Beyond the Flag
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IndyCar: Early Silly Season Driver Lineup for 2018

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: Helio Castroneves of Brazil, driver of the #3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, leads a group of cars during the 101st Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: Helio Castroneves of Brazil, driver of the #3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, leads a group of cars during the 101st Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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FORT WORTH, TX – JUNE 09: JR Hildebrand, driver of the #21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX – JUNE 09: JR Hildebrand, driver of the #21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet

ED CARPENTER. #20. Ed Carpenter will drive the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet on the oval tracks for as long as he wants to while another driver gets behind the wheel of the car for the road and street course races. Seeing as how he has not won a race in over three years, he will definitely still want to drive the car part-time on the ovals in the 2018 season while another driver drives it on the road and street courses, just as the case as been since the start of the 2014 season.. Ed Carpenter Racing. Chevrolet

#20. In his replacement role for Sebastien Bourdais in the #18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda, Esteban Gutierrez hasn’t been flashy, but he has been more than solid and his results have been consistent. He has proven that he can compete on the IndyCar level, especially when he gets more experience under his belt. A ride as the road and street course specialist for Ed Carpenter Racing could be the bridge he needs to really get his IndyCar career going so that he can end up with a full-time ride one day.. Ed Carpenter Racing. Chevrolet. ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ

#21. JR Hildebrand has been arguably the fastest driver on oval tracks so far in the 2017 season despite the fact that he hasn’t driven in IndyCar as a full-time driver since 2012. He was never a great road and street course driver, but he has had some solid races on those types of tracks this season that he can build upon next season to become a better all-around driver. There are plenty of ways to go wrong for Ed Carpenter Racing in terms of who the driver of the #21 car is. Hildebrand isn’t one of them.. Ed Carpenter Racing. Chevrolet. JR HILDEBRAND