Dennis Reinbold, Indy 500 Team Owner and Car Dealer, Dies at 65 After Cancer Battle

Indy 500 Team Owner Dennis Reinbold

Dryer & Reinbold Photo

Dennis Reinbold, a prominent Indianapolis car dealer and Indy 500 team owner, has died at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer. The announcement was made Sunday, June 14, by Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, the team he founded.

Reinbold passed away peacefully at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, surrounded by family. He had been showing signs of improvement after his cancer diagnosis before his condition suddenly worsened.

“We are heartbroken to share the news that our owner, leader, and friend, Dennis Reinbold, has passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family,” the team said in a statement. “We ask you to join us in supporting the Reinbold family and respecting their privacy during this painful time. Dennis was a proud son of Indianapolis. He built a successful family of automobile dealerships across the state, and he loved the community of Indianapolis that gave him so much in return.”

“That same devotion fueled his passion for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—its history and the relentless pursuit of an Indy 500 win drove him every day. We can think of no better way to honor Dennis than to chase a victory in the 111th Running of the Indianapolis 500. We ask race fans to join us in remembering the man, his passion for our sport, and the memories we shared.”

A Legacy Built on Racing Heritage

Reinbold grew up immersed in motorsports and established Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in 1999. The team name honored his family’s racing legacy—his grandfather Floyd “Pop” Dreyer began as a factory motorcycle racer before becoming a crew member and chief mechanic on the famous Duesenberg driven by Benny Shoaff and Babe Stapp in the 1927 Indianapolis 500. Dreyer later built numerous Indy 500 entries and achieved success in sprint cars, midgets, and quarter-midgets.

The team launched full-time competition in the Indy Racing League in 1999, recording its first victory at Walt Disney World Speedway with driver Robbie Buhl. Over the years, Dreyer & Reinbold fielded drivers including Al Unser Jr., Ryan Hunter-Reay, Buddy Lazier, Buddy Rice, Graham Rahal, Sarah Fisher, Ryan Briscoe, Sage Karam, Roger Yasukawa, Mike Conway, Ana Beatriz, John Andretti, Justin Wilson, Paul Tracy, Oriol Servia, Townsend Bell, JR Hildebrand, Conor Daly, and Jack Harvey.

At the 110th Indianapolis 500 in 2025, Conor Daly started eighth and finished 12th, leading four laps, while Jack Harvey started 33rd and finished 22nd. In the preceding year, Ryan Hunter-Reay led 48 laps—the second-most by any driver—but finished 21st after running out of fuel during a late-race fuel-strategy attempt.

The Unique Path of an Indy-Only Icon

What distinguished Reinbold’s approach was that Dreyer & Reinbold competed exclusively in the Indianapolis 500 from 2014 onward, after scaling back from full-time IndyCar operations in 2013. The team briefly expanded to a four-race schedule in 2020 during the pandemic-shortened season with Sage Karam but otherwise remained an Indy-only outfit.

Earlier this year, the team announced an engineering alliance with Juncos Hollinger Racing, marking a new chapter in its evolution. Despite its specialized focus, the team consistently challenged full-time IndyCar operations at Indianapolis.

Reinbold’s commitment to the Indianapolis 500 left an indelible mark on the sport. His team will continue under the leadership of partners Chase Selman, Brett De Bord, and Eric De Bord.

Source link