Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Cheever insists Scheckter still on his team

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002 | 11:20 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

There certainly is no love lost between Indy Racing League driver Tomas Scheckter and his former team owner and teammate Eddie Cheever.

Scheckter, who had runs-ins both on and off the track with Cheever this season, said he isn't bothered by the prospect of racing against his former boss next year as a driver for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing.

"As long as he doesn't get in the way when I lap him, I don't have a problem with Eddie," Scheckter said Tuesday. "Eddie is the least of my problems on the track -- I've got to concentrate on building a good team around me, I've got to concentrate on developing the G-Force (chassis) and making sure the Toyota (engine) is quick."

Scheckter, who had one victory this season, announced last week that he had signed to drive, along with Scott Dixon, for Ganassi in the IRL in 2003. Cheever came out with a statement that said Scheckter remained under contract to drive for his Red Bull Cheever Racing team next season.

Scheckter said there is no doubt in his mind that he will be driving for Ganassi in 2003.

"I'm a Target/Chip Ganassi driver at the moment, so that's were it stands," Scheckter said. "Eddie can claim what he wants to claim and I've got people sorting that out and dealing with that at the moment."

Mike Hull, managing director for TCGR, dismissed Cheever's assertion and said he felt "very assured that Tomas will be driving for us next year."

"I am pleased that the team again called me to drive," said Papis, who also relieved Fernandez earlier this season at Mid-Ohio. "I have never won the Fontana race but I finished second last year by 0.123 seconds, and I finished second to Adrian in 1999."

Papis, who is in his seventh season in CART, has three Champ Car victories in 105 career starts.

F1 also adopted a rule barring teams from issuing instructions to determine the finishing order of their drivers.

Drivers in nine classes will compete on a temporary 3/4-mile, 18-turn street course designed by former CART driver Memo Gidley. Visit www.skusaonline.com for the complete schedule.