Follow the link to Wildfire Sports for my story on the schedule:
http://wildfireradiosports.com/index.php/2019/12/09/indycar-sets-green-flag-times-daly-to-carpenter/
Correction: The actual dates for St. Pete are March 13-15.
Later tonight I will have some thoughts on the Daly news today.
Photo: Daly’s US Air Force livery from last year
From Ed Carpenter Racing:
CONOR DALY COMPLETES ED CARPENTER RACING’S 2020 DRIVER LINEUP
This is a great spot for Daly. I’m glad the Air Force is still on board. I hope they keep the same livery he had last year. ECR should give him a decent shot at contending at the 500. More thoughts later.
Photos: Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi Racing
New photos out today show the aeroscreen on Scott Dixon’s car in what I presume is its final form. The NTT Indycar Series spent the last few months testing and refining the screen, which they revealed on Carb Day in May. The PNC Bank car will be on display at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis December 14-15.
I think integrating the livery into the frame of the aeroscren helps a lot with the aesthetics of the car. The overall look is still a bit too close to closed cockpit for my taste, but if it offers improved driver protection, I’m okay with it.
One change is the vent in front of the aeroscreen on the damper cover. The final issue that needed to be resolved was cockpit cooling. I hope this solves that problem. I think the vent helps with the look of the car.
My hope is that we can still see the drivers working the steering wheel through the turns. I hope to get to a test at Sebring next month to check on that. I’m not sure we’ll still be able to identify drivers by their helmets because of the height of the screen frame.
I applaud the series for their hard work in bringing another element of safety to the sport. I know we all get used to the aesthetics of it. Remembering that this is a retrofit and not an established part as it will be on the next chassis helps. The true test of performance and looks will be at St. Pete in March. I do think from the first time I saw the screen on the car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September to now there has already been quite an improvement.
Photo: © 2007 Kayte Deioma, courtesy of www.KayteDeioma.com
Good news this week about the Long Beach Grand Prix. The Los Angeles Angels baseball team announced an agreement to remain in Anaheim through 2050. A major portion of the track was considered for a new stadium for the Angels after their current stadium contract with Anaheim expires at the end of 2020. A baseball stadium would significantly impact the Grand Prix. The Acura Grand Prix is the second longest running event on the NTT Indycar Series calendar. 2020 will be the 45th running of a race on the streets of Long Beach.
The Indycar race has fought off other attacks in the past few years. The city council considered proposals to return the event to an F1 race. That idea was voted down. The race is safe for the next thirty years. I wonder if the Angels were simply using the exploration of Long Beach as leverage to get a better deal from Anaheim.
The Formula 5000 Drivers Association will have three Revival Races in 2020, at Road America, Watkins Glen, and Circuit of the Americas. This sounds like something worth an extra trip to Road America for me. Full information is in the link below:
Formula 5000 ran from 1967-1976 with 5 liter V-8 engines. Originally under SCCA sanction, USAC joined the Sports Car group in sanctioning the series. The sound of these cars was amazing. If one of these events is near you, I encourage you to attend.
Fernando Alonso has confirmed he will enter the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500. He is still uncertain which team he will drive for. The decision will be between Andretti and Arrow McLaren SP. I see a possible issue with each team. Will Honda allow Alonso to drive for Andretti? In 2019 Alonso failed to qualify for the race with McLaren. While the team appears to be in better shape than last year. However, James Hinchcliffe barely made the race last year after missing the 2019 500.
Alonso will not announce which team he will be with until after the Dakar Rally in January.
Back next week with more observations and a special post recognizing some podcasts.
An up date from yesterday’s story with some added items. Find it here:
http://wildfireradiosports.com/index.php/2019/12/04/coyne-driver-list-changes-in-imsa/
Three drivers appear to be in the running for the number 18 car in 2020. James Hinchcliffe, who lost his ride at Arrow McLaren SP last month; Sergio Sette Camara, who drove in F2 in 2019 and had two wins and eight podiums; and Alex Palou, who scored one win and finished third in the season standings in Super Formula.
While Hinchcliffe would be the most popular choice with the fans, I think the ride will go to one of the other drivers. Palou is likely the front runner. He was impressive at a Coyne test at Mid Ohio. He is also a Honda driver. Sette Camara has done three seasons in Formula 2, and needs to move up. He is also talking with Carlin Racing.
Coyne has not set a deadline for a decision. There may also be a fourth driver in the mix.
I’m not confident about hearing any news from Carlin or A. J. Foyt Racing before Christmas. There is simply no news from either camp. We could be in for some surprises from both teams.
Chip Ganassi Racing will not participate in the IMSA Weather tech Championship for the first time in 16 years. Their GTLM Ford program has ended. Ganassi cars have three overall wins and two class wins at the Rolex 24. The team has not ruled out returning to the series, possibly in the new prototype cars. More on this story in my Wildfire Sports column tomorrow.
I have a few words of thanks to those who made 2019 such an amazing year. While writing this column annually seems like a trite exercise, I enjoy expressing my appreciation for those who helped the sport and also those who helped me get through the season.
Thank you to:
The Hulman-George family for their 74 years of stewardship and building the Indianapolis 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway into the great event and facility it is today. Thanks also for handing the track to someone intent on preserving the traditions of the place.
Roger Penske for buying IMS, The NTT Indycar Series, and IMS Productions. If the track had to be sold, I’m glad it was to someone who understands what this is all about
Fellow media members for their help and advice. In particular, Eric Smith of Race Review Online, George Phillips of Oilpressure, and Mike Joachim of Pit Lane Parley.
The communications staff at Indycar and IMS.
Track PR and communications directors for their assistance in facilitating onsite coverage.
Everyone on “Team Silver” headquartered in G Stand on Race Day.
The wonderful people in my writing class at the Life Enrichment Center in Tampa. They continue to be a huge inspiration in writing this humble column.
Finally, certainly not least, each one of you who take the time to read The Pit Window. I am humbled by your loyalty and very much appreciate it.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
A recap of Friday’s events and where the 2020 grid stands on Wildfire Sports:
Editor’s note: I just arrived at Winter Headquarters and saw the news. Here are some brief thoughts. I will follow up in a day or two.
Photo: Kyle McInnes
The NTT Indycar Series November of change added another shock today with the announcement of an amicable separation of Sebastien Bourdais and Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan. The news follows the November 4 sale of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the series to Roger Penske and the release of Spencer Pigot from Ed Carpenter Racing. The 2020 grid will look very different from the 2019 grid. Bourdais will race for JDC -Miller in the number 5 Cadillac prototype with Jaoao Barbosa, who drove the same car last year fro Action Express.
The opening raises several questions. Is this where James Hinchcliffe will land? I’ve seen different answers from different sources. Since Honda pulled its support from Bourdais, is that money available for Hinchcliffe? Could Conor Daly take the seat? I’m not sure his Air Force money is enough for a full season. Will we see another driver from Europe driving for Coyne next year?
The 2020 grid is now missing three full time drivers from 2019- Hinchcliffe, Pigot, and Bourdais. I’m still not sure Tony Kanaan will be full time next season.
Meanwhile, the rookie battle for 2020 is set with Oliver Askew at AMSP and Rinus VeeKay at Ed Carpenter Racing. It could be close as both are on teams with fairly similar results in 2019. The outcome may depend on which team improves. AMSP with its new influx of resources or ECR, which is still looking for funding.
Bourdais, who will 41 years old by the time the season begins, likely will not return to Indycar. His deal with JDC-Miller is for the next two seasons. Bourdais had a great career in Indycar. He is a four time season champion in ChampCar (2004,2005,2006,2007), has 37 wins, which ranks fourth all time, and earned 34 poles.
In late 2016 he returned to race in the last couple if races in that season after his horrible crash in qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. In 2017 Bourdais won the season opener at his hometown of St. Pete and repeated the victory the following year.
I was fortunate to see several of his wins. My favorite was at Milwaukee in 2015 when Bourdais took the lead halfway through the race and ran away from the rest of the field.
