James Hinchcliffe: 'I believe I won't (start the race)'

Show Caption Hide Caption 'Pit Pass Live': Bump Day lives up to the billing Race insider James Ayello discusses who made the fast nine and who got bumped from the 500 field.

INDIANAPOLIS -- James Hinchcliffe's options to enter the Indianapolis 500 are dwindling. A Schmidt Peterson Motorsports official confirmed to IndyStar on Sunday that it is exploring options to bring Hinchcliffe back into the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500, but that it doesn't have a timeline for the decision.

Two possible options out of the field of 33 have emerged: cars qualified by Conor Daly and Jack Harvey. Hinchcliffe was one of two drivers bumped Saturday after posting one of the two slowest qualifying times.

“We are taking the time to focus on our partners and talk everything through internally at this time,” an SPM official said.

Sunday, Hinchcliffe told the IMS Radio Network that "at this point I believe I won't (start the race). Obviously there's precedent in the past of some people jumping into other cars. But, at the end of the day, every single one-race deal here is occupied by someone that worked their tail off all year long."

He added that he has no say in whether an Indy ride is purchased for him.

A mechanical issue forced Hinchcliffe to withdraw from a second qualifying attempt and time ran out. However, it's the cars that qualify, not the drivers, allowing Hinchcliffe to compete in the 500 if parties can come to an agreement with another team.

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Initial speculation focused on Hinchcliffe replacing Jay Howard, SPM's one-off 500 entry, because of constraints with the availability of other cars. But Howard said that would not happen.

"I won't be replaced, let's put it that way," Howard told IndyStar. "Personally, I feel really bad for James and the team. "It sucks. There's no other way of putting it. I've been there, it's just horrible. You don't want to see anyone go home, but that's the team's business not mine."

Hinchcliffe is a spokesperson for Honda so that likely eliminates the 16 Chevrolet cars as possible landing spots. It’s unlikely, too, that any full-season racers driving Honda cars will give up their spots. That’s another 10 cars gone. Pippa Mann was the other drive to get bumped, count Hinchcliffe himself, and that leaves seven available cars.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan said Oriol Servia's ride will not be an option. "We are absolutely committed to our three entries," an RLL Racing official said in a statement.

Andretti Autosport told IndyStar its one-off drivers -- Carlos Munoz and Stefan Wilson -- also wouldn’t lose their spots. “We rate Hinch very highly and have a great history with him,” Andretti Autosport said of its former driver in a statement. “While we’d love to see him out there May 27, there is not a consideration to place him into one of our six entries."

Team owner Dale Coyne confirmed rookie Zachary Claman De Melo's No. 19 car isn't an option because of contractual obligations to primary sponsor PaySafe.

Make that 3.. https://t.co/D2GCE7x5FO — Zach Claman Demelo (@ZACHCD13) May 20, 2018

That leaves Harvey and Daly.

Michael Shank, owner of Harvey's No. 60 car, told IndyStar on Sunday he has no connection to Hinchcliffe’s comments and has yet to take part in any conversations SPM might be having.

“We have our car and we’re moving forward with our program,” Shank said.

Daly drives for Dale Coyne Racing with Thom Burns Racing. Coyne said it is unlikely all parties could come to an agreement to put Hinchcliffe in Daly's No. 17 car.

"We’d have to break a lot of contracts," Coyne said. "We’d have to come to agreement. It’d be an incredibly expensive if every party agreed to do it. We’d have to have Burns’ approval, the Air Force’s approval, Conor’s approval and my approval."

Coyne, who is also familiar with Howard's contract from previous negotiations with the driver, discussed how these scenarios can play out.

"The guy brings you whatever he brings you, if he brings you a million dollars he’s gotten that from someone," Coyne said. "He’s put the money up. That guy is going to want that money back. He put it up, so he’s going to want more. The driver’s going to want something. I think it’s going to be a $2 million check, if you can even get every single party lined up to say yes. Everyone’s going to want to make a little money or at least get back to square."

Coyne is skeptical Hinchcliffe would be able to make a deal work with anyone outside his own team. Driver Tony Kanaan also put the figure at $2 million in a television interview when dicussing Daly.

If Hinchcliffe takes someone's spot, he would start at the back of the field.