IndyCar: Zachary Claman DeMelo to drive part-time in #19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda

Zachary Claman DeMelo has been confirmed as one of two part-time drivers for Dale Coyne Racing’s #19 Honda in the 2018 IndyCar season.

Dale Coyne Racing team owner Dale Coyne recently announced that the team’s second car, the #19 Honda, would have to have multiple drivers driving it throughout the 2018 IndyCar season since no single driver could come up with the funding.

It was speculated long before that announcement came that 19-year-old Zachary Claman DeMelo would end up driving the #19 Honda in a part-time role at the very least.

After his test for the team at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, which Coyne was impressed with, and Coyne’s announcement that the #19 Honda would be driven by at least two part-time drivers in the 2018 season, Claman DeMelo remained a front-runner to get time behind the wheel of the car.

More from IndyCar

Coyne made it clear last week that he intended to name Claman DeMelo as one of the car’s two part-time drivers in the 2018 season. Now, the 19-year-old has officially been confirmed as one of those two drivers.

Claman DeMelo is set to drive in 10 races throughout the 2018 season, with his first race set to be the season opener in St. Petersburg .

Claman DeMelo and the other part-time driver of the #19 Honda, which is set to be 21-year-old Pietro Fittipaldi, could both drive in the Indianapolis 500 in May. Fittipaldi is set to drive the #19 Honda in that race, with Claman DeMelo possibly driving an additional entry for Dale Coyne Racing. However, Claman DeMelo’s entry in the race has not yet been confirmed. The team’s lone full-time driver, Sebastien Bourdais, and Indianapolis 500 regular Pippa Mann are the other drivers set to drive for the team in the race.

We plan to publish an article regarding the complete driver schedule for the #19 Honda throughout the 2018 season.

Here is what Claman DeMelo had to say about getting this opportunity, according to Autosport.

"“Paysafe [the #19 car’s primary sponsor] helped me attain a life ambition last September when I made my IndyCar series debut in Sonoma. I am hugely grateful for their ongoing support as I prepare for the forthcoming races. I feel proud to be representing their brand again on the race track and I shall be doing all I can to get the car into victory lane.”"

In the last two seasons, Claman DeMelo drove in the Indy Lights Series. In 2016, he drove for Juncos Racing, and in 2017, he drove for Carlin Motorsport. He finished in 9th place in the championship standings in the 2016 season after recording three top 5 finishes in the season’s 18 races, including a top finish of 4th place at Road America.

In the 2017 season, Claman DeMelo won his first career Indy Lights race at Road America. He added three more podium finishes in the other 15 races of the season en route to a career-high 5th place finish in the championship standings.

Also in 2017, Claman DeMelo made one IndyCar start. He drove the #13 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the season finale at Sonoma Raceway. He started the race in 21st place and finished it in 17th.

Next: Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time

How will Zachary Claman DeMelo do in his first season as a part-time IndyCar driver driving the #19 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing? The season is set to begin on Sunday, March 11th with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, a race that he is set to drive in.