Paul Tracy Truckin' to Vegas

By: John Schwarb, ESPN.com
July 1, 2008

Last year, the truck series' stop in Las Vegas was notable for the debut of former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve. There's an even more intriguing open-wheel star debuting on the 1.5-mile oval this year.

After an impressive test in a Germain Racing Toyota last month at Chicagoland, Paul Tracy received a one-off deal to drive the No. 03 Tundra at his hometown race in Vegas.

"I think they were surprised at how quick I went right away. It only took me five laps to get pretty close to the same time Todd [Bodine] had done," Tracy said. "They said, 'You did a great job, we'll call you about doing more stuff.'"

That call came last week, giving the 39-year-old former Champ Car World Series champion and one-time Nationwide Series driver in 2006 an opportunity. He has not raced anywhere in the States, surprisingly not having caught earlier this year in the newly unified IndyCar Series.

The phone could ring again at some point with bigger news. With Bodine expected to move up to a full-time Nationwide Series ride next year, Germain could have a truck opening. If Tracy does well at Vegas, the speculation that the Canadian could be the new man in the No. 30 will pick up steam.

"I haven't really looked too much far forward -- I want to concentrate on that one race and make sure that goes the best it can," said Tracy, who last drove at the Las Vegas oval in a 2005 Champ Car race. "Obviously I want to do well; if that leads to something else, that would be great."

In the meantime, Tracy has become a big truck series fan from his living room.

"I watch the truck races more than I do the Nationwide races -- there's more action," he said. "The passing's better, the trucks run a little bit closer. To me it seems to be the Cup and Nationwide cars spread out from each other while the trucks mix it up pretty good. They entertain me to watch more than the other series."