Another Busy Off-Season For IndyCar

Finally, 2014 has arrived. It’s a new year, and a new season for the IndyCar series.

Here is a quick rundown of changes that have occurred in the off-season, or will soon occur.

• Dario Franchitti is forced to retire from racing, ending his career with three Indianapolis 500 wins, four series championships, and 31 IndyCar wins.
• Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan will drive the 10 car for Chip Ganassi.
• Former Ganassi driver Juan Montoya returns to open-wheel racing with Team Penske.
• Ryan Briscoe returns to the series as the full-time driver for Ganassi Racing.
• Sebastien Bourdais takes over the 11 car for KV Racing.
• Indianapolis 500 runner-up Carlos Munoz joins Andretti Autosport.
• Mike Conway will drive Ed Carpenter’s car on the road & street course races.
• Mikhail Aleshin replaces Tristan Vautier at SPM.
• The National Guard sponsorship leaves Panther, goes to Graham Rahal at RLL Racing. (An official announcement regarding this situation will be made in early January)
• Chip Ganassi switches to Chevrolet engines, and Andretti Autosport switches to Honda.
• The Inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis will be held on the recently re-designed Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on May 10.
• Bill Pappas leaves Dale Coyne for RLL, to be Graham Rahal’s engineer.
• There will likely be a new qualifying format for Indy 500, with Pole Day on Sunday.
• Mark Miles expects to have a new title sponsor for IndyCar this year.
• Paul Page is returning to IndyCar Radio as the Voice of the 500.
• There will be a new ABC/ESPN broadcaster to replace Marty Reid for IndyCar races.