Chesson teams with Roth, Dussault Apparel
He was referring to being competitive in the IndyCar Series season finale, but easily could have been citing the "Dussault Green Monster" livery design on the Honda-powered Dallaras.
Chesson, who has made four IndyCar Series and 12 Indy Pro Series starts, has been named by team owner Marty Roth as the driver of the No. 73 car for the race on the 1.5-mile oval. Roth will make his fourth start of the season in the No. 25 car.
Dussault Apparel Inc., whose new Monster line of hoodies is the inspiration and main element of the car design, is the primary sponsor. The program includes a "Name the Dussault Green Monster" contest through Sept. 6 on indycar.com.
"It's like the dream team having Dussault Apparel as our primary sponsor for the Peak Antifreeze 300," Roth said. "Their high-quality apparel has that edgy out-of-the-box thinking and there's nothing more edgy or out of the box than IndyCar racing."
In June, Roth announced plans for the two-car effort targeted for the final race. Initially, the program was designed to invite the Indy Pro Series champion to compete in the IndyCar Series car. When a scheduling conflict for testing last week at Chicagoland Speedway arose with Indy Pro Series points leader Alex Lloyd, Chesson was the beneficiary.
"My phone rang and it was Marty and he said, 'Hey, man, I have an opportunity for you to test a car and race in Chicago. What do you think?' I said, 'Hell, yeah, count me in,' '' said Chesson, who last competed in the IndyCar Series in the 2006 Indianapolis 500. "It's been a long time coming for me; I've been working really hard to get an opportunity and Marty put that one up for me and I took it. I'm really happy that I did.
"Marty is just so enthusiastic; you can tell how much he loves the sport. He wants to be competitive at the highest level and he's really committed to it. I wouldn't mind racing with him full time. It would almost be the preferred situation for me."
First things first, but Chesson is a forward-thinking guy. Roth and Chesson competed against each other in the Indy Pro Series in 2004 and '05. This season, Chesson has been the spotter for the No. 22 Vision Racing entry driven by A.J. Foyt IV.
"It's not meant to be a sad song and dance, but it's been hard to go to the races and not be racing," said Chesson, a three-time Indy Pro Series race winner. "But at the same time I have to thank Tony George and Larry Curry and everyone at Vision Racing for allowing me the opportunity to spot for A.J. It was a great experience; very humbling."
Jason Dussault, founder, chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Los Angeles-based Dussault Apparel Inc., will select the contest winner. He joined the Roth Racing team during the test session at Chicagoland Speedway.
"I wanted to bring a design to an IndyCar Series car that showed our attention to detail and showcased our unique and ever-expanding brand, and I am pleased to report that Roth Racing has helped me to accomplish my vision," he said. "Marty's integrity and attention to detail and passion for high performance are exactly what Dussault Apparel is all about. Fast cars, passion, rock 'n' roll and fashion, it all works so well together."