Bryan Herta lands FOURTH full-time AGR seat!

[rustyfan]

Wow, this is a shocker (of the good sort) - Autosport reports;

Herta lands full-time Andretti seat - Andretti Green commits to run four cars in the IRL


Bryan Herta has sealed a deal to drive a fourth Andretti Green Racing entry in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series next year.

Herta started 11 races in 2003 for AGR in a substitute role for the injured Dario Franchitti, and won at Kansas. Herta joins Franchitti, Tony Kanaan and Dan Wheldon in its Dallara-Honda cars next year.

"It's very exciting for Andretti Green Racing to be able to add a fourth car," said team co-owner Michael Andretti. "Bryan did such a great job for us last year and we really didn't want to lose him. The IndyCar Series is so competitive that you need every resource and advantage you can get.

"We know it won't be an easy thing to do, but being able to run four cars and keep Bryan Herta in our lineup should give us a great shot to contend for the 2004 championship. We would like nothing better than to be able to deliver that to Honda and all of our partners in 2004."

Herta said: "I couldn't be happier to be back with Andretti Green and Honda. Last year was a great opportunity and it is awesome to be able to continue with the team and expand on what we achieved in 2003."

This is great

[racefanatic]

Wow! I definately didn't see that coming! That's great though, I'm glad he has a good ride. He should be very successful.

[jhansen]

Definitely good to have a fourth car. No doubt about it. Wonder what the sponsors will be? Andretti hinted that it will be difficult to manage four cars. Wonder if they will be as effective as Penske, Panther or Ganassi who only have to manage two cars. Although they do get data from four cars and drivers. Interesting.

[Down F0rce]

Fantastic! Bryan gets a full time ride at last. Bloody well deserves it too

[Tim Northcutt]

Herta and Kanaan are both solid drivers with a good feel for set-ups, and Francchiti and Wheldon are both hard-chargers...a good balance of talents among the four....

I think it will be a very strong team...

If Roush cn do it with five in nascar, Michael can do it with four in IRL...

I don't see the problem...

[Down F0rce]

As I suspected, Bryan will be #7 next year. His sponsorship package "is being finalised", apparantly.

Source: http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/ne...?story_id=2175

[gttouring]

WOW a 4 car team, they better get to testing and really cream Penske- I doubt there is an excuse to not get a championship this year- but many will be made.

[Tim Northcutt]

If they still have Honda power, that engine was in third out of three at the end of the season (1. Toyota 2. Ford Chevyworth 3. Honda) but this is a new year, a different camshaft and a shorter stroke....

new ballgame boys & girls...

Can't wait until spring....and especially May

[Weaver]

Actually Tim, Honda finished second in Manu. points by five or so over Cosworth, still, not very impressive.

The team will still be with Honda and you will see Herta's car more in a development role than pure race car. Private in season testing is now illegal except for IRL open dates, a few Manu. tests, and Firestone tests. So basically this car will do alot of testing and development work on both engines and aero/mechanical packages during race weekends, except for Motegi and Indy.

Contrary to what people might think, Herta is very happy to be in this developmental role.

And, it means a few out-of-work mechanics will get jobs after the new year. And thats good news right about now.

Happy Holidays!

[GP Racer]

Michael Andretti must have been very impressed to make a fourth car for Bryan because "he didn't want to lose him".
That's saying alot about Bryan's talent.

Michael must be doing well these day's also, four cars!

Nice post Weaver, some good insight there! You wouldn't be a mechanic now, would you?

[climb]

Happy for Brian; certainly better driving for AGR than Rahal, at least from a financial point of view..

[marcus]

excellent news , always good to have bryan on board , he can certainly turn things on and I hope he has a great season.

[Hazza]

obscure quote time:
"you could start a war with that lot"

[Down F0rce]

lol, shows how serious Micheal is to take his team to the winner's circle

By the way, welcome to the fourm, Weaver

[BootsOntheSide]

In reality the engine performance order was : 1 Toyota 2 Cosworth 3 Honda 4 Chevvy. Toyota were always well clear of Honda though, and only one win was a very poor return for Honda.

This is a good drive for Bryan, even though his results are unlikely to be the priority. It's perhaps a sad sign of just how mcuh funding Honda are throwing at the sport, elaving teh smaller teams struggling. I'd rather see 2 from AGR and 2 from Hemelgarn or Schmidt (for example) rather than 4 from Michael (who I've never greatly liked)

[climb]

For precision honda won 2 races (Kanaan, Herta)

[Jordi]

Looks like Michael will try to win the title by the quantity system.. Still, a lot of quality in the team. First four car team in the history of open wheel racing in America?

[rush1]

Penske had a three car operation in the mid 90's correct? Unser Jr. Fittapaldi and Tracy I think. Can't think of any 4 car teams.

[pink69]

Herta did a sterling job for AGR while standing in for Franchitti I thought. He deserved to stay with the team. Best bet could be run the team as 2 2-car teams perhaps!?!

[Snrub]

Nice to see some good things happening to Herta.

[BootsOntheSide]

Istand corrected as to the second Honda win. For sponsorship purposes it will probably be 2 2-car squads, although with total technical and tactical co-operation along the way. Depending on the Honda performance, all 4 could eb race-winners next year.

[Snrub]

As for 3 car teams with the same sponsorship don't forget Ganassi's 3 car team: Junky, Brack, Dixon.

[Hazza]

7/11 team and then the Whiskymobile for Dan and the Blue Machine for the Scott?

[Weaver]

Originally posted by pink69
Best bet could be run the team as 2 2-car teams perhaps!?!

Basically, there is no reason to think that the team will be run any differently than it is now. You would be suprised how smooth three cars went this season, and we already have about 75% of the equipment needed to run the full year, but we have about 90% of the equipment for the first race.

If you really want figure out how the team will be run, its basically like this. The 11,26,& 27 cars will have the same team manager. They will also have the same director of engineering. The 7 car (Herta) will have its own team manager and its own dir. of engineering. It will also have heavy heavy influence from Honda. At it will be the development car, it will have its own shop based HPD engineer, its own aerodynamicist, and its own DAG/ Pi specialist.

It sounds like alot, but since it will be doing all of the development for us (and Honda) its really like a F1 test team that gets to go to the track. But it will also do most of the shaker rig and all of the wind tunnel exercises. This car will be a few evolutions ahead of the primary racecars. Hopefully they will find some speed ( and when I say speed I really mean horsepower! ) that we can use right away. The post speedway Toyota freight train was quite embarrassing.

Oh and thanks for the welcome Down Force!

Take care and Happy Holidays!
Weaver

[brightline]

Thanks for some post/preseason insider info we are always lusting for this time of year.