1996 IndyCar Series co-champion Scott Sharp will drive for Rahal Letterman Racing in 2007 the team announced on Nov 9.

Sharp whose No. 8 Honda-powered Dallara will be backed by The Patrón Spirits Company, will join Jeff Simmons who will return to pilot the No. 17 Team Ethanol Honda-powered Dallara.

“The addition of Scott Sharp gives Rahal Letterman Racing an experienced driver to team with Jeff Simmons,” said Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Racing. “Scott has demonstrated over the years to be one of the most consistent drivers in the IndyCar Series and he is a proven race winner and someone who will be an outstanding representative for our organization and for Patrón Spirits. As an organization we are fortunate to be able to pair this driver combination with two world-class corporate partners giving us a foundation for a successful 2007 season and beyond.”

“Scott Sharp is a winning veteran, and the perfect compliment for a talented young driver like Jeff Simmons,” added RLR co-owner David Letterman. “It’s exactly what Rahal Letterman Racing needs. The men and women of RLR have been working hard in the off-season to prepare the team for an exciting, competitive 2007.”

Sharp, a consistent performer who has finished nearly 75% of his races in his 14-year career comes to RLR as the career leader in IndyCar Series starts (129) and with nine wins and 35 top-five starts to his credit. Sharp, the only driver to compete in each of the previous 11 IndyCar Series seasons, and has posted eight top-10 championship results in his career.

“I’m very excited to join Rahal Letterman Racing,” Sharp said. “The team has been at the front of the open wheel scene ever since it’s inception and has proven to win races with different drivers, chassis and series. I can’t wait to work with Bobby, the entire team, and with Jeff. I expect us to be a formidable combination. I’m equally thrilled to represent Patrón and expose their highest quality tequila to a very ripe fan base. It should be an exciting year both on and off the track.”

Patrón is the world’s #1-selling ultra-premium tequila and is imported and marketed by the Las Vegas-based Patrón Spirits Company. This will be Patrón’s second season in the IndyCar Series, but its first as the primary sponsor.

“At Patrón, we’re motivated every day by the desire to be the very best at everything we do,” said Ed Brown, president and CEO of The Patrón Spirits Company. “From producing our top-selling tequila, to sponsoring and supporting high-profile organizations and events, nothing short of perfection will do.Scott Sharp and Rahal Letterman Racing share this same goal, and we’re proud to put the Patrón tequila name on their IndyCar (Series car).”

Simmons, who started 12 races for the team in 2006, will return for his first full season in the IndyCar Series. The Hartford, Conn., native finished second in the Bombardier Rookie of the Year competition, collected a team best four consecutive top-10 results and finished 16th in the championship.

“I came to RLR under difficult circumstances, but the team has been extremely supportive and I think as a team we started to come to grips with the Dallara towards the end of the season,” Simmons said. “I am looking forward to starting on equal footing with the rest of the field and entering the season with a full winter of testing. The addition of Scott [Sharp] in the Patrón car is a real plus for RLR. Scott brings a lot of experience and that is another great resource for me to draw on as we prepare for the 2007 season.”

“Jeff Simmons has great capabilities on and off the track,” said Tom Slunecka, executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC). “As a driver, he took the Team Ethanol car to six top-10 finishes in the last seven races in his rookie year. As a spokesperson for Ethanol, he has the ability to communicate the values of ethanol to all types of consumers. We’re proud to have him demonstrating the extreme performance that ethanol can deliver to drivers across this country.”

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