At the completion of the 2011 season, Dan Wheldon was due to sign a contract to return to the team in 2012 in the car vacated by Patrick. He was killed in an accident during the season-ending 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship, leaving the future of the #7 GoDaddy team uncertain. In January it was announced that 2011 IndyCar rookie of the year James Hinchcliffe would drive the GoDaddy car renumbered to #27.