Ryan Hunter-Reay will contest the 2023 Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
The 2014 Indy 500 winner has been announced as the driver of the #23 Chevrolet, alongside the already confirmed Stefan Wilson in the #24 entry which is a partnership with Cusick Motorsports.
Hunter-Reay has not raced in IndyCar since losing his seat at Andretti Autosport at the end of 2021, after which he took up an IMSA development role with Chip Ganassi Racing.
DRR, however, has been a fixture at The Brickyard despite having not been a full-time entrant in the series since 2012.
“I am thrilled to have Ryan Hunter-Reay join our line-up for the 2023 Indianapolis 500,” said team owner Dennis Reinbold.
“Ryan is a proven winner at the Speedway and is a tremendously talented driver who is a great addition to our team for this year’s 500.”
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Last year, Santino Ferrucci finished 10th in one of two DRR cars, after Sage Karam got home in seventh in 2021, results to which Hunter-Reay alluded.
“I’ve been eager to share this news for quite some time,” said the 42-year-old.
“This partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing presents a unique opportunity for me and I can’t wait to get back on track at IMS.
“I feel laser-focused and energized. The Indy 500 isn’t just a motor race for me; it’s a way of life.
“I was incredibly attracted to the fact that DRR is a streamlined program that puts all of its energy into the month of May. I guess you can say I’m going back to my roots, considering how I started my IndyCar career with smaller teams that took the fight to the bigger efforts and won.
“If you look at DRR’s record at Indy and their impressive recent results, the pool of talented engineers and crew; it’s a perfect fit.
“Dennis Reinbold embodies everything the Indy 500 is about. He is, without a doubt, one of the Indy 500’s most passionate entrants.
“I look forward to working with him, the entire team, and my team-mate Stefan Wilson.”
As it stands, the bare minimum number of entries to ensure the traditional figure of 33 starters have now been confirmed.
As well as the 27 full-time entries in the 2023 IndyCar Series, Andretti Autosport will field Marco Andretti in its fifth car, McLaren adds a fourth car for Tony Kanaan, Ed Carpenter himself is contesting all of the oval events, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has Katherine Legge joining its usual trio, and DRR will compete with the aforementioned duo.
An Open Test takes place at The Brickyard on April 20-21 while practice for the event starts on Tuesday, May 16, with the race itself to be held on Sunday, May 28 (all times local).
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