During the weather delay at the Nashville race, Paretta Autosport announced an additional date to its original three-race roster for 2022.
Although the team is not yet prepared to reveal the next title sponsor for the #16 Paretta entry, team principal Beth Paretta was able to confirm the team and Simona De Silvestro’s presence on the grid in the finale.
Following its initial entry in partnership with Team Penske in the 2021 Indianapolis 500, Paretta felt spreading funding for her “woman-forward” squad over three races in 2022 would better serve her personnel and De Silvestro. The team is now partnered with the Chevrolet-powered Ed Carpenter Racing.
Until the Road America round in June, De Silvestro had not raced an IndyCar on a road course for seven years.
However, she showed notable progress in terms of pace at Mid-Ohio, as well as in a test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
For Sunday's race at Nashville, De Silvestro will start 21st. Her best ever finish in IndyCar came on a street course, at Houston in 2013.
Paretta’s specific plans for her team in 2023 are as yet unclear, but in April she declared that eventually she hopes the squad will be able to run all IndyCar rounds.
Nashville IndyCar race put on hold for weather
Nearby lightning strikes have prompted IndyCar officials to push back Sunday's race on the streets of Nashville.
Health and safety regulations state that action cannot commence, nor spectators be allowed in grandstands, until there have been no lightning strikes within an eight-mile radius for at least 30 minutes.
This is because of the perils of spectators in wet, metal grandstands, as well as tall masts all along pitlane and in the TV compound.
Unfortunately, soon after the Indy Lights race ended, the inclement weather moved in to the Nashville area, the rain bringing thunder and lightning too.
Understandably, IndyCar is remaining cagey on when track activity may resume, since a second storm cell is approaching the Nashville area.
If IndyCar declares it a wet race, entries are not obliged to run both types of Firestone dry tyre compound even if the track dries up.
