Dale Coyne Racing is gearing up for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES with fresh driver lineups and ambitious goals as the season begins on Sunday, March 1, at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The team will feature Romain Grosjean in the No. 18 BMax Honda and Dennis Hauger in the No. 19 Ault Block Chain Honda, marking a new chapter for the organization.
Performance Review from 2025
In 2025, Dale Coyne Racing’s roster included Rinus VeeKay and rookie Jacob Abel. VeeKay showed solid performance throughout the season, ranking as high as 10th before concluding 14th overall. He had a strong start by finishing ninth in St. Petersburg and achieved a career-best fourth place at Barber Motorsports Park early on. VeeKay also earned a ninth-place result at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, which boosted him to 10th in the standings ahead of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Despite a setback when contact forced VeeKay out of the Indy 500, he rebounded with three consecutive top-10 finishes: seventh at World Wide Technology Raceway, 10th at Road America, and ninth at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The season highlight came in Toronto, where VeeKay finished second at Exhibition Place, leading 19 laps and securing seven top-10 finishes overall. Meanwhile, Abel struggled in his rookie campaign, with a best finish of 11th at the Iowa Speedway during the doubleheader, and notably failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
In related events, Dennis Hauger, racing for Andretti Global, clinched the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season championship by winning six of 14 races with a commanding 72-point margin over Caio Collet, who secured three victories. Grosjean’s foray into IMSA sports car racing with Lamborghini added depth to his experience, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at Road Atlanta.
New Driver Lineup and Engineering Support
The 2026 season introduces Grosjean and Hauger as Dale Coyne Racing’s new faces, with Grosjean returning for a second stint after finishing 15th in the 2021 INDYCAR standings as a series newcomer. Hauger arrives with high expectations as the reigning INDY NXT by Firestone champion. The team has strengthened its technical foundation by hiring Bill Pappas as an engineer to support Grosjean, while Michael Cannon, who joined midseason last year, continues working with Hauger.
Engineering Strength and Competitive Advantages
Dale Coyne Racing’s engineering team, featuring Pappas, Cannon, Mitch Davis, and Mike Colliver, brings valuable experience, especially crucial at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This strong technical lineup fosters confidence that both drivers can quickly adapt and compete effectively on the challenging circuits ahead.
Emerging Talent to Watch This Season
Expect Dennis Hauger to make an immediate impact during qualifying rounds. In the INDY NXT by Firestone series last year, Hauger impressively started on the front row for 12 of 14 races and never qualified below third in any event. Such consistency underscores his potential to be a strong contender in the main INDYCAR series for 2026.
