INDIANAPOLIS – One of IndyCar’s most recognizable brands will not be returning to the series in 2019. Ed Carpenter Racing confirmed Monday that Fuzzy’s Vodka — which has sponsored ECR since its inception in 2012 — will not be with the team next season.

“It is like the end of an era,” Carpenter told IndyStar. “But at the same time, I look at it as starting a new chapter for the team. I’m really thankful for all of the support that they’ve given us. I’m proud of what we’ve done together.”

Fuzzy’s Vodka has appeared on ECR cars for all 118 of IndyCar’s events since 2012, including Carpenter’s three Indianapolis 500 pole-runs (2013, 2014, 2018). It was the primary sponsor for 16 of the team's 19 podiums.

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It’s never easy — or a good time — to lose a longtime partner, Carpenter admitted, but nothing lasts forever. IndyCar's lone driver/owner was adamant that Fuzzy’s departure should not be viewed as a reflection on the state of the team or IndyCar. The vodka company, which is going through significant changes within its organization, has decided to shift its marketing efforts away from motor sports.

Meanwhile, it’s business as usual at ECR, Carpenter said. He, along with team co-owners — his father, Tony George, as well as now former Fuzzy’s co-owner Stuart Reed — had known the vodka company might not be part of the team’s future for some time, yet their plans have not altered. Over the past couple of weeks, they found a road and street circuit teammate (Ed Jones) for full-time driver Spencer Pigot, hired new engineer Peter Craik — formerly of NASCAR's Furniture Row Racing — and are moving forward with plans to build a new race shop ahead of the 2020 season.

They also recently partnered with Scuderia Corsa, which will combine with ECR to field Jones' No. 20 car at street and road circuits in 2019. While Carpenter is aware of the optics of such a move just before the departure of a longtime sponsor, he said Fuzzy's looming departure had no impact on the team's decision to partner with Scuderia Corsa.

“I’m confident in the group we have here — all the people on the team — especially from the ownership part of the team,” said Carpenter, who confirmed that Reed would remain an ECR team owner despite no longer being affiliated with Fuzzy’s. “We’re all still firmly committed to building this and operating as a two-car team,” Carpenter continued. “To lose a sponsor, it’s never something you want to deal with, but we all firmly believe IndyCar is going in a good direction.

"Of all times to be in a position where we have some space available on the car, now’s definitely a better time to be dealing with and managing it than other times over our history. It’s not ideal, but at the same time, we’re on solid footing.”

Carpenter likens ECR’s situation to that of Chip Ganassi Racing when it lost longtime partner, Target, ahead of the 2017 season. Target was slowing pulling out of motor sports and forced Ganassi to look elsewhere for sponsorship for Scott Dixon’s No. 9 car.

It took some time, but eventually CGR came to terms with PNC Bank, which sponsored Dixon’s car throughout his championship-winning 2018 season.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Carpenter said. "Our plans aren’t changing at all from what they would have been if Fuzzy’s was returning to our team. Externally, any time something like this happens, there will be some people who start predicting our demise. That’s not the case as I see it. I can’t sit here today and tell you we know when we’ll have an announcement about what will be on my sidepods come May — or other races for that matter — but I’m confident we’ll fill those holes.

"I feel like it’s similar to the situation Chip was in a couple of years ago with Scott (Dixon’s) car. Hopefully we don’t run a fully white car as much as they did, but at the same time, when that happened, I I don’t think anyone had any question about whether they were going to continue. And that’s how I feel about our situation.”

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Facebook: @jimayello.