Bobby Grewohl’s dream of racing professionally is within grasp,
but it is still a long ways away.
Hollister – Bobby Grewohl’s dream of racing professionally is within grasp, but it is still a long ways away.
If he can get the sponsors needed, the 18-year-old could be racing in the Infinity Pro Series that runs alongside the Indy Racing League, competing in all the races except in Japan. He plans to finish his senior year at San Benito High School in December and hopes to start racing shortly after.
“I am not there yet, but it is so close I can taste it,” Grewohl said. “It’s a lifelong dream, and it’s starting to come true.”
Earlier this summer, Grewohl received his IRL license. Now he is just waiting to hear about being sponsored.
“We can all say that clearly Bobby has the talent to be successful in any form of motorsports, however, with a ultimate goal of competing in the Indy 500,” said Sam Schmidt of Sam Schmidt Motorsports in a written press release. “All parties involved are aggressively seeking funding to allow Bobby the opportunity in 2005.”
Grewohl has competed in just one race with his Formula 4 Ford FF2000 Zetec. At the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, he set a track qualifying record and race lap record. He has also has raced in four races with in his Midget car this year. However, he races in just the asphalt circuit, not on the asphalt and dirt tracks.
“We’re not really going for overall standings right now,” Grewohl said. “I am just looking for some oval experience for when I start racing the Indy car.”
Grewohl started racing go-karts when he was 8 years old. Last year, he won the 2003 Formula 4 Western States championship and was the only rookie to go 7-for-7 in his races.
Grewohl said he considered starting out in the Toyota Atlantic Series the way his friend A.J. Allmendinger did. Allmendinger is currently eighth in the CART standings in his rookie year.
Grewohl and his dad, John, started talking with Mike Hull, the team manager for Target Racing, to find out what their options were.
Hull told them a good way to go was with the Infinity Pro Series because there would be a good chance of racing in the IRL. He put them in contact with Sam Schmidt. The Grewohl set up a date to meet in Phoenix and later set up a time to be tested.
“They were thinking about a two-year contract,” Grewohl said. “So hopefully I will be racing in Indianapolis 500 in three years.”
In the middle of June, Grewohl had a tryout with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in Indianapolis. After the car was loaded, they drove to the Kentucky Speedway for the trial.
One of the other racers in the trial who he finished ahead of was the son of Al Unser Jr. Grewohl received his Indy Racing League drivers license after the test that was observed by Indy officials and technical directors.
During his test, he reached a top speed of 193.6 miles per hour – a big jump from the 100-mile per hour average with the Midget cars. He ran his fastest lap in 28 seconds flat.
“He did a great job, very talented,” said team manager Michael Crawford from his Indianapolis office. “He was very conformable and very confident. The kid has a lot of talent. The racing officials were pleased with him. In the last couple years, we have run 30 drivers through, and he is in the top five percent.”
The biggest challenge now is to find a sponsor. Racing could cost between $350,000 to $700,000 a year to race, depending on the size and professionalism of the team, Crawford said.
“There are some drivers who bring money with them, and in some sense they create their own luck,” Crawford said. “In the minor league, racing is not a true pure form of sport. It is a cruel sport. There are few opportunities and many willing drivers. You don’t know that the guy at the back of the pack is not the best out there.”
But for now, Grewohl is concentrating on finishing high school. His dream can wait, but not for long.
The Sam Schmidt Motorsports Web site is www.samschmidtmotorsports.com. Anyone interested in sponsoring Grewohl should call 637-0652.
