Late sponsorhips help IRL add drivers to field

Published 6:02 pm Wednesday, April 1, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS — The grinding offseason work of finding sponsors is finally paying dividends for a few IndyCar drivers.

Companies are lining up just in time for the season-opening weekend, prompting a flurry of announcements including two more Wednesday that expanded the expected starting field Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla., to 22.

The newest additions: Darren Manning and Alex Tagliani.

“It’s just scrapping,” Manning said. “You’ve got to never give up. We all have a good product, and it’s just getting it out there to the right people.”

In this economic environment, it would have been easy for both drivers to write off this season — especially so late in the game.

But Manning and Tagliani kept working the phone lines and eventually landed temporary gigs.

Dreyer &Reinbold Racing announced the 33-year-old Manning would drive the team’s No. 23 car Sunday, a one-race deal the English native hopes to turn into a season-long job with a solid performance in St. Pete.

Conquest Racing brought back Tagliani, a 36-year-old Canadian, who started in two points races with the team last year. It, too, is a one-race deal that could keep Tagliani in the car longer if team co-owner Eric Bachelart can find more financial backing.

Bachelart said Tagliani would race in St. Pete and hoped Tagliani would be back in the cockpit two weeks later in Long Beach though the details have not been worked out for the second race.

Those announcements came two days after Vision Racing owner and Indy Racing League founder Tony George hired Ryan Hunter-Reay.

And it could be just the beginning.

“There is nothing more important to us right now than having a strong car count,” said Terry Angstadt, president of the IRL’s commercial division. “We were hoping for 22 to start the season. I think we’re there, and I think it’s going to clearly go up in Long Beach.”

But it’s hardly been an economic boon.

Manning still plans to run more frequently in the Grand Am series than IndyCars, and he didn’t mince words when asked how the global economic woes have impacted racing.

“It’s been a nightmare,” he said. “I have a manager who works out of the U.K. and looks after a couple of the other drivers, and I know a lot of teams around America and back in Europe, and a lot of guys have had to shut down. So it’s a real testament to anybody who can keep going in this current climate.”

That’s why the four-year IndyCar veteran jumped at the offer Tuesday night.

“I guess I was just on their minds when the opportunity arose that they needed a guy at the last minute,” Manning said.

Until two days ago, it appeared Hunter-Reay didn’t have a job, either.

After spending the past 1½ seasons with Rahal Letterman Racing, the promising 28-year-old suddenly found himself out of a job when the team’s Ethanol sponsor pulled out. Hunter-Reay expected even better things this season after last year’s achievements: a win at Watkins Glen, 10 top-10 finishes and rookie of the year honors at the Indianapolis 500.

So instead of losing Hunter-Reay, George figured out a way to keep him around.

“When you see the talent and marketability of a Ryan Hunter-Reay, believe me, we were just working hard trying to make sure Ryan got in a car,” Angstadt said. “I compliment Tony for taking the opportunity that I think was right for our business. It was right for Ryan. It was right for his team, to really make that happen.”

How many more drivers could be added in coming weeks?

Angstadt wouldn’t say.

There are plenty of familiar names available including Former Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice, former Indy pole-winner Bruno Junqueira and A.J. Foyt IV. And former Indy winner Bobby Rahal would still like to get his IndyCar team back on the track, too.

The lingering question, of course, is whether there’s enough money to fill in all the holes — something teams and the series are still struggling with.

“The plan is to keep Alex in the car and not share this car with somebody else,” Bachelart said. “I mean, we still have some work to do and some ways to go, so we’re working on Long Beach, and then, I mean, keep going from there. It’s definitely harder but possible.”