Mike King's Sam Hornish Theory

[ChicagocrewIRL]

From the IndyCar.com "Views from Trackside Column by IMS Radio Network play by play annoucer Mike King.

"Q. Is Sam Hornish Jr. going to leave the IndyCar Series to drive stock cars in 2008?

A. No. And here's why. Sam really loves four things: his wife Crystal, his family, Northwest Ohio and racing. Sam and Crystal are expecting their first child Feb. 10. If you think that Sam would leave Crystal to drive a race car in late January or early February, then allow me to laugh out loud. Sam and Crystal would be miserable if they had to move to North Carolina, away from their respective families (in fact, I'm not sure they would ever consider moving, which would make the stock car scenario pretty tough to pull off).

Sam still has some mountains to climb in the IndyCar Series. He is regarded as the oval meister, but unlike his mentor, Rick Mears, Sam has yet to master a road or street course. Lastly, money will not be the determining factor in the decision. Make no mistake, 2007 has been tough on Sam. He has had to deal with a bumper crop of bad breaks and many drivers that I've talked to say Sam's reaction time has been negatively affected by the time he's spent trying to adapt to racing a 3,400-pound stock car. My prediction? Sam Hornish Jr. returns to the IndyCar Series next season loaded for bear with, not one, but two teammates: Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe.

One other thing. Sam is vested in the IndyCar Series. With live attendance and TV numbers up, and with so many good things happening, why would he leave the series he's worked so hard to help build?"

Mr King makes some valid points about Sam Hornish. I hope he's right and Hornish stays in the IRL . Do ya'll think he is high or do you think he is right ?

[Komahawk]

I just hope he stays. It's probably not the best idea to run 2 series at the same time with the cars being totally different. But Briscoe in a third Penske? Hm. Doesn't sound very likely to me.
However I've heard that Kanaan will definitely stay with AGR for next year, so if Hornish actually does move to NASCAR fulltime Briscoe might get his seat.

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Every scenario has Briscoe taking the Hornish ride with Penske next season. I just can't see anyone else filling that seat other than Briscoe.

[Komahawk]

So Hornish is gone?

[millencolin]

Every scenario has Briscoe taking the Hornish ride with Penske next season. I just can't see anyone else filling that seat other than Briscoe.


fingers crossed, lets hope that happens! (obviously im speaking from an Australian point of view :p :)

[ChicagocrewIRL]

So Hornish is gone?

Not necessarily. IMO he is gone. But Mike King brings up some good points on why he would stay in IndyCar. I respect Mike King a lot. I listen to his broadcasts and just find his insight and commentary and knowledge to be very valuable. So even though I thought Hornish was gone, King gives a small ray of hope that another open wheel champion doesn't go slumming in NAPCAR.

[ChampUSfan]

I wish Ryan to team with Helio!

[Komahawk]

If Ryan has matured and can cut back on the silly accidents then he might turn out to be a race winner, but hardly a fitting replacement for Hornish. Anyway, Helio's gonna be the '08 champ. :)

On a different note: I hear Franchitti might move to NASCAR next season, replacing Stremme at Ganassi. Man I hope that's just a rumor!

[Skid Marx]

If Ryan has matured and can cut back on the silly accidents then he might turn out to be a race winner, but hardly a fitting replacement for Hornish. Anyway, Helio's gonna be the '08 champ. :)

On a different note: I hear Franchitti might move to NASCAR next season, replacing Stremme at Ganassi. Man I hope that's just a rumor!

I think that IF Franchitti doesn't move over to Penske alongside Helio, then he will definitely be gone from the IRL. Either to NASCAR as rumored, or possibly to CCWS to the NHL seat vacated by Bourdais. I don't think Franchitti will put up with driving for Mikey after what has happened this season. Just my opinion, so you know how much that's worth...

[Jonesi]

snip...On a different note: I hear Franchitti might move to NASCAR next season, replacing Stremme at Ganassi. Man I hope that's just a rumor!

It's not just a rumor, but you've overstated it a little. Sponsor is leaving, so Ganassi hasn't picked up Stremme's option and freed him to look elsewhere. Ganassi has also talked to Franchitti. I suspect the priority list is:
1. Find new sponsor
2. Tell sponsor we can sign the following drivers at $x.. Stremme, Franchitti, etc.

[Alexamateo]

Whatever Sam choose, I wish him the best. One nice thing is, he is certainly with the organization that allows him to move to NASCAR or back to Indycars later if he so decides. From what I've heard or read, Roger Penske thinks as highly of Sam as he did of Rick Mears, so he's probably with the organization for life.

I hope he stays FWIW. I started getting back into the IRL back in 2002 because IMO they were putting on a better show than Nascar, and Sam became my favorite driver.

I am a NASCAR fan too, so I'll happily cheer for him there too. Nascar is top dog right now, so I can't blame anyone for wanting to go.

[indycool]

Penske will certainly have something to say about it, one way or the other. One thing that supports Mike King's logic: In NASCAR, they race 36 weeks a year or so, plus testing. If Hornish's background was like, say Tony Stewart's, racing everywhere all the time, it'd be more likely that NASCAR would fit his program than coming up through the formula ranks and racing 15 or so times a year.

As far as Franchitti goes, he's always signed one-year contracts. "Given all that's happened this year?" He's won the Indianapolis 500 and he's close to winning the championship (we'll know that tomorrow). He's had big successes and big failures.

On both, time will tell, but I doubt either is predisposed at this point.

[Skid Marx]

"Given all that's happened this year?" He's won the Indianapolis 500 and he's close to winning the championship.

Yeah, he has, and still gets second-class treatment by his team owner when it comes down to an issue between him and Daddy's boy. Marco was at fault at Sonoma and Mikey dissed Dario on national TV. Dario was none too happy about it afterwards. Sure, publicly he says they've patched things up and agreed to disagree. I think that may be true between him and Marco, but not between him and Mikey. Call it a hunch, but like I said, it's just my opinion...

[indycool]

Sure. Agree that was ugly. But some are predicting he's going to drive an ALMS car for AGR. In that scenario, why would he do that?