IndyCar: Spencer Pigot out at Ed Carpenter Racing

Spencer Pigot will not return to Ed Carpenter Racing in the 2020 IndyCar season after spending four seasons with the team, including two as a full-time driver.

After driving in three races for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the 2016 IndyCar season using the $1 million scholarship he earned by winning the 2015 Indy Lights championship, Spencer Pigot landed a ride with Ed Carpenter Racing, and he has driven for the team ever since.

In the 2016 season, Pigot served as the driver of the #20 Chevrolet in the road and street course races following the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the 2017 season, he drove the #20 Chevrolet in all 12 of the road and street course races.

The 26-year-old Orlando, Florida native replaced J.R. Hildebrand as the full-time driver of the #21 Chevrolet ahead of the 2018 season, and he continue driving full-time for the team in the 2019 season.

But Pigot will not return to Ed Carpenter Racing in the 2020 season. Here is what he had to say, according to RACER.

"“I’m appreciative of the opportunity ECR gave me. I understand the reasons they had to go in a different direction, and wish them all the best.”"

More from IndyCar

Pigot has competed in 56 races, including 53 for Ed Carpenter Racing and 34 as a full-time driver for the team. His best finish is his second place finish in the race at Iowa Speedway in the 2018 season, and he recorded four top five finishes and 15 top 10 finishes. He finished in 14th in the championship standings in both of his seasons as a full-time driver.

A report from gplatestnews.nl indicated that Rinus VeeKay, who has been on Ed Carpenter Racing’s radar and tested multiple times for the team, is set to replace Pigot behind the wheel of the #21 Chevrolet next year, as was speculated by Beyond the Flag last month.

Ed Carpenter, who has driven for his own team in the oval races since the 2014 season after driving full-time for the team in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, is the only driver under contract with Ed Carpenter Racing for next year.

Ed Jones, who drove for the team in the road and street courses in 2019 via a partnership with sports car team Scuderia Corsa, is not expected to return to the team in 2020 and hasn’t been expected to do so for several months. Whether or not Scuderia Corsa continue to compete in IndyCar also remains to be seen.

dark. Next. Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time

The 2020 IndyCar season is not scheduled to get underway for another four months on Sunday, March 15 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the St. Petersburg, Florida, but with this news about Spencer Pigot now official, Ed Carpenter Racing are in position to confirm their lone full-time driver in the near future.