INDIANAPOLIS — Alex Lloyd was expected to get his first crack at the Indianapolis 500 in a Target Chip Ganassi Racing entry in May as the team’s developmental driver. But the 2007 Indy Pro Series Champion will make that appearance for Rahal Letterman Racing instead.
When team owner Bobby Rahal approached fellow team owner Chip Ganassi about loaning him Lloyd for the month of May, Ganassi agreed to the deal.
“I’m just pleased that we were able to come together, pleased for the series, pleased for Alex, obviously,” Rahal said.  “We’re going to make sure it’s a great opportunity for him. It’s good for our team.
“I think it’s one of those deals, a much overused phrase, a win-win situation, but this is one of those situations. So we’re looking forward to  having Alex and Ryan Hunter-Reay as part of our stable for the month of May.”
Rahal Letterman Racing will have two rookie drivers at the Indianapolis 500 this year, but Rahal believes it goes much deeper than that.
“I think that we’re going to have two strong candidates for Rookie of the Year and two strong candidates to win the race,” Rahal said. “So I’m just pleased and, as I said, we look forward to coming here in about a month’s time.”
Lloyd was dominant last year in what is now called the Firestone Indy Lights Series. Considered to be an outstanding talent, Lloyd was expected to make a few appearances for Ganassi’s team in 2008. But with so many cars being shuffled around in the IndyCar unification, Lloyd’s IndyCar debut was delayed.
That is why Rahal’s loan program seemed like a great idea.
“I’m thrilled,” Lloyd said. “First of all I want to thank Chip, Mike Hull (Ganassi team managing director) and Bobby for putting this all together. For me, it’s a fantastic opportunity. It’s always been a dream of mine to race in the Indy 500 and to get a chance this year with such a good operation is very exciting.”
Ganassi indicated it was important to give the young driver from England a chance at driving an Indy car and that is why Rahal’s offer came at an opportune time.
“A guy like Alex deserves a shot at this thing,” Ganassi said. “He proved his worth in the Pro Series and proved his worth here at this track in the Pro Series, in fact. I think again it takes a guy like Bobby Rahal to come along and say, ‘Hey, come on, let’s get together, this kid deserves a shot at this thing.’
“He got our attention. I’m just real happy, you know, to get together with these two guys on my left and put something together. It says a lot about the flavor around IndyCar racing these days as more of a coming together around the whole sport. I think the Pro Series champ deserves a shot, and Bobby obviously felt that way, he actually felt stronger about it than me. So we’re happy to do it — we’re happy to give it a big effort.”