Millers Open Wheel Rumours

[D.R.T.]

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/41067/

• What’s the big announcement on Oct. 31 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Perhaps a title sponsor for Indy? Or the Indy Racing League? Some say Busch (which is leaving NASCAR) might be in play for one, or both.

• Is Las Vegas dumping CC for the IRL? Lawsuit to follow?

• Rahal Letterman recently let a dozen people go, including veteran engineers Ray Leto and Jeff Britton, while Tony George also cleaned house in the engineering department at Vision Racing.

[climb]

Big announcement? In the IRL website I couldn't find any reference to it; I'd like to know where does it come from...

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by climb

Big announcement? In the IRL website I couldn't find any reference to it; I'd like to know where does it come from...

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=10012

See Terry Angstadt's comments.

[climb]

Originally Posted by paul-collins

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=10012

See Terry Angstadt's comments.

thx alot paul

"sponsorship categories"? What will that mean?

[luke]

"The IRL Indy Car Busch Series" I can imagine many NASCAR fans tuning in and wondering why they aren't seeing 43 stock cars.

[stradlin21]

Curt Cavin (Indystar reporter) silly season comments


Andretti Green: Kanaan, Patrick and Andretti confirmed; fourth is in the works (likely Hideki Mutoh).
Penske: Castroneves confirmed; second is TBA (almost assuredly Ryan Briscoe).
Ganassi: Wheldon and Dixon confirmed; Lloyd a part-time competitor in IRL and Grand Am.
Panther: Meira confirmed; second is TBA.
Foyt: Manning confirmed; second unlikely.
Dreyer & Reinbold: Rice expected; second TBA.
Rahal Letterman: Sharp confirmed; Hunter-Reay expected.
Vision: Carpenter confirmed; second expected, third TBA.
Roth: Roth and second expected

http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/

Added to that, Greg Beck was speaking very postively about the TEAM programme in the IRL and was hinting about a full time team. But we'll wait and see what happens there.

Eddie Cheever mentioned he wanted to run a road course only schedule for Antinucci

Jon Herb said at Texas that he planned to purchase more IRL equipment to run in 2008 but not heard much more from him

and SAMAX said they will be back in 2008 but there were strangely absent from Cavins list

Tom Anderson was making some mumbles about 2008 as well

Interesting that Cavin has Mutoh going to AGR though, perhaps that will save Matsuura's seat at Panther?

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

Interesting that Cavin has Mutoh going to AGR though, perhaps that will save Matsuura's seat at Panther?

Matsuura's sponsorship would be the saving factor for his seat wouldnt it ?

Isnt it also Honda who is 'placing' Mutoh at AGR ?

[stradlin21]

The assumption was that Mutoh would be promoted to Panther's Indycar team and inherhit the Panosonic deal whilst Matsuura would move aside and search for new sponsorship for a new drive

But when Mutoh made his debut he had his own sponsors and looks like he's taking this to AGR

Matsuura will probably continue at Panther with Panasonic backing and Meira will Delphi

Sharp's Patron backing is keeping him at RLR with RHR expected to continue in the ethanol car

Roth has backing from himself, his land and Gene Simmons marketing company and is good to run 2 cars full time

DRR are positive about running about 2 cars, 1 confirmed so far

it's early days but so far

AGR - 4
Penske - 2
Ganassi - 2 somtimes 3
Panther - 2
Vision - 2 maybe 3
Roth - 2
DRR 1 probably 2
Rahal - 2
Foyt - 1

and SAMAX should be back with Milka


thats quite a few confirmed already, great stuff

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

Roth has backing from himself, his land and Gene Simmons marketing company and is good to run 2 cars full time

DRR are positive about running about 2 cars, 1 confirmed so far

it's early days but so far

AGR - 4
Penske - 2
Ganassi - 2 somtimes 3
Panther - 2
Vision - 2 maybe 3
Roth - 2
DRR 1 probably 2
Rahal - 2
Foyt - 1

and SAMAX should be back with Milka


thats quite a few confirmed already, great stuff

Hang on, which are officially confirmed ?

Vision had been talking in the press about 1 car and any others depending on sponsors or drivers with sponsors. The dropping of employees reported by Miller supports such a notion. Unless there is new info ?

Same with D&R who outlined that anything beyond one car would be unlikely without sponsorship

Roth officially two? I understand there was talk but when did two cars become official ?

Mainly I am trying to figure out it probably is now being taken as "official confirmations"?

[climb]

Not bad, for being 5 months from the 2008 season offstart; it would mean that 2007 numbers are substantially confirmed, with anybody coming in the meantime being a plus

[stradlin21]

Yeah, exactly

What interested me as well is that when the TEAM programme was announced Greg Beck was present and was interviewed and seemed cautiously positive about 2008

A full time 1 car effort from him would be a welcome addition to grid, Alex Barron got 15th at Indy last season in his car

[stradlin21]

*here we go again*

read Cavins blog DRT

how many do champ car have on the grid for next season

4? 5?

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

how many do champ car have on the grid for next season

4? 5?

And that has what to do with this discussion ?

Is there a press release for the Roth announcement, panther 2 car announcement and D&R to highly expect a 2nd.

No intention of being argumentative here, I am just trying to separate the confirmed from the hoped.

[stradlin21]

Penske have CONFIRMED 2

Ganassi is have CONFIRMED 2 and sometimes 3

AGR have CONFIRMED 4

Rahal have CONFIRMED 2 but havent named a 2nd driver

Panther have CONFIRMED 2 but havent named a 2nd driver

Vision have CONFIRMED 1, and it's highley EXPECTED to confirm another and perhaps a 3rd

Foyt have CONFIRMED 1, a chance of a 2nd

Roth has CONFIRMED 2 HIMSELF ON TV!!!! ABOUT 1O TIMES!!

DRR have CONFIRMED 1 and HIGHLEY EXPECT to run another

that's where we are, all good for you mate?

I'd just worry about CC's car count to be honest, we are doing ok over here

Climb: Keep listening out for anything Greg Beck says, i have a good feeling about his IRL future thanks to a reliable source in the states

told me that he has purchased a bit of equipment with a view to now find backers

keep listening mate....

[mountainstar]

I thought Scott Sharp was headed to the ALMS?

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I thought Scott Sharp was headed to the ALMS?

Erm……………….no

Don’t know where that rumour came from (although I can guess) but Sharp is in the IRL for 2008

He is expected to move into a team owner role after this

[D.R.T.]

Sharp at RLR is one that is confirmed

[paul-collins]

Sharp has explored ALMS as a fill-in option, and is expected to run selected events - probably with his father-in-law's team, Cytosport. He (and Patron) are primarily focused on the Indy 500 and IRL.

This ultimately came from Scott in an interview IIRC, but was preceded by the same information being told by Greg Pickett at Petit Le Mans.

[Team Owner]

Originally Posted by paul-collins

Sharp has explored ALMS as a fill-in option, and is expected to run selected events - probably with his father-in-law's team, Cytosport. He (and Patron) are primarily focused on the Indy 500 and IRL.

This ultimately came from Scott in an interview IIRC, but was preceded by the same information being told by Greg Pickett at Petit Le Mans.

What he said. AGR is in the process of stealing,errr signing Mutoh. Matsurra will not return to the series as of now. AGR does want more money than Panther for Mutoh so it remains to be seen if this will come about. Matsurras' results are not enough for his sponsorship to continue. Mutoh is faster and has no, let me repeat this, no fear right now. Of course he hasn't tasted the concrete walls yet in an Indycar either.
I would imagine that with Sam Hornish' dismal performance in Nascar qualifying he will reconsider what side of the bread his butter is on and stay in Indycar unless he can get into a car that is guarenteed a starting spot for the first 5 races on next years Cup season. Shekky is the odd man out at Vision right now but that could change with a possibility of sponsorship talks between Tony George and a certain well known billionaire that desires to return to Indycar racing in some form. The Indy Pro Series is getting stronger as the admins over there seem to think there could be 24-26 cars at every event plus 30 + at the Freedom 100 in May. This feeder series is beginning to do what it was designed to do and that was to provide a place to train and move up to Indycars. Alex Lloyd being signed by Ganassi is the best thing that has happened to the Pro Series. Of course Alex is a very, very good driver who has no money and this is a wonderfull opportuniity for him.

I'll go back to my lurking now !

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Team Owner

Mutoh is faster and has no, let me repeat this, no fear right now. Of course he hasn't tasted the concrete walls yet in an Indycar either.

Putting my partisanship aside for a moment, I have to say that is scary.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Team Owner

Matsurras' results are not enough for his sponsorship to continue.

Where does that leave a 2nd panther car ?

[OpenWheel4ever]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Where does that leave a 2nd panther car ?

Meira will be in the first one and I put my money on Mutoh for the second one...

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Where does that leave a 2nd panther car ?

still with Matsuura in it or someone else

[luke]

get that from inside track?

[Tim Northcutt]

Team Owner is a good source for IRL-related info...Many things that he hears end up becoming reality, luke.

FWIW