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Team KOOL Green

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Team Owner: Barry Green.
2000 Drivers: Jonny Kane & Jeff Simmons.

Team KOOL Green will run a multi-car Indy Lights effort in 2000 for the first time in three years with reigning Rookie of the Year Jonny Kane being joined by Barber Dodge Pro Series champion graduate Jeff Simmons. Last season, Kane and the KOOL team combined for the group's most successful year since entering Indy Lights in 1996. They ended with a strong win at California Speedway from the pole, the first career victory for both team and driver. Kane also won the pole at Michigan Speedway in addition to third-place finishes at Detroit and Laguna Seca. Simmons won the last two Barber Dodge titles and is a favourite to give the KOOL team its second straight rookie honor this season.

An addition to the successful Team Green Champ Car effort run by brothers Kim and Barry Green, Team KOOL ran its first Indy Lights season with Greg Ray and Chris Simmons, Jeff's older brother. Mark Hotchkis replaced Ray in the 1997 season while a third race car was added for veteran Japanese driver Naoki Hattori. Hattori was KOOL's only full-time driver in 1998, but Hotchkis returned for a solo appearance at the Trois-Rivieres event.

In this three-year span, Team KOOL and its drivers won several poles, led races and racked up quite a few podium appearances, but never managed to win a race. Hoping to crack the win column, the team called on Kane, the 1997 British Formula 3 champion, for 1999 after Hattori moved up to Champ Cars. Hitting their stride in the second half of the year, Kane and KOOL rank among the title favorites in 2000. Simmons should also be strong and will be assisted by his brother Chris who returns to the team as his younger brother's engineer.

Information from the Indy Lights website.