New-look Tracy ready to go

By DEAN MCNULTY, TORONTO SUN
January 4, 2007

Toronto's Paul Tracy has announced himself ready to reclaim a Champ Car World Series championship in 2007 after claiming a self-imposed training regimen in the off-season has fixed what had ailed him in 2006.

With a seventh-place finish in the Champ Car Vanderbilt Cup points race, the 2006 season was one of Tracy's most disappointing during his 14 year-career.

It ended on an even worse note when a party-fuelled romp in the Nevada desert resulted in Tracy breaking a shoulder blade forcing him to miss the season finale in Mexico City.

This season Tracy will concentrate all of his efforts at winning the Champ Car crown after attempting a NASCAR Busch Series part-time schedule in 2006.

"(Last season) was exciting on a couple levels, with my NASCAR debut and also with my five-year extension with Forsythe," Tracy said in a news release. "Unfortunately, there was not a lot of success in either venture last season and it made me very frustrated, which is what led to my decision in October to focus on Champ Car (in 2007)."

Tracy said that a key to his championship in 2003 was a high level of physical fitness and he wants to replicate that this season.

"I've spent every moment of my off-season training and getting my body ready to go win a championship this year," he said. "I've been bicycling and weight training and getting my weight down and I feel as though I'm more focused now than I've ever been."

Tracy will make a lone exception to his all Champ Car schedule with a one-off race in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona later this month.