INDIANAPOLIS - James Hinchcliffe just wanted a chance to be the No. 1 driver for an IndyCar contender.Hes about to get that shot.The 27-year-old Canadian signed a multiyear contract with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, a move that pairs one of the series most popular drivers with an up-and-coming team that has championship aspirations.Everyone wants to know if they can perform and Im putting myself on trial a little bit, Hinchcliffe said at Tuesdays announcement.Team co-owner Ric Peterson said Hinchcliffe would inherit the No. 77 car that was so successful with Frances Simon Pagenaud last season. He did not reveal Hinchcliffes primary sponsor. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.The announcement ends speculation about where Hinchcliffe would land after a three-year run with one of the leagues most formidable teams Andretti Autosport.While there, Hinchcliffe won three races and emerged as one of the series most popular and marketable drivers by embracing social media. He became the self-appointed Mayor of Hinchtown, engaged with fans and now is promoting his own beer brand Hinchtown Hammer Down Golden Ale.With all that on the table, Andretti would have preferred to re-sign the young driver. But Hinchcliffe couldnt afford to wait much longer.We are happy to have had Hinch as part of the team over the past three years and have enjoyed our successes together, Andretti said. As a former driver, I understand him having to make the decision he did, he needed to cover himself. I wish that we could have resolved a deal to secure him for 2015, but we are not in that position yet. Were sorry to see him go, but wish him the best.Last season, Hinchcliffe made 18 starts, had four top-five finishes, eight top-10s and finished 12th in points.On Tuesday, he repeatedly said he harboured no ill will toward his former team or his ex-teammates. Hinchcliffe, Marco Andretti, Carlos Munoz and Ryan Hunter-Reay did face some unique challenges in 2014. At times, they raced hard not only against the field but also against one another something Hinchcliffe said he only expects to intensify in 2015 now that they will be competing on different teams.Theyve been phenomenal teammates and even better friends, Hinchcliffe said. We beat up each other on the track and then would go out for a beer, and I think that will be the same way this year.Hinchcliffe, a native of Oakville, Ont., already has an impressive resume. He was the series 2011 rookie of the year, finished eighth in points in 2012 and 13, qualified second at Indianapolis in 2012 and 14 and had finished a career-best sixth at the series marquee race in 2012.Tuesdays move could be another big step for SPM.In just three seasons, the low-funded, upstart Schmidt Peterson team has become the biggest threat to the series power structure. Pagenaud finished fifth in points last season the best finish for a driver who didnt work for Andretti, Chip Ganassi or Roger Penske.Pagenauds recent move to Penskes team opened the door for Hinchcliffe and it didnt take long for Peterson, Sam Schmidt or general manager Rob Edwards to make the offer.Ive been aware of James since 2006, and three years ago when we looked at drivers then he was someone we looked at, Edwards said. I think hes progressed as a driver.Why make the move?Hinchcliffe said he had more experience running with a two-car team, already had some relationships with team members at SPM and, yes, dreamed of the chance to be the lead dog on a team that could win both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar championship.And that was too good to pass up.It was frustrating competing against these guys the last couple of years, Hinchcliffe said. Hopefully, we can make this team grow. 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The agreement comes a little more than one week after the video game manufacturer agreed to a $40 million settlement in a similar but separate case, bringing the total payout planned for athletes to $60 million, said Steve Berman, an attorney for the plaintiffs, and the NCAA.TAMPA, Fla. -- A week after finding a way to keep Ryan Callahan in Tampa Bay, the Lightning have landed two of his former teammates to help him. Defenceman Anton Stralman was lured to the Lightning as a free agent on Tuesday with a $22.5 million, five-year contract. He scored one goal and had 13 assists last season for the New York Rangers, and had five assists in 25 playoff games. A few hours later, centre Brian Boyle became the second member of the Eastern Conference champions to join the Lightning on the opening day of NHL free agency when he agreed to a three-year contract. Meanwhile, general manager Steve Yzermans search for a backup goaltender snared Evgeni Nabokov, a veteran of 13 NHL seasons who was with the New York Islanders last season. Stralman, 27, has 18 career goals and 112 points over seven seasons with the Rangers, Columbus and Toronto. Stralman had career highs with six goals and 34 points with the Blue Jackets during the 2009-10 season. The addition of Stralman, Boyle and Nabokov bolsters a roster that many felt would lose Callahan to free agency because his asking price might be too high.dddddddddddd Instead, the veteran right wing obtained in the trade that sent Martin St. Louis to the Rangers late last season signed a six-year, $34.8 million to remain in Tampa Bay. Yzerman, who made a trio of cost-saving trades over the weekend to create additional salary cap space for the start of free agency Tuesday, also announced the signing of right wing Mike Blunden, who appeared in seven games for the Montreal Canadiens last season. Forward Mike Angelidis was re-signed to a one-year, two-way contract. The flurry of activity as free agency began came on the heels of the Lightning trading forward Teddy Purcell to Edmonton in exchange for Sam Gagner, who was in turn packaged with B.J. Crombeen and sent to Phoenix for a draft pick. Yzerman capped a busy weekend by trading veteran forward Nate Thompson to Anaheim for two draft picks late Sunday. The moves created more than $5 million in cap space, giving the Lightning about $13 million heading into free agency. ' ' '