Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced the hiring of Fernandez Racing’s engineers Tuesday, the latest sign that Adrian Fernandez’s Indianapolis-based team might not return to the Indy Racing League next season.

Fernandez co-owner Tom Anderson said his staff has been whittled to a bare minimum because the team lacks a primary sponsor. Among the layoffs were veteran engineers John Dick and Chris Finch, who were hired by Dreyer & Reinbold, another Indianapolis-based team.

Dick engineered Scott Sharp’s car this past season; Finch directed Kosuke Matsuura’s.

The drivers will be on the move, too. Sharp figures to land at Rahal Letterman Racing, while Matsuura is expected to drive the second car of Panther Racing. Neither the teams nor the drivers have confirmed their associations.

Anderson said Fernandez Racing will focus on its American Le Mans Series sports car program, but it will not give up on the IRL just yet. The 2007 season begins March 24.

“We’re not offering any of our IRL equipment for sale at this time,” he said. “If something happened and we found a sponsor, we could repaint the cars and be ready in 14 days.”

Dennis Reinbold said his one-car team is in better financial shape, but he is not ready to say it will return to the IRL, which it joined in 2000. Reinbold and partner Robbie Buhl are considering a move to the Champ Car World Series.

“Right now, we just don’t have enough information,” Reinbold said. “The only thing we’re doing is building up our team.”

Indy Star