Successful surgery for Hildebrand

JR Hildebrand has started the healing process for the broken bone in his left hand after undergoing surgery earlier this week in Indiana. The procedure was necessary following the Long Beach Grand Prix after the Ed Carpenter Racing driver suffered the injury in a late-race impact with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports' Mikhail Aleshin.

No timetable has been given for Hildebrand's return.

The next race weekend on the Verizon IndyCar Series calendar takes place at the physically demanding Barber Motorsports Park road course in Alabama starting on April 21, which gives Hildebrand minimal time to mend before practice begins.

With the circuit's high number of right-hand corners that require exceptional grip strength and turning force from a driver's left hand and arm, the limited time between Hildebrand's surgery and the need to pilot his No. 21 ECR Chevy could pose a problem.

If he's able to drive, fighting through the pain should not be an issue as the gritty Californian has raced while injured in the past. Hildebrand tore the ACL in his left knee while competing in an obstacle course during a pre-event promotion at Texas Motor Speedway in 2011, yet completed the season with the tear after pondering the six- to nine-month post-surgery rehabilitation process that would have brought a premature end to his rookie campaign.

Of the reserve drivers to consider should Hildebrand require more time to recover, Ohio's Zach Veach is held in high regard and has completed successful tests with the team in 2016. With his recent announcement as the third member of the Chevy-powered A.J. Foyt Indy 500 program, the Indy Lights race winner is also aligned with ECR's engine and aero kit supplier.

Former ECR driver Luca Filippi would also be considered an easy fit for the team after competing in Carpenter's No. 20 Chevy at last year's Barber race, and other young talent, from Matthew Brabham to Sage Karam, would surely be keen to step in if necessary.