Hideshi Matsuda was named driver for Beck Motorsports late during practice week for the 1998 Indianapolis 500. However, he failed to post a speed fast enough to make the field.

Matsuda began racing in Japan in Formulas 2 and 3. In 1987 he set the Formula 3000 track record at Suzuka. That year he began his career in Group C and Group A cars and finished third at the Spa 24 Hours in Belgium.

Matsuda's Indy car career consists of three Indianapolis 500 appearances. In 1994 he was the first qualifier and started 14th. He ran as high as seventh but finished 24th after a turn 1 accident. In 1995 he qualified seventh fastest and started in 20th. He finished 194 laps and placed 15th. In 1996 he qualified 30th and survived to finish eighth, three laps down.

Matsuda started one CART race in 1998 -- at his home country of Japan. He started 25th and finished 18th.

Sources: Star/News and SpeedNet staff reports.