Press Releases and Race News Dec 21, 1998 Mattco Raceworks Tests for Team Compatibility at Firebird CART PPG Dayton Indy Lights top American team, Mattco Raceworks, recently tested several drivers and an engineer at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona. The team tested four drivers and one engineer. more... Oct 31, 1998 Mark Hotchkis Wins Emotional Thriller At California Speedway (story from www.indylilghts.com) Pasadena resident Mark Hotchkis (pictured here with Tony Renna and Felipe Giaffone, third and second place finishers) scored a storybook win in his Alco Capital Group/The Nassi Group Lola at California Speedway Saturday to end the PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship season on an emotional high note as the record-extending ninth different winner of 1998 in CART's "Official Development Series." An encore telecast of the 100-mile sprint will air on ESPN2 on Wednesday, November 4 at 4:30 a.m. EST (1:30 a.m. PST). Sept 1, 1998 Hotchkins Named to Replace Renna for Vancouver Mark Hotchkins has been named to sit in for injured Mattco Raceworks driver, Tony Renna, who was injured earlier in the month in a karting incident. Mark will race in the Molson Indy Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on Sunday, September 6, driving the No. 77 Alco Capital Group/The Nassi Group Lola. Aug 28, 1998 Renna Sidelined for Molson Indy Vancouver Due to Injury Mattco Raceworks driver, Tony Renna, was injured in a karting incident which will render him unable to drive his Lola in the PPG Dayton Indy Lights Molson Indy in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. June 25, 1998: Mattco Raceworks Gets First Win; Back to Back Podium Finishes Mattco Raceworks, a PPG Dayton Indy Lights contender, earned its first long-awaited victory and back to back podium finish at The Detroit News 100 at the Michigan Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. June 25, 1998: Renna Wins Detroit News 100 Indy Lights Thriller At Michigan Speedway (story from www.indylilghts.com) American rookie Tony Renna (Alco Capital Group/Nassi Group Lola) capped a weekend of PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship domination with his first major U.S. motorsports victory Saturday in the Detroit News 100 at Michigan Speedway. Renna led a race-high 43 of 50 laps but withstood constant threats from several challengers including a resurgent Mike Borkowski (Textron Automotive Lola) and second-place finisher Cristiano da Matta (Medley/LCI Lola). Sergio Paese (Coimex/STP Lola) finished third. June 23, 1998: Mattco Raceworks Sets Pace In Thursday Practice At Michigan Speedway (story from www.indylilghts.com) Mears and Simmons are among the favorites in a group of 24 drivers who are entered in the Detroit News 100. The Saturday feature race is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. local time and is preceded by practice and qualifying sessions on Thursday and Friday. June 7, 1998: DETROIT RACE NOTES Mattco Raceworks driver Mark Hotchkis scored the first-year team's third top-5 finish of the season, driving the No. 78 Alco Capital Group/Nassi Group Lola to fourth place in today's 32-lap Indy Lights race in Detroit. June 6, 1998: DETROIT QUALIFYING NOTES The first-year Mattco Raceworks team continues to improve their on-track performance, as evidenced by today's 3rd and 6th-place qualifying efforts for tomorrow's 32-lap race. May 31, 1998: TWO MORE TOP-10s FOR MATTCO: The first-year Mattco Raceworks team collected its second set of top-10 finishes in today's 97-lap Indy Lights race at The Milwaukee Mile, the fifth event on the 14-race Indy Lights schedule. May 20, 1998: NO SURGERY FOR SIMMONS Mattco Raceworks driver Chris Simmons visited doctors near his hometown of East Granby, Conn., yesterday and received the good news that surgery will not be necessary to repair ligaments in his neck.   May 11, 1998: MARK HOTCHKIS CONTINUES WITH MATTCO Englewood Cliffs, N.J.; May 11, 1998: Mark Hotchkis will continue to drive the Mattco Raceworks No. 78 Alco Capital Group/Nassi Group Lola in Indy Lights competition until regular driver Chris Simmons returns to the cockpit.   April 21, 1998: SIMMONS RECOVERY COULD TAKE TWO MONTHS Chris Simmons (Alco Capital Group/Nassi Group Lola) is resting at his home in East Granby, Connecticut, this week following an accident in unofficial testing at Nazareth Speedway last Saturday afternoon.   April 17, 1998: MATTCO RACEWORKS: FIRST WIN AT HOME? Nazareth, Pa.; April 17, 1998: Nazareth Speedway may be nearly 200 miles from Mattco Raceworks headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., but the team considers the one-mile oval to be its home track on the PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship circuit.