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IndyCar: Spencer Pigot lands two-race deal with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 18: Spencer Pigot #21 of United States and Ed Carpenter Racing, is seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 18, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 18: Spencer Pigot #21 of United States and Ed Carpenter Racing, is seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 18, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Spencer Pigot is set to return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for two races in the 2020 IndyCar season, including the Indy 500.

Spencer Pigot made his IndyCar debut in the 2016 season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on a three-race deal he earned by winning the 2015 Indy Lights championship. But after the 2016 Indy 500, he left for Ed Carpenter Racing.

Pigot served as Ed Carpenter Racing’s road and street course driver for the remainder of the 2016 season and then for the entire 2017 season before replacing J.R. Hildebrand as the team’s full-time driver.

But after two years behind the wheel of the #21 Chevrolet, the 26-year-old Orlando, Florida native was replaced by 2019 Indy Lights runner-up Rinus VeeKay and left without a ride for the 2020 season.

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Now Pigot is no longer without a ride.

While he won’t be a full-time driver in the upcoming season, Pigot has landed a two-race deal to return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

He is set to drive alongside full-time drivers Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato in a third entry for the team in the two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the GMR Grand Prix at the Speedway, Indiana track’s 13-turn, 2.439-mile (3.925-kilometer) road course on Saturday, May 9 and the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the track’s four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) oval on Sunday, May 24.

This entry is set to be fielded by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in a partnership with Citrone/Buhl Autosport, a new team that announced last week that they would be entering these two races in a partnership with another team, an unnamed team at the time.

Citrone/Buhl Autosport was formed when former driver and two-time Indy Racing League race winner Robbie Buhl and his brother Tom formed a partnership with the father-son duo of Robert and Nick Citrone.

Robert Citrone is the founder of the Discovery Capital Management hedge fund and the largest minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL team. Nick Citrone is a data analytics coordinator for the Pittsburgh Penguins NHL team.

Here is what Pigot had to say about this opportunity, according to a team release.

"“I’m very excited to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with Citrone/Buhl Autosport for this year’s GMR Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500. I ran my first INDYCAR SERIES race and Indy 500 with RLL in 2016, so it will be nice to return to a team with some familiar faces. I can’t thank everyone at RLL and Citrone/Buhl Autosport enough for their efforts in putting this deal together and the opportunity to compete in another Indy 500. I can’t wait for May!”"

Here is what team co-owner Bobby Rahal had to say.

"“I’m very pleased to have Spencer back with us again for the month of May. There is no question in my mind that he can contribute to the overall performance of the team based upon his strong performance last May and at other events throughout the season. Spencer is a team player and has a bright future in my opinion. We are looking forward to working with Citrone/Buhl Autosport on this entry. It is an exciting time for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and having a new team enter the sport is proof of that.”"

Here is what Robert Citrone had to add.

"“Nick, myself and our whole family are excited to be part of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team and to have Spencer as the driver is incredible. We have been lifelong Indy car fans and we have wanted to get involved in the sport for many years. We thought this was the best way to learn and gain experience at the highest level and have been incredibly impressed with all of the people we have met at RLL.“Bobby and my family share a Pittsburgh connection with his dealership group based there and with my family’s involvement in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Being involved in sports and knowing how enjoyable, challenging and tough that is and how the quality of the organization is really the key. I think the Steelers have that with the quality of the organization with the Rooney family and we have that same feeling with the Rahal family and RLL.”"

Finally, here is what Robbie Buhl said.

"“Rob, Nick and I love Indy car racing. We all want to win and this set up allows us to learn in an accelerated way. Getting to see more of how the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team operates and getting to see the depth of both the engineering and commercial side is exciting. We feel great about our partnership.“You obviously look back at your own experiences as a driver and with Spencer having come up through the ranks leading to Indy car and winning the Pro Mazda and Indy Lights championships like he did shows that he can win. He knows his way around the INDYCAR SERIES and he knows how to be fast at Indy. You just have to have a little bit of luck and have a good team behind you. In addition to that, what Takuma and Graham offer to the program is invaluable. We’re excited.”"

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Both the GMR Grand Prix and the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 are set to be broadcast live on NBC, with the former slated to air beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 9 and the latter slated to air beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday,  May 24. These two races are the fifth and sixth events on the 2020 IndyCar schedule.