Although it has yet to be confirmed directly by the team, Ana Beatriz will return to the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda for this weekend’s IZOD IndyCar Series race at Milwaukee.
The eponymous team owner is not yet on the premises here at The Milwaukee Mile, but Beatriz’s name is on the driver cockpit, helmet on site and her hero flag banner out but not yet unfurled in the paddock.
Beatriz raced the first five events of the 2013 season, with a best finish of 14th at Long Beach and the most spots gained at the Indianapolis 500 (29th to 15th). The car is back in the yellow, red and blue colors last piloted by Mike Conway at Detroit, after the red and white Cyclops Gear car came out at Texas last week for Pippa Mann.
Here are some other news and notes from the paddock:
- The Firestone Indy Lights Series’ remaining TBA for this race, the second Team Moore Racing entry (No. 22), is unlikely to be filled for Milwaukee. It has had four different drivers in as many races to start the year (Ethan Ringel, Victor Carbone, Mikael Grenier, Jimmy Simpson). If it does not run, that would leave the field at a year-low of just eight cars for the 100-lap race.
- The infield at the Milwaukee Mile is packed. A mix of festival events, carnival rides, vendors, and the IndyCar Fan Village should offer a bevy of options for fans and families when they arrive at the track.
- The backstraight signage, which had been adorned with GoDaddy sponsorship last year, is now dark blue to feature RC Cola, sponsor of Marco Andretti’s No. 25 Andretti Autosport entry.