INDIANAPOLIS – A new NTT IndyCar Series team, Citrone/Buhl Autosport, is planning to make its debut during the Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Co-owned by former Indy car racer Robbie Buhl and his business partner, Robert Citrone, the team intends to compete in the GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course on May 9.
Multiple reports suggest that an Indianapolis 500 attempt by the Citrone/Buhl team is also possible.
Citrone/Buhl Autosport is a partnership between Robert and Nick Citrone, as well as Tom and Robbie Buhl.
Robert Citrone is the founder of Discovery Capital Management and the largest minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, while his son Nick is a Data Analytics Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Tom and Robbie Buhl own Buhl Sport Detroit, a motorsports marketing company that operates a rallycross team called Racing4Detroit, and an advanced driver training program called Teen Street Skills.
No stranger to IndyCar, Robbie Buhl competed in 78 Indy car races between 1993 and 2004, including eight starts at the Indianapolis 500. His best Indianapolis 500 finish was sixth in 1999 driving for A.J. Foyt Enterprises.
A two-time Indy car winner, the younger Buhl won the 1997 Pennzoil 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the 2000 Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway in Florida. His most recent Indy car appearance as a driver was the 2004 Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi, where he finished 21st.
Robbie Buhl was the Indy Lights champion in 1992 on the strength of one win and 11 podiums in 12 races. He was also a minority owner and team principal at Dreyer & Reinbold Racing alongside Dennis Reinbold.
A brief press release on the team’s website states Citrone/Buhl’s goal as being “competitive while partnering with the right people to deliver results.”
Team officials also see this May’s effort as “the start of a continued racing endeavor, with aspiration of more entries at more (NTT IndyCar Series) races in the future.”
A driver and engine supplier were not named in the team’s initial announcement on Friday.