HOMESTEAD, Fla. — As IndyCar Series drivers gathered for their annual Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway last week, a strong feeling of unity was prevalent in the paddock.
Finally, the sport was one again with drivers from the Champ Car Series now welcomed into the IndyCar Series.
There will be no more division; no more talk about shorter fields and who is racing in one series and not the other. From this point forward, they are all one.
“I see the sky is the limit now,” said two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who may be more famous for winning “Dancing with the Stars” than his back-to-back Indy wins in 2001 and 2002. “Finally we made the biggest move we were always looking for.
“Took like 12 years to make it happen, but we did.”
And that has given the entire sport cause for celebration as Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George and Champ Car principal Kevin Kalkhoven shook hands in front of a backdrop of drivers from the combined IndyCar Series.

“One strong open-wheel series always is going to be the best for everyone, not only for the drivers, not only for the teams, not only for the press but especially for all the fans. I’m extremely happy. It’s better late than never. Now, we need to start working together to make sure this series is strong like it used to be in the past.” - Two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves

While some fans may harbor bitterness about the war that drastically changed the landscape, resulting in NASCAR being able to take over the throne as the premier racing series in the United States, this was all about new beginnings and fresh opportunities.
“One strong open-wheel series always is going to be the best for everyone, not only for the drivers, not only for the teams, not only for the press but especially for all the fans,” Castroneves said. “I’m extremely happy. It’s better late than never. Now, we need to start working together to make sure this series is strong like it used to be in the past.”
Drivers beamed over the prospects of having fuller race fields, potentially better sponsorship opportunities and increased competition.
With Champ Car teams getting a one-year Honda engine lease and Dallara chassis for signing up full time, Larry Curry, the team manager of Vision Racing who was in charge of preparing and releasing some of his team’s cars to new teams, confirmed one car has already been delivered.
That car went to team owner Eric Bachelart of Conquest Racing, the first official Champ Car team to make the switch.
Other Champ Car team owners, such as Dale Coyne, Derrick Walker, Jimmy Vasser and Kalkhoven were checking things out at Homestead as they made plans to race a new car this season.
“Best drivers, best teams,” Castroneves said. “Along with that, we’re going to have great partners.”
Vitor Meira is another Brazilian driver who has been in the IndyCar Series his entire career and can’t wait to compete against the new Champ Car drivers that are coming over. IndyCar officials expressed optimism that as many as eight-10 new drivers may be ready in time for the season-opening race March 29 at Homestead, which would mean a starting grid of 25-26 cars.
“If I was a fan, I would be dying to watch the first race because it’s going to be very, very cool to see all the Champ Car guys,” Meira said. “What we have to do is please the fans, make it better for them. If we make it better for them, we are making it better for ourselves, too.”
And at the Indianapolis 500, even more cars will bring back some actual bumping on “Bump Day” to make the 33-car starting lineup.
“Yeah, man, that’s a long time coming and I’m sure everybody says the same bloody thing,” said 2003 IndyCar champion Scott Dixon. “It’s great for everyone, probably more so for the drivers.  More competition, more cars in the field. When you talk about IndyCar or single-seater racing, you don’t have to explain which one you are in. It’s a clear view for everybody, especially for the fans. It will be easier to zone in on that and try to make it bigger and stronger.”
Tony Kanaan joined the series in 2003 as part of Andretti Green Racing. He is glad that his team co-owners Michael Andretti, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree made the decision when they did.
“Back in 2002, I got a proposal from Honda and from Michael Andretti,” Kanaan recalled. “That was the best deal for me as far as team. I was coming to a big team and was with a manufacturer who supported me for a while. I didn’t think twice. I had to race for a living. I didn’t have a lot of choices. I knew with Roger Penske here and Michael Andretti and Kim Green I believed this was the place where I had to come. And we took a lot of heat for it. We took a big hit from a lot of people thinking we were crazy.
“I guess I did make the right choice.”
Marco Andretti is considered one of the rising American talents in IndyCar racing, while Graham Rahal had that honor in Champ Car. Now the two youngsters whose fathers were IndyCar stars get a chance to race against each other in the same series.
“You want to know as a driver when you beat these guys you have beat the best of the best,” Andretti said. “We’re welcoming every one of them. It will be a big challenge for them because of their lack of oval experience. I’ve gone through it and a lot of guys have gone through it. It will be a character builder for the first couple of races, but they are race car drivers so they will be fine.
“It’s awesome. For the drivers and for everybody they have to be happy it worked out. Now as a driver, it’s the best of the best, everybody under one roof. It’s great for sponsors and for publicity. I’m real happy.”