2025 Indycar series - News/rumours/hijinx

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John
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#16

Post by John »

Bottom post of the previous page:

What
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#17

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

John wrote: 1 month ago What
Zak and Michael have long been pissing in each others pockets. They collectively (with Ryan,son of Tom Walkinshaw) own Walkinshaw Andretti United in V8Supercars. Just last week they. confirmed having attracted Toyota to join V8SC with WAU as their official works / Homoligation team.

Zak has always been an ally of Andretti in the F1 team selection discussions or quotes.

An article from a couple of years ago: Michael Andretti and Zak Brown: Joined at the hip, with chance of more closeness to come?

The Andretti Aquisitions Co was set up by Andretti and Towriss ('the benefactor' and now Michaels Boss) some 18 months ago primarily to fund the F1 dream
A growing division between Andretti and Towriss has been alleged by numerous paddock sources in recent months, but no proof of the matter has been established.

In a statement provided by the team, Andretti Global suggests Andretti — a lifelong racer — is willingly handing over the reins of the team and company that bears his name.
....by 2021, Andretti and Towriss were actively searching for a Formula 1 team to purchase.

Unable to buy their way into F1 with Towriss’s financial backing, the duo established a new business, Andretti Global, in an effort to gain entry to F1 as a constructor. In 2022, Andretti Acquisitions Corporation was formed and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission with a stated goal of raising $250,000,000 for business-related investments and purchases.

With Towriss’s rumored and separate investment into Andretti Global said to match or exceed that figure, Andretti’s new partner is understood to have taken a directorial role within the expansive racing organization, and within the IndyCar paddock, is often characterized as Andretti’s new boss.
Drawing from the alleged nine-figure infusion from Towriss and Group 1001, Andretti’s footprint in the sport expanded at a rapid rate.
.
All from https://racer.com/2024/09/27/michael-an ... ship-role/.

Interesting scenario for sure but is it more to do with the proposed F1 team or Indycar. It will no doubt come out in the wash over the next days. But yeah I dont understand Zak as CEO of McLaren buying into a potential opponent in F1. Not to mention the Arrows McLaren set up he is also CEO of . Conflicts of interests and all that.

I dont think (am quite sure) Zak is not a shareholder of McLaren. Would be a strange time to do this given McLaren F1s sudden excellence from shitbox transformation. I cant believe Zak is about to jump ship from Papaya to Andretti and all the uncertainty re their (F1) future

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#18

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Crikey its all go in Indycar-land. .... another street race. Not for 2025 but 2026.

Dont want to pre-judge it but the concept doesnt sound too flash.....set to be held around AT&T Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys, on the team’s expansive campus located in Arlington, Texas.

Sounds like a bit of a car park job to me. :down: :suspicious:


IndyCar set for Dallas street race in 2026
The NTT IndyCar Series will be headed back to the Lone Star State in 2026.

After holding its last race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2023, RACER has learned Penske Entertainment will take its marquee open-wheel series to compete on the outskirts of Dallas. The street race is set to be held around AT&T Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys, on the team’s expansive campus located in Arlington, Texas.

A representative from Penske Entertainment declined to discuss the event when reached for comment.

IndyCar, under its previous iterations as CART, the Indy Racing League and USAC, has a long history of racing in Texas, with the most recent stops being made at TMS on the outskirts of Dallas/Fort Worth, which was a staple until 2023, and Circuit of The Americas in 2019. IndyCar returned to COTA for preseason testing the following year, but the scheduled race was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the venue was dropped from the schedule in 2021.

Prior to that was the street race in Houston, which ran around the unused Astrodome and the stadium for the NFL’s Houston Texans, most recently in 2014. IndyCar also raced on the grand two-mile oval at Texas World Speedway in College Station in 1973, and again from 1976-79.

Formula 1 held an eponymous Dallas Grand Prix in 1984 in southern Dallas at Fair Park, which was subject to excruciating heat, and in 1988, the SCCA Trans Am series made a visit to a revised layout at Fair Park before the series moved to Addison Airport and Reunion Arena, ultimately calling time on the event after the 1996 season.

Confirmation of the IndyCar event coming to the property belonging to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
https://racer.com/2024/09/27/indycar-se ... e-in-2026/

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#19

Post by MonteCristo »

Without seeing a layout... yay? Will wait until a layout - if ever - emerges.

Hopefully the series gets some good money out of it, and teams can sell sponsorship into a big market.
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#20

Post by MonteCristo »

Dallas is a go.

https://www.the-race.com/indycar/dallas ... -for-2026/

The all important layout will be released today (8 October).

*waits impatiently*
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#21

Post by John »

MonteCristo wrote: 3 weeks ago Dallas is a go.

https://www.the-race.com/indycar/dallas ... -for-2026/

The all important layout will be released today (8 October).

*waits impatiently*
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#22

Post by MonteCristo »

Well, it's not terrible. Better than I expected.

Turns 4-8 are Mickey Mouse. 1-3 might be too, in a Nashville kind of way.

Biggest question now will be how wide it all is. If it is wide, then not too much of a problem.

But turns 10, 12 and 14 could be decent passing areas. Given the double-sided nature of pit lane, I assume the S/F straight will only be about as long as Kanaan's nose (ok, maybe there is a passing opportunity there after all).
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#23

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

RLL signs Indy NXT champion Foster

Well one RLL seat filled,... New Indy NXT champion Louis Foster will become Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s newest full-time IndyCar Series driver as he has been signed to a multi-year deal. The team did not specify which car Foster will drive and sponsorship for the entry will be identified at a later date.

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#24

Post by John »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 3 weeks ago RLL signs Indy NXT champion Foster

Well one RLL seat filled,... New Indy NXT champion Louis Foster will become Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s newest full-time IndyCar Series driver as he has been signed to a multi-year deal. The team did not specify which car Foster will drive and sponsorship for the entry will be identified at a later date.
Also didn't specify if it's full time, I think?
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#25

Post by MonteCristo »

John wrote: 3 weeks ago
Everso Biggyballies wrote: 3 weeks ago RLL signs Indy NXT champion Foster

Well one RLL seat filled,... New Indy NXT champion Louis Foster will become Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s newest full-time IndyCar Series driver as he has been signed to a multi-year deal. The team did not specify which car Foster will drive and sponsorship for the entry will be identified at a later date.
Also didn't specify if it's full time, I think?
Hint is in the red.

Good on him, best of luck. RLL will be a struggle probably. But who knows.
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#26

Post by MonteCristo »

John wrote: 1 month ago Sacking Veekay this late is shady at best. I don't think he'll ever be a champion but at the same time he's been very consistent in poor machinery and deserves a better ride. Obviously that's not available - RLL perhaps but with their speed on the ovals I doubt it's super interesting. I'm afraid Veekay may be out of the series as well and replaced by Robb or deFranscesco or some other ride buyer (ECR needs cash it seems).
In a twist, he tested for Coyne on the Indy oval.

https://racer.com/2024/10/11/encouraged ... st-at-ims/

Third out of 11.
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#27

Post by MonteCristo »

Ganassi confirms IndyCar and Indy NXT line-ups

On the IndyCar side, six-time champion Scott Dixon is back in the No. 9 Honda and three-time and reigning champion Alex Palou will continue to helm the No. 10 Honda. They’ll be joined by Kyffin Simpson(main image), who moves into the No. 8 Honda as the Caymanian driver embarks on his sophomore IndyCar campaign.

The veteran car number convention at CGR will carry over to its pair of NXT entries for Jonathan Browne, who will pilot the No. 9 Dallara IL15-AER and Niels Koolen who will drive the No. 10 car.
https://racer.com/2024/10/30/ganassi-co ... t-lineups/

No big surprises there on the Indycar side. And meh on the Lights side.

However, more interesting news out of Mexico:
IndyCar and Mexico to re-engage on potential 2026 race

Penske Entertainment and the promoter of the Mexico City Grand Prix intend to re-engage early in 2025 to discuss the possibility of bringing the NTT IndyCar Series to the home country of its most popular driver, Pato O’Ward.

The Arrow McLaren star, who was overwhelmed with support from adoring fans last weekend(pictured above) at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as he took part in Free Practice 1 in the McLaren MCL38-Mercedes normally piloted by Lando Norris, would be the main attraction for a Mexican IndyCar event.

Talks have been held in the past, which led to suggestions O’Ward lacked the star power to draw a meaningful crowd and no agreements being formed. But with O’Ward’s ongoing spike in followers, and the prospect of Red Bull Formula 1 driver and national hero Sergio Perez nearing the end of his grand prix career, an IndyCar event with O’Ward as the centerpiece could benefit the series and promoter in new and compelling ways.

“Discussions regarding an IndyCar race in Mexico City have been positive and we look forward to continuing the conversation,” a Penske Entertainment spokesperson told RACER of its interest to host a race in 2026. “Pato’s presence this past weekend underscores the intense interest from fans and the massive and still growing star power he brings forward.”
https://racer.com/2024/10/30/indycar-an ... 2026-race/

Would be great to see. The series needs 1-3 more races overall. And some more overseas stuff (and Mexico and Canada make the most sense, as much as Indycar back in Australia would be fab) could bring in some much needed cash (both in terms of sanctioning money, but also sponsors from that country - Mexico used to be quite the land of sponsorship back in the late CART/Champcar days).
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#28

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Lundqvist working all angles to stay in IndyCar

It doesnt sound too promising for Linus, with only 5 vacant seats and those being for ride buyers or those with b.y.o. budgets. Shame when it becomes $$ over talent.
Linus Lundqvist is doing everything he can to continue his brief career as an IndyCar Series driver.

With Chip Ganassi Racing’s confirmation of Kyffin Simpson in the No. 8 Honda Lundqvist drove to two third-place finishes and a pole position on his way to winning Rookie of the Year honors, the young Swede has been in contact with all of the teams who have seats to fill.

It’s a shrinking number that’s down to five, with two apiece from Dale Coyne Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing and one at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and in most cases, the 2022 Indy Lights champion would need to bring a budget to secure the drive.
.https://racer.com/2024/10/31/lundqvist- ... n-indycar/

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