Karam, Saavedra to share driving duties in full-season IndyCar ride
The No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet will compete in each of the remaining races in the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series, but with two different drivers behind the wheel, it was announced Tuesday.
Twenty-year-old development driver Sage Karam has had two rough races in the No. 8 Chevrolet so far this season, with a 19th in St. Pete followed by an 18th at NOLA. Colombia-native Sebastian Saavedra will be behind the wheel of the car this weekend at Long Beach, with AFS Racing/Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc. sponsoring his ride. Saavedra will also race at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Sonoma, and in a fifth Chip Ganassi Racing entry at the Indianapolis 500.
Karam will be back behind the wheel at the Grand Prix of Alabama and the Indianapolis 500, and will then run the remainder of the season until Sonoma.
“I’m grateful to Chip and the team for their ongoing commitment to me,” said Karam, “and I can’t wait to get back in the car at Barber. I just take things one day at a time and nothing has really changed for me since I started as a development driver here – when Chip calls, I’m ready to go race.”
“It’s good to be back in the Verizon IndyCar Series,” said Saavedra, “this is an amazing opportunity for me with AFS to work with one of the most prestigious teams in all of racing. I'm very grateful to Chip and the team, which have had an incredible history in the sport, and specifically in the Indianapolis 500. I’m looking forward to Long Beach and doing everything I can to help get the No. 8 car to the front.”
Full No. 8 Chevrolet 2015 schedule:
4/19: Long Beach: Sebastian Saavedra
4/26: Barber: Sage Karam
5/9: Grand Prix of Indianapolis: Sebastian Saavedra
5/24: Indy 500: Sage Karam (Saavedra will drive a fifth entry for the team)
5/30-31: Detroit: Sage Karam
6/6: Texas: Sage Karam
6/14: Toronto: Sage Karam
6/27: Fontana: Sage Karam
7/12: Milwaukee: Sage Karam
7/18: Iowa: Sage Karam
8/2: Mid-Ohio: Sage Karam
8/23: Pocono: Sage Karam
8/30: Sonoma: Sebastian Saavedra
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