Saturday, October 15, 2011

And the IndyCar Engine Roulette Saga Continues

Team Penske IndyCar drivers Helio Castroneves and Will Power in front of the 2012 Chevrolet twin-turbo racing cars along with the announcement for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle... (Photo courtesy of Rolco Sports Network)
So many Moons ago - your Humble No Fenders Scribe predicted that Keith Wiggins would become a Lotus by Judd engine customer for 2012, which was just an EdgeUhmaGated hunch... To which apparently its now been revealed by NO less than Kurty Cavin that Keith Wiggins and HVM Racing will not only be a Lotus by Judd customer - they’ll OWN thee Company too... Err, actually they’ll be Lotus’s “Anchor” Customer team, while Michael Shank Racing will also be underneath the Lotus by Judd Umbrella... With Jake Query saying Eric Bachelart had pretty much confirmed he’d be running the  Judd powerplant next year too...

Thus, we’re getting’ Down to the Nitty Gritty on who’ll be running what next year, with Penske, Andretti and Panther all confirmed Members of the Bowtie Brigade. (Chevy) While Ganassi, A.J. Foyt and Sam Schmidt are all confirmed Honda runners, with Penske & Ganassi being the “Anchor” customers of their respective ‘lumps programs.

While I’ll go out on a limb and guess that Newman/Haas will become a Honda partner, leaving Dreyer & Reinbold and Dale Coyne  out in the cold, eh? Not to mention the Part-timers like Sarah Fisher, Gary Peterson, Jay Penske ‘N Booby Ruble, Err Bobby Rahal who’s trying to cobble together a Fulltime return with Pippa Mann?

OOPS!
I forgot to mention that KV Racing Technology who’s currently sponsored by Lotus is expected any day now announce its becoming a Chevrolet customer... 
Yet wouldn’t it be a tad bit funny if ‘DJ WillyP (Will Power) does indeed WIN this year’s Indy Car title and thereby take the vaunted No. 1 plate over to Honda’s rival Chevrolet next year...