Versus Announces Broadcast Team

On the heals of a huge last couple days of announcement and speculation, Versus has announced there 09 broadcast team. As yours truely reported several weeks ago Bob Jenkins will anchor the in booth team with Jon Beekhuis and Dreyer & Reinbold owner/08′ Indy Lights broadcaster Robbie Buhl.

Jack Arute will head up the pit reporters for both the Versus and ABC broadcasts this season. Working alongside will be Robbie Floyd & Lindy Thackston, Floyd has put time in with NBC, Fox Sports, ESPN and SPEED.

The somewhat unexpected choice of the group was Lindy Thackston, a Jacksonville Fl. area reporter and has done some ALMS work as well. But after a little research Thackston has deeper roots in Indiana and the Indy 500 then expected. She was raised in the Indianapolis area and graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette where she got her first on-air work. While going to Purdue Lindy was named the Indianapolis 500 princess in 2001

The 09′ Indy Lights broadcast crew will be announced shortly, but Kevin Lee says that he is “a part if it”

Lindy Thackston Demo

Jon Beekhuis Demo

Dollar General To Sponsor Sarah Fisher In 09′

Sarah Fisher will keep Dollar General on board for a 4 race schedule in 09′ with races in Indy, Kansas, Chicagoland and Kentucky. Sarah is still in contract negotations to add 2 more races in 09′

Will Power To Replace Helio

Curt Cavin is reporting that Will Power is set to replace Helio Castroneves, atleat until Helio’s court case is settled. Both Helio and Ryan Briscoe will be in attendence at the news confrence set for today, where an official announcement will be made. Tim Cindric told Cavin that the team is still “fully behind him”.

Live From The Indianapolis Motor Speedway

With all of the news that could go down tomorrow (The 3 car, Doornbos, Moraes, Philippe), I will be live from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with laptop in hand. So stay tuned…….

Doornbos To Sign With Newman Haas Lanigan + KV Makes Decisions

UPDATE: Indycar & Indystar both are confirming what Is It May Yet? reported yesterday, that Mario Moraes will be behind the wheel of one of KV’s two entrys in 09′. The Indianapolis Star is reporting that both Oriol Seriva and Will Power are in the mix for the 2nd seat at KV along with Indycar outcast Paul Tracy.

According to Auto Sport News, Robert Doornbos who has been rumored to sign with HVM is set to sign with NHL on Wednesday sometime. The deal is said to be 99% complete and the two have an oral agreement.

Lingner To Produce Versus Races

3 time Emmy Award winner Terry Lingner, who came up with the original idea of a camera in the surface of the track, will produce the Indycar races on Versus in 09′ with a crew of over 100.  Lingner has produced the Olympic games, the Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, The Rolex 24, The X-Games and Barret Jackson Car auctions on SPEED.  Lingner, a 76′ Ball State graduate has done a little racing himself, competing in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the Rolex 24.

I’m Sure Chip Ganassi Wouldn’t Want To See This Video

National Geographic To Air Indianapolis Motor Speedway Special

The National Geographic channel is set to re-air a 1 hour special on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on New Years Day (Thursday) at 10:00 am EST, and if you feel like getting up a little earlier, they are also airing “Need For Speed” at 9 am.  Not quite sure what the latter is about  so be warned it could be about the N-word.  But I’m sure the special on IMS will be a must see, and help us get through an entirely to long off season.

2 Steps Forward 1 Step Back: Detroit GP “Postponed”

UPDATE:  In todays Indianapolis Star Curt Cavin reports that the date could be filled another race and has a quote from John Griffin, League Spokesman:

“That’s a pretty valuable weekend for us.  Memorial Day, Labor Day and the Fourth of July weekend are very inportant race weekends”

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Although not the most exciting race on IRL schedule, I hate to lose any event and according to the Indianapolis Star the IRL has scaled back to a 17 race schedule for 09′ after losing Belle  Isle.

• “This is a real economic time of distress for everyone. We couldn’t sit here and count on a lot of things happening (from a sponsorship standpoint) that we knew weren’t going to happen knowing that (Detroit) is so distressed with unemployment and all the things going on.”-Roger Penske

On top of the tough economic times, the Michigan race fans lost the Michigan race after 07′ and now the Detroit GP is gone after just 2 races.  Although it is a hit for the Indycar Series, you really have to feel for the fans in Michigan.

IMS To Tear Down Hotel

The World famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway hotel that was featured several times  in Paul Newman’s “Winning” has been closed immediatly and will soon be torn down.  The 108 room Motel built in 1963 has hosted many celebrities and drivers over the years, including Clark Gable and the world famous Beatles who stayed in rooms 228,230,232 and 234 during there Indy stay on there first North American tour.

“We do this with a heavy heart. These are all good employees but it is also a sign of the economic times,”  – Fred Nation Executive VP of Communications at IMS

The site has been looked at by several developers but a final decision has yet to be made of what is to come of the historic site.