IndyCar: Two driver changes confirmed for the rest of 2023

Meyer Shank Racing and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing have both named replacement drivers for the rest of the 2023 IndyCar season.

Simon Pagenaud still hasn’t competed in an IndyCar race since his nasty shunt at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in early July, and that won’t change this year.

Meyer Shank Racing have confirmed that Tom Blomqvist, who has already been named the full-time driver of Helio Castroneves’ No. 06 Honda for 2024, is set to drive the No. 60 Honda in the final two races of the 2023 season at Portland International Raceway and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Blomqvist is one of three drivers who have driven the No. 60 Honda in Pagenaud’s absence thus far. He made his series debut on the streets of Toronto back in mid-July. The other two replacement drivers, Conor Daly and Linus Lundqvist, competed in three races each. It is unknown if Simon Pagenaud will return to the team for the 2024 IndyCar season.

Meyer Shank Racing’s addition of Blomqvist for the rest of the IndyCar season is not the only driver change heading into the season’s final two rounds.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing cut ties with the struggling Jack Harvey with three races remaining on the schedule, and Daly replaced him behind the wheel of the No. 30 Honda in this past Sunday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

But it is former Formula 2 driver Juri Vips who is set to drive the No. 30 Honda in the season’s final two races.

Vips has long been linked to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as a potential third driver alongside Christian Lundgaard and Graham Rahal next year, and now he has an early opportunity to show the team what he can do at tracks that should suit the team well, given their results so far this year. His road course experience also lends itself to potential success at such venues.

The BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland and the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey are set to be broadcast live on NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET and 3:00 p.m. ET on their respective dates. Portland International Raceway is scheduled to host the former on Sunday, September 3, while WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is scheduled to host the latter on Sunday, September 10. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don’t miss either event!