IPS: SpeedWorks signs up.

Indianapolis-based SpeedWorks LLC has become the latest operation to express an interest in the 2007 Indy Pro Series, having acquired the assets of both Duesenberg Racing and Dave McMillan Racing.

Co-owned by two-time Indianapolis 500-winning crew chief Peter Parrott and retired Michigan venture capitalist Hayden Harris, SpeedWorks has amassed chassis, equipment and transport vehicles in an effort to hasten its arrival in the IPS.

"This reaches one of our strategic business goals, which is fielding a competitive race team that has the potential to win an Indy Pro Series championship," Parrott commented, "We have been meeting with drivers as well as talking to potential sponsors, and we are gearing up to run at Homestead."

Parrott and Harris are far from newcomers to the motorsports business, with the former starting his career in Formula One, before moving to the US and joining Team Penske, where he enjoyed numerous victories as crew chief for current IPS driver coach Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr. After long service with Penske, he served as team manager for the factory Porsche PPG Indy team, as well as Vince Granatelli Racing and Mo Nunn Racing.

Harris, meanwhile, has a passion for anything with speed, having competed in machines as diverse as inboard hydroplanes, Midgets and Sprint cars and aerobatic biplanes. He has been a co-owner of IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series cars piloted by Alex Barron, Ronnie Johncox and Thiago Medeiros in recent years, and enjoyed a fourth-place finish at Indianapolis with Barron and Blair Racing in 2002.

"It's great to be back in the IndyCar Series family again and I'm looking forward to building a championship-contending IPS team with Peter," Harris said, "Besides having a goal of contending for the IPS title this year, SpeedWorks is looking hard at a potential Indianapolis 500 entry as well. I think we have a great shot at both."