Dale Coyne Racing have been known for waiting deep into the offseason to confirm their driver lineup for the coming NTT IndyCar Series season, and they entered November one of two teams without any drivers announced for 2027.
Now they have solidified half of their lineup for next year, with the long-awaited confirmation that reigning Indy NXT champion Nikita Johnson is set to replace the A.J. Foyt Enterprises-bound Dennis Hauger behind the wheel of the No. 19 Honda.
The 2027 season is set to become their eighth in a row with at least one rookie in their lineup and their third in a row with at least one rookie full-time driver.
As for when they'll confirm who will drive the No. 18 Honda, it's anybody's guess. Even last offseason, it took until just weeks before the season began for them to confirm Romain Grosjean, despite having confirmed Hauger nearly right after the 2025 season ended.
Dale Coyne Racing announcement leaves one team with no drivers, but even that's a bit misleading
All things considered, the confirmation of Johnson means that the only team left without any drivers confirmed for 2027 is Juncos Hollinger Racing. But the reality is that those driver announcements are largely viewed as formalities at this point.
Rinus VeeKay is set to return for a second season behind the wheel of the No. 76 Chevrolet, following an impressive 2026 season in which he recorded four top four finishes and finished in a career-high 10th place in the championship standings, by far the team's all-time best.
And Nolan Siegel is expected to replace Sting Ray Robb behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet, after having been replaced at Arrow McLaren by ex-Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon. The real question regarding this team's future appears to be ownership, and once that matter is resolved, expect the return of VeeKay and the arrival of Siegel to become official.
With that in mind, it means that Dale Coyne Racing once again find themselves as the only team with a true vacancy to fill. Now the question is how long they'll take to fill it.
The 2027 NTT IndyCar Series season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 7 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which is set to be shown live on Fox from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. All 17 races on the 2027 schedule are set to be broadcast live on Fox.
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