Leilani Munter talks with IndyCarGarage

Some of you might remember Leilani from a previous article that IndyCarGarage featured on her about becoming the next Danica Patrick.

http://www.indycargarage.com/forum/topics/the-next-danica-patrick

Leilani seems to have pulled a Danica type move this season as she is focusing her career on a ARCA race package for 10 races. IndyCarGarage had the privilege of talking with Leilani on a variety of subjects.

Tell us about your current situation at the present moment, ARCA future?

We have two new associate sponsors, (Nextera Energy / Green and Save) and our plan is to run 10 ARCA races, all of which will featured live on Speed TV. I am very excited to be pared up with Mark Gibson Racing.

You mentioned that you plan to run at Texas Motor Speedway this year, you’ve had great success there, can you explain why?

I don’t really know at the moment, everything just kind of comes together and I’ve had some good showings there. I really like Texas, and the track just fits me.

What’s the biggest different between NASCAR style driving and Open Wheel style

My background was stock car racing from the beginning so I’ve had far more experience in a stock car compared to an IndyCar. The main difference between a stock car and an IndyCar is handling. IndyCar is like a go cart, you point in one direction and it goes that direction. Stock cars slide up the track and you have to deal with the weight adjustment of the car. NASCAR is much more difficult to adjust to. One of the primary reasons I went back to NASCAR this year was that Indy Lights doesn’t have a T.V. package this year so it’s a tough sell to sponsors when there isn’t a T.V package outside of the Freedom 100. I honestly love to drive both types of cars and just like to race.

Why do you think Danica Patrick jumped to NASCAR and how do you think Danica will adjust to the NASCAR scene this year?

You would have to ask Danica about why she came over, but I think honestly it was something new that presents a challenge. Danica is a very good driver and I think she will have a very good shot. She will have great equipment, and she will be driving for a very good team. In racing, we all know its about the equipment you have that allows you to go out and perform well, I think she is setting herself up to have success. She will need some times to adjust to the cars.

You recently got married, how's the married life treating you these days?

Married life is treating me great, we had been together for several years before so my life didn’t really change much.. Racing is a very up and down rollercoaster with big highs and big lows , so it’s nice to be married and have comfort when you come home. We also have a new echo friendly house that we love to live in together.

Danica, yourself and Milka Duno all will be at the ARCA Daytona race, who finishes the highest between you three?

That’s tough to predict, Daytona is famous for having the big one (wreck), so it could come down to luck from that standpoint. All three of us will be in quality equipment with a good shot to win. Ali Owens is another female driver that will be competing in the ARCA Daytona race, and she is a good friend of mine.

You’re set to drive at Daytona this year, in your opinion which race do you compete in first, the Daytona 500 or the Indy 500? Do you have a preference?

I have no idea where my career will take me, it just all depends on my sponsors and where they want to go. I have no idea, I just go wherever I can race. I am a driver and would love to race both. Some people like open wheel, some like NASCAR, as a driver I like both and I like to run both. Overall I am just looking forward to getting in a car and racing. I would have love to run Lights this year, but with the TV package not available, it makes racing Lights a very tough sell to sponsors. I just want to race, that’s what I want to do.

IndyCarGarage would like to thank Leilani for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk with us. We wish Leilani the best of luck in the upcoming season!

Tony George Resigns from IMS Board

Tony George resigned today from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Board of Directors. The press release is below and at the bottom is a link to his possible future plans!

TONY GEORGE RESIGNS BOARD MEMBERSHIPSOF INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, HULMAN & COMPANYINDIANAPOLIS, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 –

The Board of Directors of Hulman & Company and affiliated companies, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has received the resignation of Anton H. “Tony” George from the board of directors effective immediately, according to Mari Hulman George, chairman.

“As members of his family, we are sorry to see Tony leave,” said Mrs. George. “We are grateful for his service to our company as a board member and of course for formerly serving as CEO and president of our companies. I speak for our whole family in wishing him well.

“All of us had hoped that Tony would continue to serve on the board, and we made that clear to him. We are disappointed with his decision to step down despite our wishes.”

His resignation removes George from any remaining role in Hulman & Company, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Racing League, IMS Productions and other affiliated companies. His term as CEO of the family companies ended June 30, 2009. He continues to be involved in racing through his ownership of Vision Racing, a competitor in the IZOD IndyCar Series of the Indy Racing League.

The board vacancy will be addressed at a later date. In addition to Mari Hulman George, board members include Nancy George, Josie George, Kathi George-Conforti and Jack Snyder.

Mari Hulman George said she is very pleased with the direction of the company and the progress that has been made during the last six months.

“Our company is healthy and is weathering the economic recession well,” she said. “Jeff Belskus, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Curt Brighton, president and CEO of Hulman & Company, are both doing excellent jobs in guiding our companies through this difficult time. Many hard decisions have been made, and now our companies are well positioned for the future.”

http://www.indycargarage.com/forum/topics/tony-george-to-buy-the-irl

Ryan Hunter-Reay 2010 IZOD Car

Pictures have surfaced of Ryan Hunter-Reay 2010 ride. RHR primary sponsorship is IZOD, but funding is still trying to be secured for a full season program. Now if they can get Graham a full time ride!

Graham Rahal to Ganassi?

In what has been an non-interesting off-season for the IZOD IndyCar Series, Curt Cavin’s pit-pass in the Indianapolis Star on Friday might have dropped a big bombshell to spice things up. Graham Rahal, a rising young star in the IZOD IndyCar Series, doesn’t have sponsorship lined up for 2010 ride at the present moment. The problem is that McDonald’s hasn’t came through with the money for N/H/L. Hideki Mutoh and Alex Lloyd are expected to be the other two drivers for N/H/L, but they essentially brought their own sponsorships in the form of Formula Dream and HER. N/H/L still possibly could field a three car lineup in 2010.

Rahal is the young American driver that series is hooking their future on. Rahal is talented, is name worthy (Bobby won the 1986 Indy 500 and owns Rahal-Letterman Racing), and is media savvy beyond his years. Rahal not being in the 2010 line would be a death blow to the IRL. Rahal has already been featured in new IZOD commercials for the 2010 season and those commercials have been featured in Times Square, NYC.

This is were it all gets interesting, Cavin mentioned that Chip Ganassi would be interested in hiring Rahal if funding for a third car can be found. Imagine this shocker that the Chipster pulls, Signs Rahal in mid-February, and has him in a car for the Barber test. Rahal is now driving for one of the power teams in the IZOD IndyCar Series and has chances of winning EVERY RACE!. Imagine this for marketing:

Graham Rahal sits on the pole for the 2010 Indy 500.

Graham Rahal second youngest Indy 500 winner ever

Graham Rahal wins his __ race of the season and continues to lead the point’s championship.

The list goes on and on from there. This is a slippery slope for the IRL, have your young star in a ride for 2010 or have him fall out like Ryan-Hunter Reay did last year. I know where I stand on this issue, and I would bet it’s easy for other fans as well. We’ve got about a month till the Barber test……. I hope it works out for Graham.

IndyCar Race Schedule Now Featured

IndyCarGarage now features an IndyCar Race Schedule tab on the home page. On the main Race Schedule page, you will find all 17 events of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series. Each event has a link to the track's website, information about the track and highlights from 2009. You can also RSVP your attendance status for each race and let other members of IndyCarGarage know your coming. Members can leave messages, comments and thoughts about each upcoming race, as each race has its own link. Check it out today at

http://www.indycargarage.com/events

Ryan Hunter-Reay to Andretti Autosport

Ryan Hunter-Reay finally was revealed today as the fourth driver of the new formed Andretti Autosport. Hunter-Reay’s car will be sponsored by IZOD, and at the moment includes in the 2010 Indy 500 and a handful of other races in 2010. Andretti Autosport is still working on a full 2010 schedule. Parts of the press release are below.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Jan. 4, 2010) - Andretti Autosport has signed Phillips-Van Heusen (NYSE: PVH) and its IZOD brand to team with driver Ryan Hunter-Reay during the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season and outlined the first phase of Hunter-Reay's program.

The initial focus of Hunter-Reay's effort in the #37 IZOD entry will be the 2010 Indianapolis 500 and will also include a number of other key series events before and after the month of May. The total number and location of those races has not yet been finalized.

The second phase of Hunter Reay's Andretti Autosport program is targeted at running the full IZOD IndyCar Series schedule and is still in development.

Today's announcement deepens the relationship between IZOD and Hunter-Reay, which dates back to the 2008 season and Hunter-Reay's first IZOD IndyCar Series victory at Watkins Glen International. Hunter-Reay was named 2008 Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year, and claimed 2007 IZOD IndyCar Series rookie of the year honors despite joining the series only mid-season.

In 2003, Hunter-Reay became the first American rookie in 20 years to win an Indy car race when he took the checkers at Surfers Paradise, Australia. He later set the record for most laps led (250) in a single race when he lapped all but the second- and third-place cars at the historic Milwaukee Mile in 2004. He has also competed regularly in the Rolex Sports Car Series at the annual Rolex 24 at Daytona and also in the American LeMans Series, Baja 1000 and A1GP World Cup of Motorsport