DragonSpeed to run six-race IndyCar program in 2020

DragonSpeed will return next season for six NTT IndyCar Series rounds. The announcement comes after the Elton Julian-owned outfit confirmed its ongoing relationship with Chevrolet, which powered its No. 81 entry in 2019 with Ben Hanley behind the wheel.

The Indianapolis-based team will start the season at St. Petersburg, move to Julian’s home race at Long Beach, make a second appearance at the Indy 500, and pay first-time visits to Texas, Mid-Ohio, and Laguna Seca. It’s believed the team could rely on one driver with road and street course expertise, and another with significant oval experience.

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The rookie IndyCar team contested three races last season, highlighted by Hanley’s odds-defying run to make the field of 33 at the Indy 500. With separate, international sports car programs competing in the FIA WEC and ELMS alongside its IndyCar effort, DragonSpeed has shifted the majority of its focus to North America, with a full-time presence in IMSA’s LMP2 category serving to complement its six-race IndyCar run.

To expedite the return to action, DragonSpeed’s DW12 tub was dispatched to Aerodyne for the necessary modifications to install IndyCar’s new-for-2020 aeroscreen and prepare for its return.

"We’ve quietly strengthened our overall package since our three races last year," Julian told RACER. "Having gained experience at street, road and speedway tracks, we are now much better positioned to begin testing with clearer targets when we get our Aeroscreened chassis back in about a month.

“Between our continued sports car commitments and the added expense of the retrofit and other updates to our practically-new Dallara, we have decided that six races is the right amount of events for us to take Step 2 in our IndyCar transition.”