Della Penna Motorsports, which will compete fulltime in PPG Indy Car World Series next season with driver Richie Hearn, has opted to switch its chassis for next year.

Team owner John Della Penna will move from the Reynard chassis to Lola in 1997, but his team’s engine and tire components will remain the same. He will go with the Ford-Cosworth engine and Goodyear tires. Della Penna also retained his primary sponsor, Ralphs/Food 4 Less.

He expects to get the team’s first car near the end of November.

"We’ll be running the leading edge equipment in every area, whether it’s tires, engines or cars," Della Penna said. "I feel pretty confident that if I’m able to provide Richie with a good car, that he’ll be as competitive as anybody. I’ve been saying all along that I think Richie has got just as much talent as any of the guys over there. It’s just a matter of doing our homework and testing."

Hearn competed in three PPG Indy Car World Series events this past season. His best finish was 10th at Long Beach.