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The Dale Coyne Racing IndyCar outfit has reached a new multi-year agreement with Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan to extend their deal to co-enter Sebastien Bourdais’ car in the series.
One-time CART champion Vasser and business partner Sullivan first became involved with Coyne in 2017, and last year stepped up in a full-time capacity that meant Bourdais’ #18 car ran under the Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan banner.
That deal marked a return to IndyCar for Vasser, who a year earlier had closed down the KV Racing squad when an attempted link-up with Carlin fell through.
Bourdais won the opening round of the 2018 season at St Petersburg and went on to finish seventh in the points with a further podium at Portland and a pole at Phoenix to his name.
“After nearly a year of planning in 2017, ’18 was really a trial to get to this point of a multi-year go-forward plan,” said Sullivan.
“We had flashes of brilliance, and most importantly we proved the new partnership worked.
“This is what we all wanted, and now we have a great platform to build on as we fight for the IndyCar championship in the coming years.”
Team owner Dale Coyne, who first ran Bourdais on a part-time basis in 2011 before hiring the four-time Champ Car champion full-time in ’17, said: “I am really pleased that Jimmy, Sulli and I have reached an agreement to grow our partnership, and to have Sebastien returning.
“This next phase of our partnership will see the team with some more resources, equipment and funding. I’m quite looking forward to building upon what we started last year and taking it to the next level.”
The extended deal also represents formal confirmation that Bourdais will remain at the squad for 2019 and ’20 – which will take him into a 15th season in Indycars.
Vasser said he and Sullivan were “excited to continue our relationship” with Coyne and Bourdais, who he described as one of the “greatest” Indycar drivers of all time.
“All you have to do is look at some of his performances from last year to know what a talent he is,” added Vasser.
“Sulli and I are looking forward to our future as Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan and improving on the success we started last year.”