Danica a Done Deal

According to Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star, Danica Patrick will remain in the IndyCar Series for at least three more years. Cavin reports that the IRL poster girl has re-signed with Michael Andretti's team and will continue with "Motorola based" sponsorship.

Cavin also reported that Danica's future NASCAR plans remain unresolved.

This is a much needed shot of good news for IRL Commercial Division President Terry Angstadt, who also hopes to sign a series title sponsorship deal with Phillips-Van Heusen, parent company of current IndyCar sponsor IZOD.

IndyCar AGR Crack Up

Andretti Green Racing and Andretti Green Promotions are splitting. Michael Andretti will take the racing team. Kim Green and Kevin Savoree will get the company that promotes races in St. Petersburg and Toronto.

The Republic isn't sure what to make of this. It seemed as if Savoree was the chief deal maker at AGR. Maybe he and Kim Green believe the business of promoting events at temporary circuits is more promising than the business of running an IndyCar team. We would be inclined to agree, particularly if Danica Patrick is headed to either another IndyCar team or to NASCAR (sans-culottes!)

The irony is that Honda's "sponsorship" of St. Pete, Toronto and Mid-Ohio is effectively subsidized by the teams. How's that? Teams overpay HPD for engines. Honda then redirects that money to race promoters and Formula Dream, which is believed to be heading for the exit at AGR. If a rift really did break out among the AGR partners, then the prospect of owning races that are subsidized, in part, by Michael's team must cause Savoree and Green to break out in Cheshire cat grins.

If Honda does take the Formula Dream "sponsorship" elsewhere in 2010, then we would not be surprised to see Andretti partner with another existing team. This is rank speculation, we admit, but it is based on underlying economic facts. Because operating an IndyCar team is overpriced, team owners are going to have to do whatever they can to stay in the game.

And it's no secret that Michael Andretti has been telling people he needs new money for 2010.

IndyCar: Bruton Giddy as Montagny joins AGR

According to Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star, the expatriate Franck Montagny will drive a fifth Andretti Green Racing entry in the IndyCar race at Sonoma. This extends AGR's existing partnership with Gary Peterson's AFS Racing.

Bruton Smith, CEO of Infineon Raceway parent Speedway Motorsports, will no doubt be unable to contain himself as he looks forward to the resulting bounce in ticket sales.

That is not to say that Montagny isn't talented. He is. But his presence does nothing to increase the value of IndyCar racing - unless, of course, plans are underway for a street race in the Loire Valley.