Andretti Autosport is an elite power in the world of IndyCar racing. The racing team currently (as of April 29) houses the No. 1 driver in the IRL in Ryan Hunter-Reay and also hosts some of the biggest movers and shakers in the league with Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick. This all-star lineup of IndyCar veterans is a constant threat on the racetrack, and now Andretti has added to its elite army of drivers.
Announced in the last week of April, Andretti Autosport has stockpiled its roster by signing 27-year-old Irishman Adam Carroll to its roster for a partial program during the second half of this season. Carroll, the 2009 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport champion, has enjoyed success in Formula Renault Campus, Formula Ford, Formula 3 and GP2, and now he'll test his open-wheel talent with IndyCar racing for one of the best teams in the league.
Speaking to IndyCar.com about his upcoming stint with the IRL and Andretti racing, Carroll said, "I'm very excited to be joining the driver lineup at Andretti Autosport. It is gratifying to know that the success I've enjoyed so far in my career has drawn the attention of a team owner like Michael Andretti. The IZOD IndyCar Series is clearly one of the most competitive formulas in the world right now and I'm looking forward to being introduced into the field later this year."
Andretti discovered Carroll when Andretti Green Racing had drivers in the A1GP, and while it's unclear what exactly his role will be in the IRL, Carroll could be growing into a starting bid – perhaps (though not likely) even taking Ryan Hunter-Reay's place after the Indy 500, when his sponsorship runs out. Andretti Autosport has yet to solidify a place for Carroll this season in the IRL and his car assignment has yet to be announced as well, but the Irishman's growing role in racecar driving is sure to evolve with his days spent with the elite racing team.
It's still uncertain whether Carroll will start in the Firestone Indy Lights Series and work his way up or dive straight into IndyCar, and while some of that might hinge on Hunter-Reay's status with sponsorship, the IRL is anxiously awaiting Carroll's arrival onto the racing scene.
For fans with <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stubhub.com/irl-tickets-indy-car-series/">Indy Racing League (IRL) tickets</a> to upcoming races, it's a toss-up on whether or not Adam Carroll will be racing alongside Andretti Autosport's other IRL drivers in the upcoming months. With the slew of upcoming oval races on the schedule, however, racing season is about to heat up regardless of Andretti's internal moves.
On the schedule for the next two months are a series of oval courses, including the May 1 Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 in Kansas City, May 30 Indianapolis 500 in Indy, June 5 Firestone 550K in Fort Worth and June 20 Iowa Corn Indy 250 in Newton. The IRL's new championship format with separate oval and road course winners is sure to draw more spectators to the sport as IndyCar dominates racing this spring and summer, and the addition of Adam Carroll to Andretti Autosport will only intensify the competition at upcoming races.
About the Author:
Jenna Jay wrote this article, which is sponsored by StubHub.com. <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/">StubHub</a> is a leader in the business of selling <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/irl-tickets-indy-car-series/">Indy Racing League (IRL) tickets</a>, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.
