Blomqvist To Sit Out Next Two IndyCar Races, Castroneves To Fill In

Source: Penske Entertainment / other

DETROIT — Apparently, Dale Coyne is not the only racing team making driver moves this week in the IndyCar paddock. Just days after he crashed on the first lap of the Indianapolis 500, Maeyer Shank Racing says Tom Blomqvist will miss the next two IndyCar races.

MSR gave no specific reason as to why Blomqvist will miss Detroit and Road America, just that two have “mutually agreed” for Blomqvist to step aside.

“Making this decision was by far the hardest one we have had to make,” MSR co-owner Mike Shank said. “Tom is 100% still a part of the MSR family and will remain a part of the team for the rest of the season. The decision was not made lightly and after much discussion with Tom, and with back-to-back races coming up, we have decided to have Helio drive in Detroit and at Road America.”

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Blomqvist has had a best finish of 15th in the season’s first four races. After crashing on Lap 1 of the Indy 500 he was credited with a 31st place finish.

“It is fair to say that the last couple of days have been some of the hardest in my career,” Blomqvist said. “Everyone who knows me knows how much I love being a part of the MSR family, and together we have enjoyed some amazing successes and victories. I am looking forward to remaining part of the MSR family.”

Castroneves steps back into an IndyCar for a race other than the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since ending his full-time racing career at the end of the 2023 season. Castroneves will pair up with Felix Rosenqvist in the MSR stable for Detroit and Road America.

He took over as a co-owner of MSR at the beginning of the season and has been a front-office decision-maker for the team since the end of 2023.

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