Two teams have announced their drivers for the upcoming Izod IndyCar Series season, and neither one is a surprise.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing confirmed that Japanese driver Hideki Mutoh will join the team. Mutoh will drive the No. 06 car with sponsorship from Honda’s Formula Dream and from Panasonic. This season will be Mutoh’s third full year in the series, after he competed previously for Super Aguri Panther Racing and Andretti Green Racing.

The No. 06 car was driven previously by Graham Rahal, who as of right now is without a ride after McDonald’s–which sponsored the car last year–elected not to return to the team. Rahal is known to have several potential deals in the works, including one with championship-winning team owner Chip Ganassi, but each one depends on a sponsor stepping forward to fund the effort. With each passing day, the youngest winner in Indy-car history appears less and less likely to make the season-opening race in Brazil on March 14.

It is unclear whether N/H/L/R will field a second car in 2010. Alex Lloyd, the 2007 Indy Lights champion who drove for the team in the 2009 season finale, was at one point expected to run the full season but has run into sponsor trouble (with HER Energy Drink).

Meanwhile, KV Racing Technology confirmed that it has signed E. J. Viso to team with former Formula One driver Takuma Sato. Team co-owner Jimmy Vasser has said that the team will also field veteran Paul Tracy in at least three races this season (Indianapolis, Toronto and Edmonton). Viso moves to KV after spending the past two seasons with HVM Racing.

The look of the 2010 IndyCar field should become somewhat clearer this week, when the series kicks off its first two-day preseason group test at Alabama’s Barber Motorsports Park on Wednesday.

Posted: February 23rd, 2010 under BARBER MOTORSPORTS NEWS.

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