IndyCar News and Notes, 2/18

Luca Filippi impressed in limited action last season.

Luca Filippi:

While there has been no official confirmation, it has been assumed since late last season that Luca Filippi would be the guy driving the #98 Barracuda Racing entry in 2014. The diminutive Italian impressed late last season in appearances for the team at Mid-Ohio, Baltimore and Houston. Presumably, the holdup has been confirmation that the Bryan Herta-owned team would receive a Leaders Circle entry and/or finalizing sponsorship details, which the notoriously coy Herta has been characteristically quiet about.

Of course, many were surprised when it was announced the other day that Filippi would share testing duties this week with three-time 2013 Indy Lights winner Jack Hawksworth. Filippi is testing today for the team, while Hawksworth ran yesterday and will run again tomorrow. And considering Barracuda is the third team Hawksworth has tested for this of-season, one has to presume the talented Brit has some funding Fillipi may not.

Now, I want to be very clear, the above is speculation. Still, the fact Barracuda is considering other options at this late stage doesn’t bode well for the talented Filippi, at least in terms of running a full-season in the #98. And if I’m Bobby Rahal or John Barnes, and my team still has an open seat, I try to get Filippi in place. For Barnes and Panther Racing, Filippi has shown he can run near the front with a one-car team. For Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Filippi is the potential #1 driver that is typically not available in late February. Also, given Filippi’s connections to Honda, and the fact he nearly joined RLL for the 2012 season, makes the vacant #16 seat an ideal spot for Filippi.

Yanks:

Indiana native Conor Daly has all the makings of a star both on and off the track.

Whoever ends up filling the #98 seat, it doesn’t looks as though it will be an American driver. And don’t look now, but when the green flag waves in less than six weeks for the season-opener at St. Petersburg, there are only 5 American drivers (Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Charlie Kimball, Josef Newgarden and Graham Rahal) scheduled to take the green flag.

Now, I want to be careful here. I’m not advocating some sort of provincial xenophobia. I think the best racers should race, regardless of nationality. And personally, I enjoy the international diversity of IndyCar.

However, the simple truth is the series runs all but one of its 18 races in the United States. And if the sport is ever going to be relevant in America beyond its die-hard fan base, there need to be more than five Americans competing.

So, instead of spending precious company resources deciding whether Pole Day should be Saturday or Sunday, Hulman & Co., CEO Mark Miles would be better of figuring out how to get Sage Karam, Conor Daly, J.R. Hildebrand and others competitive ride, because it doesn’t matter whether Pole Day is Saturday, Sunday or Christmas Day. Thirty-three cars vying for 33 spots is not compelling television, and mainstream America is not tuning in on a nice spring without American heroes to root on.

Brian Carroccio