Rookie Giaffone joins Treadway-Hubbard.

Felipe Giaffone of Brazil will drive for Treadway-Hubbard Racing in the full 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series schedule with major sponsorship from Hollywood brand cigarettes, team officials confirmed yesterday [Thursday].

Giaffone, from Sao Paulo in Brazil, has competed in the Dayton Indy Lights series the past three seasons, finishing in the top six in points each season. He has excelled on ovals, winning from the pole at Michigan Speedway and capturing the pole at California Speedway in 2000, and recorded four additional top-three finishes and nine top-ten finishes in twelve Indy Lights series races in 2000.

"This is a great opportunity for me to continue to grow my racing career," the 26-year old said, "I'm really excited about working with the Treadway-Hubbard team and representing Hollywood cigarettes in the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500. I'm ready to get in the car and begin testing for the season opener in Phoenix right now."

Giaffone is scheduled to take his Indy Racing League rookie test this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He will drive the #21 Hollywood G-Force-Oldsmobile, running on Firestone tyres, as a team-mate to Davey Hamilton at Treadway-Hubbard Racing, which also is fielding a third car for Arie Luyendyk this year at Indianapolis. Luyendyk will serve as driver coach for the team throughout the season.

"Felipe has demonstrated his oval-track racing skills in Indy Lights, and we are excited to bring him and Hollywood into the IRL," said Scott Cronk, vice-president of Treadway Racing. "Everybody is ready to begin testing for the season and to bring the spectacular colours and paint scheme of the Hollywood car to the IRL."

Hollywood cigarettes are a product of Rio de Janeiro-based tobacco company Souza Cruz SA, and already supports both Luiz Garcia Jr and Tony Kanaan in Champcars.

"Hollywood has invested in developing Felipe Giaffone over the past three years, and we are delighted to be joining up with the Treadway-Hubbard Racing team," said Fernando Pinheiro, marketing manager for the brand, "We believe that Felipe and Treadway will be visiting the winner's circle often in 2001."

Giaffone is the second member of his extended family to compete in Indy Racing. His cousin Affonso made eight Indy Racing League starts in the 1996-97 season.