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IndyCar
MILLER: FOR LEASE: American Race Driver
FOR LEASE: American race driver, handsome and accomplished with media savvy, for the last 10 races of the 2010 IndyCar season.
Low miles...excellent at turning left and right...only driven on the weekends...someone can take over the lease on a 1980 RHR for a very economical price. (LAT)
FOR LEASE: American race driver, handsome and accomplished with media savvy, for the last 10 races of the 2010 IndyCar season.
ASKING PRICE: $2 to $4 million.
PERKS: prominent placement on a national television commercial, a weekly PR blitz from a Fortune 500 company, discounts on IZOD clothing and breakfast with Tony Kanaan and Danica. No previous racing experience necessary and no personal checks but VISA and Master Card are accepted.
CONTACT: Michael Andretti at 317-872-2700.
It shouldn’t be like this for Ryan Hunter-Reay but the reality is that his ride with Andretti Autosport is only guaranteed through Texas, the first weekend in June, and he needs a sponsor.
Even though he’s got a win (Long Beach), a second (Brazil), a fifth (Kansas City) and sits fourth in the point standings heading to the Indianapolis 500, RHR is an endangered specie.
While Matt Kenseth (fourth in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup) and Sebastian Vettel (fourth in Formula One) try to figure out how to get into victory lane, RHR has a concern that’s almost unfathomable.
“We’re worried about whether we can finish the season and that’s just kinda sad to think about,” said the 29-year-old native of Florida who’s been residing in Dana Point, Calif.
“IZOD has done so much for me and for our series, it’s certainly not their fault, but this #37 team has such good chemistry and we’ve run so well, it would be criminal not to be able to run for the championship.”
The fact Hunter-Reay is even part of Andretti Autosport is directly thanks to Mike Kelly and IZOD. The first real title sponsor of IndyCar, IZOD did a personal service deal with RHR three years ago that blossomed into a partial race car sponsorship last year and again this season.
“It was only supposed to be three races and IZOD pushed it up to seven so they’ve been great,” said Michael Andretti, whose four-car armada employs the only full-time Americans in the series.
“We’re very appreciative of all that IZOD has done for Ryan and it’s not their fault. We act like this is a new problem but it’s not, this has been going on since I started and it’s tough right now.”
Kelly, the president of IZOD whose parent company (Philip Van Heusen) allowed him to make a huge investment in Indy cars, is beating the bushes trying to find funding for RHR.
“We’re trying to leverage some of our partners because we know we can bring value to them,” said Kelly, whose company’s advertising campaign for the IZOD IndyCar series has been top shelf.
“We can bring more value than any other car here with our media and activation.”
But Kelly doesn’t care if it’s automotive oil, soda pop, garden tools or a tennis shoe, whoever throws in with Hunter-Reay will get a lot more than their name on the side of the car.
“We can offer them a place on our television commercials and I can promise you that if they come in with us, we will more than make it worth their while,” he said.
Andretti says signing Adam Carroll last week was not a plug in for RHR if funding can’t be found and he’s confident something is going to materialize.
“This (marketing) staff has been great at finding sponsors and our priority right now is on Ryan,” he said. “I’m confident we’re going to figure something out to get him to the end of the season.”
A winner everyplace he’s been (Atlantics, Champ Car, IndyCar), RHR has always had the rug pulled out from under him, whether it was a team folding, a sponsor bailing or being farmed out to a deplorable owner.
Now, for the first time in his eight-year career at the top of American open wheel racing, Ryan finally has a loyal sponsor, a big-time team that believes in him and a great start to the season.
But the sad reality is that one of the fastest drivers in the series could be slowed to a walk by early June. And while it may not be anybody’s fault, it’s everything that’s wrong with IndyCar racing today.
Just ask Graham Rahal, Tomas Scheckter, Oriol Servia or Buddy Rice.
NOTES, DEALS & SQUEALS
Speaking of young Rahal, a last-minute deal to get him back with Newman/Haas has apparently stalled so it would appear he'll likely be with his dad at Indianapolis. A Formula One team interested in testing Simona De Silvestro? Believe it……..Considering he hadn’t been in an Indy car since last May, John Andretti did a right fine job for cousin Michael at Kansas City, staying on the lead lap most of the day and finishing ninth....Somebody wrote there were 40,000 people at KC on Saturday, they barely had 40,000 toes……. But it was interesting to see the main event (NASCAR trucks) didn’t draw much better on Sunday….The overnight 0.8 rating on ABC was about average for a network race but one wonders how much better it might have been if the race was Sunday afternoon….Looks like the KV Racing cars are quick again on the ovals so that could bode well for Paul Tracy this month as he goes for his second Indy win.
Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.
Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.
In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
ASKING PRICE: $2 to $4 million.
PERKS: prominent placement on a national television commercial, a weekly PR blitz from a Fortune 500 company, discounts on IZOD clothing and breakfast with Tony Kanaan and Danica. No previous racing experience necessary and no personal checks but VISA and Master Card are accepted.
CONTACT: Michael Andretti at 317-872-2700.
It shouldn’t be like this for Ryan Hunter-Reay but the reality is that his ride with Andretti Autosport is only guaranteed through Texas, the first weekend in June, and he needs a sponsor.
Even though he’s got a win (Long Beach), a second (Brazil), a fifth (Kansas City) and sits fourth in the point standings heading to the Indianapolis 500, RHR is an endangered specie.
While Matt Kenseth (fourth in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup) and Sebastian Vettel (fourth in Formula One) try to figure out how to get into victory lane, RHR has a concern that’s almost unfathomable.
“We’re worried about whether we can finish the season and that’s just kinda sad to think about,” said the 29-year-old native of Florida who’s been residing in Dana Point, Calif.
“IZOD has done so much for me and for our series, it’s certainly not their fault, but this #37 team has such good chemistry and we’ve run so well, it would be criminal not to be able to run for the championship.”
The fact Hunter-Reay is even part of Andretti Autosport is directly thanks to Mike Kelly and IZOD. The first real title sponsor of IndyCar, IZOD did a personal service deal with RHR three years ago that blossomed into a partial race car sponsorship last year and again this season.
“It was only supposed to be three races and IZOD pushed it up to seven so they’ve been great,” said Michael Andretti, whose four-car armada employs the only full-time Americans in the series.
“We’re very appreciative of all that IZOD has done for Ryan and it’s not their fault. We act like this is a new problem but it’s not, this has been going on since I started and it’s tough right now.”
Kelly, the president of IZOD whose parent company (Philip Van Heusen) allowed him to make a huge investment in Indy cars, is beating the bushes trying to find funding for RHR.
“We’re trying to leverage some of our partners because we know we can bring value to them,” said Kelly, whose company’s advertising campaign for the IZOD IndyCar series has been top shelf.
“We can bring more value than any other car here with our media and activation.”
But Kelly doesn’t care if it’s automotive oil, soda pop, garden tools or a tennis shoe, whoever throws in with Hunter-Reay will get a lot more than their name on the side of the car.
“We can offer them a place on our television commercials and I can promise you that if they come in with us, we will more than make it worth their while,” he said.
Andretti says signing Adam Carroll last week was not a plug in for RHR if funding can’t be found and he’s confident something is going to materialize.
“This (marketing) staff has been great at finding sponsors and our priority right now is on Ryan,” he said. “I’m confident we’re going to figure something out to get him to the end of the season.”
A winner everyplace he’s been (Atlantics, Champ Car, IndyCar), RHR has always had the rug pulled out from under him, whether it was a team folding, a sponsor bailing or being farmed out to a deplorable owner.
Now, for the first time in his eight-year career at the top of American open wheel racing, Ryan finally has a loyal sponsor, a big-time team that believes in him and a great start to the season.
But the sad reality is that one of the fastest drivers in the series could be slowed to a walk by early June. And while it may not be anybody’s fault, it’s everything that’s wrong with IndyCar racing today.
Just ask Graham Rahal, Tomas Scheckter, Oriol Servia or Buddy Rice.
NOTES, DEALS & SQUEALS
Speaking of young Rahal, a last-minute deal to get him back with Newman/Haas has apparently stalled so it would appear he'll likely be with his dad at Indianapolis. A Formula One team interested in testing Simona De Silvestro? Believe it……..Considering he hadn’t been in an Indy car since last May, John Andretti did a right fine job for cousin Michael at Kansas City, staying on the lead lap most of the day and finishing ninth....Somebody wrote there were 40,000 people at KC on Saturday, they barely had 40,000 toes……. But it was interesting to see the main event (NASCAR trucks) didn’t draw much better on Sunday….The overnight 0.8 rating on ABC was about average for a network race but one wonders how much better it might have been if the race was Sunday afternoon….Looks like the KV Racing cars are quick again on the ovals so that could bode well for Paul Tracy this month as he goes for his second Indy win.
Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.
Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.
In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
2013 INDY 500 Practice
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