INDIANAPOLIS– Oriol Servia became the latest, and probably final driver officially named to the Indianapolis 500 entry field late Monday as Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced its third entry.
Chicago-based Team Stange Racing LLC has partnered with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to field a car for Servia. Servia’s No. 77 Team Stange Racing with Arrow SPM Honda will be sponsored by MotoGator and Lucas Oil.
“I am so pleased to announce this great partnership with Arrow SPM today as Team Stange Racing makes its entry into IndyCar racing,” stated John Stange Jr., co-owner, Team Stange Racing. “We are so blessed to partner with a company like MotoGator who is committed to building a winning IndyCar program with TSR. Once we developed our plan, we knew that we wanted to launch at the world’s greatest race with so much history and it being so special to me personally. The second thing to do was to partner with a quality team that we could align and grow with as we build our team to compete in the NTT IndyCar Series eventually full time in 2021/22.”
Servia, a Spaniard with 10 Indianapolis 500 starts under his belt, has been competing in IndyCar for more than 15 years. The 1999 Indy Lights champion has a best Indianapolis 500 start of third (2011) and a best finish of fourth (2012).
“I work and prepare all year for this race, so it’s kind of ironic that we are actually announcing a program this late,” Servia said. “I am proud to represent Lucas Oil again, and couldn’t be more excited to introduce the world to MotoGator and Team Stange, which you will hear a lot more very soon. At last year’s 500, I did perhaps the best driving I’ve ever done and came really close. I’m here to finish that job, and I know for a fact that everyone on this program has worked really hard preparing this event with the same aim. It may look like we are arriving almost late to the game, but we are arriving ready.”
Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports President Jon Flack echoed Stange’s sentiments.
“We couldn’t be more excited about adding a pilot of Oriol’s caliber to our driver lineup for the Indy 500, and it is equally satisfying to partner with TSR and welcome MotoGator to the program,” said Flack. “This is a really big step for Team Stange Racing and MotoGator, and Arrow SPM will give it everything it has to make them proud and leave a lasting impression on the motorsport community.”
Opening day of practice for the 103rd Indianapolis 500 is Tuesday, May 14.