IndyCar veteran heading to sportscars in '08

Scott Sharp will not return to the IndyCar Series in 2008.

Reliable sources have indicated that Sharp will instead take his Patron Tequila sponsorship to the American LeMans Series team, Highcroft Racing, where he will pilot their LMP2 Acura.

Recently, Sharp has been embroiled in lawsuits with Rahal Letterman Racing when he tried to sever ties with the team that he raced for in 2007. Alleging that RLR had failed to live up to portions of the contract, Sharp and Patron stopped making his scheduled 2008 sponsorship payments.

Rahal Letterman Racing countersued stating they had met the contract, and that Sharp was obligated to drive for them in 2008.

Most importantly, Patron was obligated to keep making sponsorship payments that would run in excess of $5million next year.

Replacing Sharp's sponsorship dollars will be difficult for RLR as Patron contributed over 80% of the operating budget for his car. The IndyCar Series longest tenured driver with 146 starts and nine victories will turn 40 on February 14, 2008.

ORS / CAPSIS International