Indycar News & Rumors.

[S griffin]

I really hope it doesn’t come back to bite them, they could use someone like Hinchcliffe to help them move forward

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I really hope it doesn’t come back to bite them, they could use someone like Hinchcliffe to help them move forward

I agree, I think they've made a mistake dropping Hinchliffe.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I agree, I think they've made a mistake dropping Hinchliffe.

Hinch and O'Ward would have been the sensible way to go for sure.

[NaBUru38]

I see Hinch getting the #19 Dale Coyne Honda.

[RWill2073]

If Honda want Hinch to be full time, won't they just fund him at rahal in a third car?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I see Hinch getting the #19 Dale Coyne Honda.

According to the Dale Coyne website, the current drivers are Bourdais and Ferrucci.

https://dalecoyneracing.com/drivers/

He's fielded a third car but it's never been a regular drive.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

If Honda want Hinch to be full time, won't they just fund him at rahal in a third car?

Would RLLR want to run a third car, even if Honda were funding it?

[rwintle]

I'd been told that Hinch's Honda Canada deal is likely not enough $ for a full season entry without additional money from elsewhere (previously, Arrow). So that would likely rule out Coyne, don't know about RLL.


Oliver Askew has been quick in Lights, and O'Ward may be better than his previous IndyCar record would show, but yes, it seems odd to put two rookies into their seats. I'd say that McLaren knows what they're doing, but, well... you know.


Going to be a big dent to the IndyCar weekend here in Toronto if Hinch isn't racing.

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by HighParker

It's not really anything new or definite yet, but as the Toronto promoters are sending out emails today to start ticket renewals for the 2020 race, there will likely be decisions being made in the next few months about possible future building projects at Exhibition Place that could make it difficult or impossible for it to continue. If you scroll down to the images on pages 3, 5, 6 and 7 of this pdf brochure, you can see how building an expansion to the trade centre would take up the space where the pit lane and trackside suites have been in recent years.

Holy crap. Good find HighParker. This is way worse than the previous Ex Place long range plans (which I think either you or I posted earlier - and had plenty of race-confounding problems of its own!).


I haven't looked carefully yet - what the heck do they plan to do with Lakeshore Boulevard? Does it go underneath all this?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I see Hinch getting the #19 Dale Coyne Honda.

Originally Posted by RWill2073

If Honda want Hinch to be full time, won't they just fund him at rahal in a third car?

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

According to the Dale Coyne website, the current drivers are Bourdais and Ferrucci.

https://dalecoyneracing.com/drivers/

He's fielded a third car but it's never been a regular drive.

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Would RLLR want to run a third car, even if Honda were funding it?

DCR seats are full, little chance he'd take a third seat for a couple rounds.

According to MP and RM Honda of Canada is chipping in a decent supply but nothing near the 6 million dollar asking price for the third seat at Rahal. I think we could see him in a part time seat there but full season will require a lot more cash, and it doesn't look like it's coming any time soon.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Though Hinchcliffe has lost his ride at SPAM, they are keeping the third seat open for fellow Canadian Wickens, as he continues to make his recovery.

https://racer.com/2019/10/30/arrow-m...n-for-wickens/

[Fiorentina 1]

Zak Brown is really starting to make a negative name for himself around the racing world. Taking McLaren to the back of the grid, not qualifying for Indy 500, ruining Autosport magazine by brokering the deal to motorsport dot con and now Hinch Town. Good job, dude!

[Nikki Katz]

There’s an article on autosport today where Honda are considering pulling out of indycar and IMSA in favour of nascar. Hope that’s just an idle threat.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Fiorentina 1

Zak Brown is really starting to make a negative name for himself around the racing world. Taking McLaren to the back of the grid, not qualifying for Indy 500, ruining Autosport magazine by brokering the deal to motorsport dot con and now Hinch Town. Good job, dude!

It's interesting to note that since Andreas Seidl became Team Principal at McLaren, their F1 fortunes have vastly improved. Maybe if Zak Brown were to take a step back in other spheres of motorsport he's got himself involved with, their fortunes might also improve.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Nikki Katz

There’s an article on autosport today where Honda are considering pulling out of indycar and IMSA in favour of nascar. Hope that’s just an idle threat.

According to that article, http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/146931

"New NASCAR chassis rules for 2021 will be followed by an updated powertrain in either '22 or '23, with both moves aimed at slashing costs and attracting new manufacturers to join Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota."

So, if Honda do decide to quit both IndyCar and IMSA, it probably won't be until 2023 at the latest.

[Yannick]

I still think it's odd that the F1 season is still ongoing and IndyCar's season has been in the books for over a month now already.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Yannick

I still think it's odd that the F1 season is still ongoing and IndyCar's season has been in the books for over a month now already.

F1 doesn't have the elephant in the room for local sponsors of the NFL. F1 can also deal with a Nascar race across the state, Nascar and the promoter hate it but doubt it's really tough for them. Now more than Texas Motorspeedway has been for everyone to draw full crowds.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Road to Indy to mandate the Cockpit Frontal Protection (CFP) device, for the 2020 all three categories, Indy Lights, Indy Pro 2000 and USF2000.

[JHamilton]

I'm seeing that IMS, Indycar have sold to the Penske Group. Press conference at 11am central.

[bjohnsonsmith]

IndyStar say Penske is buying IMS, from Hulman & Co.

https://eu.indystar.com/story/news/2...ke/4154155002/

[bjohnsonsmith]

Zak Brown explains why Hinchcliffe was dropped. Having read this, I believe it was Brown's idea and not Sam Schmidt or Ric Peterson's.

https://racer.com/2019/11/01/brown-e...cliffe-u-turn/

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

IndyStar say Penske is buying IMS, from Hulman & Co.

https://eu.indystar.com/story/news/2...ke/4154155002/

Just read this in the AP. Holy Big Deal Batman!!

[mountainstar]

My wisdom has proven right yet again.

As I said in the past, the day would come when the majority of the Hulman Trust would simply want their cash out to do the things they want to do and today is the day!

So today we can rejoice that the evil empire is on it's way out and we can move forward into a new era of prosperity. I've not always agreed with Penske but at least he knows how to run a business.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Apart from buying IMS, it will be interesting to see what Roger Penske will do in terms of the IndyCar series.

[Nick Woodbury]