IRL Schmidt and Guthrie To Race Sailboats

Firestone Indy Lights team owner Sam Schmidt has challenged Jim Guthrie, co-owner of Guthrie Meyer Racing to a race before this weekend’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  This race won’t be taking place through the streets of St. Pete, but on the picturesque, blue green waters of Tampa Bay aboard SKUD-18 Sailboats this Thursday, April 2 out of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

Schmidt, who is disabled from the chest down, founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which has become one of the most successful teams in the short history of the Infiniti Pro Series, winning the 2004, 2006, and 2007 series championships. 
 
“I am really excited to race against Jim once again,” said Schmidt, who competed against Guthrie in the IndyCar Series in the late 1990s.

“Jim and I both drove for Blueprint Racing in 1997, and Jim earned the title of Rookie of the Year in 1997.”
 
Jim Guthrie, who was the 1997 IRL rookie of the year, apparently suspects a setup.

"When Sam called me and asked if I wanted to race him in a sailboat, I said sure,” Guthrie said.

“But then I thought, wait, he chose me because I'm from the desert and don't know anything about boats or water. I'm going to have to Google how to drive/sail a boat so I know which end of the boat is the front."
 
The SKUD 18 is a strict, one-design class which was selected as the boat for two-person Paralympics competition in Beijing. Sailors are seated on the centerline for Paralympics events, but the boat can be sailed with or without either of the seats and configured to suit different sailors’ needs.

On board will be two able-bodied sailors who will be trimming the sails, as Schmidt will be at the helm of the boat using a tiller that is adapted to be sensitive to his movements.

The SKUD-18, used for the match race, is one of three Paralympics sailing boats that are used by the U.S. Disabled Sailing Team.

The SKUD-18 is a lead-assisted skiff. With a tube-launched asymmetrical spinnaker and a modern high performance stayed rig, the boat is an exciting addition to World and Paralympics Competition. The SKUD-18 was designed so that both able-bodied and disabled athletes, including more severely disabled sailors, can compete on an equitable level.