IndyCar clarifies Indy 500 replacement driver guidelines

Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson has inspired Penske Entertainment to clarify an important part of the rulebook for the upcoming Indianapolis 500, where the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion will make his second attempt to complete ‘The Double’ by finishing May 26th’s 500-mile race in Indy and all 600 miles of NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Larson starred on his Indy 500 debut last year in the No. 17 Chevy, but only after waiting many hours for storms to clear in central Indiana. Due to the long delay pushing the race finish into the early evening, Larson was unable to get to Charlotte in time to make NASCAR’s race start. Justin Allgaier started in his place and Larson arrived mid-race to take over, only for bad weather to force that race to be called before he was able to turn a lap.

Faced with the same circumstances for this year’s Indy 500, his Cup team owner Rick Hendrick said Larson’s priority would be in Charlotte, which would require the use of a backup driver to drive the No. 17 Chevy in his absence. Under the rules governing last year’s event, a replacement driver could not be used on race day because Arrow McLaren did not place a reserve driver in the car to turn laps and meet the ‘refresher’ requirement established by the series.

Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 winner, is expected to follow the guidelines listed below and complete the refresher process, which would make him eligible to race the No. 17 entry if required. A replacement driver will only be considered if the primary (entered) driver also is participating in another marquee event with the driver’s principal racing series on Indianapolis 500 Race Day. The IndyCar-approved veteran replacement driver is eligible for and passes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway refresher program in the entry during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice. Additional tires for the refresher program will not be allowed for the Indianapolis 500 entry. The tire allotment for each entrant is 32 sets for the event. Any tires used for the refresher program will be taken from the allotted tires to that entry. During the refresher program, minimal setup changes will be allowed. After the replacement driver completes the required phases of the refresher program, additional laps during the session will not be permitted. Once IndyCar is notified that a team will use its replacement driver for the Indianapolis 500, the entry’s qualified position is forfeited, and the car will start at the rear of the starting lineup and ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6. A qualified driver, who is officially replaced by the team, may return and compete with that entry provided the replacement driver has not participated in a session other than the refresher program. The car’s starting position will remain at the rear of the field with the starting line-up ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.