Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Saavedra secures ride for another shot in Indianapolis 500

Firestone 600 - Practice

FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 06: Sebastian Saavedra of Colombia, driver of the #17 Automatic Fire Sprinklers KV AFS Dallara Chevrolet, sits in his car during practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 6, 2014 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) IndyCar driver Sebastian Saavedra will get a chance to start his sixth career Indianapolis 500 after being hired Wednesday by Juncos Racing.

The 26-year-old Colombian’s best finish at Indy was with 15th in 2014. He did not compete in the series last season.

Saavedra and Spencer Pigot will be teammates and both will use Chevrolet engines. Pigot will drive the No. 11 car while Saavedra has the No. 17.

The two recent announcements give race organizers 32 driver-car combinations trying to make the traditional 33-car starting grid.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens Thursday with practice for the IndyCar Grand Prix. That race is set for Saturday.

Practice for the 500 begins Monday. Qualifying starts May 20, and the race is scheduled for May 28.