IndyCar Series
Team Press Releases and More News
Photos by Dwight Drum are presented via courtesy of the IndyCar Series
IndyCar Notebook
CHAMP CAR, INDY RACING LEAGUE SIGN AGREEMENT
INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 - Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008.
Gerald Forsythe, co-owner of Champ Car, signed an agreement in principle in Chicago, joining his partner Kevin Kalkhoven and Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George who had signed late Thursday in Indianapolis.
INDYCAR SERIES COMMUNITY HELPS NEW TEAMS TRANSITION TO THE SPORT
Team pairings provide guidance, expertise under unification
The clock is ticking for teams preparing for the 2008 IndyCar Series season that begins on March 29 under the lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
No teams are feeling the deadline as much as the teams from the Champ Car World Series that will be joining the IndyCar Series following the recent announcement of unification. To facilitate a smooth transition, the IndyCar Series has paired existing teams with the former Champ Car World Series teams to provide technical and logistical support.
"The difficulty for any new team to come along at this point, so late in the game, is information or lack of information," said Tony Cotman, vice president of competition for the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series. "If we can give them a starting point, whether it be on a speedway, short oval or road course, just a basic starting point, as a series it's so much better for us because we have less of a split in the field as far as the haves and have nots. In the long run, it's best for us. We'd like to see the whole field within a second. If we can help them get to a point to do that by sharing information through partnering teams, that's what we'll do. The current IndyCar Series teams have been very good about giving the teams information to get them going."
The present pairings*, based on factors such as previous relationships, geographical proximity and similar team size, are:
Andretti Green Racing-Dale Coyne Racing
Target Chip Ganassi Racing-KV Racing
Rahal Letterman Racing-Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Vision Racing-Conquest Racing
A.J. Foyt Racing-Pacific Coast Motorsports
Team Penske-Walker Racing
Roth Racing-Team Minardi.
*Note: Not all former CCWS teams listed have committed to the IndyCar Series. When they do commit, this will be their partner team.
"We're working with KV Racing, and that's been a great relationship," Target Chip Ganassi Racing managing director Mike Hull said. "Certainly a lot of it had to do originally with (KV Racing co-owner) Jimmy Vasser, because (he) has a great history with Chip Ganassi Racing. We won a lot of races together, we won a championship together. We remained friends over the years, so it's a pleasure to work with those guys. That organization is a quality organization, so it blends well for both of us.
"It's tough to define proprietary versus standard information whenever you do anything. We worked with them on delivering a car, building a car to a Ganassi spec to begin to with, and our guys have sat down with their guys on the management level and the engineering level to try to define for them a direction, to help them at Sebring, for the test that they're going to have as well as for the race at Homestead, we'll help to support and answer their questions all the way through the process."
Teams transitioning to the IndyCar Series will test at Sebring International Raceway on March 19-20 and on the Homestead-Miami Speedway under the lights March 24-25.
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The 2008 IndyCar Series season begins under the lights with the GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300 on March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 2008 schedule, one of the most diverse in all of motorsports, features races on ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street circuits, all broadcast worldwide through a comprehensive, long-term agreement with ESPN. All races in 2008 will be telecast in High Definition. The 2008 Indy Pro Series season also begins on March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 16-race schedule, which features eight ovals and four road/street course doubleheader weekends, will be televised by ESPN2.
IndyCar Series Interviews
Scott Dixon (IndyCar Champion)
Questions by reporter Dwight Drum:
Is there a different mindset when you're leader in the points as compared to the chaser in the points?
"For us, we know what we've got to do. We've basically got to go as fast as we can, apply as much pressure as possible and try and win every race, and that's what we've been doing for the last few races of the season. I think we've had the ball roll our way a few instances, especially when the AGR guys kind of took care of themselves and enabled us to sort of bump up and save fuel and stuff like that.
"I'm sure that Dario now is kind of looking over his shoulder. We've definitely taken a big step on his points. And it's gotta be sort of getting to them a little bit. But that's what we can hope. Everybody's been in the situation before. Kind of similar between AGR and Ganassi and the '99 (CART) season when Montoya came out with the win. So hopefully it rolls out that way for us."
You have great momentum going. Is there any secret to carry momentum race to race?
"No, I think the biggest thing that's happened, that's helped is winning races. It definitely helps from everybody on the team from the spotters to the mechanics to everybody just gets on a lot better. I think decisions are made a little easier. People just like hanging out with each other.
"When you're on a bad run, people get sick of each other and don't get on as much. And I think going into Watkins Glen, we knew we'd be successful there for the past two years. And that was a big confidence boost. And then coming away with another victory that just carried with Nashville, we had a victory the year before, so it just kind of snowballed. Hopefully we can keep it going. I know I haven't had a huge run at Michigan before, but definitely would like to change that record."
You mentioned focus. Did you bring that with you to the track, do you think? Do you learn it at the track and do you carry that season to season? Is that something that just goes with you? "Yeah, focus is a hard thing. It depends on weekend to weekend, season to season. And I think it's always different. I think a good way to look at it is '03. It was a new challenge, it was a new team for me for a full season. And our eye is definitely on being as competitive as possible. And I think that went above and beyond anybody's expectations of winning the championship.
"And '04 was one of those years where it started off with good focus and then you're kind of just sort of sitting there like a deer in the headlights because you weren't sure what was going on. And that was the same going into '05 you had the same equipment that you knew wasn't going to be as good. So it takes a lot. I think focus is definitely on how the team is competing, how people are around you. I think there's a lot of factors. You can only do so much yourself."