LEXINGTON, Ohio -- RC Enerson will make his Verizon IndyCar Series debut in The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, after INDYCAR today confirmed that the 19-year-old Floridian will drive the Dale Coyne Racing No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Honda for the July 29-31 race weekend.
CLICK HERE: The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio entry list
Enerson, a product of the Mazda Road to Indy developmental ladder, received seat time in the No. 19 entry during team testing at Mid-Ohio on July 21. He drove all of 2015 and the first half of 2016 in Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires, winning one of last year’s doubleheader races at Mid-Ohio.
“Mid-Ohio is probably the best track for me to move up at because it’s one of my favorites,” said Enerson, who also won a 2014 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda race on the 2.258-mile permanent road course.
“I’ve always done alright there, coming off a win last year (in Indy Lights), I think it’s a little bit extra motivation. I don’t know what it is about the Mid-Ohio track, but my driving style fits really well. Every time I’ve raced there, we were always up front.”
Enerson will be the third driver to race in the No. 19 Honda this season. Luca Filippi has driven the car in five races and Gabby Chaves in seven (including the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway that was suspended June 12 and will resume Aug. 27).
Enerson finished second in the 2014 USF2000 championship and was fourth in last year’s Indy Lights standings, earning the series’ Spirit Award for embodying the “heart of a champion.” The native of New Port Richey, Fla., is eager to compete for the first time against some of his idols.
“The biggest thing I am most looking forward to is running with some of the guys that I grew up watching,” Enerson said. “My first Indy 500, I was 3 years old and you look at all these guys that have been in it for so long like Helio (Castroneves) and Tony Kanaan, it’s like, ‘Wow!’ You look around the paddock and think you’re going to be racing with those guys. It’s going to be a big step up.”