IndyCar’s 2013 testing period wraps up

By Dec 20, 2013, 1:00 PM EST
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Here’s a brief roundup of teams and drivers that have tested at least one day since the end of the IndyCar Series season at Fontana. Drivers in italics do not have a confirmed seat for 2014:

  • Chip Ganassi Racing: Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, Alex Tagliani
  • Team Penske: Will Power, Helio Castroneves, Juan Pablo Montoya
  • Andretti Autosport: Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay
  • Schmidt Peterson Motorsports: Simon Pagenaud, Mikhail Aleshin
  • KVSH Racing: Sebastien Bourdais, Mikael Grenier
  • Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: Graham Rahal
  • A.J. Foyt Racing: Takuma Sato
  • Ed Carpenter Racing: Mike Conway
  • Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing: Josef Newgarden
  • Dale Coyne Racing: Arie Luyendyk Jr., Francesco Dracone, Jack Hawksworth, Giuseppe Cipriani

Confirmed drivers who haven’t tested since Fontana

  • Chip Ganassi Racing: Ryan Briscoe
  • Andretti Autosport: Carlos Munoz
  • Ed Carpenter Racing: Ed Carpenter

Although Coyne has tested four drivers, none of them drove for the team in 2013. Justin Wilson, who’s projected to return, has not yet tested as he recovers from his injuries incurred at Fontana.

Montoya has had the most testing thus far with outings in Sebring, Phoenix and Sonoma, with another test day at Fontana postponed due to high winds. The 1999 CART champion and 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner is making his open wheel return for the first time since 2006. All of the other drivers who have tested above have had at least one day at the Sebring short course; a recap after Wednesday’s test is linked here.

Barracuda Racing, which has not confirmed its 2014 driver, has not tested this offseason. Nor has Panther Racing, whose 2014 plans are still being determined.

Testing is blacked out from December 21 through January 8. The next scheduled test is a Chevrolet Manufacturer’s Test January 17 at Sebring. Currently Ganassi, Penske, Carpenter, KV and Panther are listed for that, Panther with a driver TBD and Ganassi with Briscoe listed for the first time.

Ford Mustang GT3 test has Austin Cindric dreaming of Daytona: ‘I want to drive that car’

By Mar 22, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Cindric Ford GT3 test
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
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Austin Cindric wasn’t the “mystery” test driver behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang GT3 at Sebring International Raceway, but the Team Penske driver desperately wanted to be.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, an amateur sports car driver himself, made the big reveal via a Tuesday tweet that provided the first video evidence of the GT3 Mustang on track.

“I’ve watched the video in question about a million times,” Cindric said Wednesday during a Ford Performance Zoom news conference to promote NASCAR’s first road course weekend of the season at Circuit of the Americas. “Definitely exciting times for sure. I want to drive that car. It suits my experience level and also the relationships that I have.”

Ford will enter the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next season with its GT3 Mustang, entering a two-car factory effort (that will be managed by Multimatic) in GTD Pro and making customer cars available in the GT Daytona category.

That increases the likelihood of seeing more NASCAR drivers crossing over to IMSA. Cindric has been the only full-time Cup driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona the past two years, but Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook has said the GT3 Mustang will provide more opportunities.

Ford has used its GT4 Mustang as a NASCAR driver development tool in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Harrison Burton and Zane Smith combining to win the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in January.

“We’re excited about the Next Gen car and the new architecture there and the similarities between that car and GT3 and even GT4 cars,” Rushbrook said at the announcement of the Ford GT3 program in January 2022 at Daytona. “We think it’s a great opportunity and to do be able to do that in a 24-hour race and get NASCAR drivers even more time is something we need to consider taking advantage of that opportunity.”

Given his sports car background, Cindric probably still would be in the Rolex 24 regardless. He has eight IMSA starts since the 2017 season opener at Daytona, racing a Lexus RCF GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT category. The 2022 Daytona 500 winner made his second LMP2 start this year with Rick Ware Racing.

But Cindric’s preference naturally would be in a Ford, particularly with sports car racing enjoying convergence and crossovers in both GT and prototype racing.

“It’s an exciting time in GT racing, just as it is now for prototype racing with a lot of new regulations and manufacturers building new GT3 cars,” he said. “And also the opportunity with WEC (the World Endurance Championship) and Le Mans and how that all lines up for that category of car. It’s definitely an exciting time. I want to be as much of a part of that as possible.”

Though those odds seemingly will increase with multiple Ford entries in the Rolex 24 field next year, Cindric said NASCAR drivers still have to put in the networking to land rides as he has in recent years.

“Now how (the GT3 Mustang) relates to specifically NASCAR drivers and how often they want to be in the Rolex, could it be an influence? Absolutely, as far as the tie-in with the manufacturer,” Cindric said. “But the challenge and the drive and the logistics of getting an opportunity for a race like the Rolex 24 will be just as challenging as it always is to find your one-off ride for the race. At least from my experience, that’s what I still anticipate.”

It turned out the “mystery” test driver wasn’t from NASCAR (Farley revealed the driver to be 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand after a fan asked whether it was Joey Logano).

But Cindric believes there could be more Cup drivers — and perhaps himself — behind the wheel of Mustang GT3s in the future.

“There’s definitely more of a pathway than I think there would be before as far as Ford drivers are concerned,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity to drive that thing. It’s obviously a great looking car. That’s the first box you’ve got to check. And it’s cool (to have) a guy like Jim Farley, no doubt he’s a racer just as much as he is steering the ship for Ford. It’s cool to see he’s just as excited as the rest of us about it.”