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IndyCar: Patricio O’Ward won’t drive for Carlin at Iowa or Gateway

By Asher Fair

SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Patricio O'Ward of Mexico driver of the #8 Harding Racing Chevrolet during qualifying for the Verizon IndyCar Series Sonoma Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Patricio O'Ward of Mexico driver of the #8 Harding Racing Chevrolet during qualifying for the Verizon IndyCar Series Sonoma Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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Patricio O’Ward will not drive for Carlin in the IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway or Gateway Motorsports Park in July and August later this season.

Rookie Patricio O’Ward signed a 13-race deal to drive for Carlin throughout the 17-race 2019 IndyCar season. In addition to the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he was set to drive in the 12 races that Charlie Kimball was not set to drive in.

However, the 20-year-old Mexican is no longer set to compete in two of the remaining eight races on this deal, as he is no longer set to compete in the race at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 20 or the race at Gateway Motorsports Park, now known as World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, on Saturday, August 24.

Here is what Carlin team owner Trevor Carlin had to say about the matter, according to Autosport.

"“[Patricio] is doing the races we originally agreed to, with the exception of Iowa and Gateway.”"

Carlin are still set to field two cars in these two races, one for full-time driver Max Chilton and another for a part-time driver, but it has not yet been revealed who the team’s part-time driver or drivers will be in these two races. Here is what Trevor Carlin had to say about the matter.

"“We will run two cars for the whole season.”"

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With O’Ward, who was signed by the Red Bull Junior Team earlier this month, having failed to qualify for the Indy 500, his deal is now effectively a 10-race deal, as he has competed in four of the season’s first six races and is set to compete in six more.

O’Ward is set to compete in the two races of this weekend’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway on Belle Isle, and he is then set to compete in the race at Road America on Sunday, June 23, the race on the streets of Toronto, Ontario on Sunday, July 14, the race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday, July 28 and the race at Portland International Raceway on Sunday, September 1.

In four starts so far this season, O’Ward has recorded a top starting position of eighth place and a career-high finishing position of eighth. He recorded both in his season debut at Circuit of the Americas.

O’Ward’s average starting position in these four races is 13.50 and his average finishing position is 13.75. He sits in 22nd place in the championship standings, which is two positions higher than full-time teammate Chilton, who also failed to qualify for the Indy 500.

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Who will drive for Carlin as the teammate to Max Chilton in the IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway later this season with Patricio O’Ward no longer set to compete in them?