IndyCar’s ‘worst’ landing spot is not as bad as it seems

As a seasoned racing enthusiast with decades of following IndyCar under my belt, I can confidently say that Dale Coyne Racing might just be the hidden gem of the series. Despite their lackluster 2024 performance, their history of surprising podium finishes over the last decade speaks volumes about their potential.

As an ardent racing enthusiast, I’m eagerly anticipating the 2025 IndyCar driver lineup that’s gradually taking shape. There are several teams out there who are yet to announce their full roster, leaving us fans on tenterhooks.

Notably, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing are yet to fill two out of the three driving positions, Juncos Hollinger Racing have vacant spots for two drivers, and Prema Racing have announced only one of their two full-time drivers for their debut season in America’s premier open-wheel racing championship.

For the 2025 racing season, several well-known drivers such as Rinus VeeKay, who previously raced with Ed Carpenter, and Linus Lundqvist, the Rookie of the Year from Chip Ganassi Racing, are yet to secure a ride. This leaves plenty of room for speculation about what the upcoming season might look like.

One possibility that could make things a lot more interesting for everybody is Dale Coyne Racing.

In simple terms, Dale Coyne’s racing team was ranked last out of ten teams on the grid during the 2024 season. They were consistently the slowest team at all venues, and their cars were relegated to qualifying day for the Indy 500, which is often referred to as Bump Day. Interestingly, they were the only team who didn’t manage to qualify a car for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Despite often being overlooked and deemed the least attractive position in the series for their two open seats in 2025, there might be more to the story than meets the eye for the team running the No. 18 Honda and the No. 51 Honda.

Despite ending the previous season without a single driver placing in the top 12, Dale Coyne Racing has unexpectedly secured a podium finish in all but one of the past 11 seasons, starting from 2012.

Back then, just like in the year 2024, they were a compact team with limited resources, notably less than their competitors on the racetrack. However, despite their financial constraints, they consistently delivered solid performances.

During those twelve years, there was only one instance when things were different – it was the year 2015. Interestingly, this was the single year within that period where they didn’t have a full-time driver competing in any race.

2024 marked the return of full-time contract absences for drivers, a situation not seen since 2015.

In 2024, no less than nine different drivers represented their team. Interestingly, when they commit to full-time drivers, they have the potential to challenge the major teams. Despite being IndyCar’s smallest contender, they’ve consistently demonstrated this ability, proving it repeatedly over the past 10 years and beyond.

With all due respect, is the problem the team, or the drivers?

It appears that Toby Sowery, a driver who had no prior experience with IndyCar races, got his chance with team Coyne in three events, and not only matched their best finish of 13th place in his debut, but averaged a 15th-place finish across all races. This could indicate that Dale Coyne Racing may have more potential than some people think.

Among the nine drivers, only Jack Harvey, an eight-year veteran, managed to complete races that placed higher than 15th position. Twice, he equaled Sowery’s top performance.

Was it generally assumed that Luca Ghiotto would consistently rank among the top 10, or was it a surprise when he did so? Similarly, was it anticipated that Katherine Legge would compete fiercely against Josef Newgarden and Pato O’Ward for oval victories, or was her performance unexpected?

As a gamer, I was amazed by my comeback in IndyCar racing, considering I hadn’t raced since 2017. Back then, I was Dale Coyne Racing’s top finisher with a fourth place at their podium-less 2015 campaign. On the streets of Detroit, I managed to keep up with the front runners and even made it to the top three. However, I couldn’t outperform Scott Dixon nor conserve enough fuel to maintain pace and finish the race. In the end, I was unable to beat Dixon or make it to the finish line.

Despite ending up in 18th place during the weekend, RACER’s Marshall Pruett highlighted the performance of 35-year-old French racer Vautier, who initially lagged significantly behind the rest of the field during practice sessions. However, it didn’t take long for Vautier to show his potential and pick up speed.

That’d be pretty hard to do if the team were as slow as advertised.

Dale Coyne Racing might not be the first choice for free agents seeking a new team, as it’s often seen as less appealing. However, it’s definitely not a team that any driver hoping for a full-time ride should overlook if offered the chance to race with them. Just consider the experiences of Sebastien Bourdais, Alex Palou, and most recently David Malukas.

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2024-10-08 17:32