KV to run 2-car team in 2009

[Cart750hp]

According to Curt Cavin, the Australia situation was not the nail in the coffin that most of us thought.

Here's a bit of good news for the Christmas season: KV Racing Technology has every intention of being a better IndyCar Series team in 2009 even though it appears its primary sponsor, Team Australia, won't return.

Mark Johnson, the general manager of the Indianapolis-based team, said today that team co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser have assured him "we're going racing" next season. "The edict has been, let's improve our team," Johnson said.

The team hasn't named a driver for either of its two cars, but it seems fair to say that Oriol Servia and Will Power will be considered. Servia finished ninth in the standings with four top-five finishes in IndyCar Series races (he was also fifth at Long Beach, the final Champ Car World Series event). Power was dominated the street course race in Surfers Paradise, Australia, from the pole when his car struck a barrier.

Johnson, who works with the owners in sponsorship issues, didn't reveal any details of the 2009 program, but he insisted that "we're encouraged."

"We have more things going on that we've ever had at this point," he said.

KV has even hired four people since the end of the regular season, including two in the engineering department.


Edit: I don't see a specific quote about the "2 cars", so not sure if Curt has more to go on that he didn't reveal, or what.

I believe Curt's story but I don't believe anything that KK is involved in. They are staying optimistic (like CC years) but nothing when it's due.

So what if they have 2 cars next year.....that is not gonna put them in the front of the grid anyway.

Just my 2c

[Nikki Katz]

If this is true then this is really good news. Aside from likely losing one NHL car, the other good teams are all present, possibly even adding additional cars in some cases. I won't miss Roth and Duno at all, if the two fewer cars next year are those two then I think that the IRL got off very lightly.

[Chamoo]

If this is true then this is really good news. Aside from likely losing one NHL car, the other good teams are all present, possibly even adding additional cars in some cases. I won't miss Roth and Duno at all, if the two fewer cars next year are those two then I think that the IRL got off very lightly.

Duno isn't gone yet.

[DanicaFan]

Duno isn't gone yet.

She should be. She is horrible !

[indycool]

http://www.indystar.com/article/2008...0107/812090349

[MDS]

From that Article

"We've shifted some bodies around with our (American Le Mans Series) program ramping up," said Scott Roembke, who runs RLR out of Hilliard, Ohio. "We've tightened our belts, certainly, but as stated, if we had to go Indy-car racing tomorrow, we could."

Makes me think that RLR will not be back in the IRL in 2009

Meanwhile, more than 700 people have been released from NASCAR Sprint Cup teams since the season ended three weeks ago, according to various news outlets, including 120 at Dale Earnhardt Inc., which merged with Chip Ganassi Racing.

And "Various news Outlets" = Jayski

[CCWS77]

Notice how none of the usual suspects who were were all over IRL management for not keeping Surfers at any cost are oddly silent.

If you go back and look, I think you will find I objected to losing Surfers as a fan. I did not do so just because of what I thought immediate sponsor implications were. In fact, I even said the IRL has people on staff to figure that stuff out, and it isnt my job as a fan - for which I was attacked. If you think this vindicates that it was just fine to drop it, well I think it is people like you were the ones not listening.