The Dream Team.

 When you look at the IndyCar series grid, you can see a lot has changed, the 100th Indy 500 went without a real Bump Day as only 33 teams entered for the race, and a ton of very talented drivers are unable to find full time rides despite their performances indicating they are well deserving of it. Spend 5 minutes looking at a part-time driver's twitter page, and you'll see fan after fan asking them why they aren't racing more often? and sadly the answer that usually comes along is that they're trying to do so. But the money simply isn't there to compete. For example. JR Hildebrand ran up front most of the day and finished 6th place in the Indy 500 this past Sunday, yet you look to Bell Isle and the Detroit double header this weekend, and his name isn't on the entry list.

  It truly is a shame that in this new age of social media we look to our racing heroes, Unsure if or when they'll get the chance to live their dream on the track again and having to tell fans who bought tickets to see them that they wont be racing that week.

  If you were to compile a team of drivers. using only drivers who lack a full time drive, you likely wouldn't reach Penske, Ganassi, or Andretti levels of success as an owner. but there are no doubts you could easily be a race winning organization. So that is what this post will do, compile a Dream Team, with 3 full time cars, consisting of drivers who unfortunately were unable to garner full time rides in the IndyCar series for 2016.

Car #1: Sage Karam

Sage Karam Prior to this seasons Indy 500

 Sage Karam is a member of the prestigious Teenagers who own a top 10 in the Indy 500 Club. The now 21 year old Karam had his fingertips on victory a few times in 2015, but his reckless driving style burned him on more than a few occasions, wrecking potentially race winning cars, and making his final result pale in comparison to his actual performances.

 Karam's best results are clearly on the oval portion of the schedule so on the surface it would make more sense to pair him up on a car with someone who prefers the road and street circuits. But a plan like that would be doing Sage a disservice, his talent level screams IndyCar champion, and the best way to improve his road course results would be to actually see how he actually handles visiting places like Mid-Ohio or Toronto.

Car #2: JR Hildebrand
 

JR Hildebrand's Sparsely Sponsored Indy 500 ride

The last time we saw JR Hildebrand in a full time ride was in 2012. That in itself is an absolute travesty. This year, like in years previous Hildebrand has been relegated to being an Indy Only driver, and while he has done amazing in that role, being the only driver to score top 10's in each of the last 3 500's. His past performances indicate he is capable of so much more. Hildebrand is no slouch on the Road and Street courses the series has to offer, laying down amazing runs at Long Beach, and Toronto as examples.

 Hildebrand's critics would point out that racing is a what have you done for me lately sport, and the last 2 years, both in which Hildebrand ran the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, his finishing positions were unimpressive to say the least. But the combination of driving entries on circuits like the Indianapolis road course after being out of the cockpit for almost a full year is no easy feat, and Hildebrand should be applauded for even being able to bring the car home in 1 piece.

  At 28 years old Hildebrand still has plenty of magic to offer American Open-Wheel racing. His tenacity and driving ability show that he deserves the chance to erase all doubts people have about his ability to be an IndyCar series winner.

Car #3: Simona De Silvestro (Road & Street) 

The last time we saw Simona in an IndyCar was at last years Indy 500.

Ed Carpenter racing has proven in the past that you can find success in having different drivers for road courses and ovals.

  Starting off with Simona, She carried the old HVM Racing team to results they had no business getting back when she was just a rookie. A 2011 battle with former champion Tony Kanaan solidified herself as one of the most tenacious competitors in IndyCar.

 Her time with HVM had her as the only driver on a small team, there was little to compare her to. But when she moved to KV Racing, pairing up with the aforementioned Kanaan, she left little doubt as to how good she really was, Outracing the former champion in 9 of the seasons 19 races, including garnering her very first podium finish at the Grand Prix of Houston.

 After an ill-fated attempt at a Formula One ride with the Sauber team, and an IndyCar return with Andretti Autosport cut short due to sponsorship woes, De Silvestro is currently driving for Andretti's Formula E team, positing very respectable results and showing improvement as the season wears on, showing just how great of a road racer she truly is.

 While Simona is quite serviceable on the ovals there is no denying her talent lies with the Road & Street courses, Ideally she would be put in a 4th car for the Indy 500 as no one of her talent level deserves to miss the big race. with so much experience in all forms of motorsport the still 27 year old De Silvestro has plenty of time to go right some wrongs and earn the right to call herself an IndyCar series winner.

Car #3: Pippa Mann (Ovals) 

There may not have been a more popular car at this years Indy than the #63 of Pippa Mann

If there is anything that I dislike about Pippa Mann. it's that I truly have no idea how good she really is. She's on a very tiny list of women who have won an IndyCar sanctioned event, winning an Indy Lights race at Kentucky in 2010, but her IndyCar results are as middle of the road as they come.

 But one thing you can tell by looking at her results across a season is, she does better the more she races, that's not a mind-blowing concept, but to be a part time Ovals only racer on a low budget team, racing head to head with a world Champion like Sebastian Bourdais, like Mann was at Fontana last year is not a simple task. As inspirational a story it is for Dale Coyne to be able to do so much with so little, I believe the cars ability does a disservice to Mann's finishing results.

  But there is one thing about Pippa Mann that sets herself apart from other part time drivers who are more than deserving of a drive, it's how great of a spokesperson she is. The amount of money she has raised for Susan G. Komen for this year's Indy 500 is unbelievable for someone who doesn't get much time in the spotlight. I personally don't know how she found the time to promote the Turn the Cockpit pink promotion, then proceed to get up to speed and drive competitive lap times at Indy, but like any driver who wants it bad enough, she found a way.

  
 This Of course is not an exhaustive list, drivers like Stefan Wilson and Gabby Chaves deserve the chance to show what they have as well without Sponsorship hampering their progress. Hopefully sometime in the not to distant future we're talking  about how amazing it is to see fields of nearly 30 cars like we used to in the past.