Silly Season--IRL, 2006

[mlittle]

With only two races to go this season, now begins the silly season report for the 2006 IndyCar Series season. As with the rival series, I'll update this thread every so often as the teams prepare for next season. Here's the current status for all the teams, as of 19 Sept. 2005.

1}Andretti-Green Racing. Probably the most dominant team in AOWR since Penske's 1-2-3 sweep in the 1994 CART season, this team has the same look that Ferrari had in F1 last year....unstoppable. Right now, all four drivers, Dan Wheldon, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, and Bryan Herta, appear to be returning for 2006.

2}Marlboro/Team Penske. For a Toyota-powered squad, they're the only ones who've challenged AGR all year. Both seats, occupied by 2-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, and 2-time series champion Sam Hornish, Jr, are safe.

3}Panther Racing. While drivers Tomas Scheckter and Tomas Enge's rides appear safe for the time being, their team's in flux. 2 reasons:1--their current powerplant, Chevy, leaves after 2005, and 2--their sponsors, Pennzoil and Rockstar Energy Drink, haven't renewed their contracts for the '06 season.

4}Rahal-Letterman Racing. Last year, RLR's Buddy Rice finished 3rd in the standings; this year he's 14th in the standings. It's been that kind of year for the team. At least this much is sure; barring anything unforseen, drivers Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Vitor Meira will be in their cars for 2006.

5}Fernandez Racing. No major changes expected. Veteran Scott Sharp should be back for 2006. So should Kosuke Matsuura, and if sponsorship money can be found, so will current owner Adrian Fernandez, who won three races back in 2004.

6}Vision Racing. Tony George's team(yes, he's now a team owner) hasn't fared well, but as team managed John Curry pointed out earlier in the year, "it's a year of building for us. Next year, we'll have to put the lessons learned now to good use." Driver Ed Carpenter should be back for 2006.

7}Target/Ganassi Racing. Everything that could go wrong for Chip Ganassi's team has gone wrong. The question for the Chipster seems to be...should I run three cars or two cars? Going with that is, who'll drive those cars? For now, none of his drivers, Scott Dixon, Jaques Lazier, Giorgio Pantano or Ryan Briscoe, should consider their seats safe for 2006.

8}Dreyer & Reinbold. No changes expected for 2006, unless the team decides to drop Roger Yasukawa and find someone else to pilot their current one-car ride.

9}A.J. Foyt Racing. No major changes expected, unless current driver A.J. Foyt IV decides to head over to NASCAR next year.

10}Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing. No changes expected, unless the team decides to bring back Paul Dana for 2006. Otherwise, this seat's wide open.

11}Team Cheever. With Red Bull all but gone after this year, this team's in serious need of a sponsor. However, unless the teams folds or shrinks to a 1-car team, drivers Patrick Carpentier and Alex Barron should be back for 2006.

[mlittle]

You can thank the geniuses over at autoracing1.com for this silly season rumor. Apparently, they're convinced that Takuma Sato, unless he finds an F1 ride for 2006 outside of BAR-Honda, will head to the U.S. and compete in the 2006 IndyCar Series season with a Honda-backed team, with the teams either being Andretti-Green Racing or Rahal-Letterman Racing. I'd "file 13" this rumor, for one reason.....neither team should have any openings, and the only way Honda brings Sato over is if either adds a seat to their team(giving AGR five cars, RLR four cars). Then again....no one expected Toyota to "send" Ryan Briscoe over, so anything is possible.

There's also a mention of it over at grandprix.com(here's the link.... www.grandprix.com/ns/ns15651.html ), so it might have a little traction.

[mlittle]

According to speedtv.com, Dan Wheldon, who's set to clinch the 2005 IRL IndyCar Series title, could be in the running for an F1 ride in 2006. The article cites meetings between Wheldon's manager, Julian Jakobi, and team officials with both BMW(currently Sauber), and Williams-F1 today in Interlagos before leaving to travel to Watkins Glen for the IRL race Sunday. Wheldon, who raced karts opposite BAR's Jenson Button some yrs. back, had hoped to possibly get a seat there, but with the signings of both Button and current Scuderia Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello, that option has dried up.

My view....if he gets his shot, I say, go for it. He's in the same spot as 1995 CART champion Jacques Villeneuve, who also won both the series title and the Indy 500 that year. When asked about 2006, Jakobi slyly remarked, "All I can say is that he hasn't resigned with Andretti-Green yet."

[Julian Mayo]

granprix,com reported last week that wheldon is "rumoured" to be testing with Williams within the next two weeks.

[mlittle]

I know; I was hoping that there'd be another story about it. The speedtv.com news item, it seems, confirms the grandprix.com news item, which is why I posted a mention of it on the silliy season thread.

[Julian Mayo]

Webber seems to favour Nic Rossberg. Hestates that he is impressed by his speed, knowledge of engineering, and aero, and reckons he has a maturity way beyond his years. I don't know if he knows much about Wheldon. Webber pushed for Nick Heidfield over Pizzonia and got his way.

[JayVee]

Webber seems to favour Nic Rossberg. Hestates that he is impressed by his speed, knowledge of engineering, and aero, and reckons he has a maturity way beyond his years. I don't know if he knows much about Wheldon. Webber pushed for Nick Heidfield over Pizzonia and got his way.

And Webber is now team selector

Reckon Frank has learned

I read this on an online site "'He is dissatisfied with Webber's performances and his attitude.
Frank's dream line-up is Button and Nico Rosberg."

Probably a pommy site but still ... comments ? (other than ) as I am sure being the online person you are, you must have come across it!!

And sorry mlittle but it wasn't me who brought up Webber on this thread. It seems it is an obsession for some to brag about Webber at any opportunity

[Julian Mayo]

Webber seems to favour Nic Rossberg. Hestates that he is impressed by his speed, knowledge of engineering, and aero, and reckons he has a maturity way beyond his years. I don't know if he knows much about Wheldon. Webber pushed for Nick Heidfield over Pizzonia and got his way.

And Webber is now team selector

Reckon Frank has learned

I read this on an online site "'He is dissatisfied with Webber's performances and his attitude.
Frank's dream line-up is Button and Nico Rosberg."

Probably a pommy site but still ... comments ? (other than ) as I am sure being the online person you are, you must have come across it!!

And sorry mlittle but it wasn't me who brought up Webber on this thread. It seems it is an obsession for some to brag about Webber at any opportunity

As you can see, it was an ongoing response to post dialogue.
Do you really visit on-line sites without verifying who they are? Must be some fire-wall you have!
I am sure that Mfer does't want his threads cluttered with this rubbish.

[JayVee]

Sorry I forgot, being a one-eyed Webber supported, you can't see all the glorifying you are making of Webber

This thread is "supposed" to be about the IRL silly season and not the rubbish of what WebberHoney thinks who should be his team-mate at Williams.

[mlittle]

She's right, Julian. I know you like Webber, but....this is an IRL silly season thread and not a "Who should Webber want beside him at Williams?"(sorry for the sarcasm....)

[Julian Mayo]

I posted Webbers comment purely and simply in relation to Wheldon having the possiblity of a seat with Williams. In that context, and no other.

[mlittle]

Thank you for clearing that up, Julian. Just wanted to make sure the thread didn't go off-topic too far.

It is interesting, though, that Wheldon hasn't resigned with AGR for 2006, so it could be something of interest.

[Julian Mayo]

Thank you for clearing that up, Julian. Just wanted to make sure the thread didn't go off-topic too far.

It is interesting, though, that Wheldon hasn't resigned with AGR for 2006, so it could be something of interest.

It is interesting. As I posted under "team pairings" he is also rumourred to be in conversation with BMW.

[mlittle]

My view stands as before(I know I posted this somewhere else...), that since Wheldon's won the 500 and the series title, what else can he do here in the States? If he gets a shot at F1, he should take it.

[Julian Mayo]

F1 Racing reports that at least one F1 team is serious about Dan Wheldon. He is stated as saying "that you know they are serious when you get a phone call asking your height and weight". He is tight lipped as to which team it is.
(Sir Frank Williams does appear to have a fondness for successful drivers in American racing, having imported JV, Zanardi, and JPM over the years)