Sam Schmidt Buys FAZZT
By Andrew Cutler
March 4 2011
FAZZT Race Team burst out of the starting gate at last year's IndyCar Series season opener with impressive form, punching well above what would normally be considered the 'weight class' for a squad in it's rookie year. After mostly mantaining that performance level throughout 2010, they certainly looked like a team with staying power.
It therefore came as a complete shock to most - myself included - when it was learned earlier this week that the assets of FAZZT had been sold off to Sam Schmidt, the Indy Lights squad owner who had already announced plans to run a limited IndyCar campaign this year.
What wasn't generally known was that two of the three co-owners, Jim Freudenberg & Andre Azzi, (the 'F' and 'AZZ' in the team name) had decided to leave, which left fellow co-owner - and driver - Alex Tagliani holding the bag.
Schmidt will honor Tagliani's full season deal for 2011 (and hopefully beyond: He is rumored to have sponsorship lined up through 2013), and has promised that none of FAZZT's crew or other staff will be let go because of this acquisition.