Daly returns to Indy 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold in 2026
- Archie O’Reilly
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Conor Daly will pilot the No.23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR) Chevrolet in this year’s Indianapolis 500, completing the Indy-only team’s lineup alongside Jack Harvey.
The 34-year-old Indiana native is without a full-time drive in IndyCar in 2026, having been replaced by Rinus VeeKay at Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) in the off-season. He returns to DRR, partnered with building materials company Kingspan, for the Indy 500 after racing from 29th to finish 10th with the team in 2024.
“Having a chance to go racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway again with DRR means the world to me,” Daly said. “I love this event. I can’t wait to get back in the car and I appreciate the chance that Dennis [Reinbold, team owner] and everyone at Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has given me to do the job I enjoy.
“We’ve set some high goals with the No. 23. We want to win this race together and I appreciate that Kingspan has come on board for the biggest race in the world. We appreciate their support for this effort to chase after that nice, cold glass of milk in the winner’s circle.”
A fan favourite at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Daly has led laps in four of the last five Indy 500s, including 22 with DRR in 2024 and a high of 40 in his second of four appearances with Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) in 2021.
Across his previous 12 Indy 500 starts, he has recorded five top-10 results. A sixth-place finish with ECR in 2022 remains his best result, followed by a pair of eighth-place finishes, including with JHR last year, when Daly felt he had arguably his best car yet.
After finishing 18th in the standings last season but excelling with four top-10 finishes on ovals, he is currently enduring a third season sidelined in the past four years. His 2023 campaign was cut short after a premature release from ECR, while he commenced 2024 without drive before being picked up by JHR for the final five rounds.
These seasons did feature appearances across multiple other teams - Meyer Shank Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Dale Coyne Racing - as Daly developed a ‘super sub’ tag. This brought his all-time tally to having competed for 11 different organisations in IndyCar.
Now, a return to DRR for the Indy 500, despite them only competing in the single race, marks a genuine shot at competing near the front. Ryan Hunter-Reay came within one stint of a possible win in a back-up car last year, before running out of fuel ahead of his final pit stop.
“We are excited to partner with Kingspan to field our No.23 entry for Conor in this year’s Indy 500,” Reinbold said. “Kingspan is a world leader in its field and we are pleased to team them up with Conor and a strong DRR team this year.
“Conor has been a contender to win the biggest race in the world on several occasions and we want to put him, Kingspan and our squad in the IMS winner’s circle on May 24. We were top contenders in last year’s event and we are ready to reach the ultimate goal this year.”
DRR switched from Indy-only operation in 2013 having run as a full-season competitor since 2000. They have since recorded a best Indy 500 result of seventh through Sage Karam in 2021, with Orial Servià recording their all-time best finish of fourth at the Speedway in 2021.
They have had at least one car finish inside the top 11 in four of the past five seasons.
