HEARTBREAKING FINISH FOR HUNTER-REAY & HARVEY IN SUNDAY’S INDY 500, AS DRR/CUSICK MOTORSPORTS DUO WERE IN POSITION LATE FOR VICTORY
Ryan Hunter Reay leaves pits in Indy 500
Hunter-Reay’s car never ran a competitive lap until Sunday, but led 48 laps in a sensational drive
By: Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (Photos Courtesy Dreyer & Reinbold Racing)
SPEEDWAY, IN (May 25, 2025) – It was a heartbreaking scenario for the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports team and drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and Jack Harvey in Sunday’s 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, as both racers drove to the front of the field in the 200-lap classic only to have misfortune late in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Hunter-Reay, the 2014 Indy 500 Champion who was driving a backup car that had to competitive laps enter the race, came from 25th starting position in his DRR/Cusick WEDBUSH Chevrolet to his first lead the “World’s Greatest Auto Race” on lap 87 and relinquished the top spot on 104 for a pit stop. Team owner Dennis Reinbold and his No. 23 crew had Hunter-Reay save fuel during the middle of the race to put Ryan in position for a late race charge.
The Florida driver then posted his fastest race lap of 224.451 miles per hour to take back the lead on lap 134. After a strong pit stop by his DRR/Cusick WEDBUSH crew, Hunter-Reay regained the advantage over any challengers as the race moved to the final round of pit stops.
On lap 169, Hunter-Reay made his final pit stop in an effort to run to the finish. However, as Ryan moved through turn four, he radioed that he believed the car was out of fuel. With a solid pit stop for tires and fuel, Hunter-Reay hit the throttle to leave the pit area, but the engine shut off.
Hunter-Reay and his crew attempted to restart the engine several times, but it took several minutes before the engine refired. Ryan circled the two and a half mile oval several laps but the engine never responded properly, and he was forced to retire from the event. He finished 24th in the race.
Hunter-Reay’s DRR/Cusick teammate, Harvey in the No. 24 INVST Chevrolet, proved to be factor in the 109th 500-Mile as well as with a strong performance that saw the Brit move from his 26th starting slot to fifth on lap 31 with a variety of pit stops by the 33-car field. But Jack continued to drive to the front of the field and took the lead on lap 45.
Attempting a different pit strategy than Hunter-Reay’s crew, Harvey ran consistently in the top ten during the middle of the 200-lap race and ran sixth at lap 122. Working with strategist Davey Hamilton, Harvey was saving fuel as the race entered the final stages.
However, entering the pits on lap 161, Harvey’s car couldn’t make the pits in time, and he had to drive through the pits and return for fuel and tires the following lap. Losing a lap to the leaders, Jack was able to finish the race in 22nd after a stellar run earlier in the event.
“I’m just heartbroken,” said Hunter-Reay after race. “We had a chance to win this race today. And with a car that hadn’t run a competitive lap before the race started. The DRR/Cusick crew did an amazing job to get the backup car ready for the race. And then to lead for 48 laps and be in position to win the 500 is pretty remarkable. It felt like the engine was starting to run out of fuel when I came through turn four for the pit stop. The final pit stop was good, and we were in the position we want with 31 laps remaining. But it felt like we were out of fuel, and the engine stalled. I tried everything to keep it running, but I really don’t know what to say. The Wedbush crew got me in the right spot today with strategy, and the car came together well as we made adjustments during the race. It felt very good the second half of the race. I think we would have come out of the pits with two back markers between myself and (Alex) Palou, and in the proper position to win the race. It’s just a heartbreaking scenario today. It’s going to take a while to get over this one.”
“Overall, at the end of the day, we had a lot of positives,” Harvey said. “I think the strategy was looking good until it wasn’t, as we wanted a few more yellow laps. That’s the roll of the dice you play here sometimes. Being where we started (26th), you have to roll the dice with different strategies. I couldn’t slow down enough with the braking, and I had to drive through the pits. That’s on me. I just feel with this team that we can win it here. It would be great to come back and do it for a second time with the team. We know each other well now, but that isn’t my decision right now. It was a promising month, and I’d love to come back with the DRR/Cusick team for the 110th running of the Indy 500.”
