Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Purchases IndyCar Charter From RLL

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will return to full-time NTT IndyCar Series competition next year, after purchasing a charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. (

By Thomas Hughes, SWN Open-Wheel Correspondent

CARMEL, Ind. (July 22, 2026) — Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced Wednesday its purchase of an NTT IndyCar Series charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, with the team set to return to full-time competition for the first time since 2012.

It’s the completion of a goal set forth by late team founder Dennis Reinbold, who passed away June 13 at the age of 65 and spearheaded much of the process leading to the transaction before his death.

Reinbold stated that he wished for his team to return to full-time competition prior to his passing.

“I want to thank Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan, David Letterman and Jay Frye for the way they approached this from our very first conversation,” said Derek Reinbold, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s chief executive officer. “They treated this as a partnership between two organizations that want to see each other succeed, and this announcement today reflects that. The NTT IndyCar Series is in the strongest position it has been in for decades, and that is a direct result of Roger Penske’s stewardship and leadership. The growth of this series, on the track and off, made this the right moment for our team to return to full-time racing.

“My dad built Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and poured his life into it, and our family has been 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.” 

The move forces what will be a slimmed-down RLL operation to choose between two of its three drivers to run. Rahal Letterman Lannigan currently has three full-timers: Graham Rahal in the No. 15, Louis Foster in the No. 45, and Mick Schumacher in the No. 47.

Rahal and Foster are currently under contract for next season, while Schumacher said on Monday that there is a “high chance” that he races in IndyCar next season.

In the past five seasons, no RLL driver has finished inside the top 10 in the driver’s title aside from Christian Lundgaard, who placed eighth in 2023. This season, Rahal ranks 12th in the drivers’ standings with 229 points, while Foster and Schumacher sit 18th and 24th, respectively.

As a team, RLL has claimed three top fives and eight top 10s this season. Schumacher is coming off his career-best Indy car outing, an eighth-place finish in the rain-delayed Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix on the Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway oval on Monday.

But even as Wednesday’s announcement created uncertainty for the look of RLL’s future, it also offered a glimpse into the enduring link between RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal and the late Dennis Reinbold.

“I have always had tremendous respect for Dennis Reinbold, both as a fellow team owner and as a fellow automobile dealer,” the elder Rahal said. “His dedication to IndyCar and the legacy he built over many years earned the respect of everyone in the paddock. As we evaluated the long-term direction of our organization, we made the strategic decision to return our full-time program to two cars beginning in 2027. We believe this positions our team to be able to maximize our level of competition, while allowing us to focus our resources as we prepare for the introduction of the new car.

“Dennis had expressed interest in acquiring a charter from the time the charter program was established, and we had several discussions with him 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. It reflects Dennis’ longstanding commitment to the sport and helps ensure that legacy continues."

Dreyer & Reinbold has not announced any plans for drivers, sponsorship or engine supplier at the time of writing. The transaction is still subject to IndyCar approval, but there are no indications the deal would be denied by the sanctioning body.

The IndyCar charter system was established in late 2024, with 25 charters distributed to existing teams — three of which RLL procured.

Dreyer & Reinbold’s last full-time driver was Oriol Servia in the 2012 season. Splitting time between a Lotus and Chevrolet engine, he finished 13th in the championship, with four top-five finishes and a fourth-place result in the 2012 Indianapolis 500.

Dreyer & Reinbold has operated as an Indy 500-exclusive team since then, and has competed in every ‘500’ since the turn of the millennium, with its high mark being a seventh-place finish in the 2021 rendition under Sage Karam.

Conor Daly and Jack Harvey drove the No. 23 and No. 24 one-off cars for the team in this year’s Indianapolis 500, finishing 12th and 22nd, respectively.

Daly has been heavily rumored to be the favorite for the full-time DRR seat, though nothing has been confirmed as of Wednesday.

“The first transfer of an IndyCar charter is an important milestone for the INDYCAR charter system and demonstrates that the system is working as intended,” said Mark Miles, Penske Entertainment president and CEO. “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.

“It’s another step in strengthening the long-term foundation of IndyCar.”