Conquest confirm IRL entry
Former Champ Car team Conquest Racing have confirmed that they will switch to the Indy Racing League this season with lead driver Franck Perera
The team had been competing in Champ Car since 2003 and also raced in the IRL in 2001 and 2002. They have registered two entries and hope to announce a second driver before next month's test at Sebring.
Conquest are the first Champ Car team to confirm their switch to the IRL after two series announced their unification on Friday.
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, PKV, Forsythe Pettit, and Pacific Coast Motorsport are expected to run two cars each, with likely single car entries from Walker Racing and Minardi Team USA.
Perera finished runner-up in Champ Car Atlantic last season and had been expecting to graduate to Champ Cars with Conquest this year. He topped the only Champ Car test to take place, earlier this month at Sebring, but is delighted to be racing in the unified series this year.
"I'm excited that we were able to work out a deal for me to continue with Conquest into the new merged series. American open-wheel racing will be so much stronger and more exciting with all the teams back together.
"It won't be easy for everyone to learn the new car and new tracks, but after our great test in Sebring last month I think we have the potential to show some strong results very quickly in the Dallara."
Conquest team owner Eric Bachelart added: "Finally we have come together as one. It's been a long time coming but now we can all move in the same direction under one roof.
"The work is only just starting but the solidarity in open-wheel racing will make it much easier to take the sport where it needs to be. We're happy to be competing under the IRL banner and we're looking forward to the new challenge that this unification brings us."
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