Arrow McLaren and Dale Coyne Racing have announced their drivers for the 2024 IndyCar season opener in St. Petersburg.
Arrow McLaren and Dale Coyne Racing announced their drivers for the 2024 IndyCar season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on Tuesday.
Ironically, both teams successfully changed the same driver.
After two seasons with Dale Coyne Racing in a cooperation with his father’s HMD Motorsports, David Malukas was selected the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet driver to replace Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist.
However, Malukas injured his wrist in an offseason mountain biking accident, ruling him out for the season opener and forcing Dale Coyne Racing, which has traditionally waited until late in the offseason to announce its drivers, and Arrow McLaren to replace him for the first race on the schedule.
Dale Coyne Racing and Arrow McLaren confirm new drivers.
Dale Coyne Racing has announced that former Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Jack Harvey, who just completed a series of tests for the team, will drive the No. 18 Honda for the most of the 17-race 2024 season, including the season opener.
Arrow McLaren has confirmed that Callum Ilott, who recently replaced Malukas in a test, would drive the No. 6 Chevrolet in the season opener.
The team did not reveal the driver for the Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, which is set to take place on Sunday, March 24. Malukas is likely to be cleared before the season’s second points race, which will take place on Sunday, April 21 in Long Beach, California.
Dale Coyne Racing has also confirmed that Colin Braun will make his series debut in the No. 51 Honda, which will be fielded in collaboration with Rick Ware Racing. Sunday’s event is his only confirmed race (apart from the exhibition race at The Thermal Club).
Sting Ray Robb drove the No. 51 Honda as a rookie last year before leaving to replace Benjamin Pedersen at A.J. Foyt Enterprises.
The season opening features 27 vehicles.
