IndyCar: Series scrambling to get 33rd car for the Indy 500

They will eventually get 33 entries for the Indy 500 this year, but the NTT IndyCar Series is scrambling to identify enough cars to fill the 33-car field.

According to RACER, IndyCar is attempting to find (beg, borrow and steal) a team to become the 33rd entry into the Indianapolis 500 field, and the sanctioning body’s options have narrowed despite meeting with several race teams. While 32 cars are currently set to enter the 500, issues with putting together an experienced crew and a lack of drivers with the funding necessary to support an extra Indy 500 entry have created a major hurdle for the sport and its biggest race.

According to RACER, IndyCar held multiple meetings with teams at Texas Motor Speedway about a 33rd Indy 500 entry, and also plan to hold more meetings at the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday and Sunday. Several prospective entries have reportedly fallen, through, including a proposed Honda-backed entry for Katherine Legge, a Chevrolet-backed entry for Zach Veach and the idea of James Hinchcliffe entering the race in a Dale Coyne Racing car.

When you do things on the cheap for years, and are on a TV network (NBCSN) that makes your sport nearly invisible for so long, sponsors are not knocking down the door in the IndyCar paddock.

It really is too bad that Liberty Media did not buy the series when it tried to.  An April 1st rumor on what has to happen to get IndyCar back on par with F1 like it was in the CART days.

Maybe they can keep the existing 10-year-old car for another 40 years and celebrates its 50th year anniversary of action someday.