JR Hildebrand to race full time with ECR in 2017

It was announced on November 4 that JR Hildebrand will return to full-time IndyCar competition in 2017, replacing Josef Newgarden in the No. 21 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing.  Hildebrand worked as a part of ECR for the past three years driving in the Indianapolis 500 as well as the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

“Honestly, I just couldn’t be more ready to get started,” Hildebrand said. “I’ve been close to, but still outside of, this role for long enough to really understand and embrace the opportunity to be back in the Verizon IndyCar Series full-time. The relationship I’ve had with Ed Carpenter and ECR has honed my determination to get back in the seat because of how confident I feel in what we could do together. Now, I’m here to make it happen.  I feel like I’ve got something to prove and can’t think of a better place to do it.”

Hildebrand won the Indy Lights Championship in 2009, raced for Panther Racing for three season from 2011 until 2013 before joining ECR part time in 2014. He also helped ECR with testing as well as development for a little bit while Newgarden was recovering from injuries sustained in a crash at Texas Motor Speedway in June. During the three Indy 500’s he ran for ECR, he finished in the top-10 all three times.

When Hildebrand is not inside the car on track he uses his motorsports knowledge to help students in STEM subject areas and is currently working on a virtual reality project to create an Indy-Car focused educational program. He was appointed as an adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, working with the students in the Revs program developing autonomous vehicle technology. He was originally accepted into MIT right after he graduating high school, however he turned down the admission to pursue his dream of being a professional racing driver.

He recently married longtime girlfriend Kristin Paine on Oct. 23 and this call from Carpenter offering him the No. 21 ride was a wonderful wedding gift.

“We first started talking about this in 2013 and the timing has just now worked to give JR an opportunity to show what he can do with a full-time ride,” Carpenter said. “The job that he has done for the team each time we have put him in a car the past three years has proven to us that he is the right man for the job. Whether it has been his role with the team during the past three 500s or the testing he has done for us over the past two years, he consistently shows he deserves a full-time opportunity. I am confident that JR will shine in the 21 car and that ECR will continue to post the results we have grown to expect.”

Carpenter is the only owner/driver currently in the IndyCar Series and will drive the No. 20 next year for the six oval events. The driver who will pilot the car during the road/street races is still in the works.