Rahal to make driver line-up announcement tomorrow

The past several weeks have been among the quietest in IndyCar Series history, as even the rumor mills seem to have gone on vacation. This will soon change as Rahal Letterman Racing breaks the ice tomorrow morning by announcing their 2005 driver line-up.

Scheduled for mid-morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, RLR is expected to present 22-year old Danica Patrick as the teammate of Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira. Patrick finished the 2004 Toyota Atlantic season in third place and recent tests in IndyCar equipment have made the team confident the time is right for her move to the Indy Car.

Patrick will become the second female to race in the IndyCar Series full-time, and the third to race under the IRL banner following Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher.

The expansion of Rahal Letterman to a three-car team follows the enormous success of Andretti Green Racing's four-car assault resulting in Tony Kanaan's IRL championship. After proving the concept in 2004, Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti, and Bryan Herta will again team with Tony Kanaan for 2005.

Also looking to expand is Target Chip Ganassi Racing, which recently ran Toyota F1 test driver Ryan Briscoe on both the Firebird Raceway road course and the Phoenix International Raceway oval as they search for a third driver to team with Darren Manning and Scott Dixon.

In other off-season movement, Scott Sharp and his Delphi sponsorship appear destined for Fernandez Racing to join owner/driver Adrian Fernandez and 2004 Rookie of the Year, Kosuke Matsuura.

Pennzoil Panther Racing will return with Tomas Scheckter in what may be Chevrolet's final season in the IRL. The team fully expects to run at least two cars in the 2005 season, though the return of Menards/Johns Manville sponsorship on the second car is in doubt as lumber magnate John Menard concentrates on son Paul Menard's entry into the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

Panther's former driver, Sam Hornish, Jr., comes back for his second season at Penske Racing again teaming with Helio Castroneves. The duo recently took an old CART Champ Car to the Sebring road course for much needed road racing practice. Using the old car skirts the IRL's ban on private testing as that only applies to IndyCar Series equipment, and allows the team to prepare for the IRL's first road races in 2005.

Red Bull Cheever Racing previously announced Patrick Carpentier would team with Alex Barron in Toyota powered Dallara's as the team moved away from Chevrolet.

AJ Foyt Racing expects to return for AJ Foyt, IV's third IRL season, though sponsorship has not been announced and troubled financial and insurance firm Conseco is gone.

2004 IRL participants Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, Mo Nunn Racing, Patrick Racing, and Greg Ray's Access Motorsports are all planning to return in some form, though specifics have not been settled.

Heading into 2005, there are of course drivers looking for opportunities, funding, or the funding to create opportunities.

Veterans Jaques Lazier, Felipe Giaffone, Roger Yasukawa, and Robby McGehee are actively soliciting for rides, while Pro Series drivers Paul Dana, Thiago Medeiros, and PJ Chesson are trying to find their place to break into the IndyCars.

Medeiros tested very well with Dreyer and Reinbold late in 2004, while Dana ran an older specification car for Ron Hemelgarn recently at Phoenix.

Yasukawa, Ed Carpenter and Chesson are all thought to have some sponsorship available, though Chesson needs to clear up a fine and get his license back from IRL officials before he will be allowed on the racetrack.

A lot of pieces are yet to fall into place for the 2005 season, but we can expect to see more activity now. All drivers are expected in Indianapolis the week of January 11th for their annual physicals, and the cars will hit the track in Homestead on the 18th. Until then the teams will begin to make final driver and sponsor announcements, as the March 5th season opener is getting much closer than many want to admit.

ORS / CAPSIS International