Jump to content

2011 IndyCar Series

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 192.158.61.140 (talk) at 15:41, 16 December 2010 (→‎Team and driver chart: Expansion of Chip Ganassi Racing confirmed with Rahal/Kimball). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2011 IndyCar season
File:Izodindycar.png
Season
Races17
Start dateMarch 27
End dateOctober 16
Awards
Drivers' championTBD
Teams' championTBD
Rookie of the YearTBD
Indianapolis 500 winnerTBD
Discipline champions
Oval championTBD
Road course championTBD
← 2010
2012 →

The 2011 Izod IndyCar Series season will be the 100th season of American open wheel racing. Its premier event will be the 95th Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 29.

Series news

  • The 95th Indianapolis 500 will be the third race of the three-year long Centennial era, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 100th anniversary of the first Indy 500.
  • Sunoco will become the official fuel of the series starting in 2011 and running through 2014. Sunoco will work with APEX-Brasil and UNICA to provide ethanol for the series.[1]

2011 series schedule

  • The series schedule was announced on September 10, 2010, with the seventeenth and final round to be announced at a later date.
Rnd Date Race name Track Location Time (ET) TV
1 March 27 United States Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Streets of St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Florida TBA TBA
2 April 10 United States Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Alabama TBA TBA
3 April 17 United States 37th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Streets of Long Beach Long Beach, California TBA TBA
4 May 1 Brazil São Paulo Indy 300 Streets of São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil TBA TBA
5 May 29 United States 95th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana TBA ABC
6 June 11 United States Firestone Twin 275s: Race 1 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas TBA TBA
United States Firestone Twin 275s: Race 2 TBA TBA
7 June 19 United States Milwaukee 225 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin TBA TBA
8 June 25 United States Iowa Corn Indy 250 Iowa Speedway Newton, Iowa TBA TBA
9 July 10 Canada Honda Indy Toronto Streets of Toronto Toronto, Ontario TBA TBA
10 August 7 United States Honda 200 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio TBA TBA
11 August 14 United States TBA New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, New Hampshire TBA TBA
12 August 28 United States Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma Infineon Raceway Sonoma, California TBA TBA
13 September 4 United States Baltimore Grand Prix Streets of Baltimore Baltimore, Maryland TBA TBA
14 September 18 Japan Indy Japan 300 Twin Ring Motegi Motegi, Japan TBA TBA
15 October 2 United States Kentucky Indy 300 Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Kentucky TBA TBA
16 October 16 United States TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
  Oval
  Temporary Circuit
  Road Course

Schedule development

Existing contracts

New or returning races

  • The Baltimore Grand Prix will debut on September 2–4, 2011. The event will take place 2.4 mile street course around the Inner Harbor and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.[9] The contract runs through 2015[10]
  • A race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, will return on August 14 in 2011, with an official announcement to take place prior to the June 27th, 2010 NASCAR race at the facility. The track last held an IndyCar event in 1998 and has since been sold to Speedway Motorsports, which has IndyCar races at Texas, Kentucky, and Infineon.[11] The original date was set for July 31, but was moved following the 2011 NASCAR schedule realignment.[12]
  • The Milwaukee Mile will return to the schedule in 2011.[13]

Possible races

  • IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard says that the 17th race and season finale will either take place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway or Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.[14]
  • The Octane Racing Group, who promotes the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Canada and the NASCAR Nationwide race at Circuit Gilles Villenueve, will take over as promoters of the Honda Edmonton Indy, having agreed a three-year extension. The race was announced as "cancelled" on November 3, 2010 due to an impasse in negotiations between the race promoters and the city of Edmonton.[15] However, negotiations to revive the race restarted the next week.[16] On November 26, 2010, the Edmonton, Alberta city council voted to restore the Honda Edmonton Indy using extra funding from private sources and new parking revenue.[17]

Discontinued races

Team and driver chart

  • This chart reflects confirmed championship participants ONLY. All drivers will compete in Honda-engined, Firestone-shod, Dallara chassis. (R) reflects an IZOD IndyCar Series rookie.
Team # Drivers Sponsor(s) Notes
United States Chip Ganassi Racing 9 New Zealand Scott Dixon Target
10 United Kingdom Dario Franchitti Target
38 United StatesGraham Rahal Service Central
83 United StatesCharlie Kimball Novo Nordisk
United States Team Penske 3 Brazil Hélio Castroneves Shell
6 Australia Ryan Briscoe Izod
12 Australia Will Power Verizon Wireless
United States Andretti Autosport 7 United States Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com
26 United States Marco Andretti Venom Energy Drink
37 United States Ryan Hunter-Reay TBA
United States Panther Racing 4 United States J.R. Hildebrand (R) U.S. National Guard
United States Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 22 United Kingdom Justin Wilson TBA
24 TBA TBA
United States A.J. Foyt Enterprises 14 Brazil Vitor Meira ABC Supply Company
Canada FAZZT Race Team 77 Canada Alex Tagliani Bowers & Wilkins
88 TBA Bowers & Wilkins
United States de Ferran Dragon Racing 2 TBA TBA
United States Lotus KV Racing Technology 5 TBA Lotus Cars
8 TBA Lotus Cars
15 TBA Lotus Cars
32 TBA Lotus Cars
United States Dale Coyne Racing 18 TBA TBA
United States Newman/Haas Racing 02 TBA TBA
United States HVM Racing 78 TBA TBA
United States Conquest Racing 34 TBA TBA
Part time entries
United States Sarah Fisher Racing 67 United States Ed Carpenter Dollar General 9 races: St. Pete, Indianapolis, Texas, Iowa, Mid-Ohio, New Hampshire, Baltimore, Kentucky, and the TBA season finale. Team is working to secure funding to contest the other 8 races.
United States Team REDLINE Xtreme TBA TBA REDLINE Xtreme Energy Drink Indy 500 only; in conjunction with KV Racing Technology
United States Bryan Herta Autosport TBA TBA TBA Indy 500 only
  • Graham Rahal signed a two–year sponsorship contract with Service Central, which will provide him with full–season sponsorship for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Rahal is still "shopping" his services to prospective teams.[18]

Team and driver news

  • Chip Ganassi Racing: Graham Rahal is strongly connected to be the pilot in the team's third entry in 2011. Ganassi confirmed that there would be no third car, and in an article on indycar.com, Franchitti confirmed his return to the team for 2011.The team conffirmed the return of Scott Dixon in 2011. On November 21, SPEED's Robin Miller reported that Ganassi is close to signing Graham Rahal to a deal to compete as part of a Ganassi satellite team, possibly ran out of the race shop of Don Prudhomme. Charlie Kimball is a candidate to join Rahal in a 2nd car at the new team.[19]. A press conference has been schedule for December 16th where the Rahal/Kimball pairing is expected to be confirmed at the new Ganassi/Prudhomme race team.[20]
  • Team Penske: Team Owner Roger Penske told the Indianapolis Star that the plan for 2011 is to remain a three–car team, although at present he does not have full sponsorship for all three cars.[21] Shell will join the team as an associate sponsor for all three cars in 2011, replacing Mobil 1. The #3 and #6 cars, currently without a primary sponsor, could also adopt the Shell Team Penske moniker, although Shell may based the livery on their Pennzoil brand, which had been with Penske in CART from 1983–90, with two Indy 500 wins in the traditional Pennzoil "Yellow Submarine" livery in 1984 and 1988.[22] Hélio Castroneves is signed to a multi–year contract that covers the 2011 season, and Will Power re–signed with Team Penske in September 2010. Team Penske executives say that they are "very close" to signing Ryan Briscoe for the 2011 season.[23] Roger Penske confirmed on November 12 that all 3 drivers would be returning.[24] Penske says that if he can't find sponsorship for Sam Hornish, Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, he will run him in the Indianapolis 500.[25] Izod was announced as being the primary sponsor on Ryan Briscoe's car and an associate sponsor on the other two cars.[26]
  • Andretti Autosport: Tony Kanaan was signed to a multi–year deal with Andretti Autosport before the 2009 season, and his contract ran through 2012. Curt Cavin suggested in his 9/27 Q&A article that 7-Eleven would return with Kanaan, but a segment on the October 3 edition of the SPEED Report confirmed that the company would in fact not return in 2011, rendering Kanaan a free agent. Marco Andretti will be in the second year of a four–year contract with the team in 2011 along with his sponsor Venom Energy.[27][28] Michael Andretti is currently seeking sponsorship for Ryan Hunter-Reay to return as a full–time driver in 2011.[29] It was later announced on October 29 that Hunter-Reay would return to Andretti Autosport through to the 2012 Indycar Series season.[30]
  • FAZZT Race Team: Driver Alex Tagliani is in the second year of a four–year contract with the team.[31] The team is committed to running a second full–time car in 2011,[32] according to manager Rob Edwards. Team co–owner Andre Azzi told a Montreal newspaper that the second driver will be Canadian, as he wanted FAZZT to be a Canadian team. He mentioned Paul Tracy as one of the top contenders. GP2 Series and former Renault test driver Ho-Pin Tung tested with the team at Sebring in November and is a candidate for the 2nd seat.[33]
  • Bryan Herta Autosport: The team is seeking sponsorship to expand its one–car Indy–only effort from 2010, with the ultimate goal of fielding two cars in 2011. The team confirmed that they would run the Indy 500.[22]
  • AFS Racing: Team owner Gary Peterson announced that he had purchased a car and was considering a full-time entry in 2011[34], but later announced they would continue in Indy Lights and "explore additional opportunities in the IndyCar Series"[35]
  • de Ferran Dragon Racing: Driver Raphael Matos signed a "multiple year" contract with the team before the 2009 season. It was reported by team owner Gil de Farran that Matos' deal was for only 2 years, and Matos attended the Brazilian Fórmula Truck race at Brasília in early December looking for a ride if can't sign with a Indycar team till early 2011. Thus leaving the #2 car open for 2011. de Ferran told the Indianapolis Star that he expects to employ Tony Kanaan next season and that efforts to find funding were going well.[24]
  • Team REDLINE Xtreme: On July 28, 2010, VPX Sports announced a partnership with newly–formed SH Racing for an entry into the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with the driver yet to be named.[36] The team will be partnering with KV Racing Technology.[37]
  • Walker Racing Partners: Greg Beck, Steve Sudler, and Derrick Walker have joined forces for a 2011 effort under the banner Walker Racing Partners.[38]
  • Panther Racing: 2010 team driver Dan Wheldon confirmed in a Kentucky post–race interview that his contract expires after this season and he is unlikely to return to the team in 2011. Team owner John Barnes is unsure if the team will run one or two cars in 2011.[39] 2009 Indy Lights champion J. R. Hildebrand has signed a multi-year deal to driver the #4 National Guard car for the team.[40]
  • Lotus KV Racing Technology: On September 28, 2010, it was announced that Lotus will provide sponsorship to two KV Racing Technology entries in 2011.[41] Drivers for the team's entries in 2011 have yet to be announced. In an article on speedtv.com by Marshall Pruett, Jimmy Vasser confirmed that the team would be rebranded as "Lotus/KV". He also said all 3 2010 drivers were highly likely to return.[42]
  • Vision Racing: Will not return to the series in 2011.
  • Dreyer & Reinbold Racing: Justin Wilson has been rumored to other teams for 2011, while Mike Conway looks to return after a crash in the 2010 Indianapolis 500 ended his season. Ana Beatriz is also a candidate to drive for the team, while Paul Tracy attended the 2010 finale at Homestead with the team and seems confident in a return to full-time racing in 2011.[43] On November 11, Justin Wilson announced he will continue racing with the team in 2011.
  • Sarah Fisher Racing: SFR has signed Ed Carpenter for the 2011 season, who will compete in nine events. This differs from reports that the team was contemplating a full schedule. In addition, team owner Sarah Fisher has announced her retirement from driving to focus solely on team ownership.[44]
  • HVM Racing: Team owner Keith Wiggins hopes to return with 2010 driver Simona de Silvestro and expand to two cars.[45]
  • Highcroft Racing, which has won back–to–back American Le Mans Series titles, has expressed interest in running a partial IndyCar Series schedule in 2011, by way of running in conjunction with an existing team. Their current ALMS driver (and former Champ Car driver), Simon Pagenaud, has been tipped as the favorite to drive.[46]
  • Robby Gordon Motorsports: Robby Gordon is preparing to run the 2011 Indy 500 with his own team.[47]
  • Newman/Haas Racing: Firestone Indy Lights runner up, and Champ Car Atlantic driver James Hinchcliffe will test with the team, if the test is successful, and sponsorship negotiations with a major Canadian corporation go as expected, Hinchcliffe will drive for the team in the 2011 IZOD Indy Car series[48]. The team will test with Hinchcliffe and veteran Oriol Servia at Sebring, December 13 - 14.[49]
  • A. J. Foyt Enterprises: Driver Vitor Meira signed a 2-year contract with the team through the 2012 season.[50] Foyt hopes to run a second car at the Indianapolis 500.[51]
  • Dale Coyne Racing: Pending on finding sponsorship, SPEEDTV.com's Marshall Pruett reports defending Rookie of the Year champion Alex Lloyd will likely return to the team in 2011. Unknown if a second car will be run or not.
  • Conquest Racing: SPEEDTV.com's Marshall Pruett reported that the team wants to run two cars again in 2011, with Bertrand Baguette piloting the lead car.
  • Rahal Letterman Racing: SPEEDTV.com's Marshall Pruett reported that the team will likely run the Indy 500 only for the third straight season. Former Atlantic champion John Edwards is believed to be a leading candidate for the seat.

References

  1. ^ "Sunoco to Become Official Fuel of Indy Racing League in 2011". IndyCar Series. Business Wire. 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  2. ^ "Brazil and its drivers pumped as IndyCar invades Sao Paulo". usatoday.com. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
  3. ^ "Event Extension". indycar.com. 2008-04-06. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  4. ^ "Grand Prix is a winner for St. Petersburg". indycar.com. 2009-04-06. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
  5. ^ "Back for more in '10". IndyCar.com. 2009-06-21. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  6. ^ Oreovicz, John (2008-04-16). "Champ Car finale signals new start for Long Beach Grand Prix". ESPN. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
  7. ^ "Indy Car race coming to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama". al.com. 2009-07-26. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
  8. ^ "Is time running out on reviving Cleveland's tradition of open-wheel racing?". Elton Alexander. Cleveland Plain Dealer. 2010-07-11. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  9. ^ "Series roars into Baltimore in 2011". indycar.com. 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  10. ^ "Details of Baltimore Grand Prix expected Wednesday". baltimoresun.com. 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  11. ^ "IndyCar returning to New Hampshire". IndyStar.com. 2010-06-21. Retrieved 2010-06-21. [dead link]
  12. ^ Lewandowski, Dave (2010-08-11). "New Hampshire 2011 race set for Aug. 14". IndyCar Series. Indy Racing League. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  13. ^ http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/102381544.html
  14. ^ http://www.indystar.com/article/20100911/SPORTS0107/9110345/1052/SPORTS01/Seeking-Vegas-finale
  15. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-edmonton-race-axed/
  16. ^ http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Edmonton+Indy+dead/3823086/story.html
  17. ^ http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2010/11/26/16329221.html
  18. ^ "Rahal gets 2011 full-time ride team TBA". indycar.com. 2010-10-02. Retrieved 2010-11-15.
  19. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-rahal-to-ganassi-story-developing/
  20. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/indycar/news/story?id=5917186
  21. ^ "Wilson conserves his tires". indystar.com. 2010-07-18. Retrieved 2010-07-19. [dead link]
  22. ^ a b "Shell Oil Company and Penske Racing Announce Alliance". penskeracing.com. 2010-04-21. Retrieved 2010-04-21. Cite error: The named reference "Penske Shell" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  23. ^ http://www.indystar.com/article/20101002/SPORTS0107/10020345/Izod-IndyCar-Series-notebook-Wheldon-s-lawsuit-against-Panther-resolved-and-he-might-return-to-team
  24. ^ a b http://www.indystar.com/article/20101113/SPORTS0107/11130342/GM-returns-to-IndyCar-another-manufacturer-might-follow
  25. ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Penske-Racing-working-on-2011-NASCAR-program-120210
  26. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-izod-joins-team-penske
  27. ^ "Venom Energy Drink Signs Multi-Year Sponsorship With Andretti Autosport". PR Newswire. Venom Energy. 2009-12-03. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  28. ^ "Marco Andretti, the Twitterview". Pressdog. Pressdog. 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  29. ^ Kekis, John (2010-07-07). "Carroll gets IndyCar shot with Andretti Autosport". Associated Press. USA Today. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  30. ^ http://indycar.com/news/show/55-izod-indycar-series/40317-hunter-reay-stays-with-andretti-autosport
  31. ^ Lewandowski, Dave (2009-08-28). "Newest entrant". IndyCar Series. Indy Racing League. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
  32. ^ http://www.racer.com/ask-fazzt-your-indycar-questions-answered/article/177981/
  33. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-tung-finishes-first-test-with-fazzt/
  34. ^ http://www.racer.com/afs-plans-full-time-indycar-graduation/article/176794/
  35. ^ http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=395815&FS=INDYCAR
  36. ^ http://pressdog.typepad.com/dogblog/2010/07/team-redline-xtreme-aims-at-indy-2010.html
  37. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-kv-partners-with-sh-racing-for-indy-500/
  38. ^ http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2010/08/beck-sudler-walker-together-for-11.html
  39. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-marshall-pruett-who-will-replace-dan-wheldon-in-2011
  40. ^ http://www.pantherracing.com/news/index.cfm?cid=40736
  41. ^ http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/87051
  42. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-kv-closing-in-on-new-lotus-deal/
  43. ^ http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-146210.html
  44. ^ http://www.autoweek.com/article/20101002/IRL/101009980
  45. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-2011-plans-coming-into-focus/P3
  46. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-highcroft-eying-limited-2011-campaign
  47. ^ http://www.mikemulhern.net/DailyBriefing/kevin-harvick-takes-jab-mike-ford-taking-jab-chad-knaus-pit-crew-swap
  48. ^ http://thestar.blogs.com/autoracing/2010/11/racer-hinchcliffe-to-test-for-newman-haas.html
  49. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-newman-haas-to-test-servia-hinchcliffe/
  50. ^ http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/2010/12/08/dec-8-on-sarah-vitor-and-hildebrand/
  51. ^ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-2011-plans-coming-into-focus/P2

See also

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_IndyCar_Series&oldid=402704437"