Former Indy 500 winner calls out IndyCar drivers' destructive 'desperation' for overtakes

Dreyer and Reinbold Racing's Indy 500 driver Ryan Hunter-Reay came out and detailed the desperation of the IndyCar drivers to make up positions during a restart, which in turn leads to caution flags and crashes. The 44-year-old will be participating in the 109th running of the Indy 500 and spoke about the same ahead of the third practice day.

Ryan Hunter-Reay is a former Indy 500 winner who won the iconic race in 2014, and since then has participated in IndyCar as a full timer, a part timer, and a one-off Indy 500 entry. The American was announced as Dreyer and Reinbold Racing’s 2025 Indy 500 driver alongside Jack Harvey.

Ryan Hunter-Reay won the race after starting P19 in 2014. The reporter mentioned the same and asked the DRR driver whether he could repeat the same with the new IndyCar. The 44-year-old came out and detailed the desperation of drivers to attempt overtakes while mentioning how the racecraft has changed over the last decade. He said:

“Now there's more desperation to make a pass. And you see a lot of that out there. You see a lot more desperation moves, guys almost getting down over the curb and stuff like that to get clean air, so, it's a bit different with this weight and this spec.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay then suggested that it's definitely possible to make up several positions over the 500-mile race. The reporter then suggested that the early desperation from drivers to make a move is what Hunter-Reay fell victim to at last year's Indianapolis 500. The DRR driver added:

“Just everybody's just going because they know once it settles in, you're kind of there for that stint. You're not going to just walk through them. So everybody on the starter or restart is just so desperate to get one or two spots. And that's why you see some of the things we see on these restarts.”

Hunter-Reay also won the 2012 IndyCar championship after finishing the season with 468 points.

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How did Ryan Hunter-Reay perform at the 2024 Indy 500?

Ryan Hunter-Reay has been participating in a one-off Indy 500 for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing for the last couple of years. The 44-year-old was able to make it into the Top 12 qualifying session, but failed to make it to the Fast 6 and started the race in P12.

Hunter-Reay made contact with Kyle Larson’s Arrow McLaren on the Lap 9 restart as the Cup Series driver fell back from his P5 starting position. The DRR driver took minor damage to his rear suspension as a result of the same and ran the remainder of the race anonymously in the midfield.

On Lap 107, Hunter-Reay, while running inside the Top 20, made contact with Scott Dixon, which sent the DRR driver spinning, and the former winner had to retire from the race following the extensive damage to the car.