IndyCar: Post-Season Driver Grades

C. Despite the fact that he finished the season with seven straight finishes outside of the top 12 while all of the other full-time drivers had at least one top 9 finish, Rookie of the Year Ed Jones still ended up having a solid overall rookie season. He finished in 3rd place in the Indianapolis 500 and had four other top 10 finishes as well. He was forced into the role as Dale Coyne Racing’s top driver after his veteran teammate Sebastien Bourdais was sidelined with injuries he sustained in his Indianapolis 500 qualifying crash, and Jones responded well to that adversity.. No. 19. Dale Coyne Racing, Honda. ED JONES

B. Unfortunately, Sebastien Bourdais missed nine of the 17 races this season due to the fact that he broke his pelvis and his right hip in a crash while attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. However, in the eight races he did compete this year, he finished six of them, and he finished five of those six races in the top 10. Included in those five top 10 finishes are a win in the season-opener at St. Petersburg and a 2nd place finish at Long Beach.. No. 18. Dale Coyne Racing, Honda. SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS