Vasser won’t race in this year’s Indy 500

Jimmy Vasser, the 1996 Champ Car World Series champion, says he won’t be driving in this year’s Indianapolis 500, effectively ending his competitive driving career. Vasser, 43, has had no other offers to return to Indy-car racing. Additionally, he said he has priorities as a co-owner of Indianapolis-based KV Racing Technology. The 10-time race winner made his final start in Champ Car last year at Long Beach. He last competed at Indy in 2003.

“I’m working with (drivers) I’d like to have a more long-term relationship with, and one of those guys is not me," he said.

“But I said my car needs to be fast and I need to not be a drag on the team — we need to have proper funding," he said. “I think our cars are getting fast enough to compete for the win, but quite honestly we just don’t have the money for (me to drive)."