Why IndyCar needs Sage Karam in the series full-time

By Asher Fair | Jan 13, 2018

FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 05: Sage Karam, driver of the #8 Lexar Chevrolet, looks on during practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 5, 2015 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MAY 5: Indy Car driver Sage Karam (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Sage Karam has never driven a full IndyCar season. But the series could definitely use the 22-year-old American now more than ever.

Of drivers who have had full-time rides in IndyCar, Conor Daly comes to mind when it comes to drivers without a full-time ride for 2018 who deserve one. But when it comes to all IndyCar drivers without a full-time ride, 2013 Indy Lights Series champion Sage Karam comes to mind as the most deserving driver. In fact, he is a driver who IndyCar needs.

With so much proven talent and ability, which we be discussed in depth later in this article, Karam is not a driver who should be racing just one race every season, which is what he has done in three of the last four seasons.

As a high school senior in May of 2014, 19-year-old Sage Karam wasn’t at his high school prom. But to be honest, I’m not sure how many high schools seniors would be at their high school prom if they had the opportunity to do what Karam was busy doing — qualifying for the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500.

After qualifying in 31st place for the race in the #22 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet, Karam caught the eye of IndyCar teams around the paddock when he moved through the field, up 22 positions to be exact, on race day en route to a 9th place finish just 3.2848 seconds behind race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay.