IndyCar Stuff
Two IndyCar teams are switching power plants. Ganassi Racing will drop their Chevrolet engines and go back to Honda power. Chip Ganassi wants another Indianapolis 500 win and believes that the Honda engine has more endurance than the Chevy. Honda took the first two finishing positions at last year’s race plus a Honda powered car won the pole. Oh, BTW, it’s been confirmed that Tony Kanaan will return to Ganassi Racing in 2017.
A. J. Foyt’s IndyCar team will move from Honda back to Chevy according to Larry Foyt, the team president. Foyt has only one win, a 2011 win at Long Beach, to show for its five year relationship with Honda. This year was disastrous for the team. Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth have not been retained so the team is looking for drivers. They are said to be heavily courting Juan Pablo Montoya since he parted from Penske. Carlos Munoz is also in the mix, although he may be mulling over offers from Ed Carpenter and KVSH Racing. Takuma Sato has Sony money behind him and will probably land someplace but it will have to be a team using Honda power. Jack Hawksworth has shown talent but doesn’t bring any money so he may be out in 2017. Foyt Racing may get back to being a relevant team in 2017 with Chevy power.
Sebastian Bourdais has joined Dale Coyne Racing from KVSH Racing, yet another driver moving from Chevy to Honda Power. Bourdais won the first leg of the Dual in Detroit last June. Connor Daly, Sage Kareem, J. R. Hildebrand are drivers who are being considered for team rides and let us not forget R.C. Emerson, the 19-year-old from New Port Richey, Fl. Emerson was the 2016 Indy Light’s Champ and drove in three IndyCar events. He impressed several important people and reminded them of Joseph Newgarden. Look for him driving an IndyCar for somebody in 2017.
Hinchcliffe at DWTS
James Hinchcliffe is still a contender in the Dancing With the Stars season 23 competition. Hinch has impressed just about everyone with his strength, fluid moves, and quick feet. He also comes off as a really nice fellow. So nice that some observers claim that he needs to show more passion when he dances. He did come through with a very well received Rumba. He and partner Sharna Burgess have good chemistry and Sharna has so far devised dance routines that play to Hinches strengths. I predict they will be a final three couple.
Purdue Fires Head Football Coach
The Purdue University Boilermakers fired Head Coach Darrell Hazell after a 49-35 loss to Iowa. In three and a half seasons in West Lafayette, Hazell compiled a 9-33 record. He was never able to win more than one conference game a season during his tenure. He was never able to recruit any really big name high school athletes to play for the team. Wide receiver coach Gerald Parker will serve as interim head coach until the end of the season. The Boilermakers are said to be talking to former LSU Head Coach Les Miles as a possible replacement in 2017. The LSU Tigers fired Miles several weeks ago.