Josef Newgarden Officially Leaves Ed Carpenter Racing

Josef Newgarden officially announced his departure from Ed Carpenter Racing on Thursday, but not where the IndyCar star will be driving in 2017.

Confirming months of IndyCar speculation, Josef Newgarden’s departure from Ed Carpenter Racing became official on Thursday as the team issued a statement saying that the Tennessee native will not return for the 2017 season.

Newgarden informed team owner Ed Carpenter of his intent to leave on Thursday and Carpenter subsequently had the following to say through the league:

"While it’s disappointing that Josef will not be returning, it’s also not a total surprise after all of the speculation the past few weeks. I wish Josef the best in his future endeavors, but also remain focused on ECR’s continued success. We are positioned well moving into 2017 and I have total confidence that we will continue to deliver the high level of performance we expect as a team."

Today’s developments only make clear where Newgarden won’t be driving next year, as he has yet to make an official declaration about his future.

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However, current rumors have him headed to Team Penske and taking over the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet from 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, whose contract also expired at the end of this season.

But Newgarden’s exit from ECR may have been the worst-kept secret in IndyCar. He was already the focus of departure rumors last off-season, and many took his signing just a one-year deal with Carpenter as an indication that he would test the free agent market again this year.

His future has been the hottest topic in the league for months, with Carpenter admitting that he didn’t think the team could keep him and friend James Hinchcliffe saying that Newgarden was always interested in driving for a major team.

Now it seems he’s going to have that opportunity.

Carpenter did not discuss who Ed Carpenter Racing will have on the grid in 2017. Newgarden was the team’s only full-time driver, with Carpenter and rookie Spencer Pigot splitting time in the No. 20 entry.

Carpenter will return to the No. 20 for the half-dozen oval races, but he’s the only confirmed driver at this time. Still, it’s only a few weeks since the end of the 2016 season, so there’s plenty of time for someone to fill Newgarden’s seat.

Undoubtedly, however, his exit is a major blow to the team that’s had its ups and downs over the last few years, including a failed merger with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing that lasted just one season. Will they be able to find anyone with the star power of Newgarden?

As for the Tennessee native he’s now exiting what’s been the only IndyCar organization he’s ever driven for. Newgarden made his big-league debut with SFHR in 2012, stayed with it through the merger into CFH Racing, and remained as it reverted to ECR this season.

He’s had the two best seasons of his career in 2015 and 2016, finishing a career-best fourth in the title hunt this year, and with several veteran drivers having contracts up in the air this was his best chance to make a team change if he ever wanted to.

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Now with Newgarden seemingly off the market – it would be ridiculous for him to announce his exit from ECR without being confident that he’d land somewhere else – all eyes will likely turn to Alexander Rossi, who is rumored to be staying at Andretti Autosport but has yet to formally say as much.

What do you think of Josef Newgarden leaving Ed Carpenter Racing?