IRL officials meet with team owners

IRL officials met with IndyCar Series team owners Sunday morning to update them on several issues, including future schedules, the ongoing search for a series sponsor and the recent meeting with engine manufacturers.

"It's something we've never done before," IRL spokesman John Griffin said. "There was no announcements or anything like that. We were just bringing everybody up to date on some things."

The recent unification of the two American open-wheel series has brought six teams from the defunct Champ Car World Series to IndyCar. IRL officials said earlier this year that the 2009 schedule would be made from a "clean sheet of paper."

The IRL also has plans for an all-new car and engine, possibly as soon as 2010. League officials recently met with 12 engine manufacturers in a round-table discussion to toss around ideas and find out what engine rules the companies would like to see the IRL adopt.

In the hunt for a series sponsor, officials have indicated there are ongoing talks with three major companies and that a deal could be done with the next 90 days.

"It was all very constructive and very interesting," said Keith Wiggins, owner of HVM Racing, one of the transitional teams. "It all sounds very good. Now all they have to do is make some of these things happen." Forbes.com