Funding for the DPi effort should be significant: we know Penske won't work for peanuts. In another IndyCar-related angle, it's entirely possible the series' move to freeze aero kit development by Chevy and Honda for 2017 – and to replace those kits with spec universal bodywork in 2018 – has allowed Honda and HPD to divert the savings from its seven- to eight-figure aero kit R&D budgets to bankroll a decent portion of the DPi program.
The last item of interest, for now, is where Roger Penske's long-held desire to return to Le Mans will stand. The sanctioning body that runs the famed 24-hour race will not allow DPis to compete at Le Mans, which makes the concept of a full-time IMSA program and an annual trek to France a non-starter with those cars.
Penske has always maintained he will only return to Le Mans if he can vie for the overall win, which leaves very few options – at least, ones that are feasible – for the team to explore. We'll save the potential Le Mans outcomes for the Penske-Acura relationship and its driver rotations for a future story.
From a few simple conversations at Mid-Ohio last year to where we are now, standing on the edge of a confirmation, everything that has gone into creating this new racing program will be a gift to sports car fans. IMSA bolsters its paddock with the biggest team in North American motorsports and a massive engagement by an auto manufacturer that lives to compete at the highest levels.
Although the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is loaded with brilliant talent, is has always lacked big-name star power among its drivers.
With Montoya and Castroneves to promote, IMSA will finally solve that problem.
IndyCar should get the duo back each May for the Indy 500, but the loss of two headlining stars won't be easy to overcome in the short term. It doesn't happen all that often, but in this instance, IndyCar's loss will indeed be IMSA's gain.