Ryan Hunter-Reay has been asked to help Ed Carpenter Racing in its quest to find the consistent speed and competitiveness that has been largely absent in recent years. The 2012 IndyCar Series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner steps into the No. 20 ECR Chevy after the team and now former driver Conor Daly split following a disappointing run during the seven opening races of the season.
Renowned for his technical feedback and vast experience in a leading team, Hunter-Reay’s role is focused on assisting ECR’s roster of engineering talent with identifying its weaknesses and building for the future, with less of an aim being placed on achieving specific on-track results over the remainder of the calendar.
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Hunter-Reay will partner with young Dutch star Rinus VeeKay and Carpenter, who will join them in a third entry on the ovals.
“I was surprised when I got the call from Ed. He described how frustrated he was that his team has not been able to realize its potential despite their efforts, investments, as well as technical and personnel changes over the past few years and asked for my help,” Hunter-Reay said. “Ed and I are very close friends and have been for a long time. I’ve worked with the team in the past and they are a very talented group with high expectations and a committed partner in BITNILE.com.
“This will certainly be a challenge for me as well. It’s a tough situation jumping in a car in the middle of the season without any testing in what I believe to be the most competitive series in the world. Certainly, part of my motivation in saying ‘yes’ to Ed is the great challenge ahead. The last time I turned right driving an Indy car was in October of 2021 with this team at Barber. However, I remain very confident in both my driving and technical abilities and believe by working with the talented people at ECR and Team Chevy, while representing BITNILE.COM, we will make progress. I am going to do everything I can do to help the team achieve its long-term objectives”
Although the conclusion of the relationship between ECR and Daly is understood to be one that has more to do with interpersonal relationships than the Hoosier’s on-track results, the reset by the team with the No. 20 Chevy also created an opportunity to draft in the longstanding Andretti Autosport driver to get a handle on what the program will need to vie for routine podiums and wins when the new season begins in 2024.
“We need to improve our competitiveness and I wanted to add a fresh perspective from a driver like Ryan who has a massive amount of experience and success as well as a reputation as a team leader,” said team owner Carpenter. “I am excited to welcome Ryan to the team. We have worked together in the past as teammates and he tested for ECR at Barber Motorsports Park in October 2021, where he made an immediate impact as we were able to qualify one of our cars on the pole following that test. I am confident that his experience and technical abilities will be an asset to ECR as we move forward toward our goals as a team.”