Roth expands to 2 cars

[Markupman]

Marty Roth has confirmed that his team will expand to two cars full time for 2008 with Jay Howard selected as the driver.

This development also increases rumours that one off Roth driver PJ Chesson is heading over to Panther Racing to replace Kosuke Matsuura

Roth is also going to announce 'major sponsorship' according to this article

The expansion of a team is always a boost for a series and this together with the news of Panther all but confirming their 2nd car is great news for the IRL

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=10243

[ThePenguin]

Roth and Panther adding a second car is really good news for the IRL, I am glad to see Jay Howard in an Indy Car finally because he deserves it.

[D.R.T.]

Wheres the Panther news ?

[Mystery]

There's something at http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/ but to call it "news" would appear a bit of a stretch

[Jimmy Magnusson]

In any case, absolutely delighted that Howard finally gets a seat. Well deserved.

[foreversideways]

Good for Indy Pro, 3 drivers making it to the big cars next year. One champ, one ex champ and a front runner with a little help from his Honda friends. What chance of making it four with Cunningham ?.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by foreversideways

Good for Indy Pro, 3 drivers making it to the big cars next year. One champ, one ex champ and a front runner with a little help from his Honda friends. What chance of making it four with Cunningham ?.

Jay Howard is the real deal. I saw him in a one-off appearance in a Star Mazda at Mosport having never seen the car or the circuit before, and he wiped the floor with the regulars and won the race. As a metric, other notable drivers in the top 10 were Robbie Pecorari, Raphael Matos, James Hinchcliffe, Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti...

[stradlin21]

Panther have confirmed a few days ago on their website Q and A with the team they are currently in negotiations with a sponsor and a 2nd driver

At moment they are hinting that PJ Chesson is in for that seat

[alwayswatching]

Originally Posted by foreversideways

Good for Indy Pro, 3 drivers making it to the big cars next year. One champ, one ex champ and a front runner with a little help from his Honda friends. What chance of making it four with Cunningham ?.

Cunningham is clearly talented, but I wonder why he is still hanging around in the Indy Pro Series?

I'm assuming it's because he cannot bring his own funding or a sponsor with him to get that step up to IRL, It's a shame, but as has always been.....................without money, talent alone won't do it, especially when there are others who have talent and money.

Maybe Champ Car or ALMS could have a home for him?

[stradlin21]

i think if your talking about getting into champ car on talent alone then it would be hard

we all know about the fun Champ car is having with pay drivers

ALMS? perhaps

perhaps another succesful pro series season and things might change

[alwayswatching]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

i think if your talking about getting into champ car on talent alone then it would be hard

Originally Posted by stradlin21

we all know about the fun Champ car is having with pay drivers

ALMS? perhaps

perhaps another succesful pro series season and things might change

I think another season in the Pro series, is almost like a hiding for nothing, after 3 already, he's not exactly a *new talent* anymore, is he. If he wins, they will say, of course he should. If he loses, they will say, how come? And at the end, he still may not have the funds to take to an IRL Team.

I wasn't aware about dramas with pay drivers in Champcar?

ALMS could be a good showcase for his ability, look at Briscoe. But of course, Wade may have no interest in that direction.

[Mystery]

The "dramas" about pay drivers in the CCWS is the mere fact that they are more or less a requirement with there only being 2 or 3 cars seemingly fully funded by team sponsorship.

The point being without money you might as well not even try.

The IRL would appear not to be quite as difficult in that respect because the TEAM plan (is that the right name for it?) does at seem to be covering some of the gaps. If that attracts a Roth car or two then happy days.

[stradlin21]

I think most of Roth Racing is self funded and he has apparently got a sponsor

TEAM may help people like Greg Beck and Sarah Fisher who are trying to start (or restart) teams for 2008

Of course, it’s very early days in their programme but people like that will benefit from TEAM

Curt Cavin confirmed on his blog that both are trying to get something together, if it happens or not is another matter

[D.R.T.]

As you said in regards to Sharp/Patron, the trouble it was to start your own Open wheel team, even with a $ 5 million sponsor, what are the chances of Beck or Fisher getting up ?

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

As you said in regards to Sharp/Patron, the trouble it was to start your own Open wheel team, even with a $ 5 million sponsor, what are the chances of Beck or Fisher getting up ?

That’s exactly the problem for new teams in most series

According to what I’ve heard, Fisher has backing from AAMCO but that isn’t worth anywhere near a full season’s cash

But it’s still early in the off season

Do I want to see entries from Beck and Fisher in 2008? Of course

Do I think I will see this happen? As things stand right now I think it’s Indy only, things could change of course

I can’t be more honest then that, I’ll call things as I see them mate, you know that