Legacy Team Returns to Full-Time IndyCar in 2027 with First-Ever Charter Sale

This landmark decision that will change the landscape of IndyCar in 2027 comes after a heartbreaking loss for the team, with their first full-time season since 2012.

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IndyCar is a series that is rife with family legacy and storied teams that trace back to the days of 'CART' prior to the series that we know today. In 2026, a deal has been done that will bring about a new era for a family-owned team with ties to Indianapolis for over 40 years.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR) is returning to full-time competition in IndyCar for the first time since 2012. The team announced today that it has purchased an IndyCar Series charter from another family-owned team, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. They will field a single-car entry beginning in 2027.

While DRR never entirely 'left' the IndyCar series – fielding Indianapolis 500-only entries since 2013 – this will be a massive leap for the team and for the series itself. This is the first charter sale since Penske Entertainment introduced the charter system in 2025.

The History of Dreyer & Reinbold Paves New Roads for IndyCar

The timing of this announcement is immensely significant to the sport, coming just one month after the DRR founder Dennis Reinbold passed away at 65 following a cancer diagnosis. His son, Derek Reinbold, now runs the team and has made it clear that this $13M leap is one directly influenced by his father's legacy.

DRR has technically fielded only cars in the IndyCar Series since 2000, with their first and only win at Walt Disney World Speedway in 2000. However, their actual history spans back to the 1920s, when Dennis' grandfather, Floyd 'Pop' Dreyer, built race cars for the Indianapolis 500.

That said, bringing back the team to a season-long schedule required buying into a new system that Dennis Reinbold had wanted to be a part of from the start.

"My dad built Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and poured his life into it, and our family has been a part of the Speedway for four generations. Competing for a full season again is the truest way we can honor his legacy, and we intend to make him proud."

Derek Reinbold, DRR CEO

No one understands that family legacy as much as Bobby Rahal and the rest of the RLL organization – Mike Lanigan and David Letterman. Mike added that the way they approached this charter sale was as partners who "want to see each other succeed."

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Graham Rahal (15) sits on the pit wall with his father, Bobby Rahal, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, during qualifying for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Bobby Rahal, 3-time CART and 1-time Indianapolis 500 champion, echoed the sentiment from RLL's side.

"Dennis had expressed his interest in acquiring a charter [before his passing]. We're pleased we were able to complete this transaction, and we can't think of a more deserving organization to receive the charter."

Bobby Rahal, RLL Racing

The IndyCar Charter System

This DRR and RLL transaction was the first domino to fall in the utilization of the IndyCar charter system. This system was launched in 2025, giving 10 teams a total of 25 charters that guarantee their entry to every race except for the Indianapolis 500.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing was one of the five teams that received the maximum allotment of three charters. However, the team's lack of consistent results and funding since this expansion in 2022 had made the future of the team uncertain.

This transaction was the first time that charters have been sold and was a 'proof point' for Penske Entertainment's CEO, Mark Miles.

"The system is working as intended. The charter system provides teams with a valuable asset encouraging their continued investment in the long-term growth of the sport while also providing new ownership groups with a clear pathway into the series."

Mark Miles, CEO Penske Ent.

Jul 27, 2025; Salinas, California, USA; PREMA Racing driver Callum Ilott (90) during the Monterey Grand Prix at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While this is the first time a charter has been successfully sold, there is a history of a team entering the series without a charter. Prema Racing competed during the first year of the system in 2025. The 2-car team would have been able to compete with a 27-car limit at non-500 races, but the funding and precariousness of this arrangement caused the team to pull out in 2026.

This is not a shock to the system, though. The rumored price of the DRR and RLL charter sale was $13 million – a reference point for any deals done in the future.

IndyCar Driver Landscape in 2027

The 2027 IndyCar silly season has already begun with Scott Dixon's exit from Chip Ganassi and Felix Rosenqvist from Meyer Shank Racing – with both heading to Arrow McLaren. Now, RLL has lost a car and DRR has gained one.

Simple math says that the third RLL driver who is left without a car could move laterally to the DRR entry. However, that is unlikely to be the case.

May 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; IndyCar Series driver Mick Schumacher during the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As it stands, Graham Rahal, Mick Schumacher, and Louis Foster are the three RLL drivers in 2026. The only solid fact is that Graham Rahal, son of the team owner, will not be the driver impacted. Not simply because of ownership, but because he has dramatically outperformed his younger teammates in 2026, with three podium finishes and 12th in the IndyCar standings.

So, does the team choose to let their two-year veteran, Louis Foster (18th), or the rookie with unmatched racing pedigree, Mick Schumacher, go? It is Schumacher's future that is presently in question, but the fact remains that this may come down to individual funding brought to the RLL effort rather than results.

As for the Dreyer & Reinbold seat? Conor Daly, a 13-year veteran of the IndyCar series, is the obvious frontrunner. He has not only run two Indianapolis 500s with Dreyer & Reinbold (2024 and 2026), but also raced for the team in their Motocross effort in 2023.

May 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; IndyCar Series driver Conor Daly (23) during the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The other options for the team are former Indianapolis 500 participants, Jack Harvey (currently Fox Sports Pit Lane Reporter) or one of the newly released McLaren Drivers like Nolan Siegel. The IndyCar world is essentially DRR's oyster.

IndyCar silly season continues on, and this charter is just the newest piece to fall in the puzzle that is the 2027 IndyCar grid.