Kanaan rues loss of KV Racing

IndyCar team owner Kevin Kalkhoven has yet to make the formal announcement of KV Racing's closure, but with the team's notable absence at the Phoenix open test and the anticipated sale of its cars and equipment, former KV driver Tony Kanaan shared his thoughts on the unfortunate situation.

"Let me put it this way: It's weird or sad to see a team go, regardless of what those people are," said the Brazilian, who won the 2013 Indy 500 with the team (pictured). "But for me, especially that team that we won the biggest race of our lives together, and that's the team that we struggled together, and I remember how we struggled to get where we got. And honestly, we only made it this far because of that win."

Jimmy Vasser – the V in KV – has been concentrating on other business interests since the 2016 season ended in September. With Kalkhoven's ownership of KV's assets, the team's fate is out of Vasser's hands, which led Kanaan to inquire about his availability to participate in his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing program in some capacity.

"I was with Jimmy last week in Vegas, and it's sad," Kanaan continued. "I was even trying to convince Jimmy to come do something for us just to be around. Kevin obviously was a big part of this thing coming back together, so it's sad. Unfortunately, it's racing. I think it's everybody's reality. I mean, it's just the way it is. People come and go. But that was one thing that I – from the bottom of my heart, I didn't want to see it go."