PDM Racing was a racing team in the IndyCar Series and USAC Silver Crown series owned by Paul Diatlovich. Almost always a low budget team and affectionately dubbed "Poor Dumb Mechanics" by Diatlovich, it was known to make the most out of mediocre equipment. The team was founded in 1996 with the inception of the Indy Racing League and ran full seasons until 2002 when rising costs forced the team to scale back to a part-time venture. The team is most known for bringing three-time champion Sam Hornish Jr. into the league in 2000. Hornish earned the team's best finish that season, a 3rd at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The team fielded a USAC Silver Crown team with its car driven by Thiago Medeiros whom they also fielded a car for in the 2006 Indianapolis 500. The team entered the 2007 Indianapolis 500 with driver Jimmy Kite returning to the team, but they were unable to come within of the speed necessary to make the field and failed to qualify. During the 2008 season the team partnered with American Spirit Racing to field Cyndie Allemann in the Firestone Indy Lights Series providing technical support and a base of operations. PDM Racing entered the Indy 500 but did not make an appearance. PDM Racing continued working with ASR to field the Indy Lights car2009 ASR Indy Lights Driver Program, American Spirit Racing driven by Junior Strous until the Freedom 100 when the program folded.2009 IndyCar Program, American Spirit Racing The team has returned to Indy Lights in 2010 under its own banner with driver Rodrigo Barbosa.
Drivers that have driven for PDM IRL IndyCar Series Billy Boat (1997) Mike Borkowski (1999) Tyce Carlson (1997–1998, 2002) Ed Carpenter (2003) John de Vries (2002) Jack Hewitt (1998) Sam Hornish Jr. (2000) Jimmy Kite (2003) Steve Knapp (1998–1999) Cory Kruseman (2002) Scott Mayer (2003) Robby McGehee (2004) Thiago Medeiros (2006) John Paul Jr. (1996–1998) Jeret Schroeder (2001–2002)
Indy Lights Cyndie Allemann (2008) Rodrigo Barbosa (2010) Junior Strous (2009)
Complete IRL IndyCar Series results (key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 1996 WDW PHX INDYLola T93/00Menard V6t John Paul Jr.18 9 14 31 1996–97 NHA LSV WDW PHX INDY TXS PPIR CLT NHA LSVLola T93/00Menard V6t John Paul Jr.18 10 15 G-Force GF01Oldsmobile Aurora V8 12 Dallara IR7 18 9 Wth 11 7 Billy Boat 19 Tyce Carlson (R) 19 14 Lola T93/00Menard V6t28 11 23 1998 WDW PHX INDY TXS NHA DOV CLT PPIR ATL TXS LSVG-Force GF01BOldsmobile Aurora V8 John Paul Jr.18 10 19 Jack Hewitt (R) 12 DNP 25 Steve Knapp (R) 13 14 14 18 9 Tyce Carlson 11 1999 INDY G-Force GF01C Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Steve Knapp18 7 Mike Borkowski (R)C DNQ 2000 INDY Dallara IR-00Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Sam Hornish Jr. (R)18 20 17 3 24 20 19 9 27 2001 INDY G-Force GF05BOldsmobile Aurora V8 Jeret Schroeder18 26 14 19 20 15 Jon Herb (R) 15 9 2002 INDY Dallara IR-02 Chevrolet Indy V8 Tyce Carlson18 11 DNS Jeret Schroeder 27 John de Vries (R) 11 Cory Kruseman (R) 26 2003 INDY Dallara IR-03 Chevrolet Indy V8 Scott Mayer18211924 Jimmy Kite13 Ed Carpenter131321 2004 INDY Dallara IR-04Chevrolet Indy V8 Robby McGehee1822 2006 HMS STP INDY Panoz GF09CHonda HI6R V8 Thiago Medeiros (R)1831 2007 HMS STP MOT KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO MCH KTY SNM DET CHIPanoz GF09CHonda HI7R V8 Jimmy Kite18 DNQ
The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte was cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities.
Sources
External links Official PDM Racing website