Carlin picks RC Enerson for Mid-Ohio IndyCar contest - MotorSportsTalk

STEAM CORNERS, Ohio – The revolving door of drivers at Carlin Racing now includes former Indy Lights star RC Enerson, who will take over the No. 31 Chevrolet for Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

Sage Karam drove the No. 31 Chevrolet to a 22nd-place finish and Conor Daly drove the No. 59 car to a 13^th-place finish in Sunday’s morning’s Iowa 300.

Patricio O’Ward began the season in the No. 59 and was set to run a partial schedule. He has since moved on from the team because of lack of sponsorship. Max Chilton remains the team’s primary driver in the No. 31, but announced in June that he no longer wanted to compete on the ovals.

This week’s race is on the permanent road course at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Enerson had six podiums and one win in 2015 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Halfway through the 2016 Indy Lights Series season, Enerson left to pursue a seat in the NTT IndyCar Series and made his INDYCAR debut at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He went on to compete in two more races of the 2016 NTT IndyCar Series season recording a top 10 with a ninth-place finish at Watkins Glen. Enerson participated in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Spring Training with Carlin in February.

“It’s really great to be back driving with Carlin after completing Spring Training earlier this season with the team,” Enerson said. “We’ve been working really hard to get something together to get me back in the seat at some point this season and I couldn’t be happier that it’s all come together for Mid-Ohio.

“Mid-Ohio has always been one of my favorite tracks on the schedule. I’ve just always loved the elevation changes and all of the high-speed flowing corners. I’m also excited to be able to carry the Lucas Oil School of Racing logo on the No. 31 this weekend. They are the official school of the Road to Indy Series and it’s been so rewarding to share my love of racing and to be able to instruct some of the future stars of INDYCAR. I know we have some work to do this weekend, but I’m confident that with both my experience and the team’s at Mid-Ohio we can put together a solid result.”

Enerson began karting at the age of five and eventually made his professional debut in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Series, the entry level of the Road to Indy ladder series, in 2012. During his three-year career in F2000, Enerson had five wins and 11 podiums before he moved into the Indy Lights Series in 2015, where he spent the next two seasons of his career.

“We’re excited to have RC Enerson and the Lucas Oil School of Racing on-board this weekend in the No. 31 entry at Mid-Ohio,” team owner Trevor Carlin said. “RC really impressed us at Spring Training at COTA at the beginning of the season and we were very hopeful that something could come together at some point that would put him back in the car,” said Team Principal Trevor Carlin. “RC has spent a lot of time with our team this season and he has quite a bit of experience at Mid-Ohio, including an INDYCAR start a few years back, so he should be able to jump right back in and make the transition a smooth one.”

The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will take place on Sunday, July 28^that 3:30 pm ET and will be televised on NBC.

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.”