Press Snoop: Super Sub, rapid rookies.

ROBERTO MORENO was the original 'Super Sub' and this May has added to that resume by being a last-minute replacement driver for STEPHAN GREGOIRE at
Chastain Motorsports.

It was by chance that the affable Brazilian got the nod to qualify for Gregoire after Gregoire crashed during Thursday practice prior to the last weekend of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. Moreno said this was the third team for which he had been asked to drive in this year's race.

The first team was Cabbie Motorsports, whose deal never came together by Monday last week for this year's race. The second, unnamed, team asked Moreno to stick around for Thursday practice to help develop the car. Moreno did but the driving opportunity didn't materialise. He was set to return to his garden in Florida when Chastain Motorsports asked him on Thursday to substitute for Gregoire and it came together in a very short time.

The car was repaired and Moreno qualified on the third and final day before Bump Day, and he starts thirty-first in the 91st Indianapolis 500. This makes him one-third of the Last Row Club, along with RICHIE HEARN and rookie PHIL GIEBLER, who bumped his way into the field.

Giebler was also the fastest rookie in the field, with a lap of 219.637mph; the other rookie being MILKA DUNO, who qualified 29th on the third day of qualifying with a lap of 219.228mph.

Giebler bumped JIMMY KITE from the field. There are only two rookies, the smallest number since 1979 when HOWDY HOLMES was the lone newcomer. Previous fastest rookie drivers running this season are MARCO ANDRETTI, DANICA PATRICK, KOSUKE MATSUURA, SCOTT DIXON, TONY KANAAN and MICHAEL ANDRETTI.

Moreno's last open-wheel race was last month when he filled in for an ailing ALEX FIGGE at the Houston Champ Car street race. Moreno had been hired as a consultant to the Pacific Coast Motorsports team for the first three races, while it segued from the Atlantic Series to Champ Car racing. He has raced on and off in the Champ Car Series since 1985, and he has raced twice in the Indy 500 - 1986 and 1999. In each case, he retired with mechanical problems. Last year, Moreno substituted for IndyCar driver ED CARPENTER at Vision Racing.

Moreno doesn't mind being called 'Super Sub' - as long as he's doing what he loves, racing. He says: "Racing makes me so happy, and I have such a young spirit."

Moreno first substituted in 1985 when he replaced PANCHO CARTER for five CART races. He's also filled in for CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI at Newman/Haas Racing and MARK BLUNDELL at PacWest in 2000.

On the horizon for Moreno is the GP Masters Series in September. He has also talked with A1GP Team Brazil, owned by EMERSON FITTIPALDI, but so far the team thinks the 48-year old is too old. Moreno, who has also raced in Europe and the United States in Formula One, sportscars and karts, is also interested in Brazilian stock cars, one form of racing he hasn't tried. He has never really raced in Brazil. Moreno also would like to try NASCAR, but concedes that is a difficult arena to enter.

When he's not racing, Moreno handles his real estate holdings in Florida.