IndyCar: Hamilton closing in on new full-time entry

Former IndyCar Series driver Davey Hamilton has lent his name and sponsorship dollars to other teams in recent years, and is getting closer to finally putting a program of his own on the grid next year.

The former IndyCar Series driver concluded a multi-year partnership with Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson, and tells RACER he's finalizing plans to enter a car of his own in conjunction with an existing IndyCar team.

"I have a passion for IndyCar racing from when I was a little kid to today, and there are some things they need to improve that we all know about; but it's something I still want to be involved with, so I've been working hard to put my own program together and it's getting closer every day," said Hamilton.

"I have a show car, two complete racecars, I own a full hospitality unit, and I have a lot of the equipment to be a true co-owner, and I've built that up over the last few years. I have a vested interest in the series and want to continue to invest in IndyCar. I want to use my assets to work with a team and have them make the most of what I can bring with my equipment and my sponsors, and I'm not looking to do it all myself – from scratch – so it makes sense to partner with a team that can achieve all the goals I just mentioned and for me to be a bigger part of what's going on to deliver that success."

A few teams come to mind for such a partnership in the IndyCar paddock, and while Hamilton wouldn't be drawn on names, he did mention it would not involve Schmidt. Asked if he would be adding a car to the grid, the Idaho native says his program will keep the series from losing an entry next season.

"It's more like filling a slot with an open spot on a team," Hamilton confirmed. "There are some teams that need a program like mine to complete things, and there's others who lost their second car for whatever reason next year, so we have good options. My program right now, it's a year-long effort and could become a multi-year deal, and the multi-year side would allow us to bring partners together to lay the foundation for years to come."

Hamilton expects to have everything concluded in the coming weeks, with the team and driver nominated shortly thereafter.

"I'd like to have a decision on where I'll be and have contracts and everything done in the next two to three weeks, but as you know, sometimes those things can take a little bit longer," he said. Tech giant Hewlett-Packard supported Hamilton's racing endeavors through the 2013 season, and it's believed he has another Silicon Valley firm committed to his new efforts.

With new growth in the IndyCar paddock close to non-existent, Hamilton's choice to create a new program based on genuine commercial backing is a refreshing change.

"It's all about ROI with the partners I'm dealing with, and after getting hurt as a driver, I really learned how important it was outside the car to make sure my sponsors were being taken care of and getting the return they need to see," he explained. "Fortunately, everything I've told my sponsors they'd receive they've gotten, so that has helped keep them involved with what I'm working on."​