Filippi confirmed in Coyne car for St. Petersburg - Speedway Digest

Luca Filippi has completed the field for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg as Dale Coyne Racing confirmed the Italian will drive the team’s No. 19 Sonny’s Bar-B-Q-sponsored Honda in the March 13 event.

That sets the field at 22 cars for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season opener. To view the entry list, click here.

Filippi, who has made 18 starts over the past three seasons, joined the team for preseason tests at INDYCAR’s Test in the West at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 26-27 as well as a one-day team test at Sebring International Raceway on March 2.

“It was nice to test at Sebring last week before starting the season,” Filippi said. “It was my first time back on a road course in an Indy car since Sonoma last season. We had a very good test and it was a good way to get ready for St. Petersburg. We were mainly focusing on getting a good balance and a good pace. I normally always try to focus on a race pace because if you can be fast and consistent, then you have a better chance for a strong result.”

Team owner Dale Coyne indicated the plan is to have Filippi run the full season, but has not confirmed Filippi’s status beyond this weekend’s race. Filippi finished ninth in his only start at St. Petersburg in 2015.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.