News Summary
- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing completed a successful road-course test at Barber Motorsports Park with Conor Daly.
- The team has already confirmed its full-time IndyCar return for 2027, having acquired a charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
- Daly will drive the No. 24 Honda-powered entry, ending the team’s long period of competing primarily at the Indianapolis 500.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has taken an important step towards its full-time IndyCar return in 2027 after completing a successful test with Conor Daly at Barber Motorsports Park. The session marked the team’s first appearance on a permanent road course since 2020 as it prepares to contest an entire championship for the first time in 15 years.
The test took place on October 26 in Alabama, with Daly driving the No. 24 car. IndyCar subsequently highlighted the significance of the outing as the team continues building the personnel, equipment and infrastructure required for a 17-race season.
Dreyer & Reinbold has already confirmed its return, purchased a charter and signed Daly to a multiyear agreement. The Barber test represented the next operational milestone rather than an announcement of a new entry.
Daly finishes third in Barber test
Four drivers participated in the session at the 2.38-mile circuit.
Hunter McElrea set the fastest lap for Ed Carpenter Racing, while Alex Dunne and Nikita Johnson represented Dale Coyne Racing.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H. McELREA | Ed Carpenter Racing | 1:07.557 |
| 2 | A. DUNNE | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:07.674 |
| 3 | C. DALY | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 1:07.830 |
| 4 | N. JOHNSON | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:08.020 |
Daly finished third, 0.273 seconds behind McElrea, but outright performance was not the team’s only objective.
For an organisation returning to full-time competition after years focused on the Indianapolis 500, completing laps without major problems was a significant achievement.
“Just getting there in the first place was a big deal,” Daly told IndyCar.
“There’s a lot of things we see in racing where people say they’re going to do this or they’re going to do that, but it doesn’t happen as easy as it sounds.”
The American emphasised the importance of getting the programme onto the track.
“It’s a great step forward to get there and to get on track with no issues and to just start logging laps.”
Dreyer & Reinbold returns after 15 years away
Dreyer & Reinbold last contested a full IndyCar season in 2012, when Oriol Servià drove for the team.
Since then, the organisation has concentrated primarily on the Indianapolis 500, maintaining its presence at the championship’s most prestigious event without operating a full-season programme.
The return became official in July, when the team announced the acquisition of a charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
The transaction gives Dreyer & Reinbold a full-time entry beginning in 2027, subject to the championship’s approval process.
In September, the team confirmed Daly as its driver and announced a switch from Chevrolet to Honda power.
The arrangement includes a technical partnership with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, designed to help the returning organisation establish a competitive operation across road courses, street circuits and ovals.
Daly has already represented Dreyer & Reinbold at Indianapolis, finishing tenth in 2024 and 12th in 2026.
Daly compares test to first day at a new school
The driver described the challenge of rebuilding a full-time programme as a completely different experience from preparing exclusively for Indianapolis.
“It’s like first day of school, but it’s a new school,” Daly said.
“It’s an awesome challenge for this group. Everyone’s been close to that point and excited to get there, and now we’re here.”
He also stressed that the team intends to compete rather than merely fill a place on the grid.
“We’re not here to just be on the track.”
Daly believes the programme can provide an important opportunity to pursue goals that remain unfulfilled in his IndyCar career.
“We’re all competitors on this team, everyone wants to do well,” he said.
“I have so much I want to do in this series. This is a great deal to do it.”
The American also highlighted the effort required to prepare a car for road-course running after years of focusing on the Indianapolis 500.
Return fulfils Dennis Reinbold’s ambition
The team’s expansion carries additional significance following the death of founder Dennis Reinbold in June.
Reinbold had been pursuing a charter that would allow the organisation to return to full-time competition.
His son Derek Reinbold now serves as chief executive officer, overseeing the programme alongside the team’s management group.
Founded in 1999, Dreyer & Reinbold made an immediate impact when Robbie Buhl won the opening race of the 2000 Indy Racing League season at Walt Disney World Speedway.
That remains the team’s only victory in IndyCar competition.
The organisation has maintained a long association with the Indianapolis 500, qualifying dozens of entries over more than two decades.
Its return to the full championship is intended to build on that history while honouring the ambitions of its founder.
When does Dreyer & Reinbold return to IndyCar?
The 2027 IndyCar season begins on March 7 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida.
Daly will drive the No. 24 Honda-powered car throughout the championship, with the team preparing for the demands of a complete 17-race schedule.
The successful Barber test represents an early step in that process.
Further testing and preparation will be required before the season opener, particularly as the team adapts to competing at a variety of circuits rather than concentrating on Indianapolis.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the IndyCar driver market, team developments and preparations for the 2027 championship.
