IndyCar Silly Season

Justin Wilson will be joining Andretti Autosport for the 2 Indy races, GP of Indy and 500.

Looks like JR Hildebrand is back with CFH.

https://twitter.com/JRHildebrand/status/585447186588180480

The 500 entry list is starting to form. I've heard several personal sources tell me that Tagliani will be with KV, Bell will be with DRR, Mann will be back with Coyne, and Briscoe may be with SPM. All still rumors though.

This article talks about a few of these a bit more: http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/115191-indycar-99th-indy-500-approaching-33-cars

Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian is withdrawing its #97 car (which they had already hired Jay Howard to drive) after the car's sponsor, Green1 Energy, didn't actually pay the Herta Autosport team. It should probably be noted that this is the second time in as many years that BHA has been short changed by a sponsor. Jay Howard is looking for another ride, but Herta is not looking for another driver or sponsor for the No. 97 entry.

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/115738-long-beach-indycar-notebook

Bell officially back at Indy with DRR/Kingdom Racing. Good to see. Article also says that Daly is the favorite for the Schmidt/Peterson third ride as well. I'd really like to see that come to fruition.



Here's where the entry list is at right now. Coyne's said that Dracone will not be at Indy reports say that Huertas may not be either. This would potentially leave two of the three Coyne cars open. (Mann is in the third again) Buddy Lazier's position right now is unclear because no one knows for sure if he has this year's chassis. KV Racing supposedly wanted a 4th car, but got shot down from Chevy because they had already reached their manufacturer limit for the month. (Tagliani was the rumored dirver) So, this puts all of the pressure for remaining entries on Honda. I am hearing Foyt is interested in a third car possibly driven by Katherine Legge. I'll believe that one when I see it though. This leaves the potential for one bump.

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/indy-500/2015/04/25/daly-job-secures-funding-indy/26374217/

Daly locked in with SPM for the 500.

Right now, I count 31 entries for sure, that including Lazier who is all but confirmed. Chevy and Honda have both said that, as it stands right now, they have no interest in running more than 17 cars, which means that Chevy's lineup would be completed with Lazier. That leaves just three Honda on the grid. Two of the belong to Dale Coyne, who said that his team will run three cars this year, one of which will be driven by Pippa Mann. The other unfilled Honda entry is rumored to be run by A.J. Foyt Enterprises, with Alex Tagliani being the lead candidate the last I've heard. As for other potential drivers for the Coyne cars, the list is possible candidates for the #18 and #19 cars is down to about six or seven drivers. Francesco Dracone will not be at Indy, and there is a rumor that Carlos Huertas may have parted ways with Coyne after being replaced for two weeks straight. Huertas still remains a contender for the ride. Also on the list are Katherine Legge, Ryan Briscoe, and James Davison, who have all run Indy before. There's also a chance Ryan Phinny could make his IndyCar debut in the 500. Finally, the rumor that has come out of left field is that John Andretti may come out of retirement to run this year's 500.

Here's What we are looking at. 34 cars seem likely.
Penske - 1 - Will Power
Penske - 2 - Juan Pablo Montoya
Penske - 3 - Hélio Castroneves
Penske - 22 - Simon Pagenaud
KV/SH - 4 - Stefano Coletti (R)
KV/SH - 11 - Sébastien Bourdais
Schmitt - 5 - James Hinchcliffe
Schmitt - 7 - James Jakes
Schmitt - ??? - Conor Daly
Carpenter/Fisher - 6 - JR Hildebrand
Carpenter/Fisher - 20 - Ed Carpenter
Carpenter/Fisher - 21 - Josef Newgarden
Ganassi - 8 - Sage Karam
Ganassi - 9 - Scott Dixon
Ganassi - 10 - Tony Kanaan
Ganassi/AFS - 17 - Sebastian Saavedra
Ganassi - 83 - Charlie Kimball
Foyt - 14 - Takuma Sato
Foyt - 41 - Jack Hawksworth
Foyt - ?? - Alex Tagliani???
Rahal/Letterman - 15 - Graham Rahal
Rahal/Letterman - 16 - Oriol Servià
Coyne - 18 - James Davison???
Coyne - 19 - Katherine Legge???
Coyne - 63 - Pippa Mann
Dreyer & Reinbold - 24 - Townsend Bell
Andretti - 25 - Justin Wilson
Andretti - 26 - Carlos Muñoz
Andretti - 27 - Marco Andretti
Andretti - 28 - Ryan Hunter Reay
Andretti - 29 - Simona de Silvestro
Byrd's - 88 - Bryan Clauson
Lazier - 91 - Buddy Lazier
Herta/Agajanian - 98 - Gabby Chaves (R)

Daly's running the #43 at Indy.

OH MY GOD JEFF GORDON IS DRIVING IN THE INDY 500


Okay it's just the pace car BUT STILL

The Grand Prix of Boston expected to be announced for next season, it might also be the finale venue.
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2015/05/indycar_race_in_seaport_gets_green_flag_for_labor_day_2016

As if that town didn't have traffic bad enough already.

BooyakaDragon wrote:The Grand Prix of Boston expected to be announced for next season, it might also be the finale venue.
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2015/05/indycar_race_in_seaport_gets_green_flag_for_labor_day_2016

OoooOooh... This is intriguing.

Boston you say?

Mother of Invention wrote:As if that town didn't have traffic bad enough already.

That's LA. Boston traffic isn't that bad.

And if you don't think I'm gonna be there, you're sorely mistaken.

RyanB06 wrote:

Mother of Invention wrote:As if that town didn't have traffic bad enough already.

That's LA. Boston traffic isn't that bad.

I've heard many people complain about Boston having terrible traffic.

At the moment this is the planned circuit layout for the Boston race


http://www.boston.com/sports/auto-racing/2015/05/21/here-the-proposed-indycar-race-route-south-boston/tE2JIm2FM3gvNVb0pxDlwJ/story.html

Love it. I can't wait till tickets go on sale!