Will Michael Andretti be a Cup Series owner in 2013? It's looking less likely. (Getty Images)
Rumors have been swirling about Andretti Autosport's potential move to NASCAR and the Sprint Cup Series, but according to Michael Andretti, the chances of the team fielding a Sprint Cup car in 2013 are dwindling.
Andretti told the Indianapolis Star that the move wasn't dead, but it wasn't looking good either. ""We've got a couple of (sponsorship) deals working, but it's getting late," Andretti said on Friday. "It's not dead yet, but it's highly unlikely."
Andretti Autosport currently fields teams for Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay in the Izod IndyCar Series. Hunter-Reay has won the last three races of the season to take over the points lead with five races to go.
Any move to the Cup Series for Andretti Autosport has been strongly linked to Dodge, which currently does not have a flagship team for the 2013 season after Penske's move to Ford for next year. The team currently fields Chevys in the IndyCar Series, but any manufacturer conflicts likely wouldn't be an issue with a Sprint Cup move. Penske runs Chevys in the IndyCar Series and Chip Ganassi is affiliated with Chevy in NASCAR and Honda in IndyCar.
