Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Friday, July 24, 2026
First IndyCar Charter Transfer Sends Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Back to Full-Time Competition in 2027
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has purchased a charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the first official transfer of an IndyCar charter since the system launched in late 2024, a RACER feature published Thursday revealed. The deal clears the way for DRR to return to full-time IndyCar competition for the first time since 2012. Derek Reinbold, CEO, spearheaded the transaction. RLL’s sale reduces the organization to a two-car operation from 2027. The transaction is pending official IndyCar approval. Conor Daly, a DRR regular at the Indianapolis 500, is the leading candidate to drive the team’s single-car entry.
Postponed Nashville Race Takes Ratings Hit as World Cup Final Clash Backfires for IndyCar on FOX
The rescheduled Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway drew 775,000 average viewers on FOX on Monday, the second-lowest figure of the 2026 season and well below last year’s Nashville audience of 1,142,000. The race was pushed from Sunday to Monday after the FIFA World Cup Final aired on FOX ran into extra time, and subsequent rain and lightning further delayed proceedings. The broadcast peaked at 882,000 viewers. Despite the dip, the 2026 IndyCar season is averaging 1,884,000 viewers per event across 12 races, a 17 percent improvement on IndyCar’s inaugural FOX season in 2025 and 49 percent ahead of the 2024 NBC-era average.
IndyCar’s 2027 Schedule Coming Into Focus With 17 Races and Key Dates Now Confirmed
IndyCar will release its 2027 schedule in phases, Penske Corporation President Bud Denker confirmed to RACER on Thursday, with several race dates already settled. The series will hold 17 events, matching this year’s total. St. Petersburg is confirmed for March 5–7, a week later than in recent years; Arlington returns March 19–21 on the same weekend as the IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring; Long Beach holds its traditional mid-April date on April 16–18; and the Indianapolis Grand Prix is slated for May 14–15. The new Markham Grand Prix street race replaces the Toronto Grand Prix as IndyCar’s annual Canadian stop.
NASCAR Trucks Return to Streets of St. Petersburg for Second Year With IndyCar in March 2027
IndyCar and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will share the Streets of St. Petersburg circuit for a second consecutive year after promoter Green Savoree Racing Promotions confirmed the 2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for March 5–7. The Truck Series will return to the downtown street circuit for Saturday, March 6, following the strong attendance the inaugural joint event drew in 2026. Thursday’s announcement also confirms that St. Petersburg will run one week later than its 2026 slot on the 2027 IndyCar calendar. Tickets for the 2027 weekend go on sale this fall.
Sources: Speedway Media Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Begins Rebuilding Operation From Ground Up for 2027 IndyCar Campaign
With a chartered IndyCar program confirmed for 2027, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing CEO Derek Reinbold is turning attention to rebuilding the organization from the ground up, Motorsport.com reported. The team, which last competed full-time in 2012, must assemble technical alliances, recruit personnel, select a driver, and attract commercial partners before the new season begins. Structuring an off-season testing program is described as a top priority, given the limited track time available to a returning team. Conor Daly, who has driven for DRR at the Indianapolis 500 on multiple occasions, remains the leading candidate for the team’s single-car seat.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Drivers’ Championship
1. Alex Palou — 457 pts
2. David Malukas — 374 pts
3. Kyle Kirkwood — 370 pts
4. Christian Lundgaard — est. 339 pts*
5. Pato O’Ward — est. 310 pts*
Also active: J. Newgarden, S. McLaughlin, S. Dixon, M. Armstrong, R. VeeKay, M. Schumacher, N. Siegel, W. Power, L. Foster, G. Rahal, F. Rosenqvist, A. Rossi
* Pos. 4–5 estimated from pre-Nashville data; live standings at indycar.com
Teams’ Championship
Chip Ganassi Racing
Team Penske
Andretti Global
Arrow McLaren
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Meyer Shank Racing
Juncos Hollinger Racing
AJ Foyt Racing
Dale Coyne Racing
Ed Carpenter Racing
Team points unavailable; live standings at indycar.com
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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