Hinchcliffe Joins 2011 IZOD INDYCAR for Barber, North American Races



Photo Credit: Dan Helrigel


A moment for Canadian auto racing fans to rejoice, an announcement Tuesday affirms as of the second IZOD INDYCAR round at Barber Motorsports Park a third Canadian driver (in addition to full-time Alex Tagiani and part-time entrant Paul Tracy) will compete in the 2011 North America's top open wheel series. 2010 Firestone Indy Lights title contender and open wheel standout James Hinchcliffe will wheel Newman/Haas Racing's second race car.

Since the December and January tests, the young Toronto driver impressed Newman/Haas Racing. So promising of a 2011 season together, Newman/Haas Racing and James Hinchcliffe were present at the IZOD INDYCAR open test at Barber Motorsports Park. Clocking the whirling 2.3 mile road course within the top-10 fastest cars throughout the two-day preparation session, the potential INDYCAR rookie and veteran team meshed.

Speed was definitely in the Newman/Haas Racing machine wheeled by Hinchcliffe. However, as is the case in professional auto racing, what or who is in a race car is as important as what is on the side pods. As the opening St Petersburg round for the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series approached, Newman/Haas Racing arrived with only one race entry for veteran Brazilian driver Oriol Servia. As Servia's sponsorship came together just in time for the streets of St Petersburg race, James Hinchcliffe was unable to obtain the financial backing to be involved in the open wheel racing series' season premiere.

Sponsoring James Hinchcliffe for all the North American races on the IZOD INDYCAR Series tour is Sprott Inc., an asset management company based in Toronto. “As a Canadian-based company it’s naturally exciting to support one of Canada’s next generation motorsport talents,” company Chairman Eric Sprott declared in the Newman/Haas Racing release on the sponsorship announcement. A publicly traded advising over 2,000 clients and 1.2 billion dollars, Sprott Inc. pairs them with a hometown 24-year old professional racer known for representing his sponsors on as well as off track with enthusiasm.

Prepared to make his first career IZOD INDYCAR start at Barber Motorsports Park, Hinchcliffe's move up through the auto racing ranks from go-karts into 2 years of the Firestone Indy Lights has reached an ultimate goal. “Finally making my IndyCar debut really is a dream come true and the end of a 15-year journey getting me to this point,”. Hinchcliffe 2011 plans includes the 2011 Indianapolis 500 and the Canadian IZOD INDYCAR races in Edmonton as well as his prized Honda Indy of Toronto.

James Hinchcliffe's IZOD INDYCAR career will officially start this weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama when the Canadian takes the green flag Sunday.