Although something Doesn’t Quite Add Up here…
This is Not intended to be critical of either rookie
IndyCar Driver Kyle Kirkwood or A.J. foyt Enterprises. Instead it’s just that
I’m curious over Kirkwood’s seemingly lackluster rookie season results. And
further, if ture? How the perpetual Back-marker IndyCar Team expects to move itself
forwards by taking on a further Distraction?
First ‘N foremost, I really like Kyle Kirkwood
as an IndyCar Driver. So I won’t try delving into His litany of problems this
season, for which Ye IndyCar’s Oldest Blogger Geo. Phillips of Oilpressure fame
has already punctuated by telling us to Not look solely at the box Score! Since
you could say that Krkwood’s Had a myriad of issues stemming from poor Pitstops
and Race Strategies. To Equipment Failures and Oh yeah, youthful exuberance…
Heading into Gateway, the season’s final Oval
event, Kirkwood trailed Andretti Autosport’s rookie Devlin DeFrancesco 159-144
points wise. With DeFrancesco 23rd Overall and Kyle in 24th.
Yet it was Kirkwood to large extent who Shellacked
the Indy Lights field enroute to His third consecutive Road to Indy championship,
with the exception of fellow IndyCar rookie Classmate David Malukas. As
DeFrancesco finished a Distant sixth in last year’s Lights Championship.
This makes me wonder if this is a true
indicator of just how Bad the A.J. foyt Enterprises team is? Or is that an
underlier of How Kirkwood and Foyt are actually “Punching” above weight vs. the
might of Andretti Autosport?
Having already scribbled here upon No Fenders
about Kirkwood’s meteoric rise thru the Junior ranks. Winning five successive
titles, i.e.; U.S. Formula 4, FR Americas, U.S. F2000, Indy Pro 2000 and Indy
Lights, All as a Rookie No less!
Not to mention ting J.R. Hildebrand and Greg Moore’s
series winning records in U.S. f2000 and Indy Lights. Along with amassing a staggering
win tally of 55 of 88 races! Obviously Kyle knows not only How to Drive, but
Win!
And although I do Not believe this, it seems
almost like Kyle’s success came to easily for Him? Although He had plenty of
stiff competition, like Malukas last year. But it’s like the step up to Indy Cars has been to a whole another
Planet. And that He’s simply placing too much expectation upon Himself to
perform better while languishing as the lowest placed full season rookie! As I
really Didn’t expect Him to be fifth, behind Devlin DeFrancesco!
As DeFrancesco finished 23rd Overall
with 206 points vs. Kirkwood’s 183, netting Him P24 Point’s-wise. While even
more Galling Has to be Callum Ilott’s Gritty performance for Juncos Hollinger
Racing, the only Single Car IndyCar entry.
As Ilott, who Broke His wrist at Indianapolis
and missed the next race at Belle Isle. Finished 20th Overall with
219 points, with one fewer races to His credit…
Meanwhile, I’ve been hesitating to scribble ‘bout
this on No Fenders, after having read Racer’s Marshall Pruett’s article Wayback
in mid-July. Although I rely upon Marshall for much of my motor racing news, it
just seems to be out of left field…
Perhaps Y’all read Marshall’s July 13th
story over who potentially will be Porsche’s second 963 Customer in the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year? For which we already know that
the Werk’s Porsche operation will be run by El Capitano’s, nee Roger Penske’s
Porsche 963 Squad.
While Chip Ganassi will campaign Cadillac’s, Rahal
Letterman Lanigan Racing the BMW M Hybrid V-8 entry, and Meyer Shank Racing one
of the latest Acura’s.
This seemingly just left Andretti Autosport and
Arrow Mclaren SP willing to fork over the $2.9 million fee for a customer Porsche
963! And that’s just to get your Mits upon one of these Chassis!
Yet Michael Andretti is rumoured to be lining up for a future
Alpine/Nissan IMSA GTP entry. As I say Nissan since Alpine Doesn’t sell cars
Stateside, which would probably be 2024 at earliest?
Whilst McLaren’s Big Kahuna Zakery Brown seems
a little busy right now sorting out All of His 27 Driver Contracts! Not to
mention probably wishing to keep the $7-10m as in Millions! Season Operating
cost according to Marshall in reserve for His impending Lawyers Bills!
Hence Pruett speculates out of the current ten
IndyCar teams, it’ll be surprise! A.J. Foyt Enterprises who’ll be the winning
selection for the second coveted Porsche 963! And that it’s lead driver would be
J.R. Hildebrand…
And whilst I know the parking of Foyt’s third
IndyCar this year is solely due to RockiT Not Honouring it’s Sponsorship
obligations, where does this leave Tatiana Calderon, who’s Hoping to continue
Her IndyCar career next year with Foyt?
And why would Foyt want this Added Distraction?
Especially since they’ve Not sorted out Kirkwood’s replacement next year, when
Kyle moves back to Andretti. And they really need to find somebody who can move
the team forward, with No Disrespect to Dalton Kellett.
Although then again, I suppose this could be a
welcome transition for the No. 11 IndyCar’s Crew members, Eh? And presumably
keep them intact to run a third Foyt entry at some place called Mother speedway…
But you’d have to say that the obvious $64k Questione is where’s the Money coming from to potentially run this Sports Car endeavour. And will it Happen?
