Graham Rahal

By Andrew Cutler
October 13 2010

Things usually go pretty 'quiet' in regards to potential driver line-up changes in the IndyCar Series between the end of the season and the start of the new year. This time around, however, there are alot of big names out there who's futures are - for reasons good or bad - are wide open, so I thought that I would run them all down for you.  

Under contract, but...

It was a bad end of the season for Andretti Autosport in terms of sponsorship funding news for 2011. Series title sponsor IZOD has declared their intention to cease funding Ryan Hunter-Reay's ride, and long-time sponsor 7-11 (a convenience store chain) is discontinuing their support for Tony Kanaan's car. These moves leave Andretti Autosport currently without the funds to run either car for 2011. While both men are under contract with AA, they have been given permission to seek rides elsewhere - should they be able to find any.

Have sponsor - need team

Graham Rahal, the ultimate 'gun for hire (he drove for four different squads)' in 2010 has a completely different  - and much for fortunate - situation facing him: He now has a sponsor, and is shopping for the best team that will accept him. TBC Retail Group, the parent company of automotive parts outfits like Tire Kingdom, Service Central and the like, has inked the young American to a two year deal, worth enough to land him a full-time ride somewhere. Rahal is reported to be talking to Andretti, Panther, Newman-Haas, KVRT and even his father's squad, Rahal-Letterman, which sat out all of the past two years, save 'one-offs' at Indy.

TBC's deal with Rahal is bad news for Sarah Fisher Racing, as they were the sponsor for Jay Howard's car in it's five 2010 appearences.

Staying put, or moving on?

Englishmen Justin Wilson and Dan Wheldon are both facing the possibility of leaving their current squads over the off-season. Wilson came to Dryer & Rheinbold in 2010 after proving his credentials as a road/street racer in '09 by winning at Watkins Glen for tiny, underfunded Dale Coyne Racing. With the possibility of an opening at AA or KVRT, Wilson may again be on the move, taking his Z-Line Designs (a furnture mfg.) sponsorship money with him.

Wheldon has spent the past two years at Panther Racing, the squad with which he started his IndyCar career back in 2002. While Wheldon has yet to visit victory lane with Panther, he did notch three top-3 finishes with them this year. All that. however, has been overshadowed by a lawsuit that he filed against the team, claiming that he was owed money for un-reimbursed travel expenses. While the lawsuit has reportedly been settled, it certainly has left his relationship with Panther somewhat strained, just as his contract with them is expiring. Unlike Rahal and Wilson, Wheldon does not have any sponsor funding to take with him to another squad (the US National Guard sponsorship is directly with Panther).