IndyCar: DragonSpeed looking to join part-time in 2019

DragonSpeed are aiming to field an entry in select races in the 2019 IndyCar season, including the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500.

The has been a lot of talk surrounding potential new entrants to IndyCar in the 2019 season after two teams, Harding Racing and Carlin Motorsport, joined the sport on a full-time basis this season to grow the series full-time team total from eight to 10.

Now there are rumors that DragonSpeed are looking to join IndyCar next season, although they would only join on a part-time basis as opposed to a full-time basis. One of the races in which they would field an entry would be the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500.

DragonSpeed are an American racing team that currently compete in the European Le Mans Series, the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They were founded in 2007 by Elton Julian.

Here is what Julian had to say about DragonSpeed potentially fielding an entry in the 2019 IndyCar season, according to RACER.com.

"“The biggest interest to take DragonSpeed to IndyCar comes from the championship itself, and all the kudos go to what they’ve been achieving there. It’s a step up, and I do consider it a step up from LMP1. I want my team to continue to grow, and IndyCar has a lot of attractive things going for it.”“I’m turning 44 which means I’m relatively young in the field of owners, and who wouldn’t want to be in Formula 1, but unless a billionaire shows up and wants to take us there, IndyCar is the more realistic place for us because we can make the decision now and on our own."

Julian added the following about DragonSpeed potentially joining IndyCar on a part-time basis next year, according to Motorsport.com.

"“We’ve been focused on GT racing and prototype racing, having some success there. But we’re running out of places on the racing ladder, so where do we go next? Formula 1 is obviously not realistic, but IndyCar is. The budgets we’re spending now, the performance, and the people on engineering and crew are all open-wheel [experienced] guys already.“[IndyCar is] such a natural fit, and with the way we’re going with the WEC’s winter season after the superseason, it means in a way we could do both. All that kind of brought the moment together, where we needed to look at it.“IndyCar is in a position to capitalize on their latest decisions with the [new car] looks and the racing on track and the new broadcast package. That matters a lot in the US when I go to ad agencies and people like that, that stability is really believed in. I want to make it happen while we have momentum and intention.”"

Read more of what Julian had to say here and here.

Other teams that have been rumored as possible new teams in the 2019 IndyCar season include McLaren, Scuderia Corsa, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and even Steinbrenner Racing. McLaren competed in last year’s Indy 500 with Fernando Alonso and Scuderia Corsa competed in this year’s Indy 500 with Oriol Servia.