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IndyCar: Harding Racing announce full-time program with Gabby Chaves for 2018

By Mike Knapp

FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 09: Gabby Chaves, driver of the #88 Harding Group 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 Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 09: Gabby Chaves, driver of the #88 Harding Group 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 Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /
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Harding Racing were impressive in their three-race IndyCar Series debut. They announced on Friday a full-time effort for the 2018 season.

After an impressive IndyCar debut in three races in 2017, Harding Racing will officially be a full-time addition to the sport in the 2018 season.

The IndyCar grid officially grew by one spot Friday with the announcement that Harding Racing will be a full-time participant in 2018. Gabby Chaves will be the pilot of the No. 88 Chevrolet-powered machine as the team looks to build on their 2017 success.

Since Harding announced their entry into the Indianapolis 500 last April, speculation began that the team were looking to go full-time. That speculation only grew when Harding brought on Larry Curry as team manager and competition director.

Then in December, the team announced that Brian Barnhart, the former president of operations and race director at IndyCar, was coming on as president. The team also have two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. on the staff as a driver coach.

Barnhart had this to say to IndyCar.com:

"It’s definitely a feel-good thing. It erases any kind of doubt or question mark. You hear a lot of people make plans about trying to expand or do more but too often they don’t come to fruition. In this case, it feels great to have Mike Harding make that commitment to take Harding Racing and be a part of the Harding Group and become a full-season entrant in INDYCAR is definitely a feel-good thing."

With Chaves behind the wheel, Harding made their debut at the 2017 Indianapolis 500. The team finished ninth at Indy then found additional funding for two more races. Chaves then drove the car to a fifth place finish at Texas and later finished in 15th at Pocono.

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Along with the experience in the front office, in Chaves, Harding has an experienced and a respected driver in the cockpit. The 24-year-old Colombian is a Mazda Road to Indy graduate and 2014 Indy Lights champion.

Chaves’ IndyCar debut came in 2015 when he drove for Bryan Herta Autosport. Despite driving for an under-funded team, he finished 15th in the season points. That was good enough to earn him series Rookie of the Year honors.

Faced with funding problems, Chaves only drove in seven races in 2016 for Dale Coyne Racing. He appeared to be on the outside looking in for 2017 before Harding Racing came calling.

After two years on the “best drivers without a full-time ride list”, Chaves is happy for a bit of job security. He told RACER.com:

"For me, the path and the road to get back to full-time IndyCar racing was very trying and challenging; sometimes to the point where it looked like it wasn’t working out. But I got a blessing here with Harding last year, we put on a pretty good show with a competitive package to show that I belong here, and this is where I want to be. We did enough to extend my contract and now we can build for the future together."

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There was discussion that Harding Racing were looking to be a two-car team in 2018, but those rumors seemed to have quieted down for now. It remains to be seen if they will field a second program for the Indianapolis 500 in May. The IndyCar season kicks off March 9-11 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.