DETROIT – Less than one-third of the way into the 2024 IndyCar campaign, Meyer Shank Racing’s ownership group is already eyeing its position in the fierce battle for the coveted 22 Leaders Circle spots and have pulled rookie Tom Blomqvist from the cockpit because of it, according to co-owner and stand-in driver Helio Castroneves.

Earlier in the week, MSR announced Blomqvist and team ownership had “mutually agreed” that the 30-year-old full-time IndyCar rookie would step aside for at least the next two races in the wake of the No. 66 Honda driver’s Turn 1, Lap 1 crash in his maiden Indianapolis 500, with the 49-year-old stepping in after retiring from non-500 IndyCar competition at the end of last year. Ahead of Practice No. 1 of this weekend’s Detroit Grand Prix, Castroneves clarified that the move wasn’t solely Blomqvist’s tough run of races after finishing 15^th in the season-opener, but about where those results had the No. 66 Honda entry positioned in the points battle.

Among the 25 cars eligible for one of the 22 Leaders Circle spots earned from the results of this season that then will be paid more than $1 million over the course of 2025, MSR’s No. 66 currently sits in a three-way tie for 22^nd with A.J. Foyt Racing’s No. 41 and Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 20 (46 points).

And so Tuesday, the three sat down with Blomqvist to discuss the hard truths of how to move forward with two more races immediately on the calendar at Detroit (June 2) and Road America (June 9).

“The truth is with the Leaders Circle, we’ve got to get some points and not have the situation we had last year (where MSR’s No. 60 finished seven points out of the final paying Leaders Circle spot). This is a track Tom hasn’t been to, and we decided just a little more experience might be better for us to collect some points and move forward,” Castroneves told reporters Friday morning. “We have to stop the bleeding right now. Let’s do that first, and then we can consider what’s going to happen moving forward.

“Right now, we just want to put the car in the position to get into the top-22, and then we can continue.”

More: Castroneves back in car for Meyer Shank Racing as rookie Tom Blomqvist steps aside

When asked if two solid performances would ensure that Blomqvist would be back in the car come Laguna Seca June 21-23 – or if he would be back in the cockpit for MSR in IndyCar at all – Castroneves was non-committal.

“Right now, we’re just going one at a time,” he said. “That’s what we want to focus on.”

Coming off he and MSR’s back-to-back wins in the Rolex 24 together in 2022-23 in IMSA, along with a DPi class championship in 2022, Blomqvist was signed to a multi-year deal with the team in August of last year. Just two weeks ago during a group media session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Castroneves sang Blomqvist’s praises, noting that the IndyCar rookie “is an incredible driver” and that it wasn’t a surprise that he wasn’t nearly on form with his veteran full-time teammate Felix Rosenqvist.

“Felix really understands that fine edge, and that’s why he’s doing so well. With Tom, he’s discovering some of these tracks, and obviously the car. For him, this is going to take a little time,” Castroneves said earlier in May. “But I have no doubt (about his talents). You’ve got to find the limits and make some mistakes, but I’m 100% behind him.”

After committing one of the gut-wrenching mistakes an IndyCar driver can make – crashing out of the 500 just a few seconds in on a mistake of his own doing, Castroneves said those opinions of Blomqvist haven’t changed.

“I always say Tom is a superstar. He’s still in the family, and he’s under contract, so he’ll be with us as long as he wants to, but for now, for sure we want to make sure we collect some points and can move on,” Castroneves said. “I have no doubt in his ability, and I’m 100% behind him. We’re 100% behind him.

“We spoke to him and said, ‘Don’t worry about this or listen to the noises. We’re behind you.’ This is a situation nobody wants to be in – even me. But with it last-minute, we just had me jump in, and I’ll try and do my best and collect some points.”

For this weekend, at least, Castroneves said Blomqvist is home in Miami.

“I don’t think he needs to change anything,” Castroneves continued. “We just need to get the rhythm of the group and the points in the championship for the No. 66 a little more back in order so that everything can go back to normal.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Helio Castroneves explains Meyer Shank Racing benching Tom Blomqvist