Driver merry-go-round continues at Coyne.

In what many CART fans hope will be the last move in a rather disjointed month at Dale Coyne Racing, former Indy Lights race winner Geoff Boss has signed to drive the team's #11 Lola-Ford, starting this weekend at Laguna Seca and continuing (hopefully) for the remainder of the season.

The 31-year old New Englander comes to Champ Cars after a lengthy career in the CART Ladder System, winning in every category in which he raced. His surprise graduation into the Champ Car World Series comes more than two years after his last Indy Lights start, as the Rhode Island-born driver steps into the #11 DCR Lola piloted initially by Roberto Gonzalez, then Alex Yoong and, most recently, Gualter Salles.

Boss began his racing career in 1991 where he took Rookie of the Year in the Skip Barber Formula Ford Championship. He went on to be champion of the East and Midwest Barber Ford series in 1992, before the Barber Saab Pro Series was the next challenge, from 1993 through 1996, where Boss was second in the overall standings in 1995 and scored several wins in '95 and '96 at Miami, Sears Point, Phoenix, Reno and Watkins Glen.

After a strong tutelage in the Barber series, Boss moved up to Dayton Indy Lights from 1997 through 2000. Running with strong fields including Oriol Servia, Cristiano da Matta and Helio Castroneves, he recorded several podiums, top five finishes and a win from pole position at the 1999 Toronto Grand Prix.

Boss comes from a heritage of family racing. His grandfather Russ raced against some of the all-time greats in sportscars throughout the 1950s. The younger Boss brothers have raced in several formulas, with Geoff's brothers - Andy and Peter - competing in various Skip Barber and CART ladder series over the past several seasons. Currently, Peter is racing in the European F3000 series, with his most recent finish a third at Enna, Italy.

"It is every drivers dream in the ladder series to graduate to Champ Cars," reflected the personable Geoff, "This is a great opportunity from Dale Coyne, and I am grateful to my sponsors who have supported me throughout my racing career in this the biggest step in professional racing."

DCR has been busy testing at Mid-Ohio and Putnam Park the week following Milwaukee to evaluate and prepare Boss for his rookie debut.

"Geoff has proven himself in the past, but his lack of track time in the past two years needed to be tested," commented team owner Dale Coyne, "After three days of running, his natural talent is becoming evident as we look for a solid beginning and a strong finish to the rest of the season."

The team tested one day at Mid-Ohio and two days at Putnam Park, with Boss running highly competitive times at the latter, tying the track record previously held by Dario Franchitti at the 1.75-mile Indiana road course.

Boss expects to remain with Dale Coyne Racing for the remaining 13 races in the 2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. More testing is planned after the two-race west coast swing at Laguna Seca and Portland.