By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Juan Pablo Montoya has now been confirmed by Team Penske to run in the Indianapolis Grand Prix on May 13th.
“For Juan, I’ll run him in the G.P. and we want to get him a race with our mechanics before the ‘500. We’ll run him for both the Grand Prix and the 500,” team owner Roger Penske told reporters.
Montoya was replaced as a full time driver by Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Verizon Wireless Chevrolet and was slated to run the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 in a fifth car by Penske. With the Grand Prix of Indianapolis now confirmed, the two-time Indy 500 champion now sees his 2017 IndyCar calendar expand to two events.
Penske has made no secret of bringing a sports car program to the fold and expects to announce something on late later in the year, with the goal to have Montoya as one of the pilots.
Since his return to IndyCar racing in 2014, Montoya has won four races including the 2015 Indianapolis 500. After his full time driving duties have finished, he has been supporting his son in his karting endeavors.
