IRL Silly Season [Archive] - Motorsport Forums

sanguin

1st February 2008, 15:03

I was surprised no one posted this yet.

AGR - 4 (Mutoh, Ma. Andretti, Kanaan, Patrick)
Ganassi - 2 (Wheldon, Dixon)
Penske - 2 (Briscoe, Castroneves)
Roth/Schmidt - 2 (Roth, Howard)
Panther - 1- (Meira)
RLR - 1 (Hunter-Reay)
D&R - 0-?
Vision - 1 (Carpenter)
Foyt - 1 (Manning)

Anyone have more to add?

Alfa Fan

1st February 2008, 15:13

Penkse - Castroneves & Briscoe
Ganassi - Dixon, Wheldon & Lloyd
AGR - Kanaan, Andretti, Patrick & Mutoh
Rahal - Hunter-Raey & TBA
Panther - Meira & TBA
Foyt - Manning
Vision - Carpenter & TBA
SAMAX - Duno
Roth - Roth & Howard
Dreyer & Reinbold - TBA & TBA

So that's 20.

sanguin

1st February 2008, 17:50

gofastandwynn

1st February 2008, 18:11

Those are big "?"

Panther said on their website ,they can't find sponsorship and may stay with one car. D&R doesn't have anything. Rahal's got nothing in the works yet either
according to Cavin. I don't think Duno is in.

Since you are a champcar fan I am sure you care, but this is the Tracksideonline.com list:

CONFIRMED ENTRY WITH DRIVER ANNOUNCED:

AGR - Kanaan
AGR - Danica
AGR - Andretti
AGR - Mutoh
Penske - Castroneves
Penske - Briscoe
Ganassi - Wheldon
Ganassi - Dixon
Vision - Carpenter
Foyt - Darren Manning

Total Confirmed Car/Driver Combinations = 10

95% CONFIRMED BUT WAITING FOR OFFICIAL DRIVER OR SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT:

RLR #1 - (Ethanol Car) Ryan Hunter Reay is expected here, just waiting for it to be official. BTW, Ryan made an excellent drive in the rain the Daytona 24 hours.
Panther #1 - Vitor Meira is expected here, but not officially announced yet.
DRR #1 - (The car will be on the grid, and the team is working to re-sign Buddy Rice. Just waiting for this one to become official).
Roth Racing #1 - Marty Roth (Just waiting for sponsorship announcements to move this to 100% confirmed)
Roth Racing #2 - Jay Howard (Just waiting for sponsorship announcements to move this to 100% confirmed)
Vision #2 - TSO has learned that Vision will indeed be a two-car team in 2008 - 2nd driver unknown.

Total 95% confirmed cars = 16

70% CONFIRMED:

DRR #2 - (DRR wants to remain a two car team, but is working on sponsorship).
Panther #2 - PJ Chesson appears to be a strong candidate for this one right now, though officially they are just "talking" and/or they are "close" to a deal.
Total Entries at 75% or above = 18

50% CONFIRMED:

SAMAX #1 - (DOWNGRADED) Milka Duno has talked of coming back, but we cannot confirm much on this one right now. We are moving this to 50%, because even is Milka does run, no one seems to know how many races she'll endeavor in 2008. Mario Dominguez could also take this seat on a full-time basis.
Rahal #2 - This was the Patron/Sharp entry, but with Sharp going to the ALMS we don't know exactly where to place this. RLR would need to find a replacement sponsor, and that could be tough though they've certainly shown that ability in the past.
Sarah Fisher - Sarah has started hiring some people, but we are not aware of any "done" deals at this point - could be Indy only.

And they have also recently stated Honda has contracts for 16 full season engines that this point.

sanguin

1st February 2008, 19:15

Thanks, so its basically what I had except Vision is running 2 cars and D&R is going to get 1.

10 confirmed.

I can see 16, I don't see much more after that.

CCFanatic

1st February 2008, 20:25

I agree, 16 -17 tops. I do not see SAMAX on the grid. I do not even think Milka ran with the team at Daytona. Rahal with only one car for RHR. I am doubting Roth Racing to make one car to the grid, as the team seems to have zero sponsors. I see Alex Lloyd in the one Panther car.

Alexamateo

2nd February 2008, 01:40

The Vision Website has been updated and confirms Foyt IV as well as Carpenter.

Also Scheckter confirmed as part time for Luzco Dragon.

And Rumours are Mario Dominguez is driving for SAMAX.

Speeds up for Corners

4th February 2008, 05:37

The Vision Website has been updated and confirms Foyt IV as well as Carpenter.

Also Scheckter confirmed as part time for Luzco Dragon.

And Rumours are Mario Dominguez is driving for SAMAX.

Wow, 16 cars in the IRL this season? Sounds like stellar year. Is that before or after Indy? If it's the before Indy car count then it would like like 14 after Indy. Ouch.

The only way Mario would be in the IRL is if he could find the money to pay for a ride, something IRL fans frown upon. And if he had the money, he'd buy a CC ride anyway.

infoxicated

4th February 2008, 13:03

And if he had the money, he'd buy a CC ride anyway.
Yeah, because he wants to drive in front of fictional crowds of quarter of a million people and be seen on TV by less people than watch re-runs of Dog the Bounty Hunter.

That's the problem with all those middling guys without the talent to get into F1 - Champ Car is their only refuge, because if they didn't have the balls to hang it out and impress in an F1 ride then they sure as hell wont have the love spuds to hang it out at Indy. :D

Alexamateo

4th February 2008, 14:28

Speeds up for Corners

4th February 2008, 15:06

True possibly, but I doubt if many new fans or potential fans are reading the forums.

tbyars

6th February 2008, 13:45

Thanks, so its basically what I had except Vision is running 2 cars and D&R is going to get 1.

10 confirmed.

I can see 16, I don't see much more after that.

Last year, just about this time, I had this very same discussion with my buddy Brent Jackson. He was wise enough to tell us the "obvious truth" that the CCWS would see 24 - 26 cars nearly confirmed, while the IRL would field not more than 14-16. No way, no how.

I'll tell you and CCFanatic both the same thing I told him last year. Anyone who is silly enough to be making predictions for either series this far out from the first race just isn't very wise, and certainly hasn't been approaching the situation with their eyes wide open.

I know only one thing about the makeup of either series right now, and that is the fact that neither series will look like we may think it will right now once the green flag drops.

If you are really naive enough to believe ANYTHING else, you just haven't been paying very close attention the last decade or so.

I think most experienced, reasonable observers would agree.

sanguin

6th February 2008, 13:46

Wow, 16 cars in the IRL this season? Sounds like stellar year. Is that before or after Indy? If it's the before Indy car count then it would like like 14 after Indy. Ouch.

The only way Mario would be in the IRL is if he could find the money to pay for a ride, something IRL fans frown upon. And if he had the money, he'd buy a CC ride anyway.

I agree, Cavin has said there is nothing in the works for a second car for Rahal. Panther said on their website that they may be a one -car team because they can't find sponsorship and D&R has nothing yet. Roth doesn't have sponsorship yet either.

Cavin also said today it is highly unlikely that any teams would be switching to the IRL.

Whether they let Milka in again or not, who knows?

CCFanatic

6th February 2008, 21:45

I do not see Roth having his two cars at Homestead. If you browse the sponsor section on their site, you only find one sponsor, Firestone, and all teams have them as a sponsor.

ty, Far out? How? March 29 is less than 50 days away.

MAX_THRUST

7th February 2008, 12:10

I didn not realise the car count for the IRL was so poor for this year. Surely Vison racing will have four cars if there isn't 18 on the grid. If CCWS has more thanthe IRL it won't help in the propaganda war or the bargaining chips when the two finnaly wake up and merge........

I'm sure Honda can come up with more engines if needed.....Things have got to change this year. Please let CCWS and the IRL merge, I don't care how, just do it.

Alexamateo

7th February 2008, 13:32

I would not put much stock in what internet posters say. Last year the same thing was said. (I don't see how there's going to be more than 14, etc, etc, etc....)

In the end 20 cars showed up at Homestead, the same thing happens on the other side, there's a lot of handwringing, but in the end, 17-18 cars will show at Long Beach.

Sleeper

7th February 2008, 16:50

Alex Lloyd is signed to Ganassi and will do a part season with a car run by D&R with help from Ganassi.

sanguin

7th February 2008, 19:21

Alex Lloyd is signed to Ganassi and will do a part season with a car run by D&R with help from Ganassi.

Where did you read that?

Cavin said ,Lloyd will be driving Ganassi's GA car and do a few select IRL races, namely ,the 500,I suspect.

The problem is getting sponsorship for the other cars.

edv

7th February 2008, 20:16

That's the problem with all those middling guys without the talent to get into F1 - Champ Car is their only refuge, because if they didn't have the balls to hang it out and impress in an F1 ride then they sure as hell wont have the love spuds to hang it out at Indy. :D

It occurs to me that you need much biigger cajones to drive either an IRL car or a Champ Car over an F1 car.

tbyars

7th February 2008, 23:32

Where did you read that?

Cavin said ,Lloyd will be driving Ganassi's GA car and do a few select IRL races, namely ,the 500,I suspect.

The problem is getting sponsorship for the other cars.

What in the world makes you think Target is not going to be Ganassi's sponsor this year?

infoxicated

8th February 2008, 10:20

It occurs to me that you need much biigger cajones to drive either an IRL car or a Champ Car over an F1 car.
My thoughts exactly - I doubt there are any F1 drivers who are daunted by the extreme acceleration or deceleration. It's the circuits that should be the challenge, but the deaths of Senna and Ratzenberger pretty much sanitised every F1 track on the calendar.

Spa and Monza are maybe the only ones with a sense of danger left. Once they'd emasculated the old Hockenhiem into that mickey mouse circuit-by-numbers it was over for me. Even Monaco has lost the aura of menace that it once had (although I'm sure that's fine by Karl Wendlinger).

sanguin

8th February 2008, 16:34

I didn not realise the car count for the IRL was so poor for this year. Surely Vison racing will have four cars if there isn't 18 on the grid.

Yes, the TEAM money did not work.

I guess thats why RM and TG have started the merger rumors, to try to save Indy.

gofastandwynn

8th February 2008, 22:45

Yes, the TEAM money did not work.

I guess thats why RM and TG have started the merger rumors, to try to save Indy.

Roth Racing says you're wrong.

PS, What needs saving more, CC or Indy.

sanguin

9th February 2008, 01:11

Roth Racing says you're wrong.

PS, What needs saving more, CC or Indy.

Indy.Do you think fans are getting their money's worth with that watered down field of fillers?

I heard Roth isn't going to race the whole season, so really its only a one-car team.

also this from Panther,

From their website

"Q. You’ve flirted with possibly being a one-car team this season, how is that looking right now? No deal for PJ Chesson?

A. (2-8-08) It’s safe to say now that Panther will be a one-car team in 2008, at least until the Indy 500, where we would likely expand to a two-car operation."

one car.

gofastandwynn

9th February 2008, 02:11

Indy.Do you think fans are getting their money's worth with that watered down field of fillers?

I heard Roth isn't going to race the whole season, so really its only a one-car team.

also this from Panther,

From their website

"Q. You’ve flirted with possibly being a one-car team this season, how is that looking right now? No deal for PJ Chesson?

A. (2-8-08) It’s safe to say now that Panther will be a one-car team in 2008, at least until the Indy 500, where we would likely expand to a two-car operation."

one car.

Oh please, you can troll better than that.

And do have any evidence to back up your Roth story? I can back up mine... (http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=10243)

sanguin

9th February 2008, 14:25

from AR1-

""Reports going on that the reason TG is looking to merge with Champ Car is because the IRL has only 14 cars and their looking for ride-buyers too. Plus Chip Gannasi is threatening to leave the IRL and go to NASCAR full time and with 2 years left on their current contract Honda is trying to leave the series after 2009 unless they have another engine to compete against."

indy88

13th February 2008, 17:14

Finally "Roth The Sloth" will be a DNQ.
Best part about a possible merger.
Quote from Mad Dog Roth at Indy "I think we still have a shot at the pole"

Alfa Fan

13th February 2008, 17:25

sanguin

13th February 2008, 21:56

Looks like they dropped another car, Vision down to one. AJIV gone.

Alfa Fan

13th February 2008, 22:13

Looks like they dropped another car, Vision down to one. AJIV gone.

Source? Oh wait, thats a futile hope......

sanguin

13th February 2008, 22:57

Source?

It's in Cavin's blog

Alfa Fan

13th February 2008, 23:00

sanguin

14th February 2008, 00:29

Link? Hardly a reliable source? indycar.com suggests otherwise, and whilst I don't neccessarly believe everything on their is true or will happen, it sure as hell has more credibility than you ever will

That is way off, half those aren't confirmed and won't be in the IRL.

From Cavin-

Question:Also, is Foyt IV still a go at Vision, or is that falling apart? I noticed they took his info off their Website. (Billy, Minooka, Ill.

Answer: The Foyt thing has, at least publicly, been on again, off again. I just looked this morning: His bio is no longer on the team's Website. Who knows where it stands at this moment; only TG knows for sure, and it probably depends largely on sponsorship and what happens with reconciliation.

gofastandwynn

14th February 2008, 01:21

That is way off, half those aren't confirmed and won't be in the IRL.

.

There are the names on that list:

Marco Andretti
Tony Kanaan
Ryan Briscoe
Alex Lloyd
Ed Carpenter
Darren Manning
Helio Castroneves
Vitor Meira
Scott Dixon
Hideki Mutoh
Milka Duno
Danica Patrick
Sarah Fisher
Buddy Rice
A.J. Foyt IV
Marty Roth
Jay Howard
Dan Wheldon
Ryan Hunter-Reay

And you are saying that HALF of those names wont be in the IRL this year. I see 2, maybe.

How much do you want to bet? Are you willing to stand behind what you say?

sanguin

15th February 2008, 15:56

Half of those don't have sponsorship, and will be in the 500 and won't make it past that,as usual, IMO.

Mutohmania!

:D

Alfa Fan

15th February 2008, 15:58

Source?

gofastandwynn

15th February 2008, 18:23

Half of those don't have sponsorship, and will be in the 500 and won't make it past that,as usual, IMO.

Mutohmania!

:D

If you are so confident why not make a bet on it? Come on sack up and be a man there kid...

rabf1

15th February 2008, 19:09

The IRL is short on cars. They need some of the cc teams to switch over. Something is going to happen this year.

Jimmy Magnusson

16th February 2008, 00:42

They do need to get those four or five empty seats filled if there is no merger to make a respectable field. Also, I'm not convinced that a merger is the best thing to do NOW. It seems hastily thrown togeather, and will hurt people in both IRL and Champ Car. Calm down, and plan things through for 2009. I think that would be far better for the series in the long run.