The NTT IndyCar Series has made a historic decision by establishing its first-ever charter system.
Announced Monday morning, this charter system immediately goes into effect. The 10 team owners have accepted charters for the 25 entries currently competing throughout the 17-race season.
Each team owner is allowed a maximum of three charters. IndyCar decided to offer charters to each team based on full-time entries over the past two seasons.
According to the press release, this charter system runs through the end of the 2031 season.
"When you look back in the modern era of INDYCAR racing, you will look at a few important moments, the first being the unification of the sport, the next being Roger Penske buying the IndyCar Series and (Indianapolis Motor Speedway), and I truly believe the third will be the charter system," said team owner Chip Ganassi in a statement.
These charters guarantee entry into 16 of the 17 races. The lone exception is the Indy 500, the biggest race in North America. Additionally, the charters ensure that the respective entries are eligible for the IndyCar Series Leaders Circle program. This awards program compensates the top 22 finishers in the championship standings.
"This is an important development that demonstrates an aligned and optimistic vision for the future of our sport," Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said in a statement.
"I want to extend my sincere appreciation to our team owners for their collaboration and ideation throughout this process. Ultimately, we're pleased to have a system in place that provides greater value for our ownership and the entries they field."
The initial charter list
- A.J. Foyt Enterprises - 2
- Andretti Global - 3
- Arrow McLaren - 3
- Chip Ganassi Racing - 3
- Dale Coyne Racing - 2
- Ed Carpenter Racing - 2
- Juncos Hollinger Racing - 2
- Meyer Shank Racing - 2
- Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 3
- Team Penske - 3
The charter system is nothing new for NASCAR fans or IndyCar owner Roger Penske. This system first went into effect in the top stock car racing series in 2016. Thirty-six entries currently have charters as of the 2024 Cup Series season. Penske owns three of these charters.
One big difference between the NASCAR charter system and the IndyCar charter system is that the guaranteed entry covers every race on the schedule, including the Daytona 500.
The NTT IndyCar Series charter system will be a key storyline entering the 2025 season, which begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 2, 2025. Fox will provide coverage of the series while kicking off yet another new era for the racing series.