Indycar Silly Season

drewdawg727 · 29 Sep 2006, 16:22 (Ref:1723176)

So...where's everyone going next year?

AGR with 4 cars still?
Rahal with 3 cars still?
Chip Ganassi with 2?

What have we all heard?

drdisque · 29 Sep 2006, 18:02 (Ref:1723251)

Ganassi will still have 2, that has been confirmed since both drivers are still under long term contract and will be driving with JPM at the Rolex 24 in January.

rustyfan · 29 Sep 2006, 21:28 (Ref:1723358)

I seem to recall that Michael Andretti mentioned - in conjuction with the unveiling of Patrick's car - that AGR plans to field four cars again next year.

As for Rahal, weren't there some rumours earlier that they might be scaling down to a single car since the funding is in place for Simmons in the Ethanol-ride while sponsorship for the two other cars is a bit more iffy?

Penske, with Hornish and Castroneves, should, on the other hand, be safe for next year, right (especially since Penske played a part in reviving Belle Isle)?

**chunterer** · 2 Oct 2006, 15:47 (Ref:1725383)

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdisque

Ganassi will still have 2, that has been confirmed since both drivers are still under long term contract and will be driving with JPM at the Rolex 24 in January.

Slightly off topic but are you saying that Dixon, Wheldon and JPM will be driving the same car?!!!!

As the IRL co-commentator (Gerald/Rice?) likes to say: 'UNBERLIEVABLE!!!!'

That'll go down as the greatest endurance team line up in history surely!!

Hazza · 3 Oct 2006, 01:56 (Ref:1725848)

Prediction: Ganassi car will win Rolex 24hr. Or break down.

Hein · 9 Oct 2006, 13:08 (Ref:1732948)

Does anybody know who is Tomas Scheckter be driving for next year?

Alex K · 9 Oct 2006, 23:23 (Ref:1733474)

Vision Racing mate.

Alwaysfirst · 10 Oct 2006, 00:31 (Ref:1733510)

At the moment the series isn't looking too strong. Andretti will probably run 4 cars though it's still possible it may be scaled down to 3, Ganassi will certainly run 2, Penske will probably run 2, Rahal will almost certainly run only 1 as Argent went with Danica to Andretti leaving just Pioneer & Ethanol.....which is still a bit iffy about whether it wants to sponsor Rahal next year. Vision will predictably run 2 & Panther will run 1 with a possibility of 2 if funds allow. Foyt will probably just run 1 car, Fernandez may not return whilst Hemelgarn, Dreyer & Reinbold etc are all out at the moment for next year & Tony George can't afford to run every car on the grid for a whole year.

This gives us a grand total of 13, possibly 12, possibly 14. Not great is it..........?

Bluewolf · 10 Oct 2006, 19:01 (Ref:1734398)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alwaysfirst

At the moment the series isn't looking too strong. Andretti will probably run 4 cars though it's still possible it may be scaled down to 3, Ganassi will certainly run 2, Penske will probably run 2, Rahal will almost certainly run only 1 as Argent went with Danica to Andretti leaving just Pioneer & Ethanol.....which is still a bit iffy about whether it wants to sponsor Rahal next year. Vision will predictably run 2 & Panther will run 1 with a possibility of 2 if funds allow. Foyt will probably just run 1 car, Fernandez may not return whilst Hemelgarn, Dreyer & Reinbold etc are all out at the moment for next year & Tony George can't afford to run every car on the grid for a whole year.

This gives us a grand total of 13, possibly 12, possibly 14. Not great is it..........?

Yes it's not great at all -- This is something I've been concerned about for awhile -- I don't know how the contracts with tracks/promoters are written but the number of 18 minimum cars is bantered about a quite a bit --- and if this applies to the IRL for next season on most tracks -- I would think there's a chance we may not have a season next year at all {not including the 500 of course} -- on the other hand, why aren't the IRL teams scrambling to Champ Car if there's a real reason for concern -- that may be an indication that there are going to be enough cars for next year.

BootsOntheSide · 11 Oct 2006, 14:10 (Ref:1735234)

As ChampCar has a brand new car next year, teams have plenty of tiem to order them if the need arises. Nothing will be delivered to anybody until next month, and any order placed in early 2007 should get a car in time to test before the season opener.

ChampCar has much more chance of atrracting new teams for next year than IRL, so getting beyond 15 cars will probably require some support funding. Running a reduced schedule, or encouraging strong ChampCar teams to run non-clashing races, might be the only way to keep the series alive, which is a shame as ChampCar is now ovalless and the 2006 IRL title battle was a humdinger.

drdisque · 12 Oct 2006, 21:17 (Ref:1736619)

the #55 is definitely coming back because of the Panasonic money
the #15 tested at Iowa last week, so it is likely coming back as well and ethanol is under contract to sponsor the #17
Roth (#25) is going to run all the ovals
Dreyer & Reinbold and Sarah Fisher for at least the ovals next year is close to a done deal

D70s · 13 Oct 2006, 01:29 (Ref:1736722)

Speed Channel reported today that Scott Sharp and all that sponsorship have apparently signed to drive for Rahal/Letterman in 2007. Makes sense, keeps the team with two cars and doesn't stretch Ganassi. Wonder how well they will go together.

Snips1 · 13 Oct 2006, 08:47 (Ref:1736918)

But it leaves Rice without a seat...

Alex K · 13 Oct 2006, 10:05 (Ref:1737017)

So what ?

rustyfan · 13 Oct 2006, 12:42 (Ref:1737156)

Hasn't Rice been more or less out of his current ride for a while now? Some articles and interviews I've read has hinted at that several times.

Snips1 · 13 Oct 2006, 16:09 (Ref:1737305)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex K

So what ?

So? Well he is one of the few us drivers who has one Indy, still a top driver and it would be a waste of talent if he didn't get a ride, enogh of chatting from me today, now I'll go get drunk, have a good friday!!!

mountainstar · 13 Oct 2006, 17:15 (Ref:1737348)

Yes rahal told him publicly to start looking for another job.

stradlin21 · 19 Oct 2006, 18:27 (Ref:1742346)

ok

here goes,

apart from the obvious teams, Fernandez will run at least one car, Sharp has cash behind him and will find a seat EITHER with Rahal or Panther, most likley Rahal, Ethanol will continue to sponsor another Rahal car, looks like a two car team for them, Rice is out the picture

DRR should return and so should Roth, Panther will run Meira and maybe a second car, a good source in the states tells me that Foyt is strongly looking at a second car

Playa Del Racing is still looking at entering a car aswell

Vision might run three cars, with Bell driving the third

kingfloopy · 20 Oct 2006, 13:08 (Ref:1743137)

I'm not sure Rice will land another ride. He hasn't had the results the last couple seasons that he had in 2004. Eighty-percent of it is due to his team. They focued on Patrick in 2005 and this season they didn't have the engine advantage which took away their edge. But there is still some question of his effort, and his performance is going to hurt him from the potential employer standpoint. It seems like most of the other teams are looking for drivers that have sponsors with them or are inexperienced and cost less and that will hurt him as well.

I hope he gets a ride and it might end up that he will. But I'm not sure he will end up with a front running team.

J.D.

mountainstar · 20 Oct 2006, 16:11 (Ref:1743279)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfloopy

I'm not sure Rice will land another ride. He hasn't had the results the last couple seasons that he had in 2004. Eighty-percent of it is due to his team. They focued on Patrick in 2005 and this season they didn't have the engine advantage which took away their edge. But there is still some question of his effort, and his performance is going to hurt him from the potential employer standpoint. It seems like most of the other teams are looking for drivers that have sponsors with them or are inexperienced and cost less and that will hurt him as well.

I hope he gets a ride and it might end up that he will. But I'm not sure he will end up with a front running team.

J.D.

I think NASTRUCK is his future.

Tim Northcutt · 20 Oct 2006, 16:58 (Ref:1743331)

I'll wait until people announce and confirm exactly who will race for whom....

I'd like to see Fernandez remain...but there was a rumor in another thread that they might not be running in IRL next season, and may just focus on the ALMS Acura program next season...and Matsuura would take his sponsor elsewhere

Who knows???

stradlin21 · 20 Oct 2006, 21:16 (Ref:1743575)

according to indycar.com

DRR have annouced a new sponsor

this would indicate they intend to return in 07

good news!

stradlin21 · 20 Oct 2006, 21:22 (Ref:1743582)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

I'll wait until people announce and confirm exactly who will race for whom....

I'd like to see Fernandez remain...but there was a rumor in another thread that they might not be running in IRL next season, and may just focus on the ALMS Acura program next season...and Matsuura would take his sponsor elsewhere

Who knows???

i heard something like that but I expect Fernandez to be back with at least one car

there was also a rumour that Adrian is looking at putting a Mexican in the other car, if he can find the backing

luke · 25 Oct 2006, 15:27 (Ref:1749089)

Wheldon is chasing a deal with Spyker to be in F1 next year.

mountainstar · 26 Oct 2006, 01:10 (Ref:1749504)

There was a juicy rumor from another forum the source being a fernandez team member, that the irl team has shut and everyone laid off except for 10 people to work on the ALMS deal. We'll see if this pans out.

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