Carlin Racing is in their debut year, but they have had a tough start to the year. Carlin isn't just any first team though, in their first year they have two guys in Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton who both drove for Chip Ganassi Racing the last couple years. Both Chilton and Kimball drove for Carlin in early in their career in Formula 3.
Carlin may be new to IndyCar, but this team is well respected around the world, so it's a little shocking to see them struggling this much. Charlie Kimball is 19th in the points, while Max Chilton stands at 20th. Of the full time drivers, that ranks 3rd last and 2nd last. The only driver they beat is Matheous Liest. Ed Carpenter who has only ran one race this year, is ahead of both the Carlin drivers in the points. In his two starts this year, Chilton has finished 19th and 18th, while Kimball has finished 20th and 17th. In both races, neither driver finished the race on the lead lap.
What's be more problematic is their qualifying. Neither driver has started a race better than 20th thus far this year. That makes it virtually impossible to not only contend for podiums, but just break the top 10. I did not expect Kimball and Chilton to be championship contenders, but I though they could sit around 12th-15th position in the points. First time team Hardig Racing's Gabby Chavez has just one car and he sits 15th currently in the points.
There are three teams that made the jump to full-time this season including Juncos Racing, Harding Racing, along with Carlin Racing. It's still really early, but you have to figure one of these teams will fold if they don't get the results they are looking for and right now that looks like Carlin. We are still very early in the season, but this is not the start Carlin was looking for.
Carlin may be new to IndyCar, but this team is well respected around the world, so it's a little shocking to see them struggling this much. Charlie Kimball is 19th in the points, while Max Chilton stands at 20th. Of the full time drivers, that ranks 3rd last and 2nd last. The only driver they beat is Matheous Liest. Ed Carpenter who has only ran one race this year, is ahead of both the Carlin drivers in the points. In his two starts this year, Chilton has finished 19th and 18th, while Kimball has finished 20th and 17th. In both races, neither driver finished the race on the lead lap.
What's be more problematic is their qualifying. Neither driver has started a race better than 20th thus far this year. That makes it virtually impossible to not only contend for podiums, but just break the top 10. I did not expect Kimball and Chilton to be championship contenders, but I though they could sit around 12th-15th position in the points. First time team Hardig Racing's Gabby Chavez has just one car and he sits 15th currently in the points.
There are three teams that made the jump to full-time this season including Juncos Racing, Harding Racing, along with Carlin Racing. It's still really early, but you have to figure one of these teams will fold if they don't get the results they are looking for and right now that looks like Carlin. We are still very early in the season, but this is not the start Carlin was looking for.
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