The Carlin team is edging closer to making a move into the Verizon IndyCar Series, especially on the back of Ed Jones’ Indy Lights title triumph last weekend for them at Laguna Seca.
Jones’ $1million prize money and the three guaranteed race opportunities for the 21-year-old, including the Indianapolis 500, could mean that Trevor Carlin takes his own eponymous team into IndyCar with the British driver on board.
“If I can win today that gives me more credibility and I will feel even more confident,” said Carlin to Racer.com prior to Jones winning the Indy Lights title. “Plus, Ed will have a million bucks, and that’s a million bucks closer to me having an IndyCar team.”
Carlin has many options available to him going forward as well as the continued involvement with Jones, and could even link up with an existing team rather than going it alone. He has been in communication with IndyCar competition President Jay Frye, who has been assisting him with his plans.
“I’m the sort of person that tries every possible way to achieve a goal,” said Carlin. “I’ve got probably four real strong leads into making it happen. They’re all different ways of doing it. Maybe one of them will come off this time.
“The way the IndyCar market is going at the minute, I see there being more drivers than seats. So now is my time. Whether those drivers have got 4, 5, $6 million to do it, I don’t know. I have spoken to Jay Frye recently, he’s been very supportive in trying to help me with my path.”
