Spencer Pigot, Jordan King Ready to Build Upon Speed Shown In First Street Race Of The Season

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 11, 2018) – Race Preview

– After last weekend’s short oval race at ISM Raceway in Phoenix, Ed Carpenter Racing has moved over to Southern California for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the location of the team’s first street course victory in 2014. Spencer Pigot will be making his second start at Long Beach, driving the No. 21 Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet. Jordan King, road and street course driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet, will race at the 1.968-mile, 12-turn street circuit for the first time in his career.

– The season-opening Firestone of Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11 left the ECR duo anxious to get to the next street circuit race. In his Verizon IndyCar Series debut, King set the track record in qualifying, reached the Firestone Fast 6 and took the lead of the race by Lap 5. However, a punctured tire caused him to brush the wall which resulted in a piece of suspension. Pigot, true to the form he became known for during the 2017 season, executed over 20 on-track passes for position and climbed as high as second before falling a lap down after a fueling issue. Despite their competitiveness, Pigot finished 15th while King was 21st.

– Pigot will race the No. 21 Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet for the first time, with the car reverting back to a predominately blue scheme last seen in the 2016 Indianapolis 500. The No. 21 will also run as the Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet at the INDYCAR Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, both contested at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Honda Indy Toronto, the only international stop on the 2018 schedule. 2018 is the fifth consecutive year that Preferred Freezer Services has backed one of Ed Carpenter Racing’s entries.

– The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will be only the second Verizon IndyCar Series race for King. The 24-year-old shares the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet with team owner Ed Carpenter, driving the in the road and street course events while Carpenter takes on the ovals. Though he is considered a rookie, King brings years of experience from some of the world’s most famous street circuits and will add another to that list with the Streets of Long Beach.

– Long Beach is the second in a string of three back-to-back Indy car races. Last weekend, Pigot and team owner Ed Carpenter faced the one-mile oval of ISM Raceway. As 2018 is Pigot’s first year as a full-time Verizon IndyCar Series driver, Saturday night marked his first race at ISM Raceway and he took the checkered flag in the 14th position. Though Carpenter qualified 18th, his oval prowess and quick work by the No. 20 crew helped him gain 11 positions over the course of the 250-lap race to earn a 7th place finish.

– ECR won the 2014 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with Mike Conway behind the wheel of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet. It was the team’s first of three wins that season and it’s first on a street course. The Indianapolis-based team began competing in the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2012 and earned seven victories in its first five seasons.

– All Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach practice sessions will be shown via a live stream on IndyCar.com. NBC Sports Network will carry qualifications from 6:30-8 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 14. The 85-lap race will be broadcast live on NBCSN, beginning at 4 p.m. ET. on Sunday, April 15.

JORDAN KING, No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet: “I am really looking forward to getting into the car again after spending last weekend watching Ed and Spencer drive at Phoenix. I’ve only driven Long Beach on the simulator so I’m excited to see what it holds in real life. It certainly looks like a great circuit! I’m sure we will have a positive weekend.”

SPENCER PIGOT, No. 21 Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet: “I’m very excited to head back to Long Beach! This race has so much history and it’s an honor to be a part of it. We had a lot of positives to take away from the first street race in St. Pete and we’re looking forward to continuing that form this weekend. We are going to have a lot of guests from Preferred Freezer Services at the track and are ready to give them a good show!”