Lundqvist to make IndyCar oval debut as Pagenaud replacement

Linus Lundqvist will make his IndyCar oval debut as he continues to fill in for Simon Pagenaud at Gateway this coming weekend.

The 2022 Indy NXT champion debuted at Nashville, crashing before the chequered flag, and remained in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing entry for the Indy road course weekend, when he finished the race in 12th position.

“I’m extremely happy to be joining MSR again in St Louis this weekend,” said Lundqvist.

“The last few weekends in Nashville and at Indy have been the time of my life, and I can’t wait to continue to work with this team.

“We’ve been through some challenging race formats – Nashville, a street course; Indy, a road course; and now St Louis, an oval. I will be learning once again.

“I know that it is going to be tough and tricky, but I know the team is going to give me a good car to have a solid result like we had at Indy.

“I’m also very much looking forward to working with Helio [Castroneves] as a team-mate.

“Working with him on an oval is something that every driver would want to do, and I’m just going to learn from it as much as I can this weekend.”

Pagenaud has not raced since his wild rollover in practice at Mid-Ohio on July 1.

Conor Daly filled in on short notice that weekend and was recalled for the Iowa double-header two events later, with MSR’s own Tom Blomqvist driving between then at Toronto.

Daly has now been picked up by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing to fill the breach left by the axing of Jack Harvey for the time being.

Blomqvist will make a full-time shift to IndyCar next year, replacing Helio Castroneves, but is in action in MSR’s IMSA programme at VIRginia International Raceway this coming weekend.