Editor’s note: Here is another part of MotoSportsTalk’s weeklong coverage leading up to the IndyCar season-opening weekend, capped off by the marquee event, Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. We will have several stories going forward over the next several days, as well as comprehensive coverage of race day Sunday.
There have been a number of driver changes to the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series lineup.
Several drivers have switched teams, others have departed the series entirely, while there are several newcomers, particularly from other racing series.
Here’s a rundown of every team, its engine choice, car numbers, driver names and how many races each driver is expected to compete in this season (most that indicate just one race are likely to compete in the Indianapolis 500 only, but some could potentially take part in additional races pending more sponsorship secured, etc.). Also below is the 2018 IndyCar schedule:
A.J. Foyt Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 4 Matheus Leist (r) (full season)
No. 14 Tony Kanaan (full season)
Andretti Autosport
Engine: Honda
No. 25 Stefan Wilson (r) (1 race)
No. 26 Zach Veach (r)
No. 27 Alexander Rossi (full season)
No. 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay (full season)
No. 29 Carlos Munoz (1 race)
Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian
Engine: Honda
No. 98 Marco Andretti (full season)
Carlin Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 23 Charlie Kimball (full season)
No. 59 Max Chilton (full season)
Chip Ganassi Racing
Engine: Honda
No. 9 Scott Dixon (full season)
No. 10 Ed Jones (full season)
Dale Coyne Racing
Engine: Honda
No. 19 Zachary Claman DeMelo (r) (10 races)
No. 19 Pietro Fittipaldi (r) (7 races)
No. 63 Pippa Mann (1 race)
Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan
Engine: Honda
No. 18 Sebastien Bourdais (full season)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 24 Sage Karam (1 race)
Ed Carpenter Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 20 Jordan King (r) (11 races – street and road courses only)
No. 20 Ed Carpenter (6 races – ovals only)
No. 21 Spencer Pigot
No. TBA Danica Patrick (1 race)
Harding Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 88 Gabby Chaves (full season)
Juncos Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 32 Rene Binder (r) (4 races)
No. 32 Kyle Kaiser (r) (4 races)
Lazier Partners Racing
Engine: TBA
No. TBA Buddy Lazier (1 race)
Michael Shank Racing
Engine: Honda
No. 60 Jack Harvey (r) (6 races)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Engine: Honda
No. 15 Graham Rahal (full season)
No. 30 Takuma Sato (full season)
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
Engine: Honda
No. 5 James Hinchcliffe (full season)
No. 6 Robert Wickens (r) (full season)
No. TBA Jay Howard (1 race)
Team Penske
Engine: Chevrolet
No. 1 Josef Newgarden (full season)
No. 3 Helio Castroneves (1 race)
No. 12 Will Power (full season)
No. 22 Simon Pagenaud (full season)
********************************************************************
2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule
Sunday, March 11, Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg; St. Petersburg, Florida (temporary street course); 12:30 p.m. ET; ABC
Saturday April 7, Phoenix Grand Prix; ISM Raceway; Avondale, Arizona; 9 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, April 15, Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach; Long Beach, California; 4 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, April 22, Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama; Barber Motorsports Park; Birmingham, Alabama; 3 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Saturday, May 12, INDYCAR Grand Prix; Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Indianapolis, Indiana; 3:30 p.m. ET; ABC
Sunday, May 27, 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500; Indianapolis Motor Speedway; 12 p.m. ET; ABC
Saturday, June 2, Chevrolet Dual in Detroit – Dual 1; The Raceway at Belle Isle Park; Detroit, Michigan; 3:30 p.m. ET; ABC
Sunday, June 3, Chevrolet Dual in Detroit – Dual 2; The Raceway at Belle Isle Park; 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Saturday, June 9, DXC Technology 600; Texas Motor Speedway; Fort Worth, Texas; 8 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, June 24, Kohler Grand Prix; Road America; Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin; 12:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, July 8, Iowa Corn 300; Iowa Speedway; Newton, Iowa; 2 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, July 15, Honda Indy Toronto; Streets of Toronto, Ontario, Canada (temporary street course); 3 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, July 29, Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio; Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course; Lexington, Ohio; 3 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, August 19, ABC Supply 500; Pocono Raceway; Long Pond, Pennsylvania; 1:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Saturday, August 25, Bommarito Automotive Group 500; Gateway Motorsports Park; Madison, Illinois; 8 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, September 2, Race name TBA; Portland International Raceway; Portland, Oregon; 2:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN
Sunday, September 16, Grand Prix of Sonoma; Sonoma Raceway; Sonoma, California; 6:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN