IRL not high on Sam's list

[MDS]

Apparently Sam Hornish has to find money to either return to Penske or go to another NASCAR team. Rumors are that if he can't find NASCAR money but could find some money he'd be willing to look at returning to the ICS, but with Penske and Ganassi full up he'd have to look at Andretti, Panther, DR&R and KVRT, which probably aren't his first options.

Per jayski.com

Hornish 2011 plans not set: #77-Sam Hornish Jr. doesn't know where he'll be racing next season. Speaking in front of one of team owner Roger Penske's many Indianapolis 500 cars in the museum at the Brickyard on Friday, Hornish said his future in NASCAR is uncertain. Because sponsor ExxonMobil is leaving his car at the end of this season, there's nothing in place for Hornish to drive next year. "No updates as far as I'm concerned yet," he said. "I'd definitely like to be back in the Sprint Cup series and I'm going to work to be able to try to do that. Definitely, things are still tough with the economy and trying to find full-time sponsors and things like that. We're going to do everything we can do to make that happen and be back in Sprint Cup. If that doesn't work, we're going to look around and see what else [is available]. But I think we've got some great opportunities to make that happen." Because Hornish had such a successful open-wheel career -- he won the 2006 Indianapolis 500 for Penske and won three titles in what's now the IndyCar Series -- there's always speculation that he could return to that form of racing. He didn't seem inclined to go back, though. "I'd like to be here in a stock car, for sure," he said

[Scotty G.]

The IRL isn't very high on anybody's list.

That being said, I don't believe for a second that Sam won't be back in Indy Cars once his Penske ride goes away (which will happen, once Allgaier takes over as the 3rd Penske Cup driver).

Where does he land? Roger's son and Gil (who Sam replaced at Penske a few years ago) will probably be looking for a replacement for Matos soon.

With this, he stays in the Penske "family", although not with Roger's team (at least for 2011).

And HP/Bell Micro get a marketable, championship driver in their car. One of the few real sponsors in the series, deserves better then Rafa Matos.

[Jag_Warrior]

Assuming he loses the Penske Cup ride next season, if he's smart he'll go to Nationwide with the best team he can find, and use that as a way to work his way back up to Cup. He can also make a decent living in Nationwide... if he performs and is on a decent team. Especially now that the IRL is heavy on road courses, I can't see anybody tripping over themselves to hire him in the IRL. And if he has to come up with money to drive some place, I think it would be better spent in Nationwide. What career he has left is probably in stock cars.

[e2mtt]

Assuming he loses the Penske Cup ride next season, if he's smart he'll go to Nationwide with the best team he can find, and use that as a way to work his way back up to Cup. He can also make a decent living in Nationwide... if he performs and is on a decent team. Especially now that the IRL is heavy on road courses, I can't see anybody tripping over themselves to hire him in the IRL. And if he has to come up with money to drive some place, I think it would be better spent in Nationwide. What career he has left is probably in stock cars.

Agree. Sam was never any good on road & street courses. On the other hand, he is well known enough that he could run Nationwide or Truck & probably make more than he could in Indycar, and that leaves the door open to get back into Sprint Cup.

[NickFalzone]

Yeah first thing I thought from reading that article earlier today was that he would be in Nwide next season. Which truthfully is where he should have been from the start anyway. He will not be in IndyCar again unless he completely runs out of options. The money simply is not as good, and the increase in roads/streets will not work out well for him.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I am going to go the other way. I don't know if if he should run NW in NASCAR. Ok., we all know he will make more money there maybe, or a decent living, but if he really wants to push himself, the IRL might be a better move. Furthermore, half the series still is on ovals, and THAT is where Sam was more than good..he was great. I think if he just worked a little, he could be somewhat competitive enough on the road/street tracks to the point he could do well on ovals and win the championship. As things have progressed in the IRL, the series is starting to be a little deeper....and that would work in his favour.

Of course, I could be just wrong...lol

[Chamoo]

Sam was improving his road course skills near the end of his Indycar career. I remember a top five a Sonoma I believe?

[NickFalzone]

Sam was improving his road course skills near the end of his Indycar career. I remember a top five a Sonoma I believe?

Sam was definitely making some progress on the roads/streets by his last few IndyCar races. But I think that if he were to go back now, he would be leaps and bounds behind the current crop of drivers who have all improved significantly on these tracks in the interim, while he has likely lost a step or two. Even in a top car, I would expect to see him struggle greatly the first year back on roads and streets, and would likely never again be a championship contender.

[Scotty G.]

Especially now that the IRL is heavy on road courses, I can't see anybody tripping over themselves to hire him in the IRL.

The IRL still has a few ovals on their schedule, don't they?

And the fact that he has proven he can win the only race in the sport that matters, does play a role too.

If he could truly be "hired" by anyone in Indy Cars (which is a question, since there are mostly ride-buyers in Indy Cars now), he'd have his pick of many places to go.

Panther would take him tomorrow, over Wheldon. Matos with Dragon? Goodbye Rafa. D&R could use someone who knows how to oval race. If Vasser ever wanted to become a professional race team, hiring Sam to replace those 3 fools he has, would be a start.

[00steven]

Well it should be high on his list. What's better, running 30 at indy in cup or having a shot at the indycar title?