500 while Salazar and Guerrero managed 21st and 30th-place points finishes respectively.

The team finished its years in CART without winning a race, but captured two poles, both by Boesel at the Milwaukee Mile in 1993 and 1994. The team had six second place finishes, one with Arie Luyendyk in 1988, and the rest with Boesel. As an owner, Simon had a stellar record of his rookie drivers successfully qualifying for the Indy 500. As a tradition, Simon cars frequently made the effort to be "first car(s) on the track" at Indy on the opening day of practice, a popular ceremonial honor.

Indy Racing League

In 1996 Dick Simon sold much of the team's cars and assets to Team Scandia founder Andy Evans and Simon was listed on many of the team's entries in the new Indy Racing League as Simon/Scandia Racing. It was during that year that Scandia set a race record by having 7 of their cars qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Dick Simon returned to the IRL in 1999 with Stephan Gregoire who competed in a full schedule but failed to qualify for the Indy 500 and finished 15th in points. Gregoire returned in 2000 and finished 14th in points and was joined in the Indianapolis 500 by Lyn St. James who began her IndyCar career with Simon 8 years earlier. Both cars made the race and while St. James wrecked early in the race, Gregoire finished 8th. Gregoire was set to return for a full season in 2001, but after the team again failed to qualify for the Indy 500, the team shut down in May of that year. When his own team failed to qualify at the 2001 Indy 500, on race day Simon was hired to be the team strategist for Robby Gordon at A. J. Foyt Enterprises.

NASCAR

At the 1994 Brickyard 400, Dick Simon was the co-owner of Jim Sauter's entry. The car failed to qualify.

Drivers

CART

• Ian Ashley (1986-1987)
• Fulvio Ballabio (1988)
• Raul Boesel (1985-1986, 1992-1994)
• Gary Brabham (1993)
• Scott Brayton (1989-1993)
• Jean-Pierre Frey (1988)
• Philippe Gache (1992)
• Bertrand Gachot (1993)
• Marco Greco (1995)
• Carlos Guerrero (1995)
• Maurício Gugelmin (1993)
• Dean Hall (1995)
• Ludwig Heimrath Jr. (1987)
• Jorge Koechlin (1983)
• Arie Luyendyk (1988-1989, 1995)
• Hideshi Matsuda (1994)
• Hiro Matsushita (1990, 1992, 1994)
• Mike Nish (1984)
• Tero Palmroth (1988-1990)
• Tom Phillips (1986)
• Scott Pruett (1988)
• John Richards (1987)
• Chip Robinson (1986)
• Eliseo Salazar (1995)
• Dick Simon (1983-1988)
• Joe Sposato (1990)
• Lyn St. James (1992-1995)
• Didier Theys (1988)
• Dennis Vitolo (1994)
• Jeff Wood (1987)

IRL

• Michele Alboreto (1996*)
• Racin Gardner (1996*)
• Stephan Gregoire (1999-2001)
• Joe Gosek (1996*)
• Michel Jourdain Jr. (1996*)
• Lyn St. James (1996*, 2000)
• Fermin Velez (1996*)
• Alessandro Zampedri (1996*)

* indicates car was entered as Simon/Scandia Racing

Complete Racing Results

PPG CART Indycar World Series

(key)

Year	Chassis	Engine	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Pts Pos	Pos
1983					ATL	INDY	MIL	CLE	MCH	ROA	POC	RIV	MDO	MCH	CPL	LAG	PHX
	March 83C	Cosworth DFX	Dick Simon	22	DNQ	15	11		14					19	14		23					29th	2
	Eagle 83									13		25	15
			Jorge Koechlin (R)	19												15						41st	0
1984					LBH	PHX	INDY	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	MCH	ROA	POC	MDO	SAN	MCH	PHX	LAG	CPL
	March 84C	Cosworth DFX	Dick Simon	22	19	4	23	13	20	24	DNQ	12	15	12	24	12	15	21	14	DNQ		25th	15
			Mike Nish (R)	23														15		DNQ		40th	0
1985					LBH	INDY	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	MCH	ROA	POC	MDO	SAN	MCH	LAG	PHX	MIA
	March 85C	Cosworth DFX	Raul Boesel (R)	22	20			11	11	12		8		23			20		23			30th	10
				23		18					28
			Dick Simon	22		26	13				25		10		17	19		DNQ				36th	3
				23					17
	March 84C		Mike Nish			DNQ																NC	—
1986					PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	TOR	MCH	POC	MDO	SAN	MCH	ROA	LAG	PHX	MIA
	Lola T8600	Cosworth DFX	Raul Boesel	22	13	19	13	14	8	23	6	7	5	5	7	9	15	8	14	13	19	13th	54
			Dick Simon	23			14				22			23		20						42nd	0
			Chip Robinson (R)							14											7	26th	6
			Ian Ashley									15			9			23				28th	4
1987					LBH	PHX	INDY	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	TOR	MCH	POC	ROA	MDO	NAZ	LAG	MIA
	Lola T8700	Cosworth DFX	Dick Simon	22	20	10	6	20	18	14	23	23	9	21			18					20th	15
			Wally Dallenbach Jr.												12							37th	1
			Ludwig Heimrath													26						34th	5
				23	15	22	30	10	12	17	18	19	25	12
			Fulvio Ballabio (R)																26			48th	0
			Jeff Wood												10	15	DNQ	10				33rd	6
				22															23
			John Richards (R)															13				38th	0
	Lola T8600			27						26	13	14
			Ian Ashley																20			43rd	0
1988					PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL	POR	CLE	TOR	MEA	MCH	POC	MDO	ROA	NAZ	LAG	MIA
	Lola T8800	Cosworth DFX	Arie Luyendyk	7	9	10	10	15	2*	18	20	20	28	26	25	19	9	22	14			14th	31
			Dick Simon	22			9	12					7				20					24th	11
	Lola T8700				19									19
			Scott Pruett (R)			18																38th	0
	Lola T8800		Didier Theys						10	9	18	21			10	23		8	3			15th	29
	Lola T8700		Fulvio Ballabio	23		25									17	18						39th	0
			Tero Palmroth (R)				19		18													42nd	0
			Jean-Pierre Frey (R)															13	19			37th	0
1989					PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	MEA	TOR	MCH	POC	MDO	ROA	NAZ	LAG
	Lola T8900	Cosworth DFS	Arie Luyendyk	7	17	7		6	6	3	9	7	24	6	23	8	4	13	9			10th	75
				9			21
			Scott Brayton	22	15	12		18	DSQ	13	28	10	14	11	14	15	13	10	20			15th	17
		Buick 3300 V6t					6
1990					PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	MEA	TOR	MCH	DEN	VAN	MDO	ROA	NAZ	LAG
	Lola T8900	Cosworth DFS	Hiro Matsushita (R)	10		19	DNQ		19	12		16			15	23	17	18	21	23		31st	1
	Lola T9000		Tero Palmroth											DNS								33rd	1
				23			12
	Lola T8900								28			27
			Johnny Rutherford				DNQ															NC	—
			Joe Sposato (R)																	17		39th	0
	Lola T9000		Scott Brayton	22	13	9	7	20	10	25	22	9	14	16	12	9	8	13	12	24		15th	28
1991					SFR	LBH	PHX	INDY	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	MEA	TOR	MCH	DEN	VAN	MDO	ROA	NAZ	LAG
	Lola T9000	Cosworth DFS	Hiro Matsushita	7	21		14		10	14	14											23rd	6
	Lola T9100					13						14	12	15	19	14	16	14	12	12
		Buick 3300 V6t						16
		Chevrolet 265A																			20
			Scott Brayton	22	6	8	13	17	6	9	15	7	9	6	9	16	10	13	11	19	27	12th	52
	Lola T9000	Cosworth DFS	Tero Palmroth	23				23														48th	0
1992					SFR	PHX	LBH	INDY	DET	POR	MIL	NHA	TOR	MCH	CLE	ROA	VAN	MDO	NAZ	LAG
	Lola T9200	Chevrolet 265A	Hiro Matsushita	11	DNQ	16	10	DNQ							24	14	13	18	14	15		27th	3
			Raul Boesel					7	2	9	10	18		3								9th	80
				23									22		6	8	11	7	6	6
			Scott Brayton	22	20	9	17		12	22	3	17	17	10	21	12	8	10	8	10		15th	39
		Buick 3300 V6t						22
	Lola T9100	Chevrolet 265A	Philippe Gache (R)	44				28														60th	0
			Lyn St. James (R)	90				11														33rd	1
1993					SFR	PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	TOR	MCH	NHA	ROA	VAN	MDO	NAZ	LAG
	Lola T9306	Ford XB	Raul Boesel	9	8	2	12	4	2*	2	7	7	7	4	21	4	9	4	9	11		5th	132
	Lola T9200		Scott Brayton	22	16	25				14												15th	36
	Lola T9306						24	6	6		17	18	19	11	6	7	24	9	15	24
	Lola T9200		Didier Theys	23																15		42nd	0
		Buick 3300 V6t	Stéphan Grégoire (R)	36				19														46th	0
		Chevrolet 265A	John Brooks	44																DNQ		NC	—
			Gary Brabham (R)	90	14																	40th	0
		Ford XB	Lyn St. James			13	17															36th	0
	Lola T9306							25		DNQ	20	23		22
			Bertrand Gachot (R)										12									34th	1
			Eddie Cheever													6						17th	21
			Maurício Gugelmin (R)															21		13		37th	0
				18															24
1994					SFR	PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	TOR	MCH	MDO	NHA	VAN	ROA	NAZ	LAG
	Lola T9400	Ford XB	Raul Boesel	5	27	8	4	21	8	28	23	6	12	9*	8	4	23	6	4	2		7th	90
			Hiro Matsushita	22	15	27	DNQ	14	23	DNQ	21	15	18	6	18	17	DNQ	14	16	23		26th	8
			Lyn St. James	90				19														48th	0
	Lola T9306		Dennis Vitolo	79				26														53rd	0
			Tero Palmroth					DNQ														NC	—
			Hideshi Matsuda (R)	99				24														52nd	0
1995					MIA	SFR	PHX	LBH	NAZ	INDY	MIL	DET	POR	ROA	TOR	CLE	MCH	MDO	NHA	VAN	LAG
	Lola T9400	Ford XB	Eliseo Salazar (R)	7				24														21st	19
	Lola T9500				17	10	15		12	4	16	20	15	18	21	10	18	13	13	13	DNQ
			Arie Luyendyk	22			25															26th	6
			Carlos Guerrero					11		33	15		24		24	17	26	18	16	15	18	30th	2
	Lola T9400								14			21		19
	Lola T9500		Davy Jones	77						23												43rd	0
			Lyn St. James	90						32							17					39th	0
	Lola T9400										20
			Tero Palmroth							DNQ												NC	—
	Lola T9500		Dean Hall	99	12	12	17	17	16	DNQ												31st	2
1996					MIA	RIO	SFR	LBH	NAZ	500	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	TOR	MCH	MDO	ROA	VAN	LAG
	Lola T9600	Ford XB	Marco Greco	7	25	12																23nd	1
			Eliseo Salazar								21		18			11	15					30th	2
			Carlos Guerrero	22	20	20	14															33rd	0
			Michel Jourdain Jr. (R)					23			23	DNS	22						16	26		37th	0

Indy Racing League results

(key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Chassis	Engine	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
19961					WDW	PHX	INDY
	Lola T95 Lola T94 Lola T93 Reynard 95I	Ford Cosworth	Eliseo Salazar	7	Wth		6
			Fermín Vélez			19
				34			21
			Alessandro Zampedri	8			4
			Michel Jourdain Jr.	22		20	13
			Michele Alboreto	33	4	8	30
			Joe Gosek	43			22
			Lyn St. James	90	8	21
			Racin Gardner				25
1999					WDW	PHX	CLT	INDY	TXS	PPIR	ATL	DOV	PPIR	LSV	TXS
	G-Force GF01C	Oldsmobile Aurora V8	Stéphan Grégoire	7	16	10	C2	DNQ	4	11	24	14	14	8	15
2000					WDW	PHX	LSV	INDY	TXS	PPIR	ATL	KTY	TXS
	G-Force GF05	Oldsmobile Aurora V8	Stéphan Grégoire	7	18	8	28	8	11	8	7	5	20
			Lyn St. James	90				32
2001					PHX	HMS	ATL	INDY	TXS	PPIR	RIR	KAN	NSH	KTY	GAT	CHI	TXS
	Dallara IR-01	Oldsmobile Aurora V8	Stéphan Grégoire	7	21	22	15	DNQ
			Roberto Guerrero					DNQ
				17				DNQ

1. ^ Run in conjunction with Team Scandia.
2. ^ The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte was cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities.