Feb. 27 newsstand: The announcement

Today's stuff centers on the announcement ... and some Silly Season news that came out of Homestead today.

First, announcement stuff
Things we've learned:
*-Dual weekend on April 19-20 -- IRL at Motegi, former CC teams running DP01s at Long Beach.
*-Edmonton & Surfer's are likely additions to the schedule.
*-Possible schedule changes from TG: "It’s important to me to have a variety of ovals on the schedule," George said. "But international opportunities are out there. We need to look at building a schedule that makes sense from every perspective."
*-The IRL has purchased CC's non-tangible assets, including the records, and has also purchased CC's medical transporter.
*-Conquest, Coyne, NHL and KV (formerly PKV) are all expected to bring two cars each. Walker is expected to bring one. Forsythe is also considering two cars, while Minardi was present and hopes to field one car. Rocketsports and PCM were also at Monday's orientation.
*-CC teams are getting two cars, a $1 million engine lease for one year and the $1.2 million TEAM benefit.
*-Preliminary discussions are underway with ABC/ESPN to televise the additional races.

Indy Star: After merger, IRL is crammed with competitors
If every team that is considering fielding a car for 2008 shows up, there could be *37* cars on the grid.
Says Brian Barnhart: "I just realized that myself. I think I’d be more comfortable with something more along the lines of 28 to 30.”

Autosport: IRL officially confirms unification

Says Tony George: "This is about looking forward. It really has been 30 years since the sport of open-wheel racing has been unified. There were periods of years where we worked closely together and better together, but by and large there were periods of years where we weren't so good at that."

IndyCar.com: One

Says TG: "I have received hundreds of congratulatory e-mails from fans, drivers, sponsors and others who love our sport. All agree that the future is bright for IndyCar racing and the time to unify our sport is now. Our whole racing community is excited and energized about unification and everybody is working hard toward the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway March 29."

IRL press release
Those present from the CC side: Owners Kevin Kalkhoven (KV), Eric Bachelart (Conquest), Dale Coyne (Coyne), Keith Wiggins & Paul Stoddart (Minardi), Derrick Walker (Walker). Drivers Franck Perera, Bruno Junqueira, Graham Rahal, Alex Tagliani, Oriol Servia, Nelson Phillippe, Robert Doornbos, Will Power. Justin Wilson was in Chicago getting fitted for a seat.

A couple of details: "IndyCar Series officials expect several teams from Champ Car to join the series this season, some as early as the first race, while others should join by the time practice starts for the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on May 4."

Speed TV: George, Kalkhoven lay out unification plans

Motorsport.com: Collaboration spirit sets tone for unified season

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Unification details shared

AP: Much work for open-wheel series

Perspectives
Speed TV: Unification the focus as testing begins
Autosport: Drivers embrace unified series
Says Darren Manning: "Finally I might be in the right place at the right time. Now we have a single-seater series that's second only to Formula One. It's where a driver wants to be. There are only 18 spots on a Formula One grid, and they aren't giving any of them up. This is going to be another place where the best drivers in the world can compete."

Says RHR: "You've got to have some name continuity; it can't be musical chairs for drivers. You have to show personalities. That's the thing NASCAR does so well. I'm not saying we copy NASCAR, but people need to know what our drivers are like. I don't even watch NASCAR that much, but I know the personalities of their drivers."

Gordon Kirby: The first step
Says GK: "Will this desperate, eleventh-hour patchwork of a deal save Indy car racing and mark the beginning of a long road to a successful rebirth? Or will the damage done prove too difficult to repair?"

In their words
Press conference transcript
TG does not rule out more road courses, turbocharged engines or other major changes in the future.
NHL statement
Helio Castroneves press conference
Milwaukee Mile statement
Belle Isle GP statement

The effect on local markets
Press release: Toronto GP president on the loss of that race

Toronto Star: Toronto race officially lost

AP: Long Beach race will have familiar look
LB will be run with CC cars, but will pay IRL points.
Says TG: "I think the efforts of some very capable people and the scenario that allows Champ Car to showcase for one final time the (Panoz) DP-01s, the drivers and teams that are familiar with that equipment, to go out and put on a great show, really make Long Beach a great event."

L.A. Times: No date change for Long Beach race

Silly Season stuff
With the unification comes lots of announcements
Among them ...
Sarah Fisher Racing to run a part-time schedule
Indy, Texas, Chicago and Kentucky are likely on the docket for the new driver-owner's team. She will use car No. 67, which was her number in USAC Midgets.

Panther has a new sponsor
The National Guard joins Delphi as the primary sponsor of Vitor Meira's car.

Milka Duno is back running part-time for D&R. Buddy Rice was also spotted at the test today (on the front page of IndyCar.com).

Cavin's story lists other potential teams: Alex Lloyd in a possible third Vision car, Buddy Rice in D&R's primary car and the aforementioned CCWS teams moving over.

Development series
Cavin's blog and the press conference transcript both mention the Formula Atlantic Series will continue going, run 12 races this season, and needs a new sanctioning body to hook up with. The IPS is, obviously, the IRL's top developmental series.