Tuesday 6th December 2011

Game over for Newman-Haas Indycar team

Lack of funds puts famous name (and Our Nige's old team) out of the Indycar Game

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Newman/Haas, the team that took Nigel Mansell to victory in the 1993 Indycar World Series, is closing its doors after almost 30 years.

Despite finishing fourth in this year's Indycar standings, the team has been unable to find enough funding from sponsors to keep itself afloat.

Mansell in his victorious Indycar year

The team, founded in 1982 by actor Paul Newman and Carl Haas, racked up 107 wins, 109 pole positions and eight championships in its 29-season run in Indycars. During its time it also provided race seats for many star drivers including Nigel Mansell, Mario and Michael Andretti, Paul Tracy, Christian Fittipaldi, Cristiano da Matta, Sebastien Bourdais and Justin Wilson.

But recently fortune has not favoured the team; Newman died in 2008, and Haas is said to be in poor health.

Commenting on the team's Indycar participation, Haas said simply: "The economic climate no longer enables Newman/Haas Racing to participate in open wheel racing at this time." Shame.

 

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Sad end for a great Indycar team.

[McAndy]

The article said:

Shame.

Couldn't put it better.

[Frimley111R]

CBR JGWRR said:

Sad end for a great Indycar team.

+ 1

[anonymous-user]

Sad news, iconic team.

[Rude-boy]

unrepentant said:

Sad news, iconic team.

Agreed.

Only the other day I was wondering if they would see another season and now it would appear they will not. Without the two bosses about and no cash it was only going to be a matter of time...

[Streps]

"The economic climate no longer enables Newman/Haas Racing to participate in open wheel racing at this time."
Ouch

If it can happen to them. it can happen to any of them.

[Henry Fiddleton]

Very similar to Williams- except finishing 4th this year!

[Life Saab Itch]

That's a real shame.

[Chas-Chiro]

A shame to see the end of the name in racing.

A real news article and we cannot vote! Terrible

[Aids0G]

Always a shame when a race team has to close, do hope that Williams F1 does not go the same way.

[Dangermouse78]

A sad end for an iconic team, the Williams refferences are rather apt. I think the lack of the teams founders may also have had an impact on the fortunes. Hopefully Penske will stay strong.

[Eric Mc]

Williams will become Oligarch Mafia Boss F1 and bribe Bernie for a GP in Unknownestan.

[635csi]

Very sad news indeed.
A team founded and run by real racing guys.

Open wheel racing in the US does seem to be in real trouble.

[soad]

Sad news

[Ash 996 GT2]

[Great Dane]

rumour about ALMS

[VPower]

Very sad to hear this.

Those late 80's and early 90's series were superb racing!

[urquattro]

Good team, impressive history of owners, drivers and the rest, Mr Newman having passed on and Mr Haas now in poor health etc made the issues much worse, add on a recession and it best to quit now rather than add further problems later, well remembered and some good uk driving done within that team.

[Sgt^Roc]

CBR JGWRR said:

Sad end for a great Indycar team.

dead or dying, same thing happened to the Roman Empire? bit shame alway liked to watch Newman-Haas

[NSBlake]

Is this just not the case that it costs so much to run the teams these days that the amount of money that "sponsors" have to come up with just isn't worth it if you don't get your actual name of your company in the team name. I'd want it to be the NSBlake Indy team not Newman Haas if I was stumping up millions..............