2019 NTT IndyCar SeriesOpen Wheel 

Did some news happen today? Barely noticed it. I'll just assume it was me putting enough money to have a third car for Coyne for 10 years. A Purple #74.
 
To me this seems to be potentially very significant news - a complete new McLaren Indy Car team probably assembled for more than one race and maybe more than one entry. Notice Zak made no mention of engine supplier. So I think what we will have here is a McLaren-Chevrolet, the first pairing of those names since the 70's. Numerous possibilities are raised, especially in connection with Penske.

The 2019 Indy 500 may have an entry approaching 40, even including Tony Stewart. And the passing will be more difficult due to the removal of the Kardashians. That will be a fraught affair, for sure.
 
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Northstar
Seems like there is a good chance of having a proper bump day for the second year in a row. :D
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I've heard 40 cars being spoken about. None of these teams really look to be massively off the pace so why not add an extra row or 2?
 
jake2013guy
I've heard 40 cars being spoken about. None of these teams really look to be massively off the pace so why not add an extra row or 2?
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Absolutely not. Let's not neuter one of the biggest redeeming qualities about IndyCar. Fastest 33. Period.
Northstar
Seems like there is a good chance of having a proper bump day for the second year in a row. :D
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Looking at 38-39 cars, depending on Carlin, Juncos, Dragonspeed, and Coyne. At least 5 drivers are going home, so hopefully everyone learned from Hinchcliffe last year.
 
The problem with expanding the field is it really dulls the excitement for the weeks of build up prior to the race. When you know every car will make the field there really isn't much incentive to follow practice sessions like there is when cars will pack up after qualifying is done. If it was a normal 1 weekend affair I would fully support a bigger field, but when they stretch it for nearly a month like they currently do I need something to keep me watching.

It does suck for the teams and sponsors though, but on the flip side if they're desperate to get on the grid there is always the possibility to cut a check to one of the (usually smaller) teams for their spot.
 
Northstar
The problem with expanding the field is it really dulls the excitement for the weeks of build up prior to the race. When you know every car will make the field there really isn't much incentive to follow practice sessions like there is when cars will pack up after qualifying is done. If it was a normal 1 weekend affair I would fully support a bigger field, but when they stretch it for nearly a month like they currently do I need something to keep me watching.

It does suck for the teams and sponsors though, but on the flip side if they're desperate to get on the grid there is always the possibility to cut a check to one of the (usually smaller) teams for their spot.
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Bump Day is so important when it happens. It's important for every moment of practice, because you end up spending your work day filtering out, "okay, what was the best no-tow laps? What was the wind speed? Who ran the most laps, and who had the longest single stint?" It's important for every member of the garage because every decision counts as time. And it counts for smaller teams, and there are a lot of them in IndyCar, to be able to leverage themselves when they do usurp a giant like Andretti and Penske. There is no need to suck the life out of the greatest race in the world by opening the gates and letting everyone in. Everyone is coming to IndyCar because they want to prove they can. Giving handouts just doesn't make sense, especially for Indy.
 
McLaren hired Bob Fernley to lead the 2019 Indy 500 effort. Pat of his job will also be to determine the possibility of running a full season in the future.

https://racer.com/2018/11/15/fernley-to-lead-mclaren-indycar-project/


Something big must be happening there either in F1 or Indycar. I can't see a company like McLaren hiring a guy like this just for one race. The only two scenarios I can think of are either McLaren will be running a full Indy season very soon or he will have a heavy hand in the F1 team soon. Really hoping its the former given the significance of the brand and its history at the 500.
 
Eva
Bump Day is so important when it happens. It's important for every moment of practice, because you end up spending your work day filtering out, "okay, what was the best no-tow laps? What was the wind speed? Who ran the most laps, and who had the longest single stint?" It's important for every member of the garage because every decision counts as time. And it counts for smaller teams, and there are a lot of them in IndyCar, to be able to leverage themselves when they do usurp a giant like Andretti and Penske. There is no need to suck the life out of the greatest race in the world by opening the gates and letting everyone in. Everyone is coming to IndyCar because they want to prove they can. Giving handouts just doesn't make sense, especially for Indy.
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Having more than 33 cars on track adds to the danger. I am NOT for it just on that thought.

But I totally and completely agree. If you can't make it into the 33, then you didn't prepare correctly to begin with.

I still remember the year I watched Penske NOT qualify any cars. That was NEWS!!!!
 
TRLWNC7396
Having more than 33 cars on track adds to the danger. I am NOT for it just on that thought.

But I totally and completely agree. If you can't make it into the 33, then you didn't prepare correctly to begin with.

I still remember the year I watched Penske NOT qualify any cars. That was NEWS!!!!
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And they took it they way it should be, they didn't ride buy, they went home and reset things and then came back to dominate.

Currently, this is what the 2019 Indianapolis 500 entry list could look like (bold is confirmed, italics are predictions):
AJ Foyt Enterprises-Chevrolet
#4: Matheus Leist
#14: Tony Kanaan
#33: James Davison
Andretti Autosport-Honda
#25: Stefan Wilson
#26: Zach Veach
#27: Alexander Rossi
#28: Ryan Hunter-Reay
#29: Carlos Munoz
#98: Marco Andretti
Carlin Racing-Chevrolet
#59: Max Chilton
#23: Charlie Kimball
#58: Conor Daly
Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda
#9: Scott Dixon
#10: Felix Rosenqvist
Dale Coyne Racing-Honda
#17: Santino Ferucci
#18: Sebastien Bourdais
#19: Pietro Fittipaldi
#63: Pippa Mann
Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet
#20: Ed Carpenter
#21: Spencer Pigot
#64: Ed Jones
Harding Steinbrenner Racing-Chevrolet
#8: Patricio O'Ward
#88: Colton Herta
Juncos Racing-Chevrolet
#31: Santiago Urrutia
#32: Kyle Kaiser
McLaren Racing-Chevrolet
#11: Fernando Alonso
Meyer Shank Racing-Honda
#60: Jack Harvey
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda
#15: Graham Rahal
#16: Jordan King
#30: Takuma Sato
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports-Honda
#5: James Hinchcliffe
#7: Marcus Ericsson
#77: Oriol Servia
Team Penske-Chevrolet
#2: Josef Newgarden
#3: Helio Castroneves
#12: Will Power
#22: Simon Pagenaud

Potential Entries
Dragonspeed
Lazier Partners Racing
 
I'd go with Daly in the 17, Ferrucci in the 19, RC Enerson in a Carlin. With Pietro's Haas role, I don't expect him to be in IndyCar next season.

Aren't you missing DRR?
 
Yeah, I don't expect to see Pietro Fittipaldi in an Indycar next year either. As for DRR, I think they will be back, but I can't see either J.R. Hildebrand or Sage Karam returning to that team because of things I had heard and read online...

Also, Ferrucci might be stuck in legal limbo with his former F2 team long enough that somebody like Zachary Claman De Melo might pick up the #19 DCR car full-time. Plus, Carlin might drop Charlie Kimball for somebody else and R.C. Enerson depending on whether or not certain rumors turn out to be true.
 
I’m betting for at least 40 entries in may. Should make bump day VERY interesting with the current format. Cars going for the fast 9 and cars trying not to be bumped all trying to get a spot in line
 
FutureF1
I’m betting for at least 40 entries in may. Should make bump day VERY interesting with the current format. Cars going for the fast 9 and cars trying not to be bumped all trying to get a spot in line
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It should be interesting to see if any of the faster teams even get more than 1 or 2 chances since I doubt any teams close to being bumped will hesitate to pull their time after how this year went.
 
jake2013guy
Ferrucci confirmed at Coyne. Nothing I've seen is public. From a DCR PR email.
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Was announced fully over an hour ago: https://racer.com/2018/11/20/ferruccis-full-time-coyne-ride-confirmed/

AJ Foyt Enterprises-Chevrolet
#4: Matheus Leist
#14: Tony Kanaan
#33: James Davison
Andretti Autosport-Honda
#25: Stefan Wilson
#26: Zach Veach
#27: Alexander Rossi
#28: Ryan Hunter-Reay
#29: Carlos Munoz
#98: Marco Andretti
Carlin Racing-Chevrolet
#59: Max Chilton
#23: Charlie Kimball
#58: RC Enerson
Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda
#9: Scott Dixon
#10: Felix Rosenqvist
Dale Coyne Racing-Honda
#17: Sebastian Saavedra
#18: Sebastien Bourdais
#19: Santino Ferrucci
#63: Pippa Mann
Dreyer and Reinbold Racing-Chevrolet
#24: Sage Karam
#66: J.R. Hildebrand
Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet
#20: Ed Carpenter
#21: Spencer Pigot
#64: Ed Jones
Harding Steinbrenner Racing-Chevrolet
#8: Patricio O'Ward
#88: Colton Herta
Juncos Racing-Chevrolet
#31: Zachary Claman de Melo
#32: Kyle Kaiser
McLaren Racing-Chevrolet
#11: Fernando Alonso
Meyer Shank Racing-Honda
#60: Jack Harvey
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda
#15: Graham Rahal
#16: Jordan King
#30: Takuma Sato
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports-Honda
#5: James Hinchcliffe
#7: Marcus Ericsson
#77: Oriol Servia
Team Penske-Chevrolet
#2: Josef Newgarden
#3: Helio Castroneves
#12: Will Power
#22: Simon Pagenaud

Potential Entries
Dragonspeed
Lazier Partners Racing
 
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