He was the 1996 Rookie of the Year and finished 3rd overall in points as a Toyota Atlantic driver. In 1997 he signed to drive in CART for Dale Coyne Racing, driving the #34 Lola Ford-Cosworth. Coming off of a championship '96 season the '97 Lola was a very uncompetitive and flawed chassis.
As the 1996 Rookie of the Year, he excelled as a Toyota Atlantic driver, finishing third in overall points. In 1997, he joined Dale Coyne Racing's CART team, driving the #34 Lola Ford-Cosworth. Following an impressive '96 season, the '97 Lola proved to be a disappointing and unreliable car.