SPEEDWAY, Indiana -- Ricardo Juncos’ race shop is one to be proud of. After opening its doors in December 2016, the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires giant has made the leap into the Verizon IndyCar Series at last year's Indianapolis 500. On Wednesday, the team hosted an open house to show off its 2018 INDYCAR plans.

Kyle Kaiser, who won the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires championship with Juncos, is signed for four races in the No. 32 Chevrolet, as is Austrian newcomer Rene Binder.  Kaiser will race in the Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway on April 7 before contesting the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in his home state of California the following week. Kaiser compete in both races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the INDYCAR Grand Prix on May 12 and the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27. 

Binder gets the first race action in the car at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11, followed by the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park on April 22. the Honda Indy Toronto on July 15 and the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 29. More races for either driver could be added.

Kaiser, who was victorious in Indy Lights at ISM Raceway and on the IMS road course, believes his experience in the Indy Lights car will make his transition to the new 2018 Indy car with the universal aero kit easier.

“Coming from my background and having not driven an Indy car before, the upgrade from the Indy Lights car was great,” said Kaiser, who got his first time in the car in the Phoenix open test at ISM Raceway on Feb. 8-10. “Indy Lights prepared me very well for the Verizon IndyCar Series, and I’m extremely grateful.

“It’s the top level for a reason, it’s a completely different animal in its own respect and it was fun to drive.”.

Binder comes from a European road racing background, finishing fourth in the 2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 (formerly World Series by Renault). He earned four victories and two pole positions before looking to advance his career.

After visiting with INDYCAR representatives at the Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend last September, Binder contacted Juncos late in 2017 and worked out the partial schedule deal with the team.

“I’ve followed INDYCAR more and more the past three years on TV,” Binder said. “I liked the racing a lot, the fact that INDYCAR is running on ovals, street circuits and on road courses is great. The circuits have less runoff area, not like some tracks that we have in Europe. I really like the pure racing effect that INDYCAR has and I’m really looking forward to it.”

With his background on road and street circuits, Binder is focusing on them for now. He was able to visit Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time on Tuesday, taking in the IMS Museum, learning the track’s history and even having his photo taken on the historic yard of bricks at the start/finish line.

“I’ve followed the Indianapolis 500 the last few years and I’ve seen the great photographs of the big crowd at the race,” Binder said. “It’s the biggest motorsport event in the world and to be there on the bricks was a great experience for me which I always wanted to do.”

Team owner Ricardo Juncos has been busy in the offseason. After signing Kaiser and Binder to four races each, Juncos has working to increase the number of Verizon IndyCar Series races for the team to gain experience. Juncos' goal is to field at least one full-season entry in 2019. All the while, he continues building the Mazda Road to Indy juggernaut that claimed both the Indy Lights and Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires titles last season.

“We’re working so hard to find sponsors that will make everything easier or we’ll find somebody else that maybe can add more races,” Juncos said. “My idea is to add as many as possible and we’ll see how 2019 goes. We’re just going to play this game as it’s presented to us because it’s difficult, but it’s happening better than I thought, which is all good.”

Juncos Racing fielded two cars in last year’s Indianapolis 500 with Sebastian Saavedra and Spencer Pigot respectively finishing 15th and 18th. The experience proved challenging but helped shape how Juncos will run the Verizon IndyCar Series operation and how the challenges will balance out against the challenges the Mazda Road to Indy side.

“We have the experience from last year. I know what I want much better, so that part doesn’t worry me,” said Juncos. "Each team is working perfectly by itself, actually the Pro Mazda team is testing in Florida and everything is fine. I think we have great people, I’m looking forward to making these teams self-running in a proper way and trying to find good drivers to fight for championships. That’s the goal.”

The 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series kicks off with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11 (12:30 p.m. ET, ABC and Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network).