LEXINGTON, Ohio – J.R. Hildebrand will join a four-car Dreyer & Reinbold Racing ARX2 Rallycross team this weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the Americas Rallycross season opener.
Hildebrand, a nine-time Indianapolis 500 starter from Boulder, Colo., will drive the No. 48 WIX Filters ARX2 machine in the ARX2 doubleheader weekends at Mid-Ohio and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Ill., on July 13-14. The 2011 Indianapolis 500 runner-up and Rookie of the Year will team with his DRR Indianapolis 500 teammate Sage Karam, ARX2 young star Cole Keatts and teenage female sensation Gray Leadbetter in the four-car DRR assault at Mid-Ohio.
This weekend at Mid-Ohio will be Hildebrand’s ARX2 debut but the 31-year-old California native is no stranger to various forms of motorsports including competing in the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb, Formula Drift action as well as the American Le Mans Series sports cars. In his open-wheel career, Hildebrand captured the F2000 series and the Indy Lights series championships.
For the past two Indianapolis 500 races, Hildebrand has driven for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with Salesforce partnership and placed 11th and 20th. Hildebrand began his IndyCar Series career driving for DRR in 2010 with races at Mid-Ohio and Sonoma.
“Can’t wait to jump in the ARX2 car with DRR,” said Hildebrand. “I had a lot of fun briefly testing the car after the Indy test a couple months ago and am excited to learn as much as I can this weekend in Mid Ohio. DRR’s track record is extremely good in these cars, so I’m looking forward to tackling it with them.”
Reinbold has been very excited about Hildebrand and Karam’s ARX2 appearances in the twin WIX Filters cars. Both Indy 500 veterans are debuting in ARX2 this weekend at Mid-Ohio.
“We were very pleased with the feedback and performance of JR in the ARX2 test last month in Indy,” said Reinbold, whose ARX2 team won the 2016 series title. “He has driven a variety of racing machinery over his career and we feel the ARX2 series will be very competitive this year and especially with the new Mid-Ohio ARX course. Having J.R. team up with Sage in the two WIX Filters cars will be a great season opener for our team and partners. Plus, the two youngsters, Cole Keatts and Gray Leadbetter, figure to be right in the mix this weekend too.”
Hildebrand will campaign the No. 48 WIX Filters with Mecum Auctions car at Mid-Ohio, while Karam will drive the No. 24 WIX Filters with ISMI Springs vehicle. Keatts will handle the No. 53 Black Rifle Coffee Company ARX2 car and Leadbetter, the 14-year-old female competitor, will pilot the No. 28 Oil2Soil machine.