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With Sharp and Matsuura both apparently on the move, Fernandez Racing's chances of mixing it up next year with AGR and company are uncertain. (LAT photo) ยป More Photos
Indy Racing League founder Tony George once proclaimed there was an "ocean" of Indy-car owners in this country but it's starting to look more like a small pond.
Fernandez Racing has lost Scott Sharp and Kosuke Matsuura to other teams, has no IRL deals in place for 2007 and last week laid off 27 people from its Indianapolis shop.
"I'm still hoping we can do something full-time for '07 but right now I don't see it," said Tom Anderson, who co-owns the operation along with Adrian Fernandez. "We've got one thing on the table but it's kinda way out there and we just couldn't hang on to our payroll without a deal in place.
"The League is aware of our situation and we've been talking to drivers but right now all we've got are cars and equipment."
Sharp and Delphi had been with Fernandez for the past two years but the longtime IRL sponsor's financial future appears up in the air and the IRL's lone remaining original driver is taking his new tequilla sponsor to Rahal Letterman Racing.
Matsuura, who spent the last three years with Fernandez, is reportedly taking his Panasonic
"I know Brad (Stout) and Bill (Lafontaine) of Delphi want to stay in the IRL but without the associates (Futuba is also gone), they're not able to do the whole deal," continued Anderson, who left Ganassi Racing to help start Fernandez Racing in 2001.
"If we do get something going, I think we could be on the track in 14 days from the time we signed the deal."
The godsend for Fernandez Racing is the American Le Mans Series. Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz have Lowe's sponsorship and Honda backing for 2007.
"Yes, thankfully that's a great deal and we'll need 14-16 people to run that team and I'm at 22 now," said Anderson.
Sharp's move, which hasn't officially been announced, will enable Rahal Letterman to field two cars (down from three) and Panther will expand from one to two.
But the current car count for 2007 stands at 16 with Andretti Green (four cars), Chip Ganassi (two cars), Roger Penske (two cars), Panther (two), Rahal Letterman (two), George (two), A.J. Foyt (one) and Dreyer & Reinbold (one).
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