2010 Silly Season

[Yannick]

I would love to see Buddy Rice back in an IndyCar - as much as Bobby Rahal's team in fact. I hope they are working on something.

And what about ex-Champ-Car teams entering, who in 2008 decided against the last minute transition? I'm hoping for Derrick Walker's team here mainly, because it is a known fact that the other possible one, Forsythe, is known to not being too keen to work with IRL.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

Where are you getting this information?

Doornbos signed a contract with HVM Racing in August of this year to race for them the rest of the 2009 season and the 2010 season.

According Dutch website Sportweek: http://www.sportweek.nl/formule1/114...htste_jaar_was

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Yannick

I would love to see Buddy Rice back in an IndyCar - as much as Bobby Rahal's team in fact. I hope they are working on something.

And what about ex-Champ-Car teams entering, who in 2008 decided against the last minute transition? I'm hoping for Derrick Walker's team here mainly, because it is a known fact that the other possible one, Forsythe, is known to not being too keen to work with IRL.

I think that Bobby likely has his hands full in the ALMS as he is continuing Rahal-Letterman's role as the official BMW factory GT2 team. IndyCar is all well and good but to be a factory team is likely better for the bills, and probably for the sheer pleasure of helping to develop a car in conjunction with all those engineering resources.

Speaking of sportscars, both Walker and Forsythe explored ALMS programs to some degree or another after the transition...one wonders if they'd be any more successful trying to put together an IndyCar program than they were in those explorations?

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by cmk

I think that Bobby likely has his hands full in the ALMS as he is continuing Rahal-Letterman's role as the official BMW factory GT2 team. IndyCar is all well and good but to be a factory team is likely better for the bills, and probably for the sheer pleasure of helping to develop a car in conjunction with all those engineering resources.

Speaking of sportscars, both Walker and Forsythe explored ALMS programs to some degree or another after the transition...one wonders if they'd be any more successful trying to put together an IndyCar program than they were in those explorations?

Walker openly expressed an interest in IndyCar and was excitedly moving forward following unification, but Gore dropped out and his funding went "Poof." He just doesn't have the $$$ to do it.

Forsythe resisted mergification to the end until Kalkhoven allegedly twisted his arm to sign on, because KK was tired of flushing good money after bad, and Forsythe apparently saw that it would be cost prohibitive to try to go it alone.

Forsythe has the $$$ to fund his own team (that's what he did in Champ Car) but he has a bone to pick with TG, and would not consider running in the IRL or he would be there...He even went through the whole contract squabble with Paul Tracy over it, because he didn't want to race in IndyCar.

Maybe with Tony out of power, he might reconsider, but I doubt it.

[DanicaFan]

Originally Posted by FIRE

According Dutch website Sportweek: http://www.sportweek.nl/formule1/114...htste_jaar_was

Here is what the link says in English..

By Nando Boers

Robert Doornbos (photo, left) After the last race in the American Indy Cars to HVM not informed to return to the Team. The Dutchman, who switched from midseason Newman / Haas / Lanigan, could not break the pots slow car. He left early because NHL Racing communication was bad, and they "all eggs in that basket" explained that Graham Rahal.

Doornbos hoped for HVM to give his career a kickstart. Since nothing came of it. A handful of ninth place was the best Doornbos after the championship producers. He was sixteenth in the final standings with 283 points.

The former F1 driver felt that "if no longer could. According Doornbos is a lack of financial resources to the cause of poor results. "I was a sitting duck at the races with HVM. We had no chance and sometimes I had to take unreasonable risks. "

"Hopefully I have now all the **** for the duration of my career had," Doornbos said from his home in Monaco against Sportsweek. "I hope that the worst years of my career appears to have been."

My Take:

I wouldnt say this is 100% legit. No other sources are stating that Doornbos will not return to HVM in 2010. Like I said, he signed a contract in August with them through 2010.

[Stefvh]

Contracts are breakable.

[Yannick]

So what is next for Bobby D? Refreshing his Red Bull connections and joining Audi in DTM? He would even have a home race in that series.

[FIRE]

On his twitter Doornbos denies he's leaving HVM.

[DanicaFan]

Originally Posted by Stefvh

Contracts are breakable.

I know they can be but there is no other source stating he is gone, even my AGR source.

I think the article was wrote wrong or the reporter got something mixed up or was told something inaccurate.

[Yannick]

With IZOD looking to enlarge their sponsorship in the series for next season, where do you think that their man Ryan Hunter-Reay will find a ride? Vision again?

[DanicaFan]

This how I see the 2010 season shaping up at this time..


FULL TIME TEAMS w/sponsors

Team Penske

#3 Helio Castroneves
#6 Ryan Briscoe
#12 Will Power

Target Chip Ganassi Racing

#9 Scott Dixon – Target
#10 Dario Franchitti – Target

Andretti Racing

#7 Danica Patrick – Boost Mobile/Motorola
#11 Tony Kanaan – 7-11
#26 Marco Andretti – Various sponsors (Venom)
#27 Ryan Hunter-Reay – IZOD

Newman Haas Lanigan Racing

#02 Graham Rahal – McDonald’s
#06 Alex Lloyd – Her Energy Drink
Car #-? Hideki Mutoh- Formula Dream

KV Racing Technology

#5 Mario Moraes

Panther Racing

#4 Dan Wheldon – National Guard

AJ Foyt Enterprises

#14 Vitor Meira – ABC Supply

Dale Coyne Racing

#18 Justin Wilson – Z-Line Designs
#19-?

Vision Racing

#20 Ed Carpenter- Menard’s

FAZZT Racing

#77 Alex Tagliani

Luczo Dragon Racing

#2 Raphael Matos

HVM Racing

#33 Robert Doornbos
2nd Car- TBA

Conquest Racing

#00 Nelson Philippe

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

#23 –Milka Duno
#24 ?? – (Mike Conway possible)

PART TIME TEAMS

Sarah Fisher Racing

#67 Sarah Fisher – Dollar General / AAA Insurance
#76 Jay Howard – Tire Kingdom

3G

#98 – TBA

KV Racing Technology

#15 Paul Tracy – Monster / GEICO

DeFerran Motorsports – Could run full-time or part-time depending on funds.

[JagtechOhio]

That's extremely optimistic, and I hope it is accurate. There could easily be only 20 if a lot of sponsorship does not appear or renew.

[Hawkwood]

I'm very disappointed (but not at all surprised) that more drivers from Indy Lights aren't getting promoted to the big league. IndyCar must be the slowest catagory in this regard, even F1 is much, much faster in bringing in fresh blood.

People like Wade Cunningham - it's a travesty that he's still in the series that he won 3 or 4 years ago and has been winning races in since. Not just him, plenty of drivers should probably have been snapped up by now. I know Matos bucked the trend, but he's the only full time exmaple since AJ Foyt IV in 2002. That's a pretty bad state of affairs.

[DanicaFan]

I forgot to add the possible full time team of

Newman Wachs Racing with John Edwards, driver.

[JagtechOhio]

Quite right Ostro, the current Lights champion J.R. Hildebrand has not been mentioned for a seat anywhere.

Wachs already stated in interviews that they don't have the backing to run Edwards in ICS. They had previously discussed GP2, now are talking Lights. And probably folding their two car Atlantic team at the same time.

[Tucky70]

Will Power confirmed full time gig at Penske for 2010.

http://irl.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009...0-penske-deal/

[Jimmy Magnusson]

That may be your 2010 champion right there.

[gomick]

Thats great news for will & the series - 2 aussies in the series plus scotty dixon, get surfers back on the schedule

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by gomick

Thats great news for will & the series - 2 aussies in the series plus scotty dixon, get surfers back on the schedule

If Surfers would actually MOVE their date to make it closer to the Motegi date, then it would make sense for the IRL to go there and they would gladly do it...

Maybe with nothing left but the V-8 Supercars on the dance card, Surfers might consider shifting their race date so that the IRL can make that Pacific swing on the schedule

However, to go halfway around the world to Japan, then make another trip down under to OZ 4 weeks later is not feasible, not cheap and, in terms of logistics, would be just plain stupid for the IRL to do, and that is why they couldn't reach an agreement with Surfers the last time.

I don't blame the IRL...they had to do what would work best for their teams financially and logistically.

[JagtechOhio]

If 2010 ends anywhere close to the way 2009 did, they won't have Homestead in the way when the contract expires. The schedule will be free for Surfers in '11.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

If Surfers would actually MOVE their date to make it closer to the Motegi date, then it would make sense for the IRL to go there and they would gladly do it...

Maybe with nothing left but the V-8 Supercars on the dance card, Surfers might consider shifting their race date so that the IRL can make that Pacific swing on the schedule

However, to go halfway around the world to Japan, then make another trip down under to OZ 4 weeks later is not feasible, not cheap and, in terms of logistics, would be just plain stupid for the IRL to do, and that is why they couldn't reach an agreement with Surfers the last time.

I don't blame the IRL...they had to do what would work best for their teams financially and logistically.

Moving Surfers earlier is NOT going to happen. That would put it between the Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000, which isn't really on. Really, I'd rather have just the V8's than move it to acommodate IndyCar. Adelaide has been a stand alone for years, and a big success at that. Maybe the American Le Mans Series can be enticed to come down. That'd be a good fit.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

Surfers might consider shifting their race date so that the IRL can make that Pacific swing on the schedule

However, to go halfway around the world to Japan, then make another trip down under to OZ 4 weeks later is not feasible, not cheap

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Moving Surfers earlier is NOT going to happen

As I've suggested here (a better thread for schedule discussions than this one), the IRL could try copying the ACO by creating the IndyCar World Series with all those foreign circuits we've been hearing about. Without moving Motegi's and Surfers Paradise's dates, they could just add some Asian races in the middle. F1 GPs could be a problem, though.

[rich07]

I'm so happy that Will Power has a full time drive with Penske next year, well deserved.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Hmm...I'll take a stab at grid predictions.

Luczo-Dragon
2. Raphael Matos

Team Penske
3. Hélio Castroneves
6. Ryan Briscoe

Panther Racing
4. Dan Wheldon

KV Racing Technology
5. Mario Moraes
15. JR Hildebrand/Paul Tracy (car will probably be part-time, each running a few races...JR would probably get the 8 for Indy)

Andretti Autosport
7. Danica Patrick
11. Tony Kanaan
26. Marco Andretti
27. Ryan Hunter-Reay

Chip Ganassi Racing
9. Scott Dixon
10. Dario Franchitti

Penske Racing
12. Will Power

AJ Foyt Enterprises
14. Vitor Meira

Dale Coyne Racing
18. Justin Wilson
19. Bruno Junqueira (part-time...I'd say Brazil only and maybe Indy; according to Miller he has money for Brazil if they run it)

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
23. Milka Duno
24. Mike Conway

HVM Racing
31. Robert Doornbos

Conquest Racing
34. Nelson Philippe

Sarah Fisher Racing
66. Jay Howard (part-time)
67. Sarah Fisher (part-time)

FAZZT Racing
77. Alex Tagliani

Team 3G
98. Richard Antinucci

NHLR
02. Graham Rahal
06. Hideki Mutoh
xx. Alex Lloyd (part-time, maybe just Indy)

No ServiÃ*, Viso, Scheckter, Vision Racing, De Ferran Motorsport among others. It's not a bad lineup, though I really hope Oriol gets a place. Good news is 22 full-time, maybe more.

[Tim Northcutt]

In today's Indy Star, there was an item in "Pit pass" that said EJ Viso is working on putting together a deal that would make him the third Ganassi Racing car on the grid.