MotorSportsTalk looks through the Verizon IndyCar Series grid ahead of the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Next up is KV Racing, which has three cars entered but under three different entrant names: KVSH Racing, KV Racing Technology and PIRTEK Team Murray.
Three cars with three team names here, for the team co-owned by Kevin Kalkhoven, Jimmy Vasser and James “Sulli” Sullivan, which captured the 2013 ‘500 win with Tony Kanaan. Its No. 11 car is traditionally its best bullet at Indy; meanwhile in the other two cars, they have a pair of ‘500 first-timers, nearly identical to last year. One could argue though that Wilson and Brabham are an upgrade over Stefano Coletti and Bryan Clauson.
ENTRIES
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 11 KVSH Racing Chevrolet (Car name TBA; will be updated)
Stefan Wilson-R, No. 25 Driven2SaveLives – KVRT Chevrolet
Matthew Brabham-R, No. 61 PIRTEK Team Murray Chevrolet (KVRT technical alliance)
2016 SEASON SO FAR
It’s been a year of frustration thus far for Bourdais and the No. 11 crew, who’ve been either bloody quick but unlucky, or unlucky and then able to rebound. St. Pete and Barber saw the former occur with Phoenix and Long Beach sandwiched in the middle. Bourdais has been one of the few drivers able to pass with regularity this year and remains a force in working with lead engineer Olivier Boisson.
INDY OUTLOOK
True to form, Bourdais will be the team’s best bet this year at Indy. In rookies Wilson and Brabham, this group has two great story lines based on their family histories, but less-than-likely contenders on race day. For both first-year drivers, the goal is to bank laps, make the finish and shoot for a top-15, perhaps top-10 result. Such a result would put either or both drivers in contention for rookie-of-the-year honors for the month.
RECENT RESULTS
- 2015: 11. 11-Bourdais (7; KVSH), 25. 4-Coletti (29; KVRT), 31. 88-Clauson (30, KVSH/Byrd’s)
- 2014: 7. 11-Bourdais (17; KVSH), 15. 17-Saavedra (32; KV/AFS), 16. 33-Davison (28; KV/AE); 25. 6-Bell (25; KVRT)
- 2013: 1. 11-Kanaan (12; KVSH), 17. 78-de Silvestro (24; KVRT)
- 2012: 3. 11-Kanaan (8; KVSH), 11. 8-Barrichello (10; KVRT), 18. 5-Viso (9, KVRT)