Dreyer & Reinbold Racing took another step toward its full-time return to NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition in 2027 with a successful road course test Monday, Oct. 26, at Barber Motorsports Park. It marked the team’s first time on a road course since 2020.

The outing marked an important milestone for the Indianapolis-based organization as it begins building the personnel, equipment and infrastructure needed to compete across the full 17-race INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Conor Daly, who was named the team's driver Sept. 5, drove the No. 24 Chevrolet around the 2.38-mile Alabama road course.

“Just getting there in the first place was a big deal,” Daly said. “There’s a lot of things we see in racing where people say we’re going to do this or we’re going to do that, but it doesn’t happen as easy as it sounds. It’s a great step forward to get there and to get on track with no issues and to just start logging laps. It’s a huge process and challenge that we’ve taken on.”

DRR announced July 22 that it had purchased an INDYCAR SERIES charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, setting the stage for its first full-time season since 2012. The team had continued to compete in the Indianapolis 500 every year since 2000.

However, returning to full-time competition represents a significant undertaking. The team last prepared a road-course car in 2020, when it contested three races on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Its recent efforts have centered on the Indianapolis 500, making the transition to a full-season program an opportunity to rebuild and expand its operation.

Conor Daly

Daly (photo, above), who has made 133 INDYCAR SERIES starts, emphasized the Barber test was about more than getting laps on track. While the team brings decades of Indianapolis 500 experience, expanding beyond May requires a different level of preparation and resources. The test marked the culmination of months of preparation and an important step forward for the organization.

“We’re all competitors on this team, everyone wants to do well,” Daly said. “We’ve seen so many times people want to enter this arena. It is not easy. It’s a tough sport to be involved in and jump into. I have so much I want to do in this series. This is a great deal to do it. To get going in 2027, to get on the grid and to get this process started is super proud.

“Great to see the smiles on people’s faces. There’s been a lot of work put in. To see it come through, to see it take place here on a road course, we’re not at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, this is a whole different world.”

DRR’s return to full-time competition came shortly after the passing of the team’s founder and owner, Dennis Reinbold, who died June 13 at 65. Derek Reinbold takes over as chief executive officer, leading the team his father established in 1999. The organization earned its first and only INDYCAR SERIES victory in 2000, when Robbie Buhl captured the season opener at Walt Disney World Speedway in the team’s debut.

Now, more than a decade after its last full-time campaign, testing allows the team to work toward another opportunity to compete throughout the season.

“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. We’re not here to just be on the track.”