What happens when the stars of INDYCAR aren’t racing? INDYCAR will give you a look at what happens when drivers get out of their cars and step into The Offseason, a mini-series starring Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden. This week, see who is quicker at a pit stop.
Racing
James Jakes joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for 2013
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that it will field a second full-time entry for the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season for James Jakes.
Jakes, 25, of England, will drive the Honda-powered No. 30 Acorn Stairlifts car as a teammate to another first-year team member, Graham Rahal. It will be the first time the team has run two full-season programs since 2007 (Scott Sharp and Jeff Simmons, who was replaced for Mid-Ohio at mid-season by Ryan Hunter-Reay).
“I wanted to put myself in a position where I could get results that I believe I am capable of and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is a good fit for me,” said Jakes, who had made 31 series starts the past two seasons with Dale Coyne Racing.
“If you look back at the results and the product that Bobby and the team have put on the track, he’s always got a car that is running up front and the team does things first class. I had negotiated with Bobby when I first came to the series but we weren’t able to put a program together until now. It will be great for the team to have two full-season cars to move ourselves forward and push us to where Bobby and the team want us to be – at the top of the grid.”
Jakes recorded two top-10 finishes last season, with a best of eighth at Toronto after starting 24th. He began racing in 2002 in the British T-Car series and graduated to the British Formula Renault Series in 2004. In 2005, he returned to the British Formula Renault Series, finishing second in points after seven podium finishes and two poles. That year, he was also named a Rising Star by the British Racing Drivers’ Club and was a McLaren Autosport Award finalist.
He progressed to the British Formula 3 Series and on to the Formula 3 Euro Series (2007-2008). He earned two podiums in the GP2 Asia series (2008-2009) and a pole and two podiums in GP3 (2010) and finished eighth in series standings despite missing four races because of injury.
In 2011, he moved to the IZOD IndyCar Series after a test with Dale Coyne Racing.
“I am really pleased that James is joining our team,” said Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “I have seen him run competitively on numerous occasions and have felt all along that given the environment we can create for him he can achieve the success he has sought in Indy car racing. He and Graham get along and communicate well and I think that is important for the team. We’re pleased to have him and we think it will be a good combination.”
Graham Rahal, who competed the past two seasons at Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing, joined his father’s team in autumn. He’s already tested in the No. 15 car at Sebring International Raceway and Barber Motorsports Park. The season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is March 24. Rahal won the event in 2008 and started from the pole in ’09.
“For us to be a two-car team is a natural progression,” Bobby Rahal added. “A year ago we restarted the team to really build toward this time. We positioned ourselves in Indianapolis to take advantage of everything the open-wheel industry can provide us with and obviously, as was proven last year, a one-car team can be competitive.
“But there is no doubt in my mind that a two-car team is a much more efficient and productive way to go racing. There is twice as much information, twice as much everything, and that helps you progress that much quicker. James is obviously an aggressive, competitive driver and I think that having both he and Graham on board raises the performance of the team as a whole.”
Source: INDYCAR
INDYCAR Announces the 2013 Leaders Circle Entrants
INDYCAR has announced the 2013 Leaders Circle program has expanded to cover the returning 22 full-time entrants committed to date to compete in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season.
The confirmed 19 returning members that finished in the top 22 in 2012 entrant points each have been awarded Leaders Circle designations. INDYCAR used its option to fill the three open positions based on the remaining order of 2012 entrant point standings. One entry from Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing, HVM Racing and Dragon Racing each were awarded Leaders Circle positions. In 2012, the program featured 20 entrants.
“While the Leaders Circle program was designed to ensure the quality of on-track competition was balanced throughout the field, we felt it was important to extend Leaders Circle benefits to all returning full-time entrants from last season,” said Jeff Belskus, CEO, INDYCAR. “Including all 22 entrants for 2013 allows the IZOD IndyCar Series to continue to build upon the foundation the program has laid over the last several years.”
The Leaders Circle program was established in 2002 to provide incentives to teams that participate full time in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Each Leaders Circle member is assured a minimum of $1 million for the 19-race season if the entrant successfully qualifies for the Indianapolis 500.
“While we are seeing a slight decrease in Leaders Circle payout this season, our goal is to reinvest in the series with more promotion to increase the value of participation for all of those involved,” Belskus said.
With the increase in Leaders Circle entrants from 20 to 22 this season, non-Leaders Circle entrants will compete for payouts awarded to the top three finishers. In each race aside from the Indianapolis 500, the highest-finishing non-Leaders Circle entrant will receive $40,000, followed by $35,000 and $30,000.
Additionally, all entrants will continue to compete for bonuses of $35,000 for first place, $25,000 for second, $20,000 for third, $15,000 for fourth and $10,000 for fifth place at each IZOD IndyCar Series race aside from the Indianapolis 500.
The IZOD IndyCar Series champion and championship entrant again will share a $1 million bonus, with second through fifth in the standings sharing bonuses of $250,000, $175,000, $125,000 and $75,000.
Contingency prizes will continue to be awarded at IZOD IndyCar Series events.
2013 IZOD INDYCAR SERIES LEADER CIRCLE ENTRANTS
| Number | Entrant | Driver |
| 1 | Andretti Autosport | Ryan Hunter-Reay |
| 3 | Team Penske | Helio Castroneves |
| 4 | Panther Racing | JR Hildebrand |
| 7 | Dragon Racing | Sebastien Bourdais |
| 9 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Scott Dixon |
| 10 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Dario Franchitti |
| 11 | KV Racing Technology | Tony Kanaan |
| 12 | Verizon Team Penske | Will Power |
| 14 | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | Takuma Sato |
| 15 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Graham Rahal |
| 18 | Dale Coyne Racing | TBA |
| 19 | Dale Coyne Racing | TBA |
| 20 | Ed Carpenter Racing | Ed Carpenter |
| 22 | Panther DRR | Oriol Servia |
| 25 | Andretti Autosport | Marco Andretti |
| 27 | Andretti Autosport | James Hinchcliffe |
| 67 | Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing | Josef Newgarden |
| 77 | Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports | Simon Pagenaud |
| 78 | KV Racing Technology | Simona de Silvestro |
| 83 | NovoNordisk Chip Ganassi Racing | Charlie Kimball |
| 98 | Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian | Alex Tagliani |
| TBA | HVM Racing | TBA |
Subject to change
SOURCE: INDYCAR
INDYCAR: #TheOffseason: Episode 7
What happens when the stars of INDYCAR aren’t racing? INDYCAR will give you a look at what happens when drivers get out of their cars and step into The Offseason, a mini-series starring Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden. This week, you’ll never guess what James Hinchcliffe caught Will Power listening to in the office…
Conway to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan at Long Beach
Mike Conway will drive a second entry for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing at the IZOD IndyCar Series event at Long Beach on April 21.
Conway, 29, of England, who recorded his first IZOD IndyCar Series win at Long Beach in 2011, will drive the No. 30 Honda-powered car as a companion to regular driver Graham Rahal’s car.
“The team has proven their speed and technical excellence in the past and I can’t wait to start working with everybody,” Conway said. “I worked with (RLL race engineer) Eddie (Jones) indirectly when he was Marco’s (Andretti) engineer at Andretti Autosport so we would debrief as a group. He knows his stuff and has been around a long time so it should be fun working together. I hope to add more races for the upcoming season but in the meantime, I look forward to getting back on a circuit that I previously won on.”
Conway has made 53 IZOD IndyCar Series starts with A.J. Foyt Racing, Andretti Autosport and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. In addition to his win at Long Beach, he finished on the podium at Toronto in 2012 and Sonoma in 2009.
“I am really pleased to welcome Mike to the team,” team co-owner Bobby Rahal said. “In 2011, Mike Lanigan and I met with Mike and his representatives, and were really working hard to get him into the team but it didn’t work out. Fortunately, we are able to do so now. Mike is a very good driver and I think he will be very competitive in our environment. He and Graham get along well so it’s a real one-two punch for us.”
SOURCE: INDYCAR • PHOTO: Brian Groce
IZOD IndyCar drivers sweep podium at Rolex 24
Charlie Kimball leaned over the pit lane wall to cheer on Juan Pablo Montoya during his final stint in the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates car. There was still an hour remaining in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, but the drama was as thick as the morning fog that brought out a caution for nearly two hours.
Kimball was soon joined on the pit stand by co-drivers Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas for the duration of the 51st event on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn circuit, which featured an event-record 72 lead changes. The last and most important came with 4 minutes, 52 seconds left when Montoya inherited the lead as Max Angelelli in the No. 10 VelocityWW car for Wayne Taylor Racing ducked onto pit lane for a splash of fuel.
Minutes later, Kimball joined the Victory Circle celebration in his first major touring car race.
“It’s pretty special,” said Kimball, who enters his third IZOD IndyCar Series season in the No. 83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing car. “I just had to come in and learn and not get into too much trouble and let them keep us in the race. Having these guys as teammates took a lot of pressure off my shoulders.
“The event was incredible. I was sitting there with four hours to go and thinking we have a whole Indy 500 left as far as time and why do they only run this event once a year. For the Ganassi group to be able get together with different cars, different drivers, all different walks of life and yet all from one team … We do our job in the car and in the pits, and to come away with a win is just overwhelming.”
It was the fifth victory in 10 trips to Daytona International Speedway for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and a record-tying fifth victory for Pruett (tying Hurley Haywood). It also was the 151st victory for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams.
“We knew we had good cars and my hat off to all our guys in Indianapolis who put the cars together,” Ganassi said. “I’m very proud of our team’s fifth victory.”
Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, co-driving the VelocityWW car, and Justin Wilson, who co-drove the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing car, completed an IZOD IndyCar Series podium sweep. Wilson co-drove the car to victory in 2012.
“It’s a good way to start the year,” said Hunter-Reay, who bested his previous Rolex 24 high of third place in 2010. “The execution was top notch, and to be here with Chevrolet after everything we accomplished last year was special. I really love being a part of Team Chevy, and it’s a big part of my career.”
It was the fourth podium finish for Wilson at Daytona. The No. 60 car was seven laps down early in the race because of a mechanical issue.
“You always want to do your best for Mike,” said Wilson, who this week will attempt to finalize his 2013 plans with Dale Coyne Racing. “He’s just so enthusiastic that it rubs off on everyone. If you’d have told us after the first hour that we’d have a chance of finishing third we’d have been over the moon.
“As you’re standing on the podium you’re thinking, ‘There’s nothing quite like being first,’ but third place after everything we’ve come through in this race is a great result.”
The podium finishers were the only ones on the lead lap (907 laps completed).
Other INDYCAR drivers and their finish:
- Sebastien Bourdais, No. 2 Starworks Motorsport with Alex Popow, sixth overall in Daytona Prototype.
- Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, 37th overall and 11th in Daytona Prototype.
- Simon Pagenaud, No. 42 Team Sahlen, 21st overall and ninth in Daytona Prototype.
- Tony Kanaan, No. 21 Dener Motorsports, 46th overall and 28th in GT.
- James Hinchcliffe, No. 70 Mazdaspeed/Speedsource, 53rd overall and fourth in GX.
- Tristan Vautier and Spencer Pigot, No. 00 Visit Florida Racing/Speedsource, 56th overall and sixth in GX.
SOURCE: INDYCAR
INDYCAR: #TheOffseason: Episode 6
What happens when the stars of INDYCAR aren’t racing? INDYCAR will give you a look at what happens when drivers get out of their cars and step into The Offseason, a mini-series starring Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden. This week, Josef teaches Charlie that there’s no place like Gnome.
INDYCAR: #TheOffseason: Episode 5
What happens when the stars of INDYCAR aren’t racing? INDYCAR will give you a look at what happens when drivers get out of their cars and step into The Offseason, a mini-series starring Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden. This week, “Got Milk?” Will thinks he does, but Josef has other ideas…
BorgWarner Presents Championship Driver’s And Team Owner’s Trophies
AUBURN HILLS, Mich — BorgWarner presented Dario Franchitti with his third BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy(TM) during the 2013 Automotive News World Congress held in Detroit, Michigan, on January 16. Known as the “Baby Borg,” the personal keepsake sports a sterling silver visage of the 2012 Indianapolis 500 winner, a duplicate of the image displayed on the prestigious and historic Borg-Warner Trophy(TM). Team owner Chip Ganassi also accepted a BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy(TM), his fourth since 2000. As a special honor, Parnelli Jones was presented with a Baby Borg commemorating the 50(th) anniversary of his Indianapolis 500 victory in 1963.
“From the turbochargers that boost every engine in the IZOD IndyCar Series to the prestigious Borg-Warner Trophy, we are proud to be part of a century-long tradition of achievement, competitive performance and technology leadership at the Indianapolis 500,” said Timothy M. Manganello, Executive Chairman, BorgWarner. “Dario, Chip and Parnelli are part of an elite group of champions who have made the trip to Victory Lane not once, but several times. We are pleased to present these prestigious symbols of their achievement.”
SOURCE: BorgWarner Inc.
Foyt team confirms Takuma Sato for 2013
A.J. Foyt likes Takuma Sato’s drive. Sato likes A.J. Foyt Racing’s potential. Deal done.
Sato will drive the Honda-powered No. 14 ABC Supply-sponsored car for the 19-race IZOD IndyCar Series season.
“There were a lot of question marks when the season ended, but I’m happy to put an end to all that now,” team owner A.J. Foyt said. “We chose to go with Takuma Sato because he brings a lot of experience to our team but he has the hunger of a rookie. He’s certainly proven he has the desire to win.”
Foyt pointed to the finish of last May’s Indianapolis 500, when Sato overtook Scott Dixon and then attempted to get around race leader Dario Franchitti in Turn 1 of the final lap, as an example of Sato’s determination.
“I like the fact that he is competitive on both road courses and ovals and that he is a charger,” Foyt added. “I think he has learned quite a bit in the short time he’s been over here and I look forward to working with him this year.”
Sato, who enters his fourth season of IZOD IndyCar Series competition, has earned two pole starts (Iowa and Edmonton in 2011) and posted five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 49 starts. His career best is second at Edmonton last July after starting third in the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car.
Mike Conway started 14 of the 15 races in 2012 (Wade Cunningham filled in at the season finale at Auto Club Speedway) with a best finish of third at Toronto after qualifying 13th.
“I am extremely excited to be a part of A.J. Foyt Racing and working with ABC Supply for the 2013 season,” said Sato, who turns 36 on Jan. 28. “I have seen the potential of the team last year on a number of occasions. I think the team has one of the best engineering staffs in the paddock led by Don Halliday. I can’t wait to start testing next month.”
Before getting on the track, Sato will get to know principals of the team’s sponsor.
“My first assignment is not a tough one at all,” he said. “I will be on a seven-day Caribbean cruise with guests of the team’s sponsor ABC Supply followed by several appearances at industry trade shows. I am anxious to meet them and start working with this great company.”
A.J. Foyt Racing is a charter member of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The team has seven career IZOD IndyCar Series victories, including the 1999 Indianapolis 500 with Kenny Brack, and two series championships. The four-time Indianapolis 500 champion has been competing at the top level of motorsports with his own team since December 1965.
“While I do not know A.J. well yet, it is unbelievable what he did in his career,” said Sato, a Tokyo native who resides in Denver. “A.J. has achieved so many wins in every type of car, at every type of circuit, and in every type of situation. That experience can only help in trying to win races this year. I think with A.J. and the team helping me this year, we can be very successful.”
Source: INDYCAR