Dale Coyne Racing Evaluates Candidates for No. 18 Honda Seat
Dale Coyne Racing is actively seeking a replacement for Rinus VeeKay, who has vacated the No. 18 Honda in pursuit of expanded opportunities in the IndyCar Series. Team owner Dale Coyne confirmed that the candidate list is shorter yet comprises higher-caliber options.
“We’ve been looking,” Coyne stated in an interview with RACER. “This year, the list is much shorter, but the quality is much higher.”
Among the contenders are former Coyne driver Romain Grosjean, who maintains strong ties with the team’s primary sponsor, and 2024 IndyCar Rookie of the Year, Linus Lundqvist. Additionally, Jacob Abel, VeeKay’s teammate and 2024 Indy NXT runner-up, is not expected to return, leaving Coyne with two vacant entries.
Anticipation surrounds new NXT champion Dennis Hauger, who is expected to join Coyne for the 2026 season in the No. 51 Honda, alongside backing from the Andretti organization. With Andretti’s 2026 IndyCar lineup solidifying, a return for Hauger to his previous team appears unlikely before 2027.
As Coyne prepares for the upcoming season, he emphasized the need to enhance the team’s performance on oval tracks. “We’ve got a full-on press starting tomorrow morning to get our Speedway car turned around,” he noted, highlighting the urgency for improvement following disappointing results at the Indianapolis 500 and Nashville. Testing is slated to resume late October, potentially showcasing the new driver’s abilities.
With strategic decisions ahead, Coyne Racing is focused on elevating its competitive edge in the IndyCar Series.
