AJ Foyt Racing will field Benjamin Pedersen in Car #88 in the 2023 IndyCar Series.
The rookie is one of two arrivals at the team during the off-season, with he and Santino Ferrucci making for an all-changed driver line-up.
Ferrucci will slide into the #14 car which is based in the team’s Texas workshop, while Pedersen’s entry is run from its Indianapolis facility.
Instead of racing with #4 as predecessor Dalton Kellett did, the Danish-born driver will line up in Car #88, matching the age which AJ Foyt himself turned when he celebrated his most recent birthday on January 16.
Furthermore, the red hues hark back to Foyt’s Indianapolis 500 wins as a driver in 1967 and 1977, in Coyote chassis.
“I am excited to get on track in Thermal [The Thermal Club, which hosts the pre-season Open Test] in just a few weeks with a livery that is recognisable with the iconic Coyote Red and a new car number to AJ Foyt Racing,” said Pedersen.
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“We wanted to keep with the traditional colour and clean look that will resonate with fans of AJ Foyt, while bringing a fresh new feel with the #88.
“It’s also a special week for the 88 as we celebrate AJ’s 88th birthday.”
The switch from #4 to #88 is not the only change of numerals in the field.
Foyt had run three cars for much of last year, the other being Car #11.
That is now at Chip Ganassi Racing for the Marcus Armstrong/Takuma Sato entry, making for an extended numerical sequence with #8 for Marcus Ericsson, #9 for Scott Dixon, and #10 for Alex Palou.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has chosen to swap Christian Lundgaard into #45 and Jack Harvey into #30, while the McLaren IndyCar Team has moved Felix Rosenqvist to Car #6 with latest recruit Alexander Rossi to take up #7 in the expanded, three-car operation.
Juncos Hollinger Racing has a #78 for debutant Agustin Canapino to add to the #77 which it ran as a single-car team last year, while it is yet to be announced whether Team Penske and Will Power will opt for #1 or stick with the #12 with which they won the series in 2022.
The IndyCar Open Test at The Thermal Club takes place on February 2-3.
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