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Tom Blomqvist will make his IndyCar debut as a sub for Simon Pagenaud at this weekend in IndyCar’s Honda Indy Toronto race.
Pagenaud, the 2019 Indy 500 winner and 2016 IndyCar champion, continues displaying concussion-like symptoms.
Due to the Frenchman’s ongoing symptoms and the IndyCar Series’ concussion protocol, he was not cleared after his massive crash at Mid-Ohio a week and a half ago.
As a result, Blomqvist, winner of last weekend’s IMSA GTP race in Canada and the 2022 IMSA DPi champion, will make his first IndyCar career start in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing entry on the streets of Toronto.
Blomqvist, who grew up in Auckland, began his racing career in New Zealand and won eight championships before moving to Europe at 15, won’t be a stranger to Meyer Shank Racing team-mate Helio Castroneves, the two pairing up to win the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona for Meyer Shank Racing in 2022 and 2023.
A test in October 2022 also means that Blomqvist has had some time behind the wheel of an IndyCar.
“We are fortunate to have Tom available to jump in on such short notice. He’s a champion, has a little bit of experience in the car, and is coming off another big IMSA win last weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, so this was not a tough call for us to make,” said Michael Shank.
Blomqvist, who is expected to compete full-time in IndyCar for Meyer Shank Racing next year is playing a straight back ahead of Toronto.
“I’m excited but aware of the challenges getting up to speed during a race weekend, so I’m not putting any pressure on myself,” Blomqvist said. “Just going to go out there soak it all in and give it all I’ve got.”
