After a one-year absence away from IndyCar racing, Jimmy Vasser is back.
Vasser and former partner James Sullivan have joined forces with Dale Coyne to form Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan. They will campaign the No. 18 Honda with driver Sebastien Bourdais.
“I took a year off from competition for the first time in many years and realized how much I missed it,” Vasser said in a media release. “This is the next chapter in my racing career, so I want to say thank you to Sully, Dale, SealMaster, our sponsors and Sebastien.
“With their support we are focused on re-creating our prior success and again challenging for wins in 2018.”
The No. 18 team will be sponsored for nine of the 17 Verizon IndyCar Series season races by SealMaster. Sponsorship for the other eight races is to be announced.
SealMaster will serve as primary sponsor for the season-opening race at St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 11. Bourdais is the defending winner of that race.
The other eight races SealMaster will serve as primary sponsor will be Alabama, Long Beach, the Indianapolis 500, both races in Detroit, Road America, Pocono and Gateway.
SealMaster will serve as associate sponsor for the other eight IndyCar races on the schedule.
Vasser and Sullivan previously were partners in KV Racing Technology and KVSH Racing, which won the 2013 Indianapolis 500 with Tony Kanaan and won five more races from 2014 through 2016 with Bourdais as its driver.
The team folded before last season when their third partner, Kevin Kalkhoven, discontinued his involvement in IndyCar racing.
“When Jimmy, Sulli and I met to discuss creating this partnership, it was very enticing,” Coyne said in a media release. They’ve had a lot of success in their previous years in IndyCar and I’m thrilled to have them as partners.
“It’s an opportunity I couldn’t turn down as we move forward with this program. The future is bright and we’re excited to get the season going.”
Very Proud to have a Championship caliber company like @SealMasterNet on board as our Co-Primary Partner…time to GOOOOOOO!!! #IndyCar @vsindycar pic.twitter.com/97xAnEEBCe
— Sébastien Bourdais (@BourdaisOnTrack) February 5, 2018
The hills are alive.
— Sonoma Raceway (@RaceSonoma) February 5, 2018
With the sound of @IndyCar! pic.twitter.com/m85FSGNraY
For clarity, DCR w/Vasser-Sullivan partnership is for the #18 entry of Bourdais while DCR continues with the #19 entry of TBA! https://t.co/PUeISIHatx
— Dale Coyne Racing (@DaleCoyneRacing) February 5, 2018
In other news... these two are testing at @RaceSonoma today. After getting a taste of the 18 car at Sebring @PiFitti is in the 19 car today while @BourdaisOnTrack will be in his black and yellow @SealMasterNet machine. pic.twitter.com/EZriPVvuBE
— Dale Coyne Racing (@DaleCoyneRacing) February 5, 2018
Meanwhile, Dale Coyne Racing will campaign the No. 19 Honda. No driver nor sponsor has been named yet, even though the team was among several other teams that practiced Monday at Sonoma Raceway.
Behind the wheel Monday in the No. 19 was Pietro Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time Formula One and CART champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
Bourdais also took part in the test with the No. 18. He is entering his 13th IndyCar season, his third with Dale Coyne Racing and his first under the Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan.
He won a record four consecutive IndyCar championships from 2004 through 2007, and is tied for second on the all-time championships list with Mario Andretti and Dario Franchitti.
Bourdais, 36, of France has made 171 career starts and earned 36 wins and 33 poles.
“Over the last few years we’ve all captured poles and won races together,” Bourdais said. “This is a team that started small, but what we needed and now have collectively a consistent program from top-to-bottom that can compete at the highest level and contend for a championship.”