19 May 2026 16:00 (UTC)
Get up to speed with Arrow McLaren's fourth entry for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500
Arrow McLaren has a proud history of running proven winners and champions as one-off entries at the Indianapolis 500 including two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan and two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson.
Ryan Hunter-Reay certainly fits the bill as the team's fourth Indy 500 entry in 2026.
Ryan won "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" in 2014 and also has an INDYCAR SERIES championship on his resume from 2012. One of the most successful American open-wheel racing drivers over the past two decades, he's made 395 INDYCAR SERIES with 18 wins and 47 podiums. And the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday will mark his 18th start in the iconic race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).
Ryan officially signed with the team in mid-November with a singular goal in mind: win the Indy 500. His focus has not wavered, but his contributions have extended beyond this personal quest. Since November, he has embedded with the team, attending every test and race in 2026. He's built connections with the mechanics and engineers and also supported Arrow McLaren's three full-time drivers: Pato O'Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard.
As race day at IMS approaches, hear from Ryan about his time with Arrow McLaren as he chases a second Borg-Warner Trophy.
The process started informally after a very tired and disappointed Hunter-Reay ran into Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti in the bus lot the day after the 2025 Indy 500. Ryan had led the race for 48 laps and had a great chance to win before a fuel issue sidelined his car with just over 30 laps remaining.
"The conversation with Dario and TK, it was just organic. I was completely drained mentally, physically. The first thing they said was, 'Do you really need to be doing this?' I said, 'This place matters so much to me. To have a shot at a win like that is everything to me.'"
The enduring passion - in the face of fresh heartbreak - from the then 44-year old driver stuck in Tony's mind. When it became clear that Arrow McLaren would need a new fourth driver for the 2026 Indy 500, Ryan was his first call, and the deal came together fast.
Even with an Indy 500 win under his belt, Ryan still feels he has personal unfinished business at the Brickyard. He's come close to another victory many times at the 500, including last year’s race.
"It's the ones that got away that you think about more than the one I won in 2014. I even think about 2013 when TK won. When he went by me, I was leading on that last restart with 6 or 7 laps to go. When he went by me, I was perfectly fine with it. I actually wanted it to happen, because I needed to get that draft to get back by him. But then Dario walled it. The yellow flag came out, and we finished under yellow parading around for the rest of the laps. So, I think about 2013 and what could have happened - the fight that TK and I would have had at the end would have been awesome. In 2016, I had a car that was just as dominant if not more (than in 2014). I had a lead at one point that was almost more than half a straightaway during the race. So, I think about that one. 2018 was another potential win where we had a speeding penalty on pit lane. Then you have last year. Yeah, it's the ones that got away that really keep you up at night."
"Really, we went about this the right way from the beginning. I've been at every session, every test, every race from the Phoenix Open Test. I really wanted to do that and TK allowed me to do that in a way that made it not really feel like a one-off. I'm not just showing up to Indy with my helmet bag saying, 'Ok, where to I put my stuff? Where are my socks?' I've been embedded with the team. I know all the engineers. I now already have great relationships with the drivers, and it does not feel like a one-off. I've been working with everybody, having dialogue with them week in and week out with the ideas that I have. It's a unique situation."
Ryan's 2026 Indy 500 attempt will be bolstered by a collaboration with NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson's LEGACY MOTOR CLUB outfit, including key personnel on the No. 31 car.
"Just great people wanting to work with great people. With TK, it's all about relationships. My lead Strategist is Brian Campe who won the 500 with Juan Pablo Montoya. He came in from the Hendricks Motorsports side. He came in and worked with Kyle Larson on his first go round and developed a relationship with the team. He's at home a bit with McLaren, and I'm looking forward to working with Jimmie Johnson as well. Jimmie and TK brought in some crew for the pit stops, and they're doing a fantastic job with their NASCAR mentality on that. So, I'm just looking forward to it. We've put together a group of really talented people."
Ryan had a challenging week of practice heading into Qualifying weekend. The 31 car experienced electrical issues, gearbox problems and a hybrid failure. Despite these obstacles, Ryan was able to qualify P22 on the grid in Row 8 for Sunday's race. Fortunately, Ryan has experience working his way to the front on race day.
"I’ve won from 19th and nearly won after qualifying in the mid-20s, so I know anything can happen here. We’ll dig into the speed, get back to race practice, and be ready to fight on Sunday."
