Big Chip weighs in

I started reading a fine column by Oreo on Scott Dixon and I ended up watching a discussion about Dan Wheldon’s future. Looks like poor Iceman can’t catch a break even in his own story.

To summarize: Dan Wheldon wants to race somewhere else. No wait, Dan Wheldon wants to stay in the IRL. What say you, Mr Ganassi?

Dan and I had quite extensive conversations over the summer, and, you know, he and I decided it was probably best for him to stay in the IndyCar series for a while, and that the opportunities for him to take a jump over, you know, whatever opportunities that were there this year were certainly going to be there next year and the year after and the year after.

So these other drivers that have made the transition or are attempting to make the transition, you know, have a few more years on them than Dan does, so I think they felt their options were maybe getting fewer and far between. Dan could go to a lot of teams yet at anytime, anytime he wants. So he and I concluded that it wasn’t maybe imperative that he does it this year.

(From video linked at ESPN.com)

OK then. Wheldon may no longer be a free agent socially, but it certainly appears he will soon be one professionally. Coincidentally the intrepid Curt Cavin mentioned in his blog that Dan’s kissing buddy Tony Kanaan will also be a free agent at the conclusion of this season, so if you happen to have a boatload of cash and an inclination to start a big name racing team, well, there you go.