Recent confirmations of Alex Tagliani and JR Hildebrand back with A.J. Foyt Enterprises and Ed Carpenter Racing, respectively, for the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis and 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil have broken a recent quiet spell in terms of additional entries being announced.
They take the number of confirmed team/car combinations up to 28, with a couple others close if not formally announced.
Here’s the 21 full-season cars:
- Chip Ganassi Racing (4): Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, Max Chilton
- Team Penske (4): Juan Pablo Montoya, Helio Castroneves, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud
- Andretti Autosport (4): Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Carlos Munoz, Alexander Rossi
- Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (2): James Hinchcliffe, Mikhail Aleshin
- A.J. Foyt Enterprises (2): Takuma Sato, Jack Hawksworth
- Dale Coyne Racing (2): Conor Daly, Luca Filippi (not confirmed for full-season yet, but projected)
- KVSH Racing (1): Sebastien Bourdais
- Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (1): Graham Rahal
- Ed Carpenter Racing (1): Josef Newgarden
Here are then the seven confirmed additional entries:
- Ed Carpenter Racing (2): Ed Carpenter, JR Hildebrand
- Dale Coyne Racing (1): Bryan Clauson
- PIRTEK Team Murray (KVRT technical alliance) (1): Matthew Brabham
- Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (1): Spencer Pigot
- A.J. Foyt Enterprises (1): Alex Tagliani
- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (1): Sage Karam
Additionally, here is the engine breakdown:
- Honda (14): Andretti 4, Coyne 3, Foyt 3, SPM 2, RLL 2
- Chevrolet (14): Ganassi 4, Penske 4, Carpenter 3, KVSH 1, PIRTEK 1, DRR 1
Hildebrand, Brabham, Pigot and Tagliani will also race at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, which brings that race’s car count up to 25 cars.
Dale Coyne Racing has all but officially confirmed its fourth car for Pippa Mann for the ‘500, and Buddy Lazier told Trackside Online at Phoenix he expects to return as well.
Grace Autosport has also announced a program for Katherine Legge, but is yet to align with a team or engine partner.
Projected additional entries are expected to come from Andretti Autosport (fifth car), Schmidt/Peterson Motorsports (third car) and KVSH Racing (third car, either as KVSH or KVRT).
Chip Ganassi Racing Teams is doubtful to add a fifth car given its other programs, with its four Ford GTs set for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and cars/crew being needed for that, plus the Red Bull Global Rallycross season opening on May 21 and 22 at Phoenix. Ganassi is yet to formally announce its 2016 Red Bull GRC program, but the team indicated last year its plan to continue.