As is usually the case, Dale Coyne Racing, despite having aimed to confirm their driver lineup for the 2026 IndyCar season by the end of October, are once again the last team to confirm their full-time roster heading into the new year.
Dennis Hauger is set to replace the Juncos Hollinger Racing-bound Rinus VeeKay behind the wheel of the No. 18 Honda through a new technical partnership with Andretti Global, but the replacement for Jacob Abel behind the wheel of the No. 51 Honda has not yet been announced.
It was rumored a few weeks ago that the top three candidates for that ride were Conor Daly, who competed full-time for the team in 2016, Linus Lundqvist, who was left without a ride for 2025 despite winning 2024 Rookie of the Year honors, and Romain Grosjean, who got his IndyCar start with the team in 2021.
Daly is now reportedly out of the running, having noted on his Speed Street podcast that Dale Coyne Racing is "not looking like somewhere that I will be" in 2026.
Conor Daly not in contention for Dale Coyne Racing seat
Daly is the driver whom VeeKay is set to replace at Juncos Hollinger Racing after just one season. In his first full season since 2022, Daly finished in 18th place the championship standings with a top finish of fifth in the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway, along with three other top eight finishes.
In addition to his full season with Dale Coyne's team in 2016, Daly also competed for the team at Long Beach in 2015 and then again in the 2018 Indy 500. He even made a relief start for the team at Iowa Speedway in 2024.
The news likely positions Daly to return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in their second Indy 500 entry. He competed for the team in the 2024 running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing", and they are seeking a second driver after Ryan Hunter-Reay joined Arrow McLaren as Kyle Larson's replacement for 2026.
Daly competed alongside Hunter-Reay in 2024 and was replaced by Jack Harvey in 2025.
As for Dale Coyne Racing, the decision would appear to be down to Lundqvist and Grosjean, but there is still a chance they could take the pay driver route. Is Devlin DeFrancesco an option after losing his ride with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing to Mick Schumacher? Could Abel actually still come back for a second year?
The 2026 IndyCar season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 1 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. All 17 races on the 2026 schedule are set to be shown live on Fox for the second year in a row.