Photo: Travis Hinkle
Reigning Indy Nxt champion Linus Lundqvist will make his second IndyCar start in the Gallagher Grand Prix on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course this weekend.
The 24-year-old has been called up by Meyer Shank Racing, who handed the Swede his IndyCar debut in last weekend’s Music City Grand Prix.
As in that race, he will be standing in for Simon Pagenaud who has not been medically cleared to race by the series. Lundqvist qualified 11th for his IndyCar debut, ran as high as third and took the fastest lap of the race before crashing out.
“First I want to say a massive thank you to Mike [Shank] and Jim [Meyer] for their trust to put me back in the car again. The Nashville weekend was great in so many ways,” said Lundqvist.
“Obviously, a lot of impressions and a lot of new stuff for me going on that weekend and I was pretty disappointed with the way that it ended. It was my mistake and I enjoyed it up until that point. I think it also left me and the team wanting more, which I am grateful for another opportunity at Indy.
“I know it is going to be tough again, but now I have a whole race weekend under my belt. Hopefully we can string some good results together and find some good speed, but I feel like it is going to be a super weekend.”
There is two weeks following the Gallagher GP before the next IndyCar race on the Gateway oval. It is unclear whether Pagenaud’s recovery will enable a return to the cockpit by then, and Lundqvist will be looking to impress the team again to make sure his name is in contention if a replacement is sought once more.