IndyCar: Drivers who wouldn't have had the opportunity to compete

IndyCar introducing the IndyCar iRacing Challenge in response to the coronavirus pandemic has allowed several drivers who otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to compete to do so.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic forcing the indefinite postponement of the start of the 2020 IndyCar season, IndyCar and iRacing formed the IndyCar iRacing Challenge so that the drivers could still compete against one another in a virtual setting.

IndyCar postponements and cancellations: TRACKER

While not all of the full-time drivers have taken advantage of this opportunity to compete in what has been described by many drivers as the closest thing to real racing, most of them have.

Additionally, several other drivers who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to compete have taken advantage of this change.

Here is a list of those drivers.

Scott McLaughlin

Scott McLaughlin, a two-time Supercars champion who drives for DJR Team Penske, has never competed in an IndyCar race before, yet he leads the unofficial IndyCar iRacing Challenge championship standings after winning at virtual Barber Motorsports Park.

He drove an IndyCar for the first time this offseason to prepare for what would have been his debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Because that race was postponed, he will not be able to compete in it, and it is unknown when he will end up making his actual debut. Fortunately, he has been able to gain open-wheel racing “experience” by competing virtually.

Sage Karam

Sage Karam has never been a full-time IndyCar driver, and he hasn’t competed in more than three races in a season since he drove in 12 of the 16 races on the schedule back in 2015.

Scott Speed

Filling in for Marco Andretti, Scott Speed, who has never competed in an IndyCar race and has no plans to do so, has found success, running in the top five for much of the race at virtual Watkins Glen International and placing third at virtual Barber Motorsports Park. He most recently competed in the Americas Rallycross Championship in 2018 and 2019.

Ed Carpenter

Ed Carpenter stepped away from road and street course race at the end of the 2013 season and has served as Ed Carpenter Racing’s full-time oval driver ever since. The IndyCar iRacing Challenge allowed him to compete in a road course race for the first time since he competed at Sonoma Raceway in August of 2013. He “returned” for the race at virtual Barber Motorsports Park.

Robert Wickens

What can you say about Robert Wickens that hasn’t already been said? The man who was paralyzed from the waist down after a horrific crash at Pocono Raceway in August of 2018 “returned” to IndyCar and joked that it went “exactly how he planned it would” when interviewed afterward. In a rig customized to suit his current physical state, he drove from 29th (last) place to eighth at virtual Barber Motorsports Park. It’s almost like he never left.

Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson has not been quiet about his desire to compete in IndyCar road course races one day. With the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, he has been able to do that, competing in both of the first two races and placing in a solid 12th at virtual Barber Motorsports Park. He had been slated to test a car for Arrow McLaren SP at the real Barber Motorsports Park before the coronavirus pandemic caused that to be canceled.

Felipe Nasr

Felipe Nasr’s scheduled IndyCar debut in what was supposed to be the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida went out the window due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he has been able to compete in both virtual races thus far.

Kyle Kirkwood

Kyle Kirkwood had planned on making his Indy Lights debut this season after winning the 2017 F4 United States Championship, the 2018 F3 Americas Championship, the 2018 U.S. F2000 National Championship and the 2019 Indy Pro 200 Championship — all in dominant fashion. Thanks to the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, he got to make his IndyCar “debut” as the replacement for Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Kyle Kaiser

Nobody knows, exactly, what the plans are for Kyle Kaiser and Juncos Racing in the 2020 season. But right now, the hero of 2019 Indianapolis 500 qualifying is happy to have the chance to compete against the sport’s full-time drivers each week in a virtual setting.

Dalton Kellett and Tony Kanaan

Dalton Kellett and Tony Kanaan are set to share a seat at A.J. Foyt Enterprises for much of the 2020 season. But virtually, they have both had the opportunity to compete in the same races.

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The next race on the IndyCar iRacing Challenge schedule is scheduled to take place this Saturday, April 11 at virtual Michigan International Speedway. NBC Sports Network is set to broadcast this race live beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

IndyCar: Drivers who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to compete

By Asher Fair | Apr 9, 2020