Acura to scale back ALMS effort

UPDATE #5 Hearing that AGR might still run an LMP2 entry for Acura in 2009 if it gets the right deal? But why bother? AGR did not have a great year in IndyCar this year. It's probably best to focus their efforts on their four cars there, rather than spread themselves so thin they lose everywhere.

08/29/08 The AGR team will indeed no longer figure in Acura's ALMS plans (see story) as rumored. Acura is moving up to LMP1 class with Patron Highcroft and De Ferran, but still maintaining an LMP2 entry with Fernandez Racing.

08/27/08 Michael Andretti said that Andretti Green Racing's American Le Mans Series program is no sure thing to return next season, but it will not merge with Gil de Ferran's team as recent rumors suggested.

"If we do it, it will be our own deal," Andretti said. "We'd like to do it if we can. Yeah, it's a question mark as we look for sponsorship; it's not 100 percent. But it's far from where [the rumors] have it. I'd say it's about 70 percent that we're going to do it."

Andretti also squelched speculation that the team's ownership group, consisting of himself, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree, will change.

"We're probably getting along better now than we ever have," he said. "Part of the strength of this program is that we don't always agree." Andretti added that his son, Marco, is "close" to signing a contract to remain with Andretti Green Racing's IndyCar team. AutoWeek

08/22/08 We now hear that Acura will probably have the same number of cars in 2009 as they have now, but make the 1-car teams 2-car teams so they function better from data sharing and teamwork. Hence look for Acura to drop the 1-car AGR entry and add a 2nd car to the De Ferran Motorsports team. Meanwhile Honda wants AGR to focus on IndyCar.

07/18/08 This rumor is downgraded to 'false' today. An Acura spokesperson told AutoRacing1.com that "Acura is not scaling back their ALMS effort in 2009 and in fact may increase it. Whether that is more LMP2 or a move up to LMP1 as previously rumored is still not determined because the ACO is still changing the LMP1 rules and Acura does not want to do a car for LMP1 only to have to change it. For now we can stay in LMP2 and compete against the likes of Porsche and Penske. And LMP2 is more competitive than LMP1."

07/16/08 In this SPEEDTV.com article Robin Miller says he hears Acura may drop one of its ALMS teams next year and that AGR is on the bubble.