It was a fun exercise, and looking back on it, that two-car fantasy team looks pretty good four years later.
A driver, an engineer, a strategist and a pit crew had to be selected for each entry. Each IndyCar team had different parameters to protect assets from the expansion draft and it varied from team-to-team. Four-car teams were allowed to protect one asset from each car, but could not protect multiple of the same asset, meaning a four-car team could not protect all of its drivers. At least one of each category had to be exposed.
For two-car teams, each entrant was allowed to protect two assets, but again, one of each category had to be exposed. Single-car teams were allowed to protect two assets from its one entry.
Four years ago, I picked Josef Newgarden, engineer Jeremy Milless, strategist Mike Hull and the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing pit crew for one entry and the other was Ed Jones, engineer Allen McDonald, strategist Larry Foyt and the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing pit crew. That team still looks respectable now. Ed Jones hasn't developed like we thought he would since that flashy rookie year, but he has still shown some competitiveness. As for Newgarden, Milless, Hull and McDonald, all those guys are still kicking it at a high level.
A lot has changed in four years, and with another NHL expansion draft coming up for the new Seattle Kraken franchise, I thought I would try this again. The protected assets would change, and there are a lot of stellar young drivers out there. The same rules apply. Four-car teams protect one of each asset, two-car teams are allowed to protect two assets from each entry and single-car teams are allowed to protect two assets.
However, there are ten teams this time around, and there are eight designated spots with each entry. Instead of letting two teams go scot-free, this time around it will be a three-car expansion team and the two vacated spot will be filled with free agents.
Who will each team be protecting?
A.J. Foyt Racing
Driver: Sébastien Bourdais
Engineer: Mike Pawlowski
Strategist: Larry Foyt
Pit Crew: #4 Foyt
Bourdais might be 42 years old, but he is the best driver A.J. Foyt Racing has got, and Larry Foyt had to expose himself last time, but now he is protecting himself. Since those two are protected from the #14 Chevrolet, it has no other choice but protect Mike Pawlowski and the #4 Chevrolet's pit crew.
Andretti Autosport
Driver: Colton Herta
Engineer: Ray Gosselin
Strategist: Rob Edwards
Pit Crew: #29 Andretti
Four-car teams are going to have difficult decisions and will leave plenty of enticing pieces on the table. Herta is the face of Andretti Autosport, and it is not going to let him go. Gosselin has been a key engineering member of Andretti Autosport for years now and has won a championship and an Indianapolis 500. Edwards is integral to the team and the #29 crew gets protected by default.
Arrow McLaren SP
Driver: Patricio O'Ward
Engineer: Blair Perschbacher
Strategist: Taylor Kiel
Pit Crew: #7 AMSP
It is pretty clear who AMSP would be protecting. The O'Ward-Kiel combination might be the breakout pair of the 2021 season. With those two guarded, Perschbacher and the #7 AMSP pit crew fill out the protections.
Carlin
Engineer & Strategist: Luke Mason
Carlin is in a weird boat, being a single-car team, but it also has Mason double as engineer and strategist. Instead of protecting Mason and Max Chilton, which effectively would be protecting three slots, we are only protecting Mason.
Chip Ganassi Racing
Driver: Álex Palou
Engineer: Mike Cannon
Strategist: Mike O'Gara
Pit Crew: #48 Ganassi
Another tough series of choices, but Palou is one Ganassi cannot let get away as it looks to the future. Cannon has been great across the board and in year one he led the #9 Ganassi Honda to a championship. O'Gara returned to IndyCar last year after working on the Ford GT program and has played a key part in Marcus Ericsson' development. The #48 pit crew is protected by default.
Dale Coyne Racing
Driver: Romain Grosjean
Engineer: Ross Bunnell
Strategist: Dale Coyne
Pit Crew: #18 DCR
Grosjean has entered IndyCar and immediately been a threat. Bunnell is in his first year as a race engineering, leading the #18 Honda. This team has an odd predicament as both strategists are co-owners with Dale Coyne on the #51 Honda and Jimmy Vasser on the #18 Honda. One of them has to be protected and Dale Coyne is steering this ship. Coyne is safe and the so is the #18 pit crew.
Ed Carpenter Racing
Driver: Rinus VeeKay
Engineer: Matt Barnes
Strategist: Tim Broyles
Pit Crew: #20 ECR
With how VeeKay has run this year, you do not break up the VeeKay/Barnes pairing. With those two locked up, Broyles and the #20 pit crew fills ECR's protected list.
Meyer Shank Racing
Driver: Jack Harvey
Engineer: Andrews Listes
The second of two one-car teams, I think it is safe to say it will keep its driver and engineer under wraps, especially when considering its qualifying pace.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Driver: Graham Rahal
Engineer: Allen McDonald
Strategist: Derek Davidson
Pit Crew: #30 RLLR
It is not nepotism that has Rahal as the protected driver. It is more strategy. You protect Rahal and expose the 44-year-old Sato and effectively protect two drivers. Who is going to take a 44-year-old driver to build a team around? McDonald has long been credited for superspeedway success, especially at Indianapolis. With two protected from the #15 entry, Davidson and the #30 pit crew are covered for the other entry.
Team Penske
Driver: Josef Newgarden
Engineer: Ben Bretzman
Strategist: Ron Ruzewski
Pit Crew: #3 Penske
Penske is not going to leave Newgarden exposed this time. Bretzman has been a wizard of sorts setting up a car and planning for a race. Ruzewski has a long history with Penske and that leaves the #3 Penske pit crew left for protection.
How do we fill out this expansion team?
1. Alexander Rossi - Driver - Andretti Autosport
If Herta is protected, you have to take Rossi. It has been a tough two-year period for Rossi, but he has shown he is a top-notch driver and a change of scenery with a new crew around him could be the answer.
2. Tim Cindric - Strategist - Team Penske
Team Penske has a lot of juicy options out there, but Cindric is the best piece out there. Time and time again he has made genius calls that have turned a simple top ten finish into a race victory. Rossi will need that and that is why Cindric is coming to this team and will pair with Rossi.
3. Mike Hull - Strategist - Chip Ganassi Racing
I took Hull four years ago and I will take him again now. Arguably the two most decorated strategists are on this team. There will be no concerns on the pit stand.
4. Olivier Boisson - Engineer - Dale Coyne Racing
Boisson already had success prior to this season, but in combination with Grosjean, Boisson has been a minor star in 2021. He has succeeded with Bourdais before. I want him on my team.
5. #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Pit Crew
Halfway through and I am going to take my first pit crew. RLLR doesn't have a clear go-to pick and I will need a pit crew. This is one off the board.
6. Will Anderson - Engineer - Arrow McLaren SP
The underrated piece in AMSP's surge this year, Anderson has been an engineer since 2018. He won a race with James Hinchcliffe and O'Ward has been an ace in each of his two seasons. This is someone worth taking.
7. Peter Craik - Engineer - Ed Carpenter Racing
What? Three engineers? That's right! I am going pit stand heavy for this three-car team. Prior to Craik's time at ECR, he worked for Furniture Row Racing and won a championship.
8. Scott Harner - Strategist - A.J. Foyt Racing
Three engineers need three strategists. Harner previously worked at Chip Ganassi Racing for 25 years. He has knowledge that will help get this team up to speed. He has worked with Mike Hull before. We are set up behind the scenes for success.
9. #60 Meyer Shank Racing Pit Crew
10. #59 Carlin Pit Crew
I have to fill out this team, the only teams that are left are the two single-car teams, I don't need any more engineers or strategists and the only driver left is Max Chilton. I mind as well get pit crews now.
That means my two free agent spots are for drivers and I like that freedom. The driver market is deeper than elsewhere. There are plenty of talented drivers out who deserve a full-time shot in IndyCar.
How do I line up these cars?
Car A
Driver: Rossi
Engineer: Boisson
Strategist: Cindric
Pit Crew: #15 RLLR
This is the lead car. Rossi, Boisson and Cindric are all race winners. Rossi has been on the verge of a championship and Cindric is a champion. I think Rossi needs Cindric's stewardship. He needs someone who can put the car one or two steps ahead. Too many times Rossi has found himself stuck in fourth and fail to make up any ground. The last IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio is a perfect example. Rossi could not get ahead of Scott Dixon, no matter what was done. It cost him a spot as Álex Palou jumped ahead of both Dixon and Rossi. Instead of being on the podium and maybe fighting for a victory, Rossi ended up fifth. Cindric will make sure Rossi is not in that position.
Car B
Driver: Oliver Askew
Engineer: Craik
Strategist: Hull
Pit Crew: #60 MSR
I am going after Askew and adding him to a full-time seat. He will be under the tutelage of Hull and this could be a great second act for him. Askew was a substitute at Road America for Rinus VeeKay and was the top ECR entry all weekend, better than Conor Daly who has been at ECR for two seasons now. Askew was dealt a bad hand with AMSP. Ganassi was interested in Askew when he was emerging. I think Hull can get the most out of Askew.
Car C
Driver: António Félix da Costa
Engineer: Anderson
Strategist: Harner
Pit Crew: #59 Carlin
How about making a splash? Da Costa has won a Formula E champion and has been the Red Bull development driver that got away from the Formula One program. On top of da Costa's Formula E success, he has won in LMP2 competition and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and one thing to remember is da Costa and Rossi were once teammates in Formula Renault 3.5. Da Costa significantly beat Rossi in the championship that season despite missing five races. In 2012, da Costa was fourth in the championship off a late season surge with Arden where he won four of the final five races and ended the year with eight consecutive top five results. Rossi was 11th in the championship with one podium finish that year.
My concern with a third car is it a mix bag and there is risk taking a driver with no IndyCar experience, but we have seen Grosjean come in and be a threat. We have seen Scott McLaughlin enter IndyCar with very little open-wheel experience and put up respectable results. Marcus Ericsson is a race winner within his first three years in IndyCar. Da Costa is worth the shot, and he has at least tested an IndyCar. It was only a sample, but he is not completely blind.
This team feels more balanced than the expansion team I did four years ago. We might not know how this team will look four years down the line. Da Costa might not run an IndyCar. Askew might never be full-time again. But in four years, we might circle around again and see how these picks aged.
