AGR set to announce new Patrick deal

Although the team has not yet formally announced the deal, team owner Michael Andretti confirmed to the Indianapolis Star that the completion of a new contract was now a formality.

"It's always nice for a driver to have that security," he told the newspaper.

Patrick joined AGR from Rahal Letterman Racing in 2007 and took her first IndyCar win at Motegi last spring. She is currently the four-car team's leading representative in the series, holding fifth in the championship despite AGR struggling for much of the 2009 season.

Her future has been a source of fevered speculation all year, with initial rumours suggesting she could join an expanded three-car Ganassi IndyCar team, before talk of either a move to NASCAR or an exploratory part-season stock car deal alongside her open wheel campaign grew louder.

Andretti acknowledged that Patrick had been considering adding NASCAR events to her schedule, but hinted that her contract would restrict how much extra racing she would be able to fit around the IndyCar season.

"There are limitations to a lot of what she can do," he said.

The team is set for a major restructuring and a change of name at the end of the season, with original founding partners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree leaving the racing team to focus on AGR's promotions arm - which runs the St Petersburg and Toronto street races - and Andretti taking sole control.