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Indy 500: J.R. Hildebrand deal with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing still not official

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: JR Hildebrand, driver of the #21 Preferred Freezer Service Chevrolet, leads a group of cars during the 101st Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: JR Hildebrand, driver of the #21 Preferred Freezer Service Chevrolet, leads a group of cars during the 101st Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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J.R. Hildebrand’s probable Indy 500 deal with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has still not yet been confirmed despite the fact that there are less than two months until the race.

J.R. Hildebrand has been rumored to be the second driver for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500, which is the sixth race of the 2018 IndyCar season. It has been speculated for over a month that he would soon be confirmed as the team’s second driver in the race.

This year’s Indy 500 is set to be Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s first two-car effort in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” since the 2011 running of the event during which Davey Hamilton, Ana Beatriz, Paul Tracy and the late Justin Wilson drove for the team.

In each of the six Indy 500 races since the conclusion of the 2011 edition of the race, Dreyer & Reinbold have fielded one one entry — no more, no less.

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The team’s other driver for this year’s running of the race, 23-year-old Sage Karam, was confirmed as the driver of the #24 Chevrolet in the race for the team this year for the third consecutive year. He was confirmed as the driver of the car at the end of February.

However, while it is undoubtedly still overwhelmingly likely that Hildebrand will end up driving the team’s second car, the 30-year-old veteran has still not yet been confirmed as one of the team’s two drivers despite the fact that there are now less than two months to go until the race.

While it would be naïve, at this point anyway, to speculate that Hildebrand will not end up driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the race, it is quite interesting that he has still not been confirmed as the team’s second driver for the race given the fact that it was stated that he would be confirmed as the team’s second driver for the race over one month ago now.

Hildebrand has driven in each of the last seven Indy 500 races, so it would be a surprise not to see him race in this year’s running of the event. He has four top 10 finishes in those seven starts, including his infamous 2nd place finish in his first Indy 500 attempt in 2011 after he hit the wall in turn four on the final lap of the race while he was leading.

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When will J.R. Hildebrand officially be confirmed as the second driver for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 this May? Be sure to tune in to ABC at 11:00 am ET on Sunday, May 27th to watch the race live.