Jarek Janis won’t drive for Dale Coyne

UPDATE #9 Many have written asking who will Dale Coyne put in the car in Mexico City if Janis is out. The answer is we don't know yet, but getting 2-time Toyota Atlantic champion Jon Fogarty in the car would give the American some much needed experience and if he does decent, perhaps a team owner will pick him up for 2005. However, he has only tested a Champ Car previous to this for a day or two. Throwing him in the seat cold turkey in Mexico City will make his learning curve steep, but with a limited number of seats a driver sometimes only gets one shot and they have to take it when it presents itself. Mark C. 10/30/04 Janis’s start at Surfers Paradise will be his last show in the Champ Car for now because his manager Antonin Charouz executed an option to withdraw his driver from the race in Mexico. The prime reason was the fact that Janis had not got the last specification of the car in Australia and there have not been sufficient guaranties that it will not happen again in Mexico. Moreover, Janis is testing the DTM car of the factory HWA team next month. The test is scheduled at Hockenheimring on November 9th-11th. It will be a very important test for the Olomouc born driver because it will have a major affect on his chance to get a full factory drive for next season.

Antonin Charouz, Janis’s manager: “It was not an easy decision. We had thought about it for a long time and I had had many calls with Dale Coyne but we finally decided that Jarek will not race in Mexico. We were not happy with the way the car had been prepared at Surfers Paradise and we have not got sufficient guaranties that it will not happen again in Mexico. We do not want to risk Jarek’s name. There was also another reason, as Jarek is scheduled to test this year’s AMG-Mercedes C Class DTM car with the factory HWA team on November 9th-11th and the test will play a crucial role for his contract for next year. We therefore prefer full focus to the test." 10/29/04 We are hearing from our Czech Republic sources that Janis won't race in Mexico City. If true, now is the chance for Dale Coyne to give another driver a shot. See related article. 10/18/04 We have added Jarek Janis to our 2005 Champ Car Silly Season page (see link above). 10/17/04 Based on the Gaston Mazzacane story on our Hot News page, i.e. that he will sit out the last two races of 2004 and return full-time in 2005, we expect an official announcement Monday from Dale Coyne Racing that Jarek Janis will be their second driver in Surfers Paradise and probably Mexico City, though as we understand it, he must finish well in Surfers to get a second chance in Mexico City. Interestingly, Dale Coyne told Autoracing1.com before the test that he doubted Janis would drive in Surfers or Mexico City unless he set the world on fire in the test. Hmm….Could this guy be a ringer? 10/17/04 From what we can make out of this article on the Jarek Janis website, he will replace Mazzacane in Surfers and has an option for Mexico City if he finishes well in Surfers. Loose translation – Janis will start in Champ Cars.
Jarek Janis will become the first Czech driver to race in the overseas Champ Car series. Janis's first start in the Champ Car series will be next weekend in Australia’s "Surfer’s Paradise" race. His manager Antonin Charouz was able to pull the deal together after brilliant last minute negotiations – first he placed Tomas Enge in the IRL series and then Jarek Janis was granted the start in the Champ Car race in only few days. It is the second to last race of the Champ Car Series – in Australia. Prior to that Janis tested with Dale Coyne Racing last week at Putnam Park near Chicago. It was a 2-day test session – but because of the bad weather(rain) the test was reduced to only one day testing. That day Janis drove the Dale Coyne Champ Car approx. 100 laps on the Putnam's 1.8 miles circuit and his test times were approx. the same as of the Oriol Servia's previous test's with Coyne's Racing. In Australia Janis will replace former F1 driver Gaston Mazzacane, current driver of the Dale Coyne Racing team.

JAREK JANIS: I am very exited and happy with the outcome of my test's on the Putnam circuit and I am looking forward to my first start in the Champ Car Series. Driving the Champ Car is physically demanding – because the Champ Cars ( and also the Formula F3000 race cars) are not equipped with power steering. The surprising and exciting thing for me driving the Champ Car -was the output of the turbocharged engine which has tremendous power, especially in 1st and 2nd gear – where I have to be very careful. I had to made adjustments to my previous driving style – "to use my left foot to operate the brake pedal" but it was not a big problem.

ANTONIN CHAROUZ (Janis manager from Czech Republic) – For Jarek this is a "dream true" because in my opinion Champ Car Racing is, with F1 and IRL, racing – one of the best open wheels series racing in the world. It is another giant step in Jarek Janis’s growth – but we will see how he performs in his "premiere" test which Jarek had with one of Dale Coyne’s Champ Cars last week and they were highly positive. I think the Australian race will be very suitable for Janis – because it is a "City Street Circuit" which fits his driving style. So far he will only start in the Australian race. In order for Janis to drive in Mexico City Janis must finish 10th or better in Australia As far as Janis participation in 2005 DTM series racing season- it is too early to discuss anything – if we get for Janis the latest version DTM racing car (which is the most important part – to get Janis take the part of the 2005 DTM Racing program). It will be great for Janis. In 2005 DTM will race on the Brno Circuit – where Janis feels "at Home" because that track suits him very well. 10/16/04 According to news reports in the Czech Republic, Janis tested well with Dale Coyne Racing and will replace Gastón Mazzacane at Surfers Paradise, Australia. These reports are unconfirmed, hence rumors for the time being. 10/14/04 A full week after we reported this as 'fact,' SPEED TV finally stumbled upon the news in this article. It does include a new quote from Janis. 10/08/04 AutoRacing1.com caught up with Dale Coyne who confirmed this rumor to be true. "Yes we will test Czech Jaroslav ‘Jarek’ Janis next week at Putnam Park. Right now it is just a test and although Jarek would like to race this year I am reluctant to send a third car to a flyaway race such as Surfers. Perhaps we can do Mexico City but that would only be if he sets the world on fire in his test. I am viewing this as something to look at for next year," said Coyne. 10/08/04 Our Czech sources are telling us that Czech driver Jarek Janis will test for Dale Coyne Racing next week with an eye toward an eventual full-time ride.