IndyCar teams come to terms on the series’ first-ever charter sale, which shakes up the grid for 2027
The NTT IndyCar grid will look a little different in 2027 with the news that the first sale of the IndyCar charter contract has been completed, bringing a new team to the grid.
Even though it’s something fans are very familiar with.
It was announced Wednesday that Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has agreed to sell one of its three leases to Drewy & Reinbold Racing, subject to IndyCar approval.
TRUMP PRESENTED INDYCAR DRIVERS’ ‘SPECIAL’ SKILLS AT FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX SHOWCASE, APPARENTLY ENDING HOT DEBATES
This is the first sale since the introduction of the charter system in 2024 and will see RLL drop from a three-car operation to a two-car operation and DRR rejoining egrid full-time with a single car.
Dreyer and Reinbold last raced full-time in IndyCar in 2012, becoming a regular fixture at the Indianapolis 500. They had two cars in this year’s field driven by Conor Daly and Jack Harvey.
Jack Harvey drove one of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s two entries in this year’s Indianapolis 500. (Photo: Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire)
This news comes just a few weeks after the death of DRR founder and owner Dennis Reinbold on June 13.
TRUMP PRESENTED INDYCAR DRIVERS’ ‘SPECIAL’ SKILLS AT FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX SHOWCASE, APPARENTLY ENDING HOT DEBATES
“I want to thank Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan, David Letterman and Jay Frye for their approach to this issue from our first meeting,” DRR CEO Derek Reinbold said in a statement. “They viewed this as a partnership between two organizations that want to see each other succeed, and today’s announcement reflects that.
The teams did not name any drivers or which of RLL’s three cars would go to DRR.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS NEWS
RLL currently operates the #15 Honda driven by Graham Rahal, the #35 Honda driven by Louis Foster and the #47 Honda driven by rookie Mick Schumacher.
According to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, both Rahal and Foster are under contract for next season, while Schumacher is not.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM
SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS
This led to speculation that Schumacher was the extraordinary man. But he’s coming off his best finish of the season in Nashville.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
He told Pockrass after the race that he felt he had a good chance of being on the grid in 2027.
We’ll see how it shakes out, because this has been one of IndyCar’s wildest seasons in recent memory; Even names like Christian Lundgaard, who has two wins in the year and is fifth in the rankings, are looking for a new car for 2027.
