Last week I enjoyed some “me time”. I decided to take the week off and get away from INDYCAR, enjoy the non-racing life before the season kicks off. A hobby I enjoy very much is target shooting. Like racing; it can be deadly at any moment, requires great concentration, and often participants get hooked and spend a fortune.
Well I avoided the expensive part by not doing it since August. So last week was my first time back at the range in over six months. Needless to say I was very rusty, at first I lacked precision, was a bit flustered, and it took a great deal of work to be ok again.
The same can be said about INDYCAR racing; a driver who has been out of the seat for sometime may be very rusty as well, lacking precision, and feeling a bit flustered. The question is can some of these drivers hit the bulls’ eye again?
Obviously it would be nice to have both Servia and Hinchcliffe in the series for 2011. However, a realist must understand that while Servia has the cash, he lacks the seat time recently. While many will argue the cars are still the same; I might point out, the guns didn’t change either.
Servia has not been in an IZOD INDYCAR Series event since 2009. While Hinch ran the “Lights” last season, he has still stayed active in racing. I mention this because many have alluded to the fact Servia not Hinch was the big money man at Newman/Haas. Yet both drivers have still yet to be confirmed and will test again.
My last column I noted a famous team that removed a tweet days before the TK exit from the 2 car. That famous team is Newman/Haas, and now they have Servia and Hinch testing, AGAIN! Could this be the team deciding on whom to fill the second seat?
We know TK has some sponsors lined up for him, could his cash be enough that he is now the top money man, and Newman/Haas is shaking down the others to see who will be his teammate? Let’s be realistic; Servia is a very talented guy, and a likeable guy to boot. He is also not young like TK, with less success to show for it. 
Hinch on the other hand is very promising, and very young. Newman/Haas has to build on a future not just on the cash of today. While Servia might have big wads of cash, so have others (Milka, Moraes, etc.) while it may seem unfair to use those names with Servia who has more talent, what good did team’s futures have from signing Duno and Moraes in the long run? (Coyne is in shambles prepping for 2011, and KV lost far too many cars)
Newman/Haas should consider the words of rock legend Neil Young, “Its better to burn out, ‘cause rust never sleeps”. Also “There’s more to the picture, than meets the eye.” Newman/Haas can never die; Hinch and TK can revive and boost the team for the future. Considering many have said Hinchcliffe had a better first test with the team than Graham Rahal, might be good to get him a teammate who is a great coach. Let Coyne or KV snag Servia.
I think you’re right to be concerned about the atrophication of Oriol’s, or any veteran’s who’s had an extended period outside of a race car, however I don’t see TK moving to Newman-Haas. TK would be a fantastic fit there, but Oriol has a history with the team, and he’s only been out of an IndyCar for a year. With a NHR car under him, he’s been very successful, finishing 2nd in the CCWS championship in 2005, and in 2009 he finished 4th at Motegi! I’d say his skills will return to him quite quickly.
As for Hinchcliff, he is exactly what the series needs. Talented, engaging, and marketable! Now if we could just get him down to the 100 Acre Wood next year for some pre-season rallying. 🙂