James Hinchcliffe, certainly one of IndyCar’s hottest drivers, stated Tuesday that he’s stepping away from full-time racing within the collection.
The Canadian driver stated he isn’t retiring and can discover different varieties of racing. Andretti Autosport didn’t renew his contract for subsequent yr.
“With a decade-plus of unbelievable reminiscences within the financial institution, I’m pleased to announce I’m stepping away from full-time IndyCar competitors,” Hinchcliffe posted on social media. “This was not a call taken evenly and it was one made with the complete assist of my household and closest supporters. There have been many components, each private {and professional}, that led me to this determination but it surely really felt just like the time was proper.”
I’ll cling by the bar, put out the vibe… pic.twitter.com/KXFXETtnxx
— James Hinchcliffe (@Hinchtown) December 14, 2021
Hinchcliffe, 35, had a tough season in his return to Andretti in 2021 and scored only one podium end, third place on the road course at Nashville. His subsequent finest end was 14th twice, at Detroit and the Lengthy Seaside season finale.
The “Mayor of Hinchtown” is a two-time hottest driver in IndyCar and was a runner-up on the 2016 season of “Dancing with the Stars.” He’s a six-time IndyCar winner and began on the pole for the a hundredth working of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016, a yr after he was practically killed in a crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He began on the entrance row for the Indy 500 thrice in 9 appearances. Hinchcliffe didn’t qualify in 2018; in 2015, he watched from the hospital after a damaged half from his automobile pierced an artery in his higher left thigh. Hinchcliffe misplaced 14 pints of blood as he was rushed to the hospital following the crash throughout a follow session.
Hinchcliffe made his IndyCar debut in 2011 with Newman Haas Racing, spent the following three seasons driving for Andretti after which drove 5 years with Sam Schmidt. He was launched with a yr remaining on his contract after the 2019 season and made six begins for Andretti the following yr.
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He had a full-time journey with Andretti this season however was changed by Devlin DeFrancesco final month. Hinchcliffe was twentieth within the collection standings in 2021.
“In 2011, I spotted a lifelong objective of turning into an IndyCar driver,” Hinchcliffe stated. “I bear in mind virtually each minute of the journey getting there. There have been many ups and lots of downs. By all of the challenges and uncertainty there have been two constants, my unabated need to make it in IndyCar and my household’s unwavering assist. Within the 11 years that adopted, I lived out my dream in a method {that a} nine-year-old child, sitting in a kart for the primary time, may by no means have imagined.”
He stated he doesn’t plan to retire from racing, however Hinchcliffe could possibly be headed to the tv sales space. He has carried out analyst work beforehand, together with for CBS over the summer time throughout Tony Stewart’s all-star racing collection and for IndyCar races for NBC in 2020.
NBC Sports activities, which holds the rights to IndyCar, didn’t retain former driver Paul Tracy as an analyst.