As Honda spreads the love with three rival teams.
Although sadly, One of these Doesn’t look like the others…
This year’s Indianapolis 500 Rookie Class
features seven diverse drivers. With five Honda runners and two Chevrolets. For
which one of these Bowtie Boyz’ will most definitely be Hogging the limelight
Ad Nausea ! Hmm, who could that be, Eh?
Tom Blomqvist
#66 Meyer Shank Racing
Engine: Honda
Country: New Zealand
DOB: 11/30/93, Age: 30
IndyCar Starts: 7
2022 IMSA Prototypes Champion
The son of Rallying legend Stig Blomqvist, the
1984 World Rally Champion. (WRC) As forty years seems a lifetime ago, Yikes! I’ve
long been a Fan of whom I call tom “the bomb!” Blomqvist. Although I’m
embarrassed to admit how little I know about Him…
Thus learning that Tom was a multi-times
Karting Champion in New Zealand before progressing up the European single
seater ladder. Discovering that He suffered a broken back during a German Formula
3 race in 2011 at the notorious EuroSpeedway Lausitz racetrack, Youch!
Or that ironically, future IndyCar teammate
Felix-the-Cat’ (Rosenqvist) won the 2014 Macau Grand Prix, while Blomqvist was
punted off-track by future Formula 1 driver Esteban Ocon!
Tom raced in the DTM, nee Deutch Tourenwagen
Masters between 2015-17, claiming one win. Then spent the next several years in
Formula E, along with a stint in the FIA World Endurance championship before
joining Meyer shank Racing’s IMSA Sports Car team fulltime in 2022.
Blomqvist and teammate Oliver Jarvis won that
year’s Prototype Championship, along with the first of Tom’s two back-to-back
Rolex 24 victories. As it was Blomqvist’s amazing, raw speed that made me a fan
of His…
Blomqvist first tested an IndyCar at an Sebring
test session in October, 2022. Then at the 2023 Toronto IndyCar race, Tom made
His IndyCar debut as a substitute for the injured Simon Pagenaud, before
running athe season’s final two races at Portland and Laguna Seca.
Confirmed as the Fulltime driver of Meyer Shank
Racing’s No. 66 entry as Helio Castroneves successor. Tom has scored two Top-20
finishes to date, with His season best result being P15 at St Pete’s season
opener. Whilst currently languishing in 23rd overall, one place below the “Cut”
line for Leaders Circle prize find…
As Blomqvist, who’s never driven on an Oval
before, prepares to make His Roundy-round’ debut on the world’s biggest stage!
Nolan Siegel
#18 Dale Coyne Racing
Engine: Honda
Country: USA
DOB: 11/9/04, Age: 19
IndyCar Starts: 1
As previously noted, 19yr old Palo Alto,
California native Nolan Siegel plans to contest four races this season at the
ever revolving Dale Coyne & company’s cockpits. Having made His IndyCar
debut at this year’s Thermal Club event, driving the No. 18 entry He’s
primarily “sharing” with Jack Harvey.
Nolan then made His official IndyCar debut at
“the Beach!” One of Nolan’s Home track’s, ergo Long Beach, where He drove the
No. 51 Coyne Ware Racing entry with local “eatery” King Tacos sponsorship.
Siegel will also contest the Toronto race this
July, along with attempting to qualify for this year’s Indianapolis 500, both
in the No. 18 entry. Running just a maximum of four IndyCar races in order to
preserve His rookie IndyCar status for 2025.
Nolan made His single seater debut in the 2019
U.S. f2000 National Championship driving for Newman Wachs Racing, finishing
15th overall.
The following year, Siegel switched to Jay
Howard Driver Development for His sophomore U.S. F2000 campaign, finishing P13
overall.
Then for His third and final U.S. F2000 season,
Nolan switched to DEForce Racing, finishing eighth overall while claiming His
maiden victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Siegel made His Indy Pro 2000 series debut at the
2021 Gateway Oval race. Then graduated to the Indy Pro 2000 championship for a
full season drive with DEForce Racing.
Nolan won first time out at St Pete, before
dominating the next round at Barber Motorsports Park. Yet that would be the
last of Siegel’s victories, ultimately finishing fourth overall in the title
fight.
Siegel also contested the final Indy Lights
race at Laguna Seca driving for HMD Motorsports before joining Indy NXT
fulltime in 2023, remaining with HMD Motorsports. Impressing as a rookie by
winning two races and finishing third overall, also claiming Indy NXT’s rookie
Of the Year (ROY) Honours.
Siegel’s “Day Job”, the 2024 Indy NXT
Championship is off to a blazing start! Having won Round-1, leading
wire-to-wire from Pole at St Pete. Followed by a second place finish at
Alabama. Entereing the IMS Road Course Double Header weekend tied for the
points lead with Jacob Abel.
But the Indy GP Double Header weekend wasn’t
what Nolan hoped for, with finishes of second and fifth, seeing Him fall 25
“markers” behind Points leader Abel.
As it’ll
be interesting to “see” how Nolan fares on His first Super Speedway Oval. While
having landed a ride with United Autosports for this year’s 24 Heurs du Mans.
As talk about your veritable driver’s “bucket list” as a teenager! As All
that’s missing is Monaco…
Yet Siegel’s Fast Friday was definitely not
what He needed. Having apparently “wiggled” coming out of Turn-2 and ultimately
over-correcting. Nolan’s front-left tyre Hit the wall after spinning, shearing
the wheel assembly off! With the car getting airbourne momentarily before
flipping upside down and grinding down the track before finally coming to a
stop!
The good news being that Nolan was medically
cleared and was Ok. But the team was scrambling to assemble a backup chassis
for Him. Being Jack Harvey’s Indy GP road course racecar. Which sadly the team
never recovered from!
Since it’s odd hearing that 229mph is Slow! But
this is the Indy 500 where ultimately, you needed to be at 230mph or above to
“safely” qualify for the race!
Alas, Nolan gave it a brave effort, but the teenager simply was never able to wrastle’ the necessary speed out of this backup chassis. And at the end of the One hour Last Row Shootout, Nolan was the slowest of four cars. And trying to throw a Hail Mary, Siegel’s wickedly loose trimmed out racecar was too much to handle – with Nolan losing the back end entering Turn-1 on lap-2 and crashing into the wall! Seeing the No. 18 Failing to make the Show.
