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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Andretti Speaks…
Robin Miller gets inside the AGR split with team owner Michael Andretti.
With Green and Savoree now out of AGR's IndyCar team structure, Michael Andretti has sole control over the future and fate of the operation. (LAT)
Michael Andretti wasn't real sure about being a car owner when he signed on in 2003 to be partners with Kim Green and Kevin Savoree. But the former CART champion and Indy-car star sent a message Thursday that he's in for the foreseeable future.
A week after SPEEDtv.com speculated that Andretti Green Racing would be splitting at the end of 2009, AGR issued a press release confirming as much. Except instead of branching off into a pair of teams, Andretti will go solo on the IndyCar team and leave Green and Savoree to run the promotional end of their business.
Andretti Green Promotions operates the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and Andretti Green Toronto is the promoter of the Honda Indy Toronto street race. The team will stay Andretti Green Racing until the end of this season and then be re-named.
It was no secret the three partners weren't getting along in the midst of their worst season ever but Andretti claimed the parting was more of a business decision.
"We owed it to our business to do this because neither side was getting 110 percent and both sides were suffering," he said. "Those two races are very vital to the series and they need to make them work.
"And hopefully I can focus on getting our race team back to where we were."
After Barry Green sold his operation his brother, longtime accountant and former driver, AGR proceeded to win 32 races from 2003-2007 and three championships with its four-car armada.
But, in 13 starts this season, AGR has managed only five podiums and never been close to victory lane. Danica Patrick ranks fifth in the point standings in her most consistent performance but 13-time winner Tony Kanaan has struggled along with Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh, other than on a couple of occasions.
"There's a few reason we're where we are but I don't want to share them," said Andretti. "Let's just say it's a fixable situation but I don't want to blame the drivers. It's not the drivers, it's another area.
"And I feel like we'll be more competitive this weekend (in Sonoma)."
Andretti, whose $21 million deal with Motorola and Patrick ends this year, said several months ago that 2009 didn't concern him but 2010 did because that's when contracts were up and finding sponsors in this economy would not be easy.
"It's tough, no doubt, but I really feel like we are ahead of where we were in previous years, in terms of sponsorship," he continued. "We're still not there yet, but we're pretty close.
"Our goal is to still run four cars next year."
Following his celebrated career, where he scored 42 victories and the '91 CART crown, Andretti didn't seem a logical candidate for team ownership. But he's grown into and likes it.
"I've learned a lot the last few years and I think I'm really ready to do it," said the 46-year-old native of Nazareth, Pa. who maintains a full-time residency in Indianapolis. "I liked it right away, I just wasn't as hands on as I am now. I'm here every day during the season and I have been since the end of 2006. I've got a lot of good people around me and the key is to let them to their job.
"I love it. And I want to do it as long as I can, like Carl (Haas) and Roger (Penske). That's my goal."
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.
A week after SPEEDtv.com speculated that Andretti Green Racing would be splitting at the end of 2009, AGR issued a press release confirming as much. Except instead of branching off into a pair of teams, Andretti will go solo on the IndyCar team and leave Green and Savoree to run the promotional end of their business.
Andretti Green Promotions operates the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and Andretti Green Toronto is the promoter of the Honda Indy Toronto street race. The team will stay Andretti Green Racing until the end of this season and then be re-named.
It was no secret the three partners weren't getting along in the midst of their worst season ever but Andretti claimed the parting was more of a business decision.
"We owed it to our business to do this because neither side was getting 110 percent and both sides were suffering," he said. "Those two races are very vital to the series and they need to make them work.
"And hopefully I can focus on getting our race team back to where we were."
After Barry Green sold his operation his brother, longtime accountant and former driver, AGR proceeded to win 32 races from 2003-2007 and three championships with its four-car armada.
But, in 13 starts this season, AGR has managed only five podiums and never been close to victory lane. Danica Patrick ranks fifth in the point standings in her most consistent performance but 13-time winner Tony Kanaan has struggled along with Marco Andretti and Hideki Mutoh, other than on a couple of occasions.
"There's a few reason we're where we are but I don't want to share them," said Andretti. "Let's just say it's a fixable situation but I don't want to blame the drivers. It's not the drivers, it's another area.
"And I feel like we'll be more competitive this weekend (in Sonoma)."
Andretti, whose $21 million deal with Motorola and Patrick ends this year, said several months ago that 2009 didn't concern him but 2010 did because that's when contracts were up and finding sponsors in this economy would not be easy.
"It's tough, no doubt, but I really feel like we are ahead of where we were in previous years, in terms of sponsorship," he continued. "We're still not there yet, but we're pretty close.
"Our goal is to still run four cars next year."
Following his celebrated career, where he scored 42 victories and the '91 CART crown, Andretti didn't seem a logical candidate for team ownership. But he's grown into and likes it.
"I've learned a lot the last few years and I think I'm really ready to do it," said the 46-year-old native of Nazareth, Pa. who maintains a full-time residency in Indianapolis. "I liked it right away, I just wasn't as hands on as I am now. I'm here every day during the season and I have been since the end of 2006. I've got a lot of good people around me and the key is to let them to their job.
"I love it. And I want to do it as long as I can, like Carl (Haas) and Roger (Penske). That's my goal."
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.
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