Andretti Green Racing has been renamed Andretti Autosport with the completion of the restructuring that has seen Michael Andretti take sole charge of the team.
The reorganization, which got under way in August, saw former co-owners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree depart to focus on Andretti Green Promotions, the part of the business that runs the St. Petersburg and Toronto street races, and which is now a separate company. The intention was always to rename the team to reflect Andretti's greater control, and the Andretti Autosport title has now been revealed.
Although AGR had previously taken Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti to IndyCar titles, it has endured two low-key seasons in the shadow of former championship rivals Ganassi and Penske, and has not won a race since Kanaan's Richmond triumph in June 2008. It was felt that splitting the business and allowing Andretti to focus solely on the racing team would help end this slump.
"This is a great day for all of us," said Andretti. "We're very excited about the future of the team and we are looking forward to being a contender again in 2010. Everyone at Andretti Autosport is 100 percent focused on winning races and championships. We have a lot of work to do this winter, but everyone is committed to the job and we're looking forward to 2010."
Andretti Autosport has not yet announced its 2010 drivers, but is expected to continue with Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick, and to replace Hideki Mutoh with Ryan Hunter-Reay.