Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be offered F1 ride

Tavo Hellmund who helped bringing Formula One racing back to the United States and his hometown of Austin, TX and to his father's homeland, Mexico, is now involved with a pair of F1 projects. If he and his group of investors succeed in acquiring a struggling F1 team, Manor Marussia, Hellmund said he'll offer a ride to none other than NASCAR's ultrapopular Dale Earnhardt Jr. He's also involved in a plan to create an F1 track in California, a project different from the urban street race in Southern California that Hellmund said F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is currently pursuing. Hellmund's investor group is looking to purchase at least a controlling interest in the Manor Marussia race team from British businessman Stephen Fitzpatrick. If that does happen, a big goal of the team would be to put an American driver on the grid. Hellmund said he's serious about his first choice being Dale Jr., even if that seems like a pie-in-the-sky idea. A more realistic option would be his second choice, Alexander Rossi. He raced in the U.S. Grand Prix this year and has competed successfully in a couple of series that are considered steppingstones to F1.(Culled from an article at the Austin American-Statesman)(11-13-2015)