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IndyCar: Carlos Munoz to drive in 2018 Indianapolis 500 for Andretti Autosport

By Asher Fair

FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 09: Carlos Munoz, driver of the #14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet, prepares to practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 09: Carlos Munoz, driver of the #14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet, prepares to practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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Carlos Munoz is set to return to Andretti Autosport in the 2018 IndyCar season as a driver in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

While he will not have a full-time ride in the 2018 IndyCar season, 26-year-old Carlos Munoz will still be driving in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500, and he will be doing so for Andretti Autosport, his former team, in the #29 Honda.

Munoz made his first IndyCar appearance in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 driving for the team and finished in 2nd place. The following three seasons, he drove in the race as a full-time driver for Andretti Autosport, and he finished in 4th, 20th and 2nd place, respectively.

This past season, Takuma Sato replaced Munoz at Andretti Autosport and won the Indianapolis 500. Munoz, meanwhile, drove as a full-time driver for A.J. Foyt Enterprises as Sato’s replacement and finished in 10th place in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.

By joining Andretti Autosport for the 2018 Indianapolis 500, the chances for Munoz to land a full-time ride for next season were not done any favors. However, he is excited about the opportunity to return to his former team, the team with which he has experienced the majority of his open-wheel success.

Here is what Munoz had to say about the opportunity, according to Motorsport.com.

"“I am very excited to be a part of Andretti Autosport again. The team has been like family to me since Day 1, when I joined them five years ago to race Indy Lights. We have been so close to winning the Indy 500 – twice with the team – so I am especially excited to be back for that race and hopefully we will have a good result this year.“I need to thank Michael [Andretti, team owner and CEO] and J-F [Thormann, team VP and COO] for believing in me and wanting me to back in their car for the Indy 500.“I am also excited to be back with my teammates, and I think we will continue to work really well together. We have six cars, so hopefully we will have a strong team working with the new [aerokit]. I am really looking forward to it – hopefully we can finally get that win we’ve been so close to.”"

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Andretti Autosport has four full-time drivers. Those drivers are Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi and Zach Veach. The team’s fifth driver for the Indianapolis 500 is Stefan Wilson, and Munoz is set to be their sixth.

Munoz spent three seasons as a full-time driver for Andretti Autosport from 2014 to 2016 before swapping places with Takuma Sato and going to A.J. Foyt Enterprises this past season and having the least successful season of his career. This was largely due to the fact that the team’s cars were simply not on the same level as those of other teams. Munoz’s top finish of the season was 7th place, which was the worst top finish among all full-time drivers.

After the season concluded, the team replaced both of their drivers for the second year in a row, leaving Munoz without a full-time ride for 2018.

Next: 5 reasons destroying Walt Disney World Speedway was a mistake

Will Carlos Munoz secure his first career Indianapolis 500 victory in 2018 driving for Andretti Autosport? With his track history being as great as it is, especially as a driver for the team, he should certainly be one of the favorites to get the job done in May.