US-based racing team Dragonspeed will not be competing in the 2020 NTT IndyCar season opener at Texas Motor Speedway on June 6, the team confirmed to MotorsportWeek.com.
The team has been hit hard by the sudden schedule changes surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and will need some time to ramp up its relatively new open-wheel program.
The team’s main focus this year will be on its established entries in the European Le Mans Series and the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, which is set to return to action in mid-July at Sebring.
In a statement, Dragonspeed said, “While sportscars remain our bread and butter, INDYCAR is the focus of our future growth.
“Beyond the frustration of St. Pete, we remain buoyed by a strong two days of testing in early March, progress on the sponsorship front, and the challenges of climbing the INDYCAR mountain. Once our core sportscar business is back in full swing, we aim to return to the INDYCAR grid, with the Indy 500 our top priority.”
Dragonspeed competed in its first event at the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona, finishing 15th in class. Since then, the team has expanded into multiple sportscar series, including the LMP1 class of the WEC.
Last year the US-based team expanded operations further, competing in three rounds of the NTT IndyCar series for the first time. Long-time endurance driver Ben Hanley piloted the Chevrolet powered Dallara DW12 in all three races including the Indy 500.
Hanley was again set to be the driver for the majority of the team’s planned six rounds this season, but this year has not been kind to the team’s plans. The team spent considerable money and effort to be ready for the expected opening round at St. Petersburg, only to have the race called off after everyone was already at the track.
Dragonspeed is still evaluating how many IndyCar rounds it will be able to contest this season, but will put the highest priority on the Indy 500, which is now set to run on August 23.
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