Carlos Munoz ready for Indy 500 Rookie Orientation - MotorSportsTalk

Carlos Munoz may not have the biggest name out of this year’s crop of Indianapolis 500 rookies, but that hasn’t dampened his confidence as he prepares to embark on his first “month of May” experience. The Colombian will attempt to make the field in a fifth Chevrolet-powered Andretti Autosport car (the No. 26, backed by Unistraw) and he gets started this weekend with the Rookie Orientation Program at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Munoz, who is also the current points leader in Firestone Indy Lights and will compete in that series’ Freedom 100 at IMS on May 24, tested back in March at Texas Motor Speedway to get acclimated to high-speed ovals. He believes that the test session will prove useful for him.

“[At Texas], it was a really competitive car and that helped my confidence a lot,” he told IndyCar.com. “For sure, Indianapolis will be much different from everything. It’s a long race, so it’s good to have the rookie orientation. Also, I will begin step by step as I did in Texas and gain all the information I can.”

Compared to his fellow rookies — A.J. Allmendinger of Team Penske, Tristan Vautier of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and Conor Daly of A.J. Foyt Racing — Munoz would appear to have the least amount of star power. However, he has a wealth of veteran resources to guide him along. Team owner Michael Andretti, strategist John Tzouanakis, and the four regular Andretti Autosport drivers (Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe, Marco Andretti and E.J. Viso) all certainly know a few things about the Brickyard.

There’s also something equally important that is steering Munoz: A childhood memory. He was just 10 years old when fellow Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya buried the field in the 2000 Indy 500 and he remembers the reaction that came afterwards in his hometown of Bogota, Colombia’s capital.

“I remember the cars with the flags in the streets when he won,” Munoz said. “It was quite a sight. Everyone was so proud.”

He’d certainly like to set off another euphoric celebration back in Bogota at the end of this month.

Ryan Hunter-Reay was named to replace Conor Daly in Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 20 Dallara-Chevrolet, starting in the NTT IndyCar Series event next week at Road America.

Hunter-Reay is the 2012 series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner. He finished 11th for Dreyer & Reinbold last month in the 107th Indy 500, his first start since the 2021 season finale. He drove full time for Andretti Autosport from 2010-21.

“We need to improve our competitiveness and I wanted to add a fresh perspective from a driver like Ryan who has a massive amount of experience and success as well as a reputation as a team leader. I am excited to welcome Ryan to the team,” team owner Ed Carpenter said in a team release. “We have worked together in the past as teammates and he tested for ECR at Barber Motorsports Park in October 2021, where he made an immediate impact as we were able to qualify one of our cars on the pole following that test. I am confident that his experience and technical abilities will be an asset to ECR as we move forward toward our goals as a team.”

Hunter-Reay has 18 IndyCar victories, most recently in 2018. He also is a winner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, having been a part of winning entries in the 2020 Twelve Hours of Sebring and 2018 Petit Le Mans. Last year, he was an endurance driver for Cadillac Racing while being on standby for Chip Ganassi Racing.

He replaces Daly, whose departure was announced a day earlier in what the driver and team said was a mutual decision.

“I was surprised when I got the call from Ed,” Hunter-Reay said in a team release. “He described how frustrated he was that his team has not been able to realize its potential despite their efforts, investments, as well as technical and personnel changes over the past few years and asked for my help. Ed and I are very close friends and have been for a long time. I’ve worked with the team in the past and they are a very talented group with high expectations and a committed partner in BITNILE.COM.

“This will certainly be a challenge for me as well. It’s a tough situation jumping in a car in the middle of the season without any testing in what I believe to be the most competitive series in the world. Certainly, part of my motivation in saying ‘yes’ to Ed is the great challenge ahead. The last time I turned right driving an NTT IndyCar Series car was in October of 2021 with this team at Barber. However, I remain very confident in both my driving and technical abilities and believe by working with the talented people at ECR and Team Chevy, while representing BITNILE.COM, we will make progress. I am going to do everything I can do to help the team achieve its long-term objectives.”

Said Milton “Todd” Ault, the chairman of sponsor BitNile.com: “It is great for BitNile.com to be aligned with an Indy 500 Winner and an NTT IndyCar Series champion. I have followed Ryan’s career for years and I am confident he will challenge the entire ECR team to perform at higher levels. I wish everyone luck at Road America.”