Insider: 5 predictions for IndyCar in 2016

SONOMA, Calif. -- Now that the IndyCar Series season has come to an end with the thrilling win by Scott Dixon to capture his second series title in three years, we can cast an eye toward 2016.

Here are five predictions from IndyCar Insider Curt Cavin:

Season to span six months: It's still not ideal, but it beats this year which ran only five months (late-March to late-August). The St. Petersburg race is moving forward two weeks, and it's expected Sonoma Raceway will move back at least two weeks. That should be the start and finish. The question is, how many events fit in between?

Three events added, three dropped: Road America and Boston have been confirmed as host sites for next year, and Phoenix International Raceway likely will be. Auto Club Speedway is out and NOLA Motorsports Park surely is. The Milwaukee Mile and Pocono Raceway are both on the fence. Surely one will make the cut, but which one? Best guess is Milwaukee.

Newgarden returns to Honda: This is the biggest wild card of the offseason , and Newgarden holds his cards close. Honda desperately needs another top-shelf driver, particularly with the loss of Justin Wilson, and Newgarden (two wins this year with Chevrolet-powered CFH) is one. Is he placed at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing or Andretti Autosport? Even money says the latter.

Jay Frye will be named series president: Mark Miles needs someone to run the day-to-day business now that Derrick Walker is gone, and Frye, a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner, has the business and leadership skills to be that person. He's also already on IndyCar's payroll, which helps.

Will Power wins the championship: The 2014 series champion had sufficient speed this year, winning a series-leading six poles, but he often fell on the wrong side of caution flags. These things have a way of evening out, and Power, who had only one win this season, should get back to three-plus wins as he had the previous five years.