IndyCar: Jay Howard to drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in Indianapolis 500

By Asher Fair | Feb 20, 2018

WATKINS GLEN, NY - JULY 05: Jay Howard drives the #24 Roth Racing Dallara Honda during qualifying for the IRL IndyCar Series Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on July 5, 2008 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) /

Jay Howard is set to return to IndyCar to drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 this May.

Jay Howard, 37, is set to return to IndyCar as the driver of the #7 Honda for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in this year’s running of the Indianapolis 500, which is the 102nd edition of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.

Howard made his return to IndyCar last year following a six-year hiatus, and he did so driving the #77 Honda for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the Indianapolis 500. He had not previously driven in IndyCar since the 2011 season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which ended up being canceled as a result of a 15-car crash that caused the death of Dan Wheldon.

Howard drove the #77 Honda as the team’s third car last season since the #7 Honda was used as the team’s second full-time car along with the #5 Honda. This season, the #5 Honda and #6 Honda are set to be used as full-time cars, so Howard is set to drive the #7 Honda as opposed to the #77 Honda in the Indianapolis 500.

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In the Indianapolis 500, Howard is set to join the two Schmidt Peterson Motorsports full-time drivers, who are James Hinchcliffe, who drives the #5 Honda, and Robert Wickens, the rookie who drives the #6 Honda. Jack Harvey is also set to drive the #60 in the race for Michael Shank Racing, which formed a partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports this offseason.

Howard, the 2006 Indy Lights champion, has driven in the Indianapolis 500 twice before, but he has crashed out in both attempts. He failed to qualify for the race in 2010 and finished in 30th place in 2011. Last season, he finished in last place, 33rd place, after being involved in one of the worst wrecks that Indianapolis Motor Speedway has seen in a long time.

Here is a video of that wreck, which took place on lap 53 of the race.

In 13 career IndyCar starts, Howard has just six finishes and career-high finishes of 13th place at Motegi and Kansas in the 2008 season. He last finished a race when he finished in 20th place in the second Texas race in the 2011 season.

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Will Jay Howard finish this year’s Indianapolis 500 in the #7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda and possibly even secure a career-high result? The race is scheduled for Sunday, May 27th.