Indycar team American Dream Motorsports formerly known as Playa Del Motorsports has hit some hard times as of late. The team failed to make the Indy 500 with Phil Geibler after Giebler suffered this heavy crash sending him to the hospital with bruised lungs. The team also had an Indy Lights car. Well they did have one until owner Eric Zimmerman was arrested. Former team member Paul Gray gives us the scary details of the meltdown of American Dream Motorsports:"Many of you know me as "USAC's Oldest Rookie" and '07 competitor in the USAC Regional Midget Series.
My other passion is the "500" and each May I once again participate as a team member to a "500" entry. In the past I have worked for Roth Racing ( Marty Roth ) ; this year with American Dream Motorsports ( Phil Giebler ).
The effort assembled for Phil ended on the 3rd day of Qualifying with a tremendous crash during practice.
The team also entered Al Unser III in the Freedom 100 Firestone Indy Lights event that was delayed by rain to Saturday , May 24.
"Al 3" started 19th and finished 11th in a good effort by both team and driver.
Fast forward to Thursday past ... the team is headed to the Milwaukee Mile ... Al 3 has been dumped ; replaced with Tony Turco ... the race is the Milwaukee 100 for the Firestone Indy Lights.
I have been asked to remain with the team for this event and beyond.
Iam happy to be involved and through these experiences most people in the garage know me and I have made friends with some of the big names in the IRL. What's not to like !!
American Dream Motorsports ( until recently Playa Del Racing , as majority ownership was sold ) is owned by Eric Zimmerman of Arizona and former Las Vegas restaurantuer.
Eric was driving the team transporter on Thursday evening. I was his sole passenger as planned. Eric is experienced in driving big rigs ... this trailer is 52 feet long.
About 8:00pm , Eric is hungry ; says he hasn't eaten all day.
We have been on the road since 3:45pm ... are approaching interstate exits for Kenosha , Wisconsin , ( about 40 miles from the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis ).
Eric spots a Texas Road House restaurant and takes the exit.
We immediately see no possibility to park our race rig in their lot. We look for alternatives.
I spot another truck of similar size to our own on a street to the rear of the restaurant. There is room for another ; Eric agrees.
While making a right turn ( to the available parking area ) , I feel a jolting from the trailer and hear a noise. Eric has climbed the curb ( with the 3 right side tires of the trailer ) and has hit a fire hydrant !
I get out to take a look ; two wheels damaged , trim rings & center caps smashed ... mostly cosmetic damage to our trailer.
Stay tuned for what comes next ... !!
Our "accident" was observed by a Kenosha fire marshall who had finished his dinner at the Texas Road House and was walking to his vehicle. We had hit "his" fire hydrant while he was watching ! What's the odds ?? !!!
While Eric and I saw no obvious damage to the hydrant , the fire marshall proved there was. He walked over to the hydrant , wrapped his arms around it and turned it in the ground ! Amazing !
We questioned why no water loss ? .... " You have broken it off above the water shut-off level " , the fire marshall explained.
The fire marshall would then call the police who would arrive some 30 minutes later. They explained the delay in saying " nothing ever happens around here ... we are always patrolling other areas ".
The fire marshall would again perform his "demonstration" to prove the hydrant broken ( for the police officer ).
The officer asked Eric for his drivers license and insurance information which he promptly produced. The officer then asked my identity and questioned my position as a passenger. He would then ask for my license also.
The officer returned to his cruiser ... was of course "running our licenses" , which took about another half hour. Soon another cruiser would arrive with two additional police officers.
The first officer who had collected our info would now exit his cruiser.
Walking to me , he said " sir , I'll be talking to him ( pointing to Eric )".
The second and third officers who had just arrived would stand to the side of and to the rear of Eric.
The officer ( holding our licenses ) said to Eric , "we have a warrant for your arrest". The cuffs were on in record time ... never seen it happen this fast on tv shows !
They would then search Eric's pockets and said the warrant was from Clark County , Nevada. They said there was no bail .... a bond of $ 22,000.00 could be paid for his release.
One of the officers asked me if I could pay the bond ? ... if I had 22K with me ? ... ( guess I look affluent ! ) ; I answered , " damn , I didn't quite bring that much with me !". The officer smiled.
Eric provided me phone numbers for various people to call which I hastily wrote down. Eric was taken in to the Kenosha jail ... I was left standing on the street with the transporter. It is now near 9:40pm.
I enter the Texas Road House , take a table , get a drink , make phone calls ; everyone contacted is shocked - and I'm in total disbelief that this is happening !
The police had earlier advised that I may not want to leave the area as they would return Eric to the arresting location if the bond was paid in the next 2 to 3 hours. Left the restaurant at 10:20 returning to the cab of the truck ; made more phone calls . The number of incoming calls per hour was setting new records !
Now 3am , I'm still in the truck , cell phone battery now expired ( with no charger available ) ... no more calls , no more contact and I've now had about all I can stand !
Engine running , in the first of 6 gears , brake off , clutch out , I'm outta' here ! I am now driving this rig for the first time ever in an unbelievable down-pour , thunder , lightning ... I'm thinking "this has got to be the most f@#%d-up night of my life !".
As I'm driving the 40 miles to the Milwaukee Mile , I spot a cop car behind me ... he continues to follow closely for some time. I'm not feeling good about this.
Eventually , the cop car pulls along side ; it is our team engineer who has come out looking for me ! He had purchased a used police car at auction ... thinks he's now the Blues Brothers !
I complete the drive to the Speedway , still raining , park it and get a ride to our hotel by 4:20am. Am back to the track at 6:30am ... no sleep.
Turco arrives late Friday afternoon and does not commit to running the race in Eric's absence. In case he should change his mind , we prepare the car for Saturday's first practice session to be held at 8:15am the next morning.
The garage closes at 9:pm ... we work until 11.
Saturday morning , Turco announces he's out ! ( In Eric's absence , it now becomes his responsibility to cover additional expenses to make the race for his "bought ride". Tony folds ... cut's his losses , so to speak ).
The crew has worked hard the night before and are now mad !
Words are exchanged between a crew member and hired driver. Crew walks off refusing to re-load trailer of equipment and race car. Turco disappears. Working alone , I properly re-load the trailer contents to protect the team's assets.
Turco drives the rig home , I drive another team vehicle home and the others accompany the Blues Brother in the CrownVic police interceptor ride. No race , no pay , everybody pissed , and still no Eric.
At the time of the posting , Eric Zimmerman remains in jail for the 4th day thereafter. No bail , no bond produced by anyone. Strange.
My services and those of our other team members are available for hire.
All good guys who just like to get paid for a hard day's work."
Wow, just amazing. Well I sure hope the best for Eric and Paul. I still wonder though what Eric was arrested for, though.
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