As How Many Chevrolet entries will line-up next
year?
Now that the 2021 IndyCar season’s over, I
suppose all that’s left to Speculate over the impending Winter months is Who’ll land where aboard the multiple
unconfirmed seats for next year…
Alas ,
here’s what I’ve “Gleanded” over the past few months, mostly from Racer’s
Marshall Pruett’s Silly Season Updates. Whilst I also enjoy listening to the
IndyStar’s Motorsports Beat Reporter Nathan Browne’s take upon the fluid Driver
Market. Although in typical No Fenders prose, has grown into another Monstrous tome,
and Hence, I’m breaking it up into Two Part Harmony…
Chevrolet
(2) Arrow McLaren SP: #5 Pato O’Ward, #7 Felix Rosenqvist; (2) Ed
Carpenter Racing: #20 Ed Carpenter, #21 Rinus VeeKay; (1) Juncos Hollinger Racing:
#77 R-Callum Ilott; (3) Team Penske: #2 Josef Newgarden, #3 Scott McLaughlin,
#12 Will Power.
(R = Rookie)
Hence by my very Quick, Unofficial count, this
gives us 8 Confirmed Chevy entries, leaving us with 4-9 Seats unoccupied, (Available)
which I’ll just Jot my first impressions below.
A.J. foyt Enterprises
(2) #4 TBA, #14 TBA
I’d like to Arse-sume that Sebastien Bourdais
will return aboard the No. 14 next year, although think I just “read” somewhere
that the Frenchman is focusing more on a Fulltime Sports Car campaign and just
running for ‘Ol superTex’, nee A.J. Foyt when his schedule doesn’t conflict?
While Scuttlebutt suggest Dalton Kellett will remain in the No. 4 due to his
healthy Family K Line Insulators backing. Not sure if we could see Tatiana
Calderon making her IndyCar debut next year, or if the team runs a third entry;
perhaps Charlie Kimball in the #11?
Funny how after I’d scribbled those comments
above; the very same evening via my NFB Newsline for The Blind telephone service,
I listend to the IndyStar’s Nathan Browne repeating the very same comments
about Sebastien Bourdais, but also noting that an IMSA Source claims that
Bordais has signed to drive Fulltime aboard one of Chip Ganassi’s Cadillac DPi
VR Prototypes next year, and if he did also drive for Foyt’s IndyCar team,
there’s at least four IMSA Sports Car races that would conflict, so who knows,
Eh?
Carlin
(1) #59 TBA
Presumably Max Chilton will return for another
season of running just the Twisties’, i.e.; Road Courses and Street Circuits
plus the Indianapolis 500 per usual next year. Which in turn would see conor
Daly filling in on the other three Oval tracks, as Iowa’s a Double Header outing.
But the part I like about Carlin, and it’s pure
speculation once again. But believe Pruett’s noted how one possibility of
getting Carlin to two full season entries would be the addition of Indy Lights
Frontrunner David Malukas and his HMD Motorsports concern.
As I’d like to see this happen, instead of
Malukas running a third car at Foyt, since that’s primarily where Drivers
careers falter! As just look at the long list of Foyt Castoffs…
Ed Carpenter Racing
(1) #20 TBA
So the $64,000 Question is will the U.s. Air
force sign off on sponsoring Conor Daly for another season as the Boss Fast Eddie’s
Twisties’ Specialist? Or could The Dude! Ryan Hunter-Reay land here instead?
Since I think the talks of F1 Refugee Nico Hulkenberg are a longshot.
But I’d really like to see Ed Carpenter just run
himself in a third part-time entry and have Conor or whoever run a Full season
campaign instead, since this situation doesn’t breed season long continuity…
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Otay, we already know that the team’s inked
promising Brit’ youngster Callum Ilott to a Fulltime Gig next year. So this is
pure conjecture, but; thought I read per Marshall Pruett or somebody else on
Racer.com? That in a perfect world “scenario,” JHR would like to run a veteran driver
alongside Rookie Ilott. This naturally got me thinking why not Ryan
Hunter-Reay? As he’d be the perfect fit and definitely lend credibility to their
IndyCar effort. Although they’ve gotta do something about their mechanical
maladies, since I’ve started pondering is Thar such a thingy’ as “Start ‘N Park”
IndyCar efforts?
As I’m Not trying to imply Anything here, since
I’ve always been a Huge Fan of Riccardo Juncos, but I’m left scratching my Noggin’
over why they along with A.J. Foyt’s Dalton Kellett entries always seem to Grind
to a Whimpering Halt Mid-race due to Thar Chevy’s supposedly Quitting.
Although in fairness, I recall that Kevin
Magnussen making his IndyCar debut for Arrow McLaren SP suffered the same exact
maladies, so this seems to be a Chevy engine ting instead, Righto?
Team Penske and Others…
The predominant thinking is that El Capitano’,
nee roger Penske will cut back to just three cars next season, so No News here,
albeit I started wondering what they’d do with the Crew Members of Simon
Pagenaud’s car? And who could Penske run in a “One Off” for the Month of May
Double, i.e.; Indy GP and Indianapolis 500? Or just keep the “Band” together to
morph into their upcoming Porsche Sports Car effort?
Meanwhile I’ve got Zero Clue on whether we’ll see the return of Top gun Racing or Paretta Motorsports next year at more races? Other than presumably another go at the Indy 500…