HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing will participate in the IndyCar Series with drivers Graham Rahal and Justin Wilson.
“When I heard about the reunification, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven,” said actor Paul Newman, one of the owners of the team. “I am very happy that we are going back to the high side.”
Co-owner Carl Haas was glad to see the open-wheel war finally end.
“We have been loyal supporters of Champ Car, but one unified open-wheel series is best for our sport,” Haas said. “Competing in our first full IndyCar season will be one of the biggest challenges our team has faced because of the limited time frame to prepare for the season and get acclimated to the new equipment and race tracks.  We have only competed in two IndyCar Series events at the Indianapolis 500, so we face a steep learning curve. It will be a difficult season, but we have many talented and dedicated employees who will work hard to keep our team competitive.”
Wilson looks forward to competing against the current IndyCar lineup.
“I am very excited about the reunification of open-wheel racing and the opportunity this gives everyone for the future, not just for ourselves, but also for the young drivers coming up,” Wilson said. “My brother was thinking of coming over to race in the United States, but the uncertainty made him continue to pursue a career in Europe. This gives open-wheel racing an opportunity to prosper again as one entity.”
“Now that we are back to one series and we’re racing on ovals and a lot of tracks I don’t know, there are going to be a lot of changes, but ultimately if we can work our way through the short term, it is good for open-wheel racing. There is opportunity for a great future.”
Graham Rahal is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and looks forward to competing against his father’s IndyCar team, Rahal Letterman Racing.
“I think everyone is glad it is now one series,” Graham Rahal said. “It puts a lot of the questions of stability behind us. It will take a while for the true impact to be apparent, but already we are seeing a lot more interest. You’re seeing open-wheel racing on the news more than ever and it’s positive. The drivers that are truly the best are going to stick around now and the ones that aren’t so good are going to have to work harder to keep their jobs. 
“I was impressed by the amount of resources the Indy Racing League has from a business standpoint and I’m sure they will all be put to good use to maximize this great opportunity.”