Andretti team to retain all 4 drivers

After a period of concern, Michael Andretti says he now believes his team will re-sign 7-Eleven, the major sponsor on Tony Kanaan’s Izod IndyCar Series car. If a contract renewal happens, Kanaan will be positioned to finish out the final two years of the four-year contract he signed late in 2008. There is an option for a fifth year.

“All indications are that’s what’s going to happen," said Andretti, who owns Andretti Autosport. “That’s the plan."

Andretti and his staff have met with 7-Eleven officials during the past two IndyCar race weekends.

Andretti said he is on course to bring back all four of his 2010 drivers–Kanaan, Danica Patrick, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti–for the 2011 season.

“We’re so much farther along [with sponsorship programs] that we’ve ever been," he said. “We’re where we’re normally at in January."

Kanaan has been with Andretti’s team since the 2003 season, when they moved from CART to IndyCar together.

Kanaan signed his most recent contract after considering a move to Ganassi Racing in what was then Dan Wheldon’s seat. When he re-signed with Andretti, Chip Ganassi hired Dario Franchitti, who won last year’s IndyCar drivers’ championship. IndyCar