Nascar team entering the Indy 500?

[gofastandwynn]

According to the Speedway "a media teleconference will be held Monday, April 6, to announce the car entry of a NASCAR team owner in the 93rd Indianapolis 500 Mile Race set for Sunday, May 24.

The teleconference is set for 3:30 p.m. EDT and will follow a 2 p.m. press conference held in the North Green Room at the base of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Pagoda.

The NASCAR team owner will make his debut as a car owner for this year's Indy 500. On May 24, the owner will join past Indy 500-winning team owners Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi as the only team principals with entries in both Memorial Day racing classics, the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte."

[DanicaFan]

Any guesses ???

Im saying Front Row Motorsports with John Andretti as the Indy 500 driver.

[SarahFan]

Any guesses ???

Im saying Front Row Motorsports with John Andretti as the Indy 500 driver.

being that danica already has the race win wrapped up you gotta wonder why a nascar team would even bother this year!

[jayvick614]

Tony Stewart?

[SarahFan]

I'm thinking Robby Gordon


http://www.robbygordon.com/cms/publish/index.shtml

[TURN3]

Richard Childress w/ PT

[chuck34]

I would put my money on Stewart. I believe that was a pretty big sticking point between Tony and Gibbs.

Outside shot at Gordon. Then really out there is Childress.

Just my 2 cents worth

[garyshell]

Curt Cavin is saying John Andretti with Petty Motorsports.

Gary

[SarahFan]

Curt Cavin is saying John Andretti with Petty Motorsports.

Gary

FWIW gary the following was the first post (at another forum) on the subject



...Mike King just said on Trackside that on Monday there will be an announcement of a current NASCAR team fielding a car this May. He also said that it is not John Andretti's deal.

Hmmm, interesting. Let the rumors begin.

[MDS]

So I ran into Robby Gordon at Atlanta last month and asked him if he was doing the double again, because if he did I'd buy a spot on his plane like I did the last two times.

The way he made it sound, there wasn't much chance of him doing it as a driver so long as the start times are the way they are. That said, he said if the IRL offered him a chance to grow his team someday he'd be interested.

On a completely unrelated note... What sponsor does Robby Gordon and Paul Tracy have in common?

[TURN3]

On a completely unrelated note... What sponsor does Robby Gordon and Paul Tracy have in common?

Not sure there is any merit but this is a great point. I said Childress w/ PT because they talked of doing it before. But Gordon & PT have Monster which has talked about doing something. I think Childress supplies engines for Gordon (maybe I'm wrong on that).

A lot of wishful thinking on my part.

[MDS]

Robby is with Toyota this year, so Childress isn't supplying Robby anymore, don't know if he ever was actually.

The quote I remember reading from Childress is he was happy he was involved with Robby's venture in 2002, but after being at the speedway a while he missed NASCAR, and wasn't in a hurry to go open wheel racing. That said, that quote from Childress is six years old, and he might want to try it again.

[SarahFan]

Curt Cavin is saying John Andretti with Petty Motorsports.

Gary


http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/04/03/rpetty.jandretti.indy.500/index.html

[SarahFan]

but the plot thickens...


Per King on streaming video.

The Andretti deal was NOT the deal he was referring to.

[coogmaster]

Its gonna be pretty cool seeing a red & blue STP #43 IndyCar being driven by an Andretti.

Of course, if that is the plan for sponsorship, car #, paint scheme, ect.

[disko]

Richard Petty Motorsports will field an Indy 500 entry for driver John Andretti, sources have confirmed to NASCAR.COM. The official announcement will be made Monday. Given that RPM currently does not have an IndyCar operation, it was unclear Friday how the program would take shape.(NASCAR.com)(4-3-2009) Comment here

[garyshell]

but the plot thickens...


Per King on streaming video.

The Andretti deal was NOT the deal he was referring to.


Yeah I heard that too. He said this was another deal besides the Petty one. And he kept making the point that it was someone who SHOULD (his emphasis not mine) have won Indy a long time ago.

Could it be Tony Stewart or PT maybe. Stewart would NOT surprise me at all. He is controlling his own destiny these days and worships Indy. Time will tell.

Gary

[SportscarBruce]

Richard Petty Motorsports will field an Indy 500 entry for driver John Andretti, sources have confirmed to NASCAR.COM. The official announcement will be made Monday. Given that RPM currently does not have an IndyCar operation, it was unclear Friday how the program would take shape.(NASCAR.com)(4-3-2009) Comment here

Where's that raceday picture of King Richard and AJ Foyt from a few years ago? That was very cool.

[SportscarBruce]

being that danica already has the race win wrapped up you gotta wonder why a nascar team would even bother this year!
Your cup of vinegar runneth over....

[coogmaster]

Yeah I heard that too. He said this was another deal besides the Petty one. And he kept making the point that it was someone who SHOULD (his emphasis not mine) have won Indy a long time ago.

Could it be Tony Stewart or PT maybe. Stewart would NOT surprise me at all. He is controlling his own destiny these days and worships Indy. Time will tell.

Gary

Don't forget Robby Gordon, who was a lap away from winning it in '99.

[disko]

i was in the pit terrace behind gordons pit the year he ran out of gas on the last lap. At the half way point of the race, he was the fastest car in the race, but a lap down. When he got his lap back, he went by the crew pumping his fist as he knew this was his race to win. When he ran out of fuel, I have never seen a group so dejected at indy. And John Menard.

But AJ and Kenny got the win.

Its why we worship the place.

[IWUTitan90]

Stewart/Haas ownership, running a car with help from Foyt, AJ IV driving?

My second WAG would be Gordon putting someone else in the Cup car and running Indy his self, in a Jim Beam sponsored car. Beam has a big "double" promotion tied to the 500/600, a car in both would make sense.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It is now April 3rd and no announcement...

I think whomever it is...this deal is still born.

Out of the credible options out there, Stewart might be the guy BUT I think he is too smart to add that ring to the three ring circus he has running in its first year.

RPM wont do this, they are trying to keep all 4 cars running all year. If Allmendinger's car doesn't have sponsors past May, he isn't running. That isn't a team that is going to turn around and buy a Dallara and spares for an Indy run.

I would hazard a guess that RCR might do the deed.......and put PT behind the wheel. Richard and PT have a friendship of sorts and RCR has toyed with running in Grand AM and to go to the IRL isn't out of the question since they were there with Robby Gordon....

If it isn't any of those....well I cant see anyone doing it...unless that F1 engineer Mikey hired at MWR hasn't infected his mind and it is a Michael Waltrip entry???!!!!!

[IWUTitan90]

It is now April 3rd and no announcement...

I think whomever it is...this deal is still born.

Out of the credible options out there, Stewart might be the guy BUT I think he is too smart to add that ring to the three ring circus he has running in its first year.

RPM wont do this, they are trying to keep all 4 cars running all year. If Allmendinger's car doesn't have sponsors past May, he isn't running. That isn't a team that is going to turn around and buy a Dallara and spares for an Indy run.

I would hazard a guess that RCR might do the deed.......and put PT behind the wheel. Richard and PT have a friendship of sorts and RCR has toyed with running in Grand AM and to go to the IRL isn't out of the question since they were there with Robby Gordon....

If it isn't any of those....well I cant see anyone doing it...unless that F1 engineer Mikey hired at MWR hasn't infected his mind and it is a Michael Waltrip entry???!!!!!



The Petty deal has already been announced.
http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/04/03/rpetty.jandretti.indy.500/index.html

There is supposed to be an additional announcement on Monday. Latest rumor has it as Childress, Robbie Gordon and AT&T sponsorship.

[trinksuk]

me thinks it will be in partnership with Dreyer Reinbold.....3rd car being entered as a support program to Mike Conway, this suggests someone that has run the 500 previously....

[trinksuk]

actually I will follow up and say, John Andretti with RPM as previously stated by disko.

[MDS]

Count on Jayski to get the details:

Richard Petty will make his first foray into the Indianapolis 500 as an owner when he fields a car for John Andretti in next month's race. A news conference is scheduled Monday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but details were confirmed Friday by a person familiar with the arrangement. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the deal has not been announced. In 1994, Andretti became the first driver to run both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR event in Charlotte on the same day, finishing 10th at Indianapolis and crashing and finishing 36th at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon have both since done the double, but the grueling feat is no longer possible since Indianpolis changed its starting time several years ago. Petty is a partner in NASCAR with George Gillett in Richard Petty Motorsports, the team formerly known as Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Gillett is not expected to be part of the Indy deal. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which runs the full IndyCar Series, will work with Petty at Indy, providing equipment and personnel.

[The instant classic]

im sure someone has already posted this but im to lazy to read all the comments here :D

but do you think that Petty will start a full time indycar team after indy?

[MDS]

No, its a team rental with D&R, & Petty is only involved in the organization in name only anymore.