Ed Jones will drive for his third different IndyCar Series team in three seasons when he joins Ed Carpenter Scuderia Racing for the 2019 season. The team announced it has signed Jones to drive the No. 20 Chevrolet, replacing Jordan King of England.
Ed Carpenter Racing and Scuderia Corsa will combine their efforts to field Ed Jones in 13 of 17 events on the 2019 IndyCar Series schedule. Jones drove the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in 2018 and the No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda in 2017.
Next season, Jones will drive in all road and street course races in the No. 20 ECR Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet. He will drive the No. 64 entry in the 103rd Indianapolis 500. Team owner/driver Ed Carpenter will drive the No. 20 in the oval races and the Indy 500.
Spencer Pigot will drive the No. 21 Chevrolet in all 17 IndyCar Series events in 2019.
“I am very excited to welcome Ed Jones to the ECR family, as well as Scuderia Corsa and Giacomo (Mattioli),” Carpenter said. “I was very surprised when Ed became available at the end of the season. I look forward to working together to get ECR back in victory lane."
Jones is an Englishman who grew up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He won the 2016 Indy Lights championship, and that moved him up to IndyCar. He finished third as a rookie in the 101st Indianapolis 500 in 2017.
“Joining Ed Carpenter Racing and Scuderia Corsa for the 2019 IndyCar Series is a fantastic opportunity to be a part of!” Jones said. “Both ECR and Scuderia Corsa have been successful in their respective series, and I feel the combination of forces will be greatly beneficial. I’m extremely excited to get underway.
“Ed Carpenter Racing has shown amazing speed the last few years at the Indianapolis 500. You can always expect the ECR cars to be at the front. I am really grateful for this chance and will do everything I can to make sure we, as a team, make the most of it.”
The No. 20 and the No. 64 entries for Jones are the result of a relationship between Ed Carpenter Racing and Scuderia Corsa. Scuderia Corsa’s partnership with ECR will be the next step in the Las Vegas-based team’s expansion into open-wheel racing.
Scuderia Corsa was founded by Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo in 2012 with the primary purpose of supporting racing needs of Ferrari clients. The team entered GT competition in 2013 and tasted success immediately, winning the championship in its first season. The team posted has wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, 10 Hours of Petit Le Mans and 6 Hours of Watkins Glen.
Scuderia Corsa made its initial foray into open-wheel racing at the 2018 Indianapolis 500, aligning with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing to field Oriol Servia in the No. 64. A bold strategy vaulted Servia to the front of the field, where he held the lead of the 500-mile race until only eight laps remained.
“As we expand our racing efforts in the IndyCar Series, I couldn’t think of anyone better than Ed Jones and Ed Carpenter Racing. We are thrilled to join them,” said Mattioli, Scuderia Corsa team principal.
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