Dreyer & Reinbold set for full-time IndyCar return in 2027 with purchase of charter from RLL

The IndyCar Series will welcome Dreyer & Reinbold Racing back as a full-time entrant in 2027. The move comes after recent negotiations with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing concluded last weekend with the purchase of RLL’s third charter.

“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 DRR CEO Derek Reinbold, son of the team’s late founder Dennis Reinbold, who passed in June. “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 sale will return RLL to a two-car effort and restore DRR’s season-long status in 2027 after focusing on part-time campaigns since 2013. The sale also marks the first purchase of an IndyCar charter.

Modeled after NASCAR’s charter system, Penske Entertainment issued 25 charters to its 10 tenured teams in 2025 with a limit of three charters per team. For RLL, which moved to three cars in 2022, the third entry has frequently found itself in an uncompetitive state or significantly underfunded, which led to seeking the right buyer to claim the third charter.

“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 Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles. “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 rumored sale price for the charter is $13 million, which would set an important benchmark for IndyCar’s two- and three-car teams with asset valuation and establish a starting point for future charter sales.

"I have always had tremendous respect for Dennis Reinbold, both as a fellow team owner and as a fellow automobile dealer,” said RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal. “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's longstanding commitment to the sport and helps ensure that legacy continues."

As RACER chronicled in its most recent silly season article, the sale of RLL’s third charter places an immediate question mark over Mick Schumacher’s future in the series. The German is understood to have a new personal sponsor who is interested in funding the rookie’s continuation in IndyCar and Schumacher is said to have taken meetings with prospective teams.

RLL is also known to have an interest in continuing with Schumacher, but it’s unclear where he’d fit within the IndyCar program unless Graham Rahal retires or the team comes to terms on a split with Louis Foster, who signed a multi-year extension in 2025.

DRR will announce its driver and other details of its single-car effort in the near future. DRR veteran Conor Daly has been the leading candidate associated with the team.