SONOMA, California – Ed Carpenter Racing announced Thursday that Spencer Pigot will remain behind the wheel of the team’s No. 21 Chevrolet for the 2019 Verizon IndyCar Series season.
Pigot, 24, has been with ECR since midway through his Verizon IndyCar Series rookie season in 2016, though this is his first full-time campaign. In 38 career starts, all but four with ECR, Pigot’s best finish has been second place this year at Iowa Speedway.
“I’m extremely happy to be returning to Ed Carpenter Racing for the 2019 season,” Pigot said. “I have to thank Ed Carpenter, Stuart Reed and Tony George for giving me the opportunity to race for their team once again. I’m honored to represent our great partners of Fuzzy’s Vodka, Preferred Freezer Services, Direct Supply, Autogeek and everyone else that makes this possible.”
Pigot successfully climbed through the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series. He won the 2014 Pro Mazda and 2015 Indy Lights championships and holds the record for most overall MRTI race wins with 24.
Pigot debuted with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for three Verizon IndyCar Series races in 2016 before joining Ed Carpenter Racing for the last half of the season, when he drove the No. 20 Chevrolet at road- and street-course events while team owner Ed Carpenter drove the car on ovals. That role continued for Pigot in 2017 before he was named to drive the No. 21 Chevy at all events this year.
“I am really happy to have Spencer back in the No. 21 for the 2019 season,” Carpenter said. “We have always believed that Spencer has the potential to compete for race wins and championships and he has really showed that in the back half of this season. Hopefully, we can break through this weekend at the season finale and get ECR back in the win column."
In his first full season, Pigot has established several career bests. In addition to his runner-up finish at the Iowa Corn 300 on Iowa Speedway’s short oval in July, Pigot is fresh off a fourth-place finish at the Grand Prix of Portland – his best showing on a permanent road course. He also reached the Fast Nine Shootout in Indianapolis 500 qualifying and started the iconic race sixth, his best qualifying effort for any circuit. Pigot is 13th in the point standings heading into this weekend's season finale at Sonoma Raceway
“It’s been great to compete in my first full season of Indy car racing this year and I look forward to building on that next year,” Pigot said. “We have a lot to look back on and learn from. We will be working hard over the offseason and will be able to hit the ground running when we get to next season’s opener in St. Pete.”
Pigot and the rest of the Verizon IndyCar Series field complete the 2018 season on Sunday at the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Sonoma (6:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN and Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network). Tickets for the race weekend that starts Friday are available at SonomaRaceway.com.
Read Pigot's IndyCar.com biography here.