Dreyer and Reinbold Racing has announced that it has purchased one IndyCar charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
The purchase will allow DRR to compete full time in the 2027 season with a single entry, the first time it has done so since 2012.
DRR has contested the Indianapolis 500 and a few other select events since then, but now will return to a full schedule with this purchase.
“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, CEO of DRR.
“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.”
By selling a charter, RLL will move from a three car team down to two for the first time since 2021.
Confirmed driver line-up announcements for both teams will come at a later date.
Value for entry
The transfer from RLL to DRR marks the first time one of IndyCar’s new charters has been sold from one entity to another.
IndyCar’s charter system was implemented in late 2024, and the charters were distributed to established entries that competed full time in the series.
Incrementally more restrictive rules have been put in place since then, effectively limiting race entries outside the Indy 500 to charter-holding entries.
The upside is that teams such as RLL are able to gain monetary compensation for selling their entry into the series, bringing intrinsic value to their programs.
“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.”
The cost of the charter purchase was not revealed, though the information will likely slowly spread through the paddock internally to give other teams an estimate of what their own charters are worth.
IndyCar’s grid is expected to remain at 25 entries for 2027, before expanding back to 27 entries in 2028 with the addition of manufacturer charters that season.
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