IRL: Robby McGehee Joins Treadway Racing

Skip Barber News 1999-12-12 It has been quite an off-season for Robby McGehee.

First, he got to revisit some childhood memories when he was named to the Century of St. Louis All-Sports Team. Then McGehee, a Skip Barber Three Day Racing School graduate, furthered his current goals in racing by signing with Treadway Racing for the 2000 season.

Treadway Racing is the only team in the IRL to have earned at least one victory in each of the series' four previous seasons. McGehee, the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, will join Sam Schmidt to form a two-car team at Treadway.

McGehee, 26, will drive the No. 5 Energizer-sponsored GForce/Aurora entry after running with Treadway under a testing contract since November. In 1999, McGehee posted four top-10 finishes despite missing the first two events of the season. His best finish came at the series' biggest event, when he placed fifth at Indy.

McGehee got right to work with his new team, taking part in an open test session at Orlando's Walt Disney World Speedway on Friday and Saturday.

"We are pleased to add Robby to our racing stable and feel that he will be a valuable addition to our team," Treadway Racing Vice President Scott Cronk said. "He has assisted with our testing program, and the team was truly impressed with his capabilities."

Recently, McGehee got to hang out with some of his childhood heroes at the St. Louis All-Sports celebration. Many of the city's most revered sports legends such as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Terry Metcalf, Ottis Anderson, Brett Hull, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jo Jo White, and Mark McGwire took part in the ceremonies.

The St. Louis Sports Commission hosted the Century of St. Louis All-Sports awards, and area natives Bob Costas and Joe Buck emceed the gala.

"It was totally cool," McGehee said. "I was sitting in the green room with guys that I worshipped as athletes while growing up as a child. I didn't really feel like I belonged. But, hey, who was I to argue! It's an enormous honor."

- Roy Hasty