LEXINGTON, OH – The start to the IndyCar Silly Season has surprisingly started early. While it normally does start around this time of year, we didn’t figure it would really begin this season until September or even October. See, Alexander Rossi was the big domino. Nothing would really begin until he picked where he wanted to go for 2020 and beyond.

Key wording there “he pick.”

See, Rossi was courted by just about every team in the paddock. Nobody’s plans would really start until they knew if they were getting Rossi or not and Rossi wasn’t keen to talk about it. He really didn’t want to do anything before the season ended.

Well, now that domino has fallen.

Rossi, announced on the final Saturday in July that he’s staying put – he will remain with Andretti Autosport for the foreseeable future. Also, Andretti will remain with Honda as well.

So, what happens next?

We know that Team Penske would only expand to four cars if the money was right and for Rossi. Now that Rossi is staying pat, Penske will keep their current three drivers for 2020.

Penske certainly isn’t letting Josef Newgarden go anywhere while Will Power signed an extension at the end of last season. Penske, gave Simon Pagenaud a voice of assurance following Pagenaud’s Month of May sweep at Indy.

Mike Hull has said that the plan is to keep both Scott Dixon and Felix Rosenqvist for 2020 too. All signs point to that as Ganassi while they said back in May that they’d be open for a third team again, it likely won’t happen next season.

Andretti, now has all four drivers under contract for 2020 too.

Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan Racing will likely retain Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato for a third straight year. James Hinchcliffe is under contract with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for 2020 too.

So, with all the top rides taken, what’s next?

I can’t see Dale Coyne Racing letting Sebastien Bourdais or Santino Ferrucci go. Bourdais, has an option to come back and I fully think he will. Ferrucci is a rising star with no top team to move up to, so why leave?

That leaves the next big domino being Colton Herta. He’s under contract with Andretti as he’s on loan to their “junior team” at Harding Steinbrenner Racing. But, HSR needs funding to stay together for 2020, so does Andretti/Honda step up the money spent or does he bring Herta in a fifth car for next season?

We know McLaren is looking for a partnership. Does HSR move back to Chevy and cut the ties with Andretti and partner with them in a Chevy team? Do they stay with Honda and partner with Andretti still to keep Herta?

AJ Foyt Racing says that both drivers are free agents at seasons ends up is talking to both about returning. I can see Tony Kanaan coming back but Matheus Leist may not want to. If he doesn’t don’t rule out a return to Carlin, the team he raced for Indy Lights in.

Carlin, could have a look at Leist, Conor Daly, Sage Karam and others. They have two seats available.

The second seat at SPM is available but Marcus Ericsson wants to return and the team has an interest in retaining him as well.

Ed Carpenter Racing would have a part-time seat in the road/street course option available as well as the full time seat too. Would Spencer Pigot come back? Word is Ed Jones won’t be, so that’s at least one ride available.

Other than that, it could be a much quieter silly season than in year’s past.