Dreyer & Reinbold buys RLL charter, to return full time in 2027

Here is some massive news for the paddock: Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has officially purchased an NTT INDYCAR SERIES charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The transaction, announced on July 22, is currently subject to INDYCAR approval. With this secured, the team will make its long-awaited return to full-time competition starting in 2027 with a one-car entry.

This marks a huge turning point for the Carmel, Indiana-based squad. The last time Dreyer & Reinbold Racing ran a full-time INDYCAR campaign was back in 2012. This comeback arrives shortly after the passing of the team's founder and owner, Dennis Reinbold, who died at 65 on June 13.

Derek Reinbold, the team's chief executive officer, expressed gratitude for how the deal came together. "I want to thank Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan, David Letterman and Jay Frye for the way they approached this from our very first conversation," he said. He credited the strong position and growth of the series under Roger Penske's stewardship as the catalyst for the move, adding: "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."

On the other side of the transaction, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing originally received three of the 25 charters distributed to full-season teams in late 2024. RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal shared deep respect for the late Dennis Reinbold, noting that Dennis had expressed interest in acquiring a charter since the program began. For RLL, the sale aligns with a strategic choice to scale their full-time program back to two cars starting in 2027 to maximize competition and prepare resources for the introduction of the new car.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing boasts a deep, historic footprint in the sport. In May, the team competed in its 27th Indy 500, keeping alive a 100-year family legacy at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway that stretches back to Dennis Reinbold’s grandfather—the legendary Floyd “Pop” Dreyer—who wrenched as a mechanic for the Duesenberg team in the 1920s. In total, the team has qualified 57 cars for the iconic Memorial Day weekend classic.