Miller: Rice Set for D&R

OK, quick head count for 2007 IndyCar series:

Andretti - 4
Foyt - 1
Ganassi - 2
Panther - 2
Penske - 2
Rahal - 2
Vision - 3

Confirmed drivers (more or less): 16.

Still waiting on the Fernandez/Chesson deal, the Cahill/Duno/Matrisin deal, the Herb team, the Roth team. However, today should end the speculation for Dreyer & Reinbold.

He’s been wrong before, but this time he’s basically saying what everyone else is. Robin Miller of SpeedTV is writing that Buddy Rice will be introduced today by Dreyer & Reinbold as their new driver of the #5. You can read the quotes, of which Buddy expresses his enthusiasm over the Fernandez engineers that have jumped over to D&R and his expectation of running sixth or seventh. No seriously, Buddy said that.

He also said this:

“I have to thank Robbie and Dennis for this opportunity and I also want to thank the IRL for helping put this deal together...Nowadays it’s good to find a seat and get paid in open-wheel racing, and I’m thankful.”

Whether this is a result of Tony Bucks or Gene Simmons or those new marketing gurus the league has hired is unknown, but it’s nice to see someone assist in facilitating this deal. Buddy’s a great guy and will have plenty of fans cheering for him. He’s won The 500, he’s not surly, and he’s always helping the league. This is a guy you keep, and thankfully the league had both the will and the means to do it this time.

Oh, by the way:

Sarah Fisher appears to have the inside line on the second seat at Dreyer & Reinbold.

Hopefully more details will be announced at the press conference later today.