IndyCar could still add another full-time driver for 2021

By Asher Fair | Apr 21, 2021

Max Chilton, Carlin, IndyCar - Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2021 IndyCar season may have gotten underway, but there is still a chance the series will see another full-time driver added.

The 2021 IndyCar season got underway this past Sunday afternoon at Barber Motorsports Park with the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by AmFirst. It was Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou who became the first driver to visit victory lake this year, winning for the first time in his 15th career start.

The 24-year-old Spaniard became the first driver to secure his first career victory in a season opener since James Hinchcliffe won on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida to open up the 2013 season, and he became the first driver to secure his first win at Barber Motorsports Park since Josef Newgarden won there in 2015.

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This 90-lap race around the 17-turn, 2.38-mile (3.830-kilometer) natural terrain road course in Birmingham, Alabama featured 24 cars, all of which full-time entries, and 20 drivers who have been confirmed as full-time drivers for the 17-race season.

But even with one race in the books, there’s a chance that IndyCar could see a 21st full-time driver added.

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The four full-time cars that are set to be shared this season are the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, the #48 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, the #51 Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing Honda and the #59 Carlin Chevrolet.

Conor Daly drives the #20 Chevrolet in the 13 road and street course races while team owner Ed Carpenter drives it in the four oval races, just like last year. Jimmie Johnson drives the #48 Honda in the road and street course races while Tony Kanaan drives it in the oval races.

Romain Grosjean drives the #51 Honda in the road and street course races while Pietro Fittipaldi drivers it in the oval races. But the #59 Chevrolet only has a confirmed driver for the road and street course races and the Indy 500, with that being Max Chilton, who had the same role in 2020.

Carlin have yet to confirm who will drive the #59 Chevrolet in the three non-Indy 500 oval races on the schedule, including the two races of the doubleheader at Texas Motor Speedway in under two weeks and the race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in August.

Last year, it was Daly who took on that role. He still got the opportunity to compete in the Indy 500, driving a third entry for Ed Carpenter Racing, which he is set to do again this year. So he was a full-time driver last season, but he competed for two teams.

While that hasn’t yet been confirmed for 2021, it’s very possible that he could be confirmed as the driver of the #59 Chevrolet for these three races, which would make him the 21st full-time driver.

He delivered the team their best ever oval results of sixth place at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in 2019 and Texas Motor Speedway last year, and he secured them their first ever pole position at Iowa Speedway in 2020 as well.

So it would be no surprise to see the 29-year-old Noblesville, Indiana native end up back there for those two oval race weekends later this year.

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The second race of the 2021 season is the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 25 (12:00 p.m. ET, NBC). The first two oval races of the season, the Genesys 300 and the XPEL 375, are scheduled to take place at Texas Motor Speedway the following weekend on Saturday, May 1 (7:00 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network) and Sunday, May 2 (5:00 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network), respectively.