IndyCar allows expanded field at Mid-Ohio

The Indy Racing League has amended a sub-section of its IZOD IndyCar Series rulebook to accommodate 27 entries for this weekend's Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The starting field for each race is a maximum of 28 with the exceptions of 33 for the Indianapolis 500, 26 for Toronto and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (which includes two provisionals), and 24 for Brazil based on available pit lane space. However, rule 8.1 (E) (5) (d) was revised to: Mid-Ohio – 27 cars.

In addition to the 24 full-season cars, including 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion J.R. Hildebrand making his series debut in the No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry in place of the injured Mike Conway, the pit lane will include the No. 66 Service Central (Sarah Fisher Racing) for Jay Howard, the No. 27 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Inc. (Andretti Autosport) for Adam Carroll and the No. 02 National Tire and Battery (Newman/Haas Racing) for Graham Rahal.

For the first time, the past four Firestone Indy Lights champions will compete in the same race: full-season drivers Alex Lloyd (2007 champion; Dale Coyne Racing) and Raphael Matos (2008; de Ferran Dragon Racing) in addition to Howard (2006) and Hildebrand.

To accommodate the additional cars, pit stalls will be reduced from 40 feet in length to 35 feet.

"It will make for some interesting pit stops under yellow," two-time and defending race winner Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing said. Racer.com