The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 48

I A48 Province Sports Wednesday, August 30, 1995 Bentley back on Indy track done three months ago," but just completed on Tuesday when the stubborn last one per cent was signed, sealed and delivered. "It's been hectic, but I'm happy now," said Bentley who has spent the '95 season racing sports cars on the IMSA series. "I'm dying to get into the car. There are always too many (distracting, promotional) things this week. I can't wait until about 11 o'clock on Friday when I put on my helmet and I can forget about those things." from the 1994 Agfa Lola entry of the Walter Coyne team from the qualifying field, which begins Friday on the streets beside Driving his best car ever By Don Harrison Bentley, 38, will be making his Sports Reporter sixth appearance in the Vancouver race.

Ross Bentley is into the Molson While his best finish has been Vancouver Indy and The Province 13th, he's optimistic this year will is one of the reasons why. be better, driving "the best Indy car The veteran Vancouver driver put I've ever had." the finishing touches on a deal that Bentley has was "99 bumped Belgian MOTORSPORT -er-cent Eric Bachelart BENTLEY a good ride the old Expo site in downtown Vancouver. Beside The Province, other Bentley sponsors include NTN Bearings, Mutual Exchange Canada, Hankook Tire Canada, John Ladd BMW and Le Physique fitness centre. While unable to secure enough financing to run any of the previous 15 races this IndyCar season, Bentley has been driving the World Sportscar Series that is popular in Europe, a circuit that features such Formula One veterans as Michele Alboretto, Didier Theys and Mauro Baldi. Bentley parted company with the Screaming Eagles team owned by U.S.

television actor Craig T. Nelson of the series Coach earlier this month and now has a new WSS deal through 1996. Seibert: From horses to 22 mi STP LEONE AGE A 2 "I had been driving a Spice with a Lexus engine," said Bentley. "To be honest, it was a little unreliable." In his first WSS start for his new employer Lee Payne of Kansas City, at Mosport outside Toronto on Aug. 13, Bentley placed fourth in an untested Mark Il World Sports Car.

This new deal is one without pain for Bentley. "The deal with World Sports Car is: I just show up and drive," he said of the relief from all the sponsorship and managing duties that he's had to employ during an off-again, on-again IndyCar career. "It's enjoy- combination: As a fessional race driving, Trevor's growing up in Williams career is on the rise. He's been on Seibert developed a the pole in Vancouver for the last for fast cars and quick five years with two different cars. Last year Trevor Seibert, who now Kirk was a familiar lives in Langley got a big break: He able from that point When not racing such as Daytona, Watkins Glen, working on that ship package to competitive car "I've been at (for IndyCar) since this year," said his craft at the late, wood track in think that's the Of his chances his new car, Bentley I'm fairly hopeful." horsepower air under my car in the air.

When on the ground it end over end six "It was quite the was totalled." signed to drive for Canas- The car was a ka Racing. not including the "What happened was "The team had the last year I was driving enced a couple Formula Atlantics I had a before that," car that was pretty old," frankly, the budget said Seibert. "While in Hal- strained at that ifax I won both the pole looking very good and a race with a car a car for the end of everyone said would Mrs. Sifton came never win a race anymore. to purchase That's kind of why I got team in the the phone call to drive for was very generous this why we are here." Canaska Racing's cre- With his experience ator, Victor Sifton, coinci- es and cars, he dentally has a horse racing gree.

His mother, June, is a nent horse owner. Among her ers is Bill Shoemaker. Three weeks ago, Seibert involved in a spectacular in Cleveland. "On the very last lap, about dred feet from the finish line, trying to overtake another and he veered into my car," said. "And we touched tires.

Ross Bentley (centre) of Vancouver is making his sixth appearance in the city's Indy. His best finish has been 13th. He replaces Belgian Eric Bachelart on the Cosworth entry with Walter Payton and Dale Coyne's team. Province file photo of view." WSS in places Seibring and Bentley has been elusive sponsorget him a fulltime for next year. work on next year the beginning of Bentley, who learned lamented WestCoquitlam, "and way to go." this weekend with said: "I guess er The perfect youngster Lake, Trevor natural love horses.

His father stock-car driver on local racing circuit his mother Reta an plished equestrian Involvement with thoroughbreds came accident to the car who will compete weekend's Indy competition. In 1980, Seibert, owner of a struction company, giving a mare as for a bill, owed to a customer. "You could say we successful in horse Seibert recalled. "We 50 races at various States." Asked about his horsepower, he said: was pretty good at ing. But, I knew when Staff photo by Colin Price my pickup truck at California Jett might be faster than your average horse, but he's his first love was still no match for the 450 horses that driver Trevor Seibert of Langley mechanical speed." has to harness every time he gets into his Indy Lights car.

Now in his seventh and I flew 25-30 feet the car came back continued to roll or seven times. crash and the car the and accomrider. racing by racer, in this Lights Kirk conwas payment him by were TOM WOLSKI Hoss Talk racing," Kirk won more than tracks in the son's choice of "As a kid he show-horse ridhe cracked up the age of six, going to be year of pro- $120,000 write-off, engine. already experiof severe crashes Seibert said. "Quite had been very time and it wasn't for me to have the season.

Then forth and offered another car for the sponsorship role. Which of her. And that's riding horshas enormous pedipromi- train- was accident a hunI was driver Seibert I got respect for jockeys. "I've gone a half onds and hit So I see a lot of our jobs. You have ly and mentally there's the element time a rider told driving race cars.

ing at least I can to, most times. jump off, when I mile in 14.6 secspeeds of 160 m.p.h. similarities between to be physicalprepared. Plus of danger. One me I was nuts for I remember saystop when want And I don't have to want to get off.".