First, and for all of my excitement to see an Acura ARX-01c dressed in Patron’s colors, the stunning ARX-02a has been mothballed. HPD General Manager Jack Spurney confirmed that their LMP1 car, a joint production between HPD and Wirth Research, won’t turn a wheel for at least the next year.

With the fate of de Ferran Motorsports' ALMS program still in limbo, despite rumors of Peugeots and Pescarolos headed to their shop, Simon Pagenaud's services have been highly sought after. (Marshall Pruett)

“A lot of changes are supposed to be happening for 2011, and I’m not sure the chassis and engine package [of the ARX-02a] would be consistent with the rules. It’s just a big question mark. There’s no definitive answer at this time, but I know they won’t be out racing next season. But we have some other plans of involvement that I can’t discuss at this time.”

As mentioned in the PHR release, HPD is looking at becoming an engine provider (similar to their role in supplying the entire IndyCar field) once the ACO releases their final 2011 specifications. With those engine rules meant to slant towards production-based prototype powerplants, HPD could find themselves as the engine vendor of choice amongst privateers.

While you wouldn’t expect Highcroft’s release to mention the status of their 2009 title rivals, de Ferran Motorsports, the future of the 2003 Indy 500 winner’s team has been a steady question that continues to be raised.

“I have no major news to announce, good or bad,” de Ferran told me this week. “Trust me, once we have something good to announce, we won’t keep it to ourselves for very long!” he said with a laugh.

Reading between the lines, with HPD confirming the ARX-02a is out of commission for 2010, de Ferran’s options in the ALMS would appear to be similar to the path Highcroft followed by moving back to LMP2. But if we consider how PHR referred to their arrangement for 2010, ”the exclusively designated test team for HPD,” it appears the lone seat at the factory table has been taken by Dayton’s outfit.

de Ferran expressed his desire earlier in the year to contest both the ALMS and IndyCar championships in 2010, but if I’m reading the tea leaves correctly, he’d have to go forward as a privateer Acura/HPD entrant in the ALMS, or would be forced to look elsewhere for a manufacturer program.

Between Gil’s relationship with Honda (that dates back to the nineties), and the ties of his sporting director, Robert Clarke (Clarke founded HPD in 1993, retiring at the beginning of the 2008 season), it would be a shock to see the dFM name on anything other than a Honda-based sportscar. Not impossible, but hard to imagine (rumors of a French prototype arriving in dFM’s Brownsburg, Indiana shop continue to make the rounds).

While de Ferran had nothing concrete to report, he was proud to say that a number of exciting possibilities are brewing. He also mentioned that while the guys in the shop are getting antsy, there have been no layoffs.

“Really, the next thirty to sixty days is when we’ll know. We need to make something happen by then, obviously, because that will put us close to the start of the racing season.”

Gil mentioned having an extra bit of urgency to get his 2010 plans in place ASAP to retain the services of his ALMS teammate, Simon Pagenaud.

Under the Brazilian’s tutelage, the young Frenchman transformed himself into one of the hottest properties in North America. Just as Allan McNish used his convincing performances in Audi’s sportscar program to attract the interest of Toyota F1, Pagenaud’s warp speed drives this year in the Acura P1 car served notice that he’s ready to take the next step .

Blindingly fast…technically astute…mature and respectful…he’s become a mirror image of his mentor.

“Yes, young Simon has become very popular guy these days, hasn’t he?...” de Ferran chuckled.

The list of drivers being considered by PHR to replace Sharp is said to be loaded with star power, but a Patron Highcroft duo of David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud would be the smartest choice, if not a tad unfair to the competition. As in, just-send-them-the-2010-LMP-trophy-now-and-get-it-over-with unfair.

Dayton wouldn’t confirm or deny my query about a Brabham-Pagenaud lineup, but he did agree with my assessment.

“I’ve always believed in Mark Donohue’s pursuit of the ‘unfair advantage.’ If sure would save us a lot of time and money…if the ALMS wants to send us the 2010 trophy tomorrow, I won’t fight them on that one…”

While he knows repeating their success in 2009 will be a challenge, Dayton says the goals for his team in 2010 are very simple. “Our sole focus is to repeat as champions. We don’t want to be a ‘one and done’ organization.”

With a proven and familiar car, a committed sponsor, a possible dream pairing of Brabs and Pagenaud, expanded staff and the return to a familiar chassis, Dayton is practicing appears to be practicing the ‘unfair advantage’ philosophy every step of the way.

Marshall Pruett is Auto Racing Editor for SPEEDtv.com. Pruett grew up at "Pruett's Olde English Garage," his father's shelter for abused foreign cars, and spent his childhood being dragged across the West Coast to help with his dad's amateur racing exploits.

Pruett spent twenty years working in the IRL, CART, IMSA, and most of the known open-wheel feeder series before retiring from active duty in 2001. And in case you were wondering, no, he isn’t related to Scott Pruett.

Marshall lives in Northern California with his wife Shabral.