IndyCar driver returning for first appearance in seven years

Dale Coyne Racing have confirmed that Tristan Vautier is set to return to the team and pilot the No. 51 Honda, which is entered through a partnership with Rick Ware Racing, in this coming Sunday afternoon's IndyCar race on the streets of Detroit, Michigan.

Vautier competed for Dale Coyne's team in most of the races on the 2015 schedule, two years after competing full-time for Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports.

His only appearance since 2015 came in the June 2017 race at Texas Motor Speedway, where he filled in for the injured Sebastien Bourdais at Dale Coyne Racing.

Tristan Vautier back in IndyCar

In his most recent IndyCar appearance nearly seven years ago, Vautier stole the show, despite having never particularly run well in any of his previous oval starts.

Nearly two years removed from his most recent IndyCar start at the time, he managed to qualify on row three in fifth place, and he quickly worked his way up to the lead. He led the third most laps of anybody in the field before his night unfortunately ended early in a nine-car pileup.

The chaotic race was so marred by wrecks that only six of its 22 drivers ended the night without their cars sustaining significant damage.

It was one of the most underappreciated drives of the modern era, especially considering the fact that several years have passed by with the Frenchman never getting the chance to get back behind the wheel of an open-wheel race car.

Now he is back and ready to compete in the 100-lap Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile (2.647-kilometer) temporary street circuit.

Vautier's career-best IndyCar finish is fourth place, which he recorded while competing for Dale Coyne Racing on the streets of Belle Isle in 2015. The Belle Isle race was relocated to downtown Detroit last year, bringing the series back to the Motor City for the first time since 1991.

Tune in to USA Network at 12:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, June 2 for the live broadcast of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix from the streets of Detroit, Michigan. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now if you have not already done so!