INDYCAR: Schmidt, Hamilton Working On New Deal

Davey Hamilton's name has been absent from Sam Schmidt's IndyCar materials in recent weeks, but both sides expect to partner again in 2013.

Marshall Pruett | Posted December 13, 2012

Simon Pagenaud carried the Schmidt Hamilton team to fifth in the standings in 2012, and should have both owners, plus a new investor, along with HP sponsorship back next season. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)

The combination of Sam Schmidt and Davey Hamilton, under the Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports banner, helped to form one of the most effective and efficient teams of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Season, propelling French rookie Simon Pagenaud to fifth in the championship.

Hamilton’s strong commercial relationship with Hewlett-Packard, which served as primary sponsor of the Honda-powered No. 77 entry, was credited for keeping Schmidt’s IndyCar program afloat, but in recent weeks, Hamilton’s name and the Schmidt Hamilton logo has been noticeably absent from team-related materials, replaced with Sam Schmidt Motorsports branding.

Wednesday’s announcement that Ric Peterson, founder and CEO of Oculus Transport Ltd., who joined SSM as an equity partner, also made no mention of Hamilton, but the IndyCar driver-turned-owner told SPEED.com it isn’t a cause for concern.

“The intent is to stay with Sam and continue on,” he said. “And I'm sure that we’re going to. We’re all a little bit late on contracts and I don't intend to go anywhere else. So that is the plan and we should be full-force ahead, it's just hard, man, it’s hard.”

Schmidt had nothing but positives to offer regarding Hamilton when reached on Thursday.

SHM team co-owner Davey Hamilton. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)

“He’ll be part of the team name going forward,” he said. “I really enjoy working with Davey and everybody brings something to the table. It’s been a fantastic relationship. We’re working on a new logo right now that will include Davey and include Rick, and expect to re-launch that on January 1st.”

With respected IndyCar team manager Rob Edwards getting the most out of a modest budget, Schmidt and Hamilton have continued to search for more funding, which should be improved with the addition of Peterson.

“It's a good thing Rick’s joined up,” Hamilton remarked. “It really doesn’t change anything that Sam and I have had going; it just helps the team. Sam can’t do it on his own and I can't do it on my own. We struggle to do it together. So having somebody else come in and join and help has just put more dollars into the pie and more connections into the whole thing. He’s excited to do it. He's been wanting to do something like this for a long time.

“He and Sam have had a relationship for quite a while and it does nothing but help our team in the long run. At the end of the day, we all just need to make sure that we have cars on the racetrack like we did last year and make it enticing for partners, and I think Rick’s going to help that.”

Schmidt echoed Hamilton’s comments.

“This deal with Ric Peterson will really strengthen the organization going forward,” he remarked. “We can purchase more assets and invest in more development. The goal is to move Simon five more spots up the grid.”

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