Sam Schmidt's Alex Lloyd and Chief Mechanic John Roof, Jr Collect Awards
by Allan Brewer
allan@indyproracer
(This story was embargoed until 7 PM EDT in accordance with Indy Racing League policy)
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Alex Lloyd. Photo: RonMcQueeneyIRL |
Sam Schmidt Motorsports won again, taking several top honors for drivers and crew at the annual Indy Racing League Championship ceremony and banquet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday (September 11th).
Foremost among the honorees was 2007 Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd. Lloyd drove the fast, white, No. 7 Lucas Oil Dallara to the Firestone Firehawk Cup for the team, capturing for Sam Schmidt their third drivers' title in the last four seasons.
“It’s really been such a great year for me and for the team,” said twenty-two year old Lloyd.
“I’m just so appreciative of Sam Schmidt and the entire team for the great job they did for me the whole year. They really made my job easy.”
Lloyd's record-setting season of eight race victories and twelve front-row starts (superlatives that only begin the list of Alex's accomplishments in 2007) earned him the Lincoln Electric Award, the Oxley Financial Lap Leader Award, and Gregory & Appel Insurance's "Securing Tomorrow" Award.
Each of the prizes carries a monetary grant of $5,000.
Lloyd also was awarded a Ritmo Mundo wristwatch valued at $25,000. Ritmo Mundo is the official timepiece of the Indy Pro Series, and presented a watch to the winning driver of each race this year.
Finally, Alex sports a brand new Herff Jones diamond champion's ring valued at $4000.
Lloyd's chief mechanic John Roof, Jr collected special recognition, winning the Mo's Gold Chief Mechanic of the Year Award.
SSM took home welding equipment courtesy of Lincoln Electric Company as well.
Panther's Return to Indy Pro Series Highlighted by Rookie of the Year Award
As had been announced previously, Hideki Mutoh of Super Aguri-Panther Racing won $10,000 as Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year.
Mutoh's victories at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Liberty Challenge Race One) and on the oval at Kentucky Speedway were the most of any driver other than Alex Lloyd to participate in the full season of Indy Pro Series racing.
He finished runner-up to Lloyd in the championship points race.
Hideki also earned the distinction of first among a group of gifted young racers from the 2007 season to step into the IndyCar Series. He drove for Panther Racing at the season-ending Chicagoland 300 on Sunday, finishing an impressive eighth.
AFS Racing/Andretti Green's Wade Cunningham was honored as the third-place finisher in the championship race.
Both Panther and AFS took home welding products from Lincoln Electric Company as well.
Jaime Camara of Andretti Green Racing/AFS Racing, Inc., claimed the Sunoco Most Improved Driver and its $10,000 prize for improving the most total positions during the 2007 season.
Indy Pro Series Award Winners
- Championship driver: Alex Lloyd
- Herff Jones Championship Driver Award (ring valued at $4,000): Alex Lloyd
- Ritmo Mundo Championship Driver Award (watch valued at $25,000): Alex Lloyd
- Lincoln Electric Company Championship Driver Award ($5,000): Alex Lloyd
- Championship team: Sam Schmidt Motorsports
- Lincoln Electric Company Championship Team Award (welding product): Sam Schmidt Motorsports
- Mo’s Gold Chief Mechanic of the Year: John Roof Jr.
- Second place championship driver: Hideki Mutoh
- Second place championship team: Super Aguri-Panther Racing
- Lincoln Electric Company Second Place Championship Team Award (welding product): Super Aguri-Panther Racing
- Third place championship driver: Wade Cunningham
- Third place championship team: AFS Racing Inc./Andretti Green Racing
- Lincoln Electric Company Third Place Championship Team Award (welding product): AFS Racing Inc./Andretti Green Racing
- Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year ($10,000): Hideki Mutoh
- The Oxley Financial Group Lap Leader Award ($5,000): Alex Lloyd
- Gregory & Appel "Securing Tomorrow" Award ($5,000): Alex Lloyd
- Sunoco Most Improved Driver ($10,000): Jaime Camara
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