MAY 7, 2003

Herta in for Franchitti

Formula 1 hopeful Bryan Herta has been drafted in to replace the injured Dario Franchitti in the Andretti Green Racing team later this year and will be the team's stand-in driver for Robby Gordon at the Indianapolis 500 - if weather problems in Indiana force Gordon to leave for the NASCAR Winston Cup race on the same day in Charlotte. Herta will join Dan Wheldon and Tony Kanaan for the Texas Motor Speedway and Pikes Peak races on June 7 and June 15.

Wheldon ran the fastest laps yesterday as testing opened for the Indianapolis 500 with a run of 231.108mph, which was faster than Gil de Ferran (230.873mph), Tomas Scheckter (230.823), Scott Dixon (230.476) and the soon-to-retire Michael Andretti (230.416).

Dixon, De Ferran and Tony Kanaan, who have been out of action in recent weeks with various injuries, are all running at Indianapolis this week.