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IndyCar: Tony Kanaan may not be done racing just yet

By Asher Fair

Tony Kanaan, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, IndyCarIndy 500 Qualifying 2020 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Tony Kanaan, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, IndyCarIndy 500 Qualifying 2020 Indianapolis Motor Speedway /
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Tony Kanaan entered the 2020 IndyCar season knowing that it may be his last. It still might be. But he also may not be done racing just yet.

2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan took the checkered flag at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on Sunday, August 30 knowing that in a few seconds, he may be hopping out of an open-wheel race car for the final time in his career.

The 45-year-old Brazilian, whose record streak of 318 consecutive IndyCar starts ended earlier this season as a result of the fact that his third year behind the wheel of the #14 Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises was as an ovals-only driver, does not have a ride lined up for next year, and he isn’t sure that this will change.

However, he still wants to be back next year — not full-time, but at least for the Indy 500, especially since his 19th start in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in August came without any of the usual 300,000+ fans in attendance at the hallowed Brickyard, which not too long ago erupted when he finally broke through and found victory lane on Sunday, May 26, 2013.

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And the door on a Kanaan return, despite the premium that is justifiably placed on up-and-coming drivers such as Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward and Santino Ferrucci, is very much open.

Last month, it was officially confirmed that Felix Rosenqvist, whose primary sponsor NTT Data is the title sponsor of IndyCar, will be leaving Chip Ganassi Racing following the 2020 season after just two seasons behind the wheel of the #10 Honda. He is set to move to Arrow McLaren SP to drive the #7 Chevrolet as the replacement for Oliver Askew, who the team announced more than a month ago would not be back next year.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s 2021 lineup now includes Scott Dixon, who is set to be back for a 19th full-time season with the team, Marcus Ericsson, who is set to be back for a second, Alex Palou, who is set to replace Rosenqvist, and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who is slated to make his IndyCar debut next year as a road and street course driver.

Tony Kanaan could also be a part of that mix in the 2021 IndyCar season.

There are mounting rumors that Kanaan, who competed full-time for Chip Ganassi Racing from 2014 through 2017, will be the oval driver of Johnson’s entry, given the fact that they have confirmed that Johnson’s #48 Honda will be a full-time entry. The deal would be structured the same was as his 2020 deal with A.J. Foyt’s team and would include a 20th Indy 500 attempt.

Given how Askew impressed the team in a test at Portland International Raceway last year, there are also rumors that he could be the driver who lands the oval ride behind the wheel of the #48 Honda.

However, the rumors of him joining the team had been more based around the possibility of him replacing Rosenqvist as a full-time driver, and it has since been confirmed that that won’t happen with the addition of Palou.

Kanaan also recently announced a new screen partnership with Samsung.

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But even if this deal does not come to fruition, don’t rule out a return to A.J. Foyt Enterprises, given the fact that nothing regarding the team’s 2021 lineup has been solidified aside from Sebastien Bourdais being the full-time driver of the #14 Chevrolet, a role which Kanaan was never going to hold anyway. Andretti Autosport, another former team of Kanaan’s, have also yet to shore up their lineup for next year.